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.

The Friday Video: Mine Exploration Hike at Tom Mays Unit of the FMSP

Always watch for opportunities to explore the mine on the Cottonwood Springs Trail at the Tom Mays Unit of the FMSP. Here is a video of a mine hike led by renowned geologist, Eric Kappus, and FMSP Interpretive Ranger, Adrianna Weickhardt. 


The January 2014 Franklin Mountain State Park Hiking and Event schedule is posted on our Volunteering and Events page.

Get outdoors. There's so much to see and do in our region. Become a member of the El Paso Hiking Group and the Jornada Hiking & Outdoor Club.

The Friday Video: Karl Crossing the Knife Edge in El Paso's Franklin Mountains

There are a lot of great places and great people in El Paso, Texas and the region. There are so many good places to hike, bike, rock climb, bird watch and more in our Franklin Mountains and beyond. One of the more adventurous as well as dangerous places is the Knife Edge along the ridge of the southern Franklin Mountains. This video shows ace hiker and climber, Karl Putnam, navigating the knife.

What is great about Karl is the fact that he so unselfishly guides others on difficult adventures in the mountains. His strong arm once pulled me up and onto a ledge during a climb up the rhyolite cliffs of the Thunderbird. He has talked many a hiker down the infamous "Corkscrew of Death" in the Kenyon Joyce arroyo.

Of course, there are much easier and safer hikes throughout the mountains. Whether you are a beginning, intermediate or advanced hiker, you can find lots of good outings for any skill level by joining the El Paso Hiking Group, the brainchild of Michael Romero. Another great group is Samat Jain's Jornada Hiking & Outdoor Club. Although the club's page is headlined "Welcome Las Cruces Hikers", it is open to everyone and many of the hikes take place in the El Paso area such as a Christmas Eve 1,000 Step Hike. Samat is putting together hikes and events for just about everyone with any skill level. He's one of the region's leaders in getting people out into the beautiful and adventurous places of our part of the Chihuahuan Desert.

Keep an eye out for Putnam hikes in the El Paso Hiking Group. He is truly King of our Franklin Mountains. By the way, Karl just had a birthday. Happy Birthday, King Karl!

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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More Petroglyphs and Barite to Boot

Again this weekend and for quite a while during this great fall outdoors season, there are a number of great adventures. Just check out Celebration of Our Mountains,  El Paso Hiking Group, GeoBetty, Guadalupe Mountains National Park Meetup Group,  Las Cruces & El Paso Adventurists, and Peak Fitness Challenge.  Also take a look at High Desert Hikers. Read about their name change.  You will recognize them as the old Ocotillo Hikers – a still extant group.  Sign-up so that you can see their list of hikes and get involved.

Thanks to Val Provencio many of us identified petroglyphs at Alamo Mountain last weekend. You can see some pictures of that sacred rock art. Tomorrow, CARTA leads a group to Tonuco Mountain where you can see more petroglyphs and also explore some old barite mines. Barite (barium sulfate) is used in paint, X-ray diagnostic work, glassmaking and as a weighting agent in oil well drilling fluids. The hike is sponsored by Celebration of Our Mountains, the El Paso Hiking Group and the Las Cruces Hiking Meetup Group.

Veteran Sunrise Hikers and scholars, Tommy Young and Dave Webster, discuss the  cultural andspiritual meanings of rock art on Alamo Mountain.

Of course, Tonuco isn’t for everyone so look for some interesting hikes into Hitt Canyon or from the Palisades.  Unfortunately the Yoga in the Mountains event for Sunday has been cancelled.  Ranger Adrianna Weickhardt emails to say:

“It is with great disappointment that I must cancel the "Yoga in the Mountains" program for this Sunday, October 14.  No park staff were notified of the closing of Transmountain Rd. on Sunday, October 14th for the "Transmountain Challenge" Race.  Unfortunately, this not only means we will be unable to hold the Yoga program, but the Tom Mays Unit of the park itself will be closed  (the entrance will be blocked) until about 11:00 a.m. 

“We will be looking at a later date to reschedule another Yoga program - and of course when that happens it will be reposted on Facebook, Meetup.com, the TPWD calendar, and the Celebrations of our Mountains website.” 

I do suggest that you mark your calendars now for Saturday evening, October 20^th, from 7 to 9 p.m. in McKelligon Canyon for Coffee Time with Archaeologists.  This is a Franklin Mountains State Park/Celebration of Our Mountains event not to be missed. Reservations are required so contact Adrianna Weickhardt at 915-566-6441 or Adrianna.Weickhardt@tpwd.state.tx.us or just RSVP at El Paso Hiking. October is Texas Archaeology Month.

Excelsior!