God of the Mountain

Sunrise Hikers before a trek to Schaeffer Shuffle. Karl Putnam is the second person from the left.

If memory serves me correctly, it was Michelle Tan who deemed Karl Putnam "God of the Mountain". It was on one of our early Sunrise Hikers outings. She also decided that, if Karl was the GOM, I was his Moses. Moshe became my hiker moniker. I probably got the name because I would tell the Sunrise Hikers that our destination was just around the corner and then we would wander farther in the desert mountains.

Karl died yesterday as a result of a thirty foot plunge off a cliff. He had taken yet another group up to the site of the 1944 B-24 crash in Red Rock Canyon. At the site is a cross, which Karl erected since the original had rotted. Also there is a plaque which Karl restored. It bears the names of the airmen who perished in that crash. The cross sits above a cliff. During a group picture by the cross, Karl apparently passed out and tumbled over the precipice.

[Go to www.elpasonaturally.blogspot.com to view video if you don't see it here.]

GOM had favorite hikes - the B-24 crash sites, the B-36 crash site, Kenyon Joyce Canyon and the Knife Edge on the ridge of Mt. Franklin - the most dangerous part of the ridge to cross. Karl was an intrepid climber who even made it to the top of the Mammoth's tusk using belts and, only later, more sophisticated gear.

Here's the main thing I want to say about Karl. He was a friend. When I began to have heart problems, I couldn't walk and climb as fast as I once did. Others in the group would let me fall behind. Karl didn't. He stayed with me. When the group scaled up the rocks of the Thunderbird, I realized that I wouldn't make it. Karl grabbed my arm and pulled me up. 

The Sunrise Hikers played an important role in getting more and more people interested in group hikes. However, thanks to Michael Romero, who founded the El Paso Hiking Group, the number of hikers ever since has grown geometrically. Karl was one of the principal organizers.

He loved sharing his hikes with others and always wanted people to enjoy the outings. He always asked me how someone from the early days of the Sunrise Hikers was doing. He cared for each of them individually, along with everyone else he led on subsequent hikes. He was just that kind of guy.

Something tells me that he will live on in the Franklins. From now on when I look up at the mountains, I will think about Karl Putnam, God of the Mountain.

This Fall's Celebration of Our Mountains will be dedicated to him.

Great Hiking Weather

With great weather and the promise that our days will cool off even more beginning tomorrow, hiking events are in high gear. Again, just check out Celebration of Our Mountains,  El Paso Hiking Group, GeoBetty, Guadalupe Mountains National Park Meetup Group,  Las Cruces & El Paso Adventurists, Peak Fitness Challenge,  High Desert Hikers and Las Cruces Hiking Meetup.

Guadalupe Mountains National Park is really popping with great events. Check them out. Public Information Officer Karl Pierce says, “I am trying to get all of our interpretive programs onto our Meetup page (www.meetup.com/Guadalupe-Mountains-National-Park-Meetup-Group/) , Facebook page (www.facebook.com/Guadalupe.Mountains/) and official web site (www.nps.gov/GUMO/).” Be sure also to visit Peak Fitness Challenge.

There’s another Celebration of Our Mountains beginners hike tomorrow morning at 8 a.m. beginning in NW El Paso. Led by Master Naturalist Tommy Young, you will see some good fossils primarily of prehistoric cephalopods. More information here.

If you are a dog lover and you are looking for a furry hiking buddy, mark your calendar now for Happy Tails and Happy Trails on Saturday, November 3^rd beginning at 9 a.m. at the Tom Mays Unit. I’ve posted the info for this on my neighborhood association blog. Be sure to click on the image to enlarge and read all of the information. We just have to find Lambert (and his buds) a home. This event is yet another great brain-child of Park Ranger Adrianna Weickhardt. Kudos, Adrianna!

This Saturday if you aren’t out hiking anywhere else, come to the dedication of the Lost Dog Trail Head (also known as the Redd Road Trail Head). (Map) The Borderland Mountain Bike Association and benefactors have completed improving the trail head with gravel, parking spots and native Honey Mesquites donated by the West Texas Urban Forestry Council. Take time to hike or just be at the ribbon cutting ceremony from Noon to 12:30 p.m. Many of you know this trail head well. What you may not know is that it takes you into one of the very arroyos which many have fought to preserve in the Northwest Master Plan. Keeping that arroyo – that critical riparian corridor – natural is very important not just to environmentalists but to El Pasoans who love and take advantage of the recreational opportunities of our outdoors.  You can get a sense of the interconnectivity of these trails by viewing mountain bike maps and GeoBetty.com maps.

Remember that Scenic Sunday at  Scenic Drive has changed now to its fall/winter hours.  The Drive is closed to motorists from 7 until Noon each Sunday but open to runners, walkers, bicyclists, etc. This coming Sunday, follow Rosario Walton on a backwards walk beginning at 7 a.m. Details here. “The challenge,” according to Rosario “is to walk the length of Scenic Drive backwards (2miles about 45 minutes) and return to staring point in a normal walking fashion.” Backwards walking, a huge sport in Japan and a growing interest in many European countries, has physical and mental benefits. Do watch out for rampant, errant Chihuahuas!

Finally, the new High Desert Hikers of Las Cruces have some great hikes and field trips throughout the week – all based on level of ability. To learn more and see their schedule, you need to register. So visit the site and take a look.

Excelsior!

Jim H. Tolbert

Publisher, Elpasonaturally and the El Paso Hiker

Leading the way for sustainable living in the El Paso Southwest

jimhtolbert@elp.rr.com
www.elpasonaturally.blogspot.com

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The El Paso Hiker E-Letter Volume 2, No. 30, October 24, 2012

Two Beginners Hikes This Week

Hikers, Mountain Bikers, Birders, Conservationists, Etc.: The City of El Paso is updating the Department of Parks & Recreation’s Parks Master Plan, which is their main guide for what they do. The current leadership at Parks and Recreation is narrow minded and focused primarily on turf, club sports and senior citizen bingo. Conservation, preservation of eco-systems, learning about nature and natural open space are nether regions of monsters and abyss beyond their flat earth thinking.  There will be two meetings to present recommendations and receive public input on the Parks Master Plan. Please make plans to attend either meeting and provided your input for parks in El Paso.  Meetings are this Thursday, June 7^th at 6 p.m. and Saturday, June 9^th at 10 a.m. Both will be held at the El Paso Museum of Art, 1 Arts Festival Plaza, off Santa Fe Street downtown. (Map) Franklin Mountains Wilderness Coalition President Scott Cutler says, “In addition to more natural open space parks for people to participate in and learn about nature, there are a number of other new concepts for parks that the Parks and Recreation Department should consider.”  Dave Wilson of the Borderland Mountain Bike Association wrote: “I'll be attending the one on Thursday evening.  Hopefully I'll be able to present some ideas for Chuck Heinrich Park in regards to safe access, more parking, etc. for the mountain bikers and hikers trying to access the state park.” Please read some thoughts about the Master Plan at elpasonaturally.  Also read a great article from the April 2012 Parks and Recreation magazine. You can see the current Master Plan online.

Here’s a great beginners hike on an easy trail in the NE Franklins: 3 mile North Hills Hike, Thursday, June 7, at 7 a.m. Meet at parking lot of Chuck Heinrich Park (Map). The parking lot is at the end of Jon Cunningham Blvd. just west off of MLK off the Patriot Freeway in NE El Paso. There are a number of good mountain bike/hiking trails in the area including one that goes to the Tin Mines. We will walk along the dam and then take a trail toward the mountain. The elevation gain is a gradual 300-400 foot gain. We will be gone no more than 1.5 to 2 hours. This is an enjoyable walk/hike on good trails with lush vegetation as the result of spring rains. If you are a birder, this is a good event for you as well so plan to bring your binoculars. Everyone should bring good hiking footwear, use sunscreen and wear a hat, and bring plenty of water – at least a liter.

On Saturday, June 9^th, there will be a beginners hike at 7 a.m. We will do the Upper Sunset Trail at the Tom Mays Unit of the FMSP the easy way. Meet at the gate to the Park (map). We will take some cars to the parking lot at the end of the trail and ride together to the north end, top of the trail. This really is a beginners hike with a good trail, not a great elevation gain. It is only a 1.5 mile hike one-way in the easy direction. We will plan to do the Upper Sunset from south to north another time. But for now this is perfect for those of you who have been wanting a beginning hike on a weekend. Also, this will give us all time to get to Ardovino’s Farmers Market for a brunch or a breakfast burrito. Remember your canvas shopping bags for your vegetables, herbs, eggs and such.

Join the local Auduboners for a bird watching trip to Rio Bosque Park, a local 4 to 5 hour trip to El Paso's lower valley.  Possible sightings will be Painted Bunting, Burrowing Owls, Harris's Hawk, White-tailed Kite.  Open to the public.  Meet at 7:00 a.m. at the bridge crossing the Riverside Canal.  Directions from I10: take Americas Avenue, which is Loop 375.  Don't use access road, stay on Loop 375 to Pan American Drive, turn left on Pan American Dr. and go 1-1/2 miles.  Contact Mark Perkins at 637-3521 or mperkins4@elp.rr.com.

Keep an eye on all hikes posted through the El Paso Hiking Meet up Group including another Palisades Sunset Hike this Wednesday.

Do check out the June schedule of hikes in the Franklin Mountains State Park.

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.

Check out this sensational new El Paso restaurant: Tom’s Folk Café at 204 Boston Avenue in the Cincinnati Entertainment District. Like them on Facebook. It has the El Paso Hikers Five Star rating!

For anyone looking to escape the heat and climb Wheeler Peak and explore the Taos, NM area: there is a former BLM Wilderness Study Area guide who is renting out a room in his 3-BR house in Taos, NM  for June (preferably for June 10 onwards) but would consider one or two weeks at a time in June.  July might work out as well. Visit http://santafe.craigslist.org/roo/3035889724.html.

Finally, Professor Roy Brown alerts us to the fact that “on May 29, 1953, Mount Everest was conquered as Edmund Hillary of New Zealand and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay of Nepal became the first climbers to reach the summit.”  The Venerable Brown says that “El Paso and Sunrise Hikers have time to organize a 60^th Anniversary Celebration Hike!” 

A Brief History of Archaeological Work on Fort Bliss

Sacramento Pueblo excavation, photo courtesy of Sue Sitton

A Brief History of Archaeological Work on Fort Bliss

By Sue Sitton, Senior Archaeologist, Fort Bliss

August 21, 2011, 2:00 pm, Free Admission

Location: El Paso Museum of Archaeology

4301 Transmountain Road, El Paso

Archaeologist Sue Sitton presents the history of archeological work on Fort Bliss, including highlights of the archeologists, the sites, and the Feds who managed the resources. We’ll look at what we’ve learned, how our methodologies have changed, and speculate about the future.

This program is presented by the El Paso Archaeological Society in partnership with the El Paso Museum of Archaeology.

Information: 915-755-4332; guidamr@elpasotexas.gov

There are literally thousands of archaeological sites around the El Paso area. Here is a picture of a recent Sunrise Hikers visit to bedrock mortars just north of the Museum of Archaeology:

Sunrise Hikers E-Letter, Vol. 3, No. 49

Men: think twice if you believe that you are better hikers than women. Jennifer Pharr Davis just set the record for the fastest walk down the Appalachian Trail (2,180 mile trek from Maine to Georgia). She did it in a record 46 days, 11 hours, and 20 minutes! Here she is at the finish line. Not long ago Sunrise Hiker Hall of Famer, James Holloway, hiked a portion of the Appalachian Trail.

Hiking and walking take a toll on our feet. I asked two of our experts, Judy Ackerman and John Moses, what tips they can give us for foot care. Both emphasized wearing good footwear and breaking in your boots first before doing long hikes in them. Wear them for some walks around the block before taking a trek up the mountain. Judy and John also emphasized the importance of clean, dry socks. Both carry an extra pair on every trek. Judy mentioned that properly laced high top boots will help toes from being jammed (and a toenail lost) when going downhill. Judy repeated that hikers must find what works for them: foot powder, insoles, ointments – whatever. My favorite after hike care is to soak my feet in a basin of very warm water with dissolved Epsom salts! Checkout online tips here and here. If you are diabetic, go here. For overall foot pampering – here.

Here’s our line-up of upcoming hikes:

Thursday, August 4 at 6:00 a.m. South Tin Mine/East Cottonwood Springs Hike. Meet at Chuck Heinrich Park. (Parking is at the end of Jon Cunningham Blvd. just west of Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.) This is an easy to moderate hike over good trails except for the last 100 yards to East Cottonwood Springs, which is bushwhacking over firm and loose rocks and cactus. Hike leader Mark Worley calls this a 3 hour moderate hike.

Saturday, August 6 at 7:00/8:00 a.m. Dripping Springs. With the recent rains, will the falls be roaring or dripping or something in between? Come and find out on this easy 3.5 mile hike with very little elevation gain into the beautiful Organ Mountains. The hike culminates at an old sanitarium with a lovely natural pool and waterfall. Sorry, pets are not allowed.

Easy directions: Go north on I-10 to Las Cruces. From the junction of I-10 and I-25, follow I-25 north one mile to the University Avenue Exit. Turn right (east) on University Ave. University Avenue will turn into Dripping Springs Rd. Follow Dripping Springs Road east for about 5 miles until the pavement ends. Continue an additional 2.5 miles to the junction of Dripping Springs Rd. and Baylor Canyon Rd. Just a little further ahead on Dripping Springs Road you will find the paved entrance to Dripping Springs Natural Area. The entrance fee is $3 per vehicle.

Meet at the I-10/Transmountain Shell Station at 7 a.m. for carpooling. Otherwise, we will see you in the parking lot of the Visitor’s Center at Dripping Springs at 8 a.m. Bring plenty of water and a snack.

After our hike, there’s plenty to do and great places to eat in Las Cruces. After all, what’s an excursion without food and libations, good company, and rollicking conversation. One of our favorite places in Cruces is the High Desert Brewing Company. One Sunriser suggested the International Delights Café. There’s always a fine selection of restaurants in Mesilla. And, of course, Hatch is less than 40 miles up scenic Highway 185. What’s in Hatch? Sparky’s of course. All I’ve thought about recently are their Chile Mango shakes. Perhaps, before lunch or afterwards depending on when we finish our hike, there is the Las Cruces Farmers Market. Look for Karen Hackey’s decorative sandblasting art. No visit to Cruces (or the Farmers Market) is complete without spending time browsing books at COAS Bookstore.

Saturday, August 6 at 7:30 a.m. Reservoirs Down the Valley Birding Trip. Meet at 7:30 a.m. at Feather Lake, 9500 North Loop at Bordeaux. Carpool from there. Bring lunch, water and binoculars.. This is a popular trip because we'll visit three reservoirs in the Lower Valley that offer a variety of land birds and water birds. The first stop will be McNary, then on to Ft. Hancock and finally Tornillo with a stop along the way to have a picnic lunch. Some possible birds are egrets, herons, hawks, pelicans, gulls, sandpipers, grebes, cormorants, ducks and others. Nonmembers of Audubon Society and beginners are always welcome. Contact Mark Perkins 637-3521 or mperkins4@elp.rr.com.

Every Sunday is Scenic Sunday at Scenic Drive from 6 - 11 a.m. Walk, run or bicycle this 4.1 mile round trip of panoramic views and 500 million-year-old fossils. Pets (dogs) are allowed. Even Chihuahuas.

Do check out, bookmark and join the El Paso Hiking Group and the Las Cruces Hiking Group. Bookmark Celebration of Our Mountains now and start looking for a line-up of their fall festival (September – November) excursions.

Finally, the El Paso Sunrise Hikers, Franklin Mountains State Park Volunteers, the El Paso Ridgewalkers and the El Paso Hiking Group are having a rummage sale at this year’s Chihuahuan Desert Fiesta on September 17^th to benefit the Franklin Mountains State Park. Please donate any good, clean used (or new) hiking or camping gear that you don’t plan on using again. For more information and/or to make a donation, please call Jim Tolbert at 915-525-7364 or email him or call Richard Love at 915-474-1384 or email him. We will arrange to pick up all items that you wish to donate.

Excelsior!

Jim H. Tolbert

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Hike Planned to Plane Crash Site

Click image to enlarge.

The Sunrise Group of the Elpasonaturally Hikers are planning a hike to see the site of the November 9th single engine plane crash. Miraculously all 3 game wardens escaped critical injury including one female who was trapped in the plane for 2 hours. All 3 are reportedly well now.

Hikers plan to meet this Tuesday morning at 7 a.m. at the Shell station on I-10 and Transmountain and will carpool just east of mile marker 5 along Highway 404 (O'Hara Road). The plane, which came down in the same canyon where the trail to the Anthony Gap cave is located, is believed to still be there.

Black Tailed Rattler Rattles Sunrise Hikers

Photo courtesy of Angela Chavez, M.Sc., UTEP Department of Biological Sciences

Hiking in the beauty of the Chihuahuan Desert is always a pleasure. However, all of us need to remember that there are reasons for caution on any trail. This morning along the Lower Sunset Trail, a merry band of Sunrise Hikers came upon a black tailed rattlesnake. The reptile had just struck a pack rat when group leader, Jim Tolbert, just about stepped foot on it.

There are appropriate measures to take to protect from or treat snake bites.

Staying Ahead of the Storm on Shaeffer's Shuffle

The intrepid Sunrise Hikers stayed ahead of a storm that hammered the northwest El Paso area earlier this morning. Here's a pic of the group before their hike through the canyons of Schaeffer Shuffle:

Below is a picture of the storm bearing down about 7:35 a.m. The merry hiking group was safe and sound and ready to carpool out of the parking area.

Pictures were taken by Sunrise Hiker, Judy Ackerman.