Past Trips

This is one of our favorite hikes in Los Alamos. We will meet at the trailhead at 8 am. The trail starts on the west side of NM 501, approximately 1.7 miles past the LANL security checkpoint or the Pajarito Ski Hill turnoff.

This is another classic hike in the Valles Caldera National preserve, making a big loop through Obsidian Valley, along Valle de Los Posos, then hiking along the northern edge of the Valle Grande itself for the last half of the hike. The route is described in Coco Rae's book (page 58). It should have nice views almost throughout. Rae says "A gently rolling trail with minor elevation gain, passing through Obsidian Valley, forested groves, seculed backcountry valleys, and some burned areas, with great views...". The hike is 13.8 miles in distance, so we need to spend the full day.

The next ski hill potluck dinner hike is scheduled for Friday, June 19th.  We will meet at the ski hill parking lot and begin hiking up the service road at 5:00 PM.  Please bring a dish to share, your own plate, utensils, and beverage. Raingear and warmer clothing are recommended due to much cooler temperatures at the top of the mountain, and the potential for inclement weather.

This trip is full.

We are headed to the San Juans for a long weekend to tackle two scenic 14ers, Uncompahgre and Wetterhorn. We will depart Los Alamos on Friday afternoon and establish a camp in the Matterhorn Creek Basin near timberline. This central location allows us to tackle both peaks from a single high camp. On Saturday, we will take on the broad, majestic slopes of Uncompahgre Peak. On Sunday morning, we will climb the more technical Wetterhorn Peak before packing out and returning home.

The next Ski Hill Potluck Dinner hike is Friday, June 12, 2026.  We will begin hikig up the service road at

5  PM.  Please bring a dish to share, your own plate, utensils, and beverage.  Warmer clothes and raingear are recommended due to cooler temperatures at the top of the mountain or inclement weather. The hike up the mountain takes about 45 minutes with an elevation gain of about 900 feet.

The views are specatcular and dinner with friends makes for a wonderful evening. 

The next ski hill hike will be Sunday, June 7th.  I have confirmed with the county that the road will be open to the public for a Sunday afternoon/evening hike. We will meet at the ski hill parking lot and start hiking up the service road at 4:30 PM.  This will give us more time at the top of the mountain.  

This hike is described in Coco Rae's book on hiking in the Valles Caldera National Preserve (page 98), in a far corner of the preserve that I have not yet seen. So let's explore it. She says "A moderately challenging out-and-back hike in one of the least-visited areas of the Preserve, gently climbing from the Valle San Antonio to reach the northwestern boundary...". Depending on how far we can drive in, the hike is 9.7 to 12.3 miles in distance, and 1484 to 1724 feet of ascent.

Camp May and surrounding areas are closed all weekend for an archery competition.

The next Ski Hill Potluck Dinner Hike is scheduled for Saturday, May 30, 2026.  We will meet at the ski hill parking lot and begin hiking up the service road at 5 PM..  The hike takes about 45 minutes and is about a 900 foot elevation gain.

The email notification has been complicated this season for this particular hike. A plan is developing to have email notification sent out. For now, it would be wise to check the Upcoming Trips on the Los Alamos Mountaineers website. The day of the week will be determined by schedules and road construction.  I plan a hike for each weekend until early October. 

This is a multi-day backpack (Friday through Monday, with a likely departure on Thursday night after work, depending on destination) to northern NM/southern CO. The exact location will be determined once we know what snow conditions will be like.  We may set up a car shuttle. Options include the South San Juans, Weminuche Wilderness, or Chama area. We will return by midday/early afternoon on Monday.

Physically fit beginner backpackers are welcome to join. I'll be happy to advise on gear. We will have a 1-2 Zoom meetings before our departure to hash out details.