FMSP March 2013 Event and Hiking Schedule

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FMSP March 2013 Event and Hiking Schedule

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FMSP January 2013 Event and Hiking Schedule

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FMSP December 2012 Event and Hiking Schedule

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FMSP October 2012 Event and Hiking Schedule

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FMSP September 2012 Event and Hiking Schedule

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To the A

On Sunday, August 26, at 7 a.m., we are hiking to the top of the mountain with the big letter “A” on it. The starting point is where Memphis Avenue dead ends into the mountain at a dam and the intersection of Memphis, Kentucky and Mayfield Terrace on the southeastern side of the Franklins in the neighborhood just north of Scenic Drive and Richmond Avenue. (Map) Our plan is just to hike to the top of this red bluff granite formation on which sits the largest known graffiti in El Paso. I will be documenting the environmental damage caused by maintaining the A which, by the way, stands for my old high school, Austin. This is a moderate hike as it is all uphill. The trail to the A is good but we will be off trail and climbing just a bit to get to the top. The view is great so bring a camera. Do wear a hat and sunscreen and bring plenty of water. Again, this is an hour and a half or so out and back hike – great for your early morning stair steps.  Beginning hikers can do this. We won’t rush. This is not a race. Just a chance to climb a very familiar peak and enjoy the scenery. Bring plenty of water. Wear sunscreen and a hat.

On Sunday morning there is another event that many of you may prefer over a climb to “A” peak:  Rosario Walton is leading a backwards then forwards walk over Scenic Drive beginning at 6:30 a.m. The meeting place will be the west side at Scenic and Robinson. (Map) You read that correctly: backwards! Walking backwards is something of a rage in Japan and parts of Europe. There are physical benefits and mental as well. Here’s a testimonial video.  Get details of Rosario’s event here.

Remember that Scenic Drive is closed every Sunday morning from 6 to 11 a.m.  It’s a 4.1 mile hike from one side to the other. This walk takes in a dazzling panorama of El Paso and Juarez and a display of 500 million year old fossils! It’s a good recreational walk and can be done in an hour and a half.

Next Thursday, August 30 at 7 a.m. we will return to McKelligon Canyon and hike to the Electra Crash Site. Meet at end of McKelligon Canyon Road at the start of the Ron Coleman trail. (Map is to Ranger Station, 1331 McKelligon Canyon Rd., almost at the end of the Road.) We are in the Franklin Mountain State Park so use your park pass or pay a $5 per person fee at the iron ranger at the beginning of the Ron Coleman Trail. We will do a simple hike up a very lovely arroyo to a spot just above the crash site and then return. This is a moderate hike and should take no more than one and a half hours.  Do bring plenty of water (liter and a half at least), wear a hat and sunscreen. Wear good hiking shoes or boots. There is no trail. Be careful driving in and out of the canyon at this time in the morning. Herds of Ft. Bliss soldiers walk, march, do whatever they do up and down the canyon road.

The plane has been identified as a Lockheed C-40A (aka Lockheed Electra Junior) probably from the US Army Air Corp pictured above. The plane was built from the 1930s to 1941 although there are still some crafts in use today.

Our hike from the Kenyon Joyce Trailhead yesterday turned into something very fun. Not only did we have horticultural experts John White and Brent Pearson on board, we also were joined by hiking legend, Karl Putnam. Karl played the Pied Piper and took us into the canyon where lies the “corkscrew of death” – a steep drop along the canyon floor that requires some thought and careful maneuvering. Karl carefully coached each one of us down the drop. Afterwards he led us to an out pocket high above in the canyon wall.  You can view a few photos of our adventure.

There are so many great, organized hikes now. Just check out El Paso Hiking Group, Guadalupe Mountains National Park Meetup Group,  Las Cruces & El Paso Adventurists, Celebration of Our Mountains and Peak Fitness Challenge – just to begin with.

Finally, Sergeant Major Judy recommends using two pairs of hiking footwear at a time. Rotate them after each hike so that you never use the same pair consecutively.  (I recommend that you change socks after each hike too.)

Excelsior!

Time for a Hike

El Paso Hiker is back and fresh after a month’s rest.

Do visit, bookmark and join the El Paso Hiking Group. More new hikes are now being posted including an easy one-hour beginner’s hike tomorrow morning at the Stoney Hill Trailhead. Plan to leave at 7 a.m. sharp. Hikers can begin gathering at 6:45 a.m.  There’s a Women’s Only hike on Friday at Tom Mays and a more difficult Tramway Trails Hike on Saturday. Also on Saturday is a Ranger-led Interpretive Hike to Guadalupe Peak. You can find details about this hike at the El Paso Hiking Group or the Guadalupe Mountains National Park Meetup Group. In fact, visit, bookmark and join the Guadalupe Mountains National Park Meetup Group.

If you would rather ride to the top of Ranger Peak on Saturday than do the Tramway Trails, Interpretive Park Ranger Nancy Scarantino will talk about wildlife on a Wyler Aerial Tramway trip at Noon. This event co-sponsored by TecH2O includes free refreshments. Check out details online because reservations are necessary.

Two other places to bookmark: Las Cruces/El Paso Adventurers Meetup and El Paso Ridgewalkers. You will find much useful information at Ridgewalkers including GPS tracks of local hikes that you can download.

Hiking, mountain biking and mountain climbing in our area are all getting more publicity because of you, a variety of groups and Peak Fitness Challenge. Check it out. Like them on Facebook. Read a recent shout out from Austin360. There’s a Peak Fitness Challenge hike on the Aztec Caves Trail this coming Sunday.

El Paso Hiker can no longer recommend nor endorse Las Cruces Hiking Meetup events. Word has come back to us that hike leaders are telling groups to find their way back to the beginning of a hike and then abandoning the group to go off alone. Also, we have learned that hike leaders are not familiar with a scheduled trail and that they have not even hiked it before resulting in getting lost, going too far and having to ask for help. When El Paso Hiker learns that the Las Cruces group is once again leading hikes in an ethical, responsible manner, it will again promote their events. Until then, all the groups mentioned above sponsor events for all levels of hikers and do so with the health and safety of participants in mind.

Learn more about this beautiful place on earth which we enjoy whenever we get outdoors.  There are some good online newsletters.  The Southwest Environmental Center’s Summer 2012 Mesquite Grill is now available online. Look for great links at Chihuahuan Desert Education Coalition.  Plan visits to the Centennial Museum on the UTEP campus and to the El Paso Museum of Archaeology.

The new August 2012 Franklin Mountains State Park Hiking Schedule is posted. Check it out! It includes movie nights in McKelligon Canyon, a Peak Fitness Challenge hike, a Women’s Only hike and more.  Ranger Adrianna Weickhardt is simply the best!

Finally, if you like this e-letter, please forward to all your friends. The El Paso Hiker tries to present in one place what you can get only by visiting multiple sites or receiving multiple emails. If you aren’t  a subscriber, please reply to this email and ask to be added to the list. Please also visit elpasonaturally and join that email list too.

Excelsior!

FMSP August 2012 Hiking Schedule

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FMSP June 2012 Hiking Schedule

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New Hike, Bike and Birding Events

The Sunrise Hikers group of the El Paso Hikers is back (although they are hiking a bit after sunrise).

Join veteran hiking legend, John Moses, on Tuesday, May 15^th, at 7:40 a.m. at the Franklin Mountains State Park headquarters in McKelligon Canyon.  (Map)  We will leave most vehicles there and then carpool to the Stoney Hill Trailhead for a hike up the Stoney Hill Arroyo over the ridge into McKelligon Canyon.

On Thursday, May 17^th, do the Schaeffer Shuffle in the Tom Mays Unit of the Franklin Mountains State Park. Plan to meet at 7:00 a.m. sharp at the park entrance (map). Pay your $2 Sunrise Hiker fee. We will go to the trailhead and do the shuffle. This is a moderate hike on good trails and can be enjoyed by the beginning hiker. Expect 2 hours. The toughest part is ascending the hill back to the parking lot/picnic site at the end of the hike. We will not be in a hurry and nobody will be left behind. Hikers will be able to identify some plant species and perhaps see Mule Deer. Any geocachers may want to do a quick side trip to find the geocache along the way. 

The El Paso Ridgewalkers, the  El Paso Hiking Meet-up and the Las Cruces Hiking Meet-up  have some great hikes coming up as well including a Tramway Trails hike and a Geocache Hike this Saturday as well as a difficult Palisades arroyo hike this Sunday.

By the way, consider purchasing a Texas State Park Pass for just $70. When we return to the park headquarters on Tuesday is a good time to do so. Also consider a donation to help your parks.

Join the Audubon Society this Saturday, May 12^th  for a birding trip to Memorial Park and Arroyo Park.  The Warbler migration is in full swing and Warblers, Vireos and Orioles have been seen at Memorial Park.  Meet at 7:00 a.m. at the Garden Center at 3105 Grant and  bird Memorial Park first.  Then move on to Arroyo Park where you might see Flycatchers, Gambel's Quail and possibly Tanagers.  Nonmembers and beginners are always welcome.  Contact Mark at 637-3521 or mperkins4@elp.rr.com for more information.

May is National Bike month and the City of El Paso has a number of activities to honor the month. (Fortunately, elpasonaturally has posted these events as you will search in vain on the City web site for anything about it.)

The Adventure Cycling Association has blogged about some great trails in Far West Texas. Be sure to visit Texas Mountain Trails and their daily photo blog and see some great videos. Bicyclers: learn about the El Paso Uplands Loop.

Of course, there is great biking (and walking and jogging) on Scenic Drive since it is closed every Sunday morning from 6 to 11 a.m.  It’s a 4.1 mile hike from one side to the other.

The El Paso Bicycle Club is now a meet-up site.

The Guadalupe Mountains National Park wants your input on enhancing the usage of the Salt Basin Dunes Area.

Check out the American Hiking Society.  They offer Volunteer Vacations – 3 this summer in New Mexico. Get all the facts and details.

Finally, we may need to change the name of this e-letter from El Paso Hikers to something that suggests what we are truly becoming – a publication that gives information about a myriad of ways to enjoy our great El Paso region outdoors including hiking, walking, biking, birding and more. Any suggestions?

Excelsior!

FMSP March 2012 Hiking Schedule

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February Hikes at Franklin Mountains State Park

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Hike the Franklin Mountains State Park in January

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Dog Dies on the Directissimo

I just got word from John Moses, the Superintendent of the Franklin Mountains State Park, that a dog died on a hike on the Directissimo just a little while ago. There were 3 youths and 3 dogs hiking and one dog perished. Why? The heat.

The air temperature may be 100° or 106° (as it is right now). However – and this is a critical fact to learn – the rock temperature may be anywhere from 150° to 165°. The limestone and the rhyolite pack a punch. The air temperature alone makes hiking beyond mid-morning dangerous. Add to it the rock temperature and you might as well sit on top of your barbeque and start the fire.

Just yesterday a hiker got into trouble in Tom Mays Park because he was dehydrated and had to call for rescue.

Please hike only in the cool hours of the morning. Even then, during this time of year, take a liter of water per hour of hiking at a minimum. Wear a hat and clothing that will protect you from the sun. Wear sunscreen. If you take your dog, take extra water for your pet. Stop often to hydrate. Take a cell phone. It is best not to hike alone. Let others know where you are going. Don’t deviate from your plan.

Remember: it is not just the ambient air temperature that is the danger. It is the temperature of the rocks that will bake you and your animal.

Finally, Sunrise Hiker Legacy Mark Johns informed me that just last Wednesday a bicyclist was bitten by several bees in the North Hills area of the Franklin Mountains State Park. It was reported in this morning’s El Paso Times that a couple was bitten in San Elizario. It’s hot and it’s dry! Be and stay alert.