Cemex Continues to Eradicate Mountainside

Click on image to enlarge. A long, long time ago when the McKelligon Canyon Quarry was not. Sugar Loaf  Mountain is on the far right in the foreground.

Aerial of Cemex Quarry, 2014. Sugar Loaf is center right.
Photo by Scott Cutler

I was interviewed today by Daniela Pardo of KTSM El Paso. She and her crew met me at the Wyler Aerial Tramway State Park to talk about the Cemex quarry. KTSM is working on a story to air next week. The interview helped me to focus on quarrying and especially on the painful quarrying at Cemex's McKelligon Canyon operation. 

I understand the need to mind rock, sand, gravel and limestone. We need these materials for our homes, our roads, our sidewalks and, to some extent our landscaping. What I question is how much is adequate and how well we choose alternatives.

As we entered the State Park, I pointed out the use of red rock (rhyolite) to trim and landscape the entry. Much of that rock is used in our landscapes, our medians and our parkways. It comes principally from the Cemex McKelligon Canyon operation. I pointed out the caliche along the hills to the news crew. We dig up huge amounts of it all over town when we excavate for roads or buildings. Then we dump it. Why can't we use more of that in our landscaping and gouge out less of our mountains?

I know about landscapers in the Tucson area who, when digging up the caliche in the yard, then use the rock in the landscaping rather than buying rock quarried from our precious mountainsides.

With the glass recycling pilot program starting in January, El Pasoans will have yet another alternative for mulching. Rather than red rock of all sizes, we can use glass. Also, with all of the dead trees around town that many people can't afford to cut down, perhaps the City could start a mulching program. They could take down the dead trees for free, chip the wood, and use it as mulch instead of rock. 

Quarrying and especially the Cemex operation produces dust no matter how much water they spray to keep the dust down. (There's that issue of water scarcity again.) Many in the neighborhoods below Cemex have complained over the years about respiratory distress. Then there is the loss of ecosystem services and habitat. 

We just don't need this much mining and we need to find alternatives. The City of El Paso could take a giant leap toward rescuing our Franklin Mountains by refusing to buy anymore rock and setting restrictions on its use in landscaping.

Hopefully the KTSM story will be a good values clarification for El Pasoans. What are we doing to our beautiful mountain? How do my buying habits encourage the destruction of the mountains? How can my voting elect people who really care?

The Continued Destruction of Mother Earth

A Facebook friend, Rosemary Pureaverdad Martinez, posted the picture above of the Cemex Quarry at McKelligon Canyon. That operation has torn up way too much of the mountain now. Her caption reads: "The continued destruction of Mother Earth."

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!

FMSP August 2012 Hiking Schedule

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Free Movies at McKelligon Canyon Amphitheater

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Before and After: Mountains and Quarries

In previous posts, I have pointed out the obvious: our mountains are not sustainable. Once mined, they are gone. I've also pointed out that our "zeroscaping", overuse of rock in landscaping our roads and homes, and overuse of cement - all contribute to the destruction of our mountains. No doubt we need materials for our roads and homes and businesses and services. No doubt we are overdoing it. We value our beautiful mountains; but see what we have done to them and are still doing to them:

Sugarloaf on far left of picture - no quarry below it (Circa 1947)

First McMillan, then Jobe, now Cemex - Sugarloaf sadly watches in background

Jobe's Hitt Canyon Quarry below NE Franklin Mountains

Arroyo 41A with Upper Sunset Trail and Franklin Mountains State Park in background

Jobe's bulldozing east of State Park

You've seen the quarries above. Now imagine what the pristine land and arroyos west of the Franklin Mountains State Park in NW El Paso will look like before long. The bulldozing has begun already. It is happening on land owned by we the people of the State of Texas leased to Jobe by the General Land Office. Is this what we want to happen to our land?