Ch-ch-ch-ch changes. David Bowie wrote of change in 1971, the year I was a freshman in college. For Bowie, it was a reflective song about stepping out on your own. I thought of that song and played it in my head as I sat down to compose this post. Not quite two months ago I made a major spontaneous change in my own life. I packed up a couple weeks of belongings and hit the road to travel across the country and make good on a number pf promises I had made to myself about retirement.

In coming posts about my experiences you will learn about Paula. She is wonderful. She is engaging. She is intelligent, caring and beautiful. She is also the love of my life. I have joined her nomadic lifestyle and am thoroughly enjoying every moment. Since mid-December 2020 we have had a number of exciting adventures in three states. We have formed a strong bond over our love of Nature, the outdoors, wildlife, and national parks.

This first story from my new life is a portrayal of the first day. I awoke in the back of my Subaru in Albuquerque, NM and drove through the four corners region to meet Paula at her AirBnB in western Colorado. Along the way I saw Shiprock in New Mexico, traveled the stunningly beautiful Scenic Highway 64 and 191 through NM, AZ and UT, making a brief stop in Arches National Park, before reaching her and the best hug ever.

Enjoy the photos, feel free to comment below, and follow along. I have a whole lot more to tell you.

The final day of our recent trip to New Mexico, my brother Dave and I returned to his home in Colorado. Along the way we stopped for some sight seeing in Los Alamos, NM, Pagosa Springs, CO and near Leadville, CO.

When we originally left Colorado a few days before, the weather had been summer-like, and we had enjoyed the turning of the aspen trees to their brilliant autumn gold. Once we crossed back into Colorado from the south it became evident some different weather had arrived while we were gone. There was an October snowfall in the Rockies! This was three seasons all in one day.

When the military industrial complex chose a location for the Manhattan Project during World War II, the secret Los Alamos National Labs were hidden nicely atop the mesas that overlook the canyons of the Rio Grande River. It just so happens that this community among “The Cottonwoods” was rich in culture and diverse scenery.

Surrounded by the Jemez Mountains, Los Alamos County is an outdoor lover’s playground. With national monuments and preserves nearby, a ski mountain, and the whitewater of the Rio Grande there is plenty for adventurers to do including hiking, fishing, camping, rafting, and skiing.

Los Alamos was our destination for this trip of discovery in northern New Mexico. We stayed for three nights and days, and visited Valles Caldera and the historic Bandelier National Monument while we were there.

On our final day, we explored the town and the mesas that stretch like fingers from your hand. All in all, a very enjoyable trip. Here are a few photos from our day in Los Alamos:

Pagosa Springs is a small community in south-central Colorado that is surrounded by San Juan National Forest, Weminuche and South San Juan Wilderness areas, and Southern Ute Indian land. In other words, more playground! The San Juan Mountains are stunning, there are recreation activities galore available throughout Archuleta County, all of it only 30 minutes away.

Some of the highlights as we passed through included Treasure Falls, a 105′ free fall located 12 miles northeast of town on Hwy 160, and the Wolf Creek ski area, also on Hwy 160. Opportunities for vista viewing of the Continental Divide in the San Juan Mountains and the picturesque San Juan Valley abound. Snow had fallen while we were in New Mexico, and I want to tell you it was windy and cold on top of Lobo Overlook.

As we continued northward on Hwys 285 and 24 we passed through the historic mining town of Leadville, the highest incorporated city in the United States at 10,152 feet. We made a few stops for pictures north of town on Hwy 91 that included Clinton Reservoir and Mayflower Gulch. Majestic mountains like Atlantic and Pacific Peaks were covered with a fresh coating from the snowfall, as were the trails that explore the backcountry.

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

Valles Caldera is a 13.7-mile wide volcanic bowl in the Jemez Mountains of northern New Mexico near Los Alamos. About 1.25 million years ago, a spectacular volcanic eruption created this circular depression now known as the Valles Caldera. The Valles Caldera Preservation Act of 2000, signed by President Clinton, created the National Preserve. The preserve is known for its huge mountain meadows, abundant wildlife, and meandering streams. The area also preserves the homeland of ancestral native peoples and embraces a rich ranching history. The good news for all of us is the abundance of hiking trails in the preserve. My brother Dave and I took VC Trail 12 on Monday, October 4, 2016 beginning at 10:30AM and ending about 2:45PM. Our plan was to climb to the crest of the Cerro de la Garita ridge from the valley floor. Unfortunately, we didn’t quite make it all the way.

Use of Valles Caldera dates back to prehistoric times: spear points age tested to 11,000 years ago have been discovered. Several Native American tribes frequented the caldera, often seasonally for hunting. Eventually, Spanish and later Mexican settlers as well as the Navajo and other tribes came to the caldera for grazing.

Later as the United States acquired New Mexico as part of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848, the caldera became the backdrop for the Indian wars with the U.S Army. Around the same time, the commercial use of the caldera for ranching, and its forest for logging began.

The caldera became part of the Baca Ranch in 1876. The Bacas were a wealthy family given the land as compensation for the termination of a grant given to their family near Las Vegas, in northeastern New Mexico. It traded hands several more times over the next century, before finally being sold to the U.S. Government by the Dunigan family to become the Preserve that exists today.

In July 2011, the Las Conchas Fire started by a power line on nearby private land, burned 30,000 acres within the Preserve. The wildfire burned a total of 158,000 acres in the Jemez Mountains, including most of neighboring Bandelier National Monument. Scars from this disaster are still quite visible throughout the area.

About two miles after you enter the Preserve on a dirt road you reach the Visitor Center. You must stop here to obtain a backcountry permit to continue on the road into the heart of the Preserve. Only 35 permits are issued each day, preventing overcrowding and offering a sense of wilderness and serenity. So you may want to arrive soon after their 8:00 AM opening time.

Once you have the permit in hand, you are welcome throughout the backcountry. The preserve road splits the largest of the open meadows known as Valle Grande. Keep your eyes peeled for wildlife as you wind from meadow to forest and back. We saw probably two dozen elk and a lone coyote as we made our way deep into the caldera. There are still several cabins located along the road, tributes to the 19th and 20th century homesteaders who lived here.

As you drive through the backcountry you pass valles (valleys) (pronounced va-yay) and cerros (hills) (pronounced sare-oh). The valles are massive and the cerros dominate the landscape. We were in luck arriving in early October as the aspen groves in the forests were dutifully displaying their golden autumnal glow, particulary on Cerro San Luis and Cerro Seco.

San Antonio Creek and Cerro Seco as seen from the backcountry homestead.

Before even looking for the trailhead that the ranger at the Visitor Center had helped us choose, we drove to both ends of the backcountry road simply to see what everything looks like. The northern reaches of the Preserve are especially appealing to anglers. There are several creeks and streams that flow down from the cerros.

With the assistance of the ranger, we chose trail 12 for our hike because it was about the right length (8 miles), had not too much elevation gain, but enough for a workout (1,800 feet), and because there is a promise of a grand vista once you reach the top.

There was just one problem. Dave and I were both sick. We started feeling poorly a couple days prior as we were working our way south from central Colorado into northern New Mexico. We both had sore throats, sinus congestion, coughing and wheezing. We would soon find out how it would affect our stamina.

The first mile of trail 12 is almost flat and treeless, passing through the northeastern reaches of Valle San Antonio. About the same time the trail enters a pine forest, it also begins a nonstop climb to the crest of Cerro de la Garita. It’s a fairly steep grade, climbing at 600 feet per mile on average.

It didn’t take too long for me to notice the congestion in my chest was contributing to labored breathing. Besides being nearly 10,000 feet elevation, the exertion was taking a toll on my lungs. But I soldiered on, and on, and on.

Evidence of the 2011 fire can be seen on both sides of the trail with some completely burned out groves, and others that only had a handful of trees impacted. It definitely changes the appearance of the forest.

We didn’t see anymore elk on the hike portion of our day, but we did see cows, including two that were grazing on the trail just ahead of us. Fortunately, they moved on as we continued to approach. It became apparent that some ranchers must still have grazing rights with the Valles Caldera Preserve.

The last mile is the steepest of all. By now I was really laboring. We reached a saddle just a half mile below the crest and I simply couldn’t go any farther. My breathing was really affected by the altitude and the sickness. So I took my pack off and used it as a pillow as I laid down for several minutes to rest. I ate a snack for some energy while Dave climbed farther up the grassy hill to survey the vista.

This is what Dave saw from the grassy hillside. Valle Grande is far below and the Pajarita ski area is in the distance. You can see me sprawled on the ground down below.

After about 15 minutes of rest, I was able to go far enough to see the same vista that Dave could, but I still didn’t have it in me to go all the way to the summit. I hate to leave hikes unfinished, but I just didn’t have the energy left to do anymore climbing. When you’re planning a vacation you never even consider that you might get sick.

Fortunately, the descent was uneventful. Since I didn’t have to breathe as hard, it was a whole lot easier on the lungs. Nor did I stumble any because of fatigue. We paused occasionally just for rest, and to eat some more food, and were back to the car within about 90 minutes… a lot quicker than the ascent.

Before heading back to the Visitor Center, we walked about a half mile up trail 13 just to see what was there. It follows Rito de los Indios in Valle Toledo, but all of the forest that we observed was burned. It probably used to be a lot more scenic than it is now.

It took us a little less than an hour to drive back on backcountry road 2 to the Visitor Center. Since they only allow 35 permits per day, they want to know when you leave. As we checked out, we thanked the fine folks at Valles Caldera for their wonderful hospitality.

Summarizing Valles Caldera, it is amazing how large this super-volcano is. It’s no wonder you still find volcanic rock scattered all over northern New Mexico more than a million years later. When it blew its top you could probably feel it and hear it on the other side of the world. It explains why there is so much volcanic rock in the Rio Grande del Norte Gorge 50 miles away.

The meadows and hills of Valles Caldera are beautiful, and there is plenty to see and do. Because of the very large open meadows, the wind tends to blow constantly, so you probably want to bring a jacket… even in summer. There are some hikes that are even harder than the one we did, but most are no more than moderate excursions. If you lived nearby, you could spend an entire season checking out all the available trails. If you happen to be in northern New Mexico, be sure to treat yourself to Valles Caldera.

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

The Río Grande del Norte National Monument is comprised of rugged, wide open plains at an average elevation of 7,000 feet, dotted by volcanic cones, and cut by steep canyons with rivers tucked away in their depths. The Río Grande River carves an 800 foot deep gorge through layers of volcanic basalt flows and ash. Among the volcanic cones in the Monument, Ute Mountain is the highest, reaching to 10,093 feet.

This area has attracted human activity since prehistoric times. Evidence of ancient use is found throughout the area in the form of petroglyphs, prehistoric dwellings, and many other types of archaeological sites. More recent activity includes abandoned homesteading from the 1930s.

The Monument is an important area for wintering animals, and provides a corridor by which wildlife move between the surrounding two mountain ranges.

The unique setting of the Monument also provides a wealth of recreational opportunities. Whitewater rafting, hunting, fishing, hiking, mountain biking, and camping are some of the more outstanding activities that can be enjoyed in the Monument.

The Monument is divided into multiple regions that used to be National Recreation Areas before President Obama joined them as a National Monument in 2013. The Wild Rivers Recreation Area is located near Questa and Cerro in the northern region high on a mesa that splits the Rio Grande and Red Rivers. The two rivers meet at La Junta Point below the tip of the mesa. A wild, and windy, overlook offers stunning views of the confluence and the hiking trails down below. Multiple campgrounds are available along NM Hwy 378 (also known as Wild Rivers Back Country Byway) that traverses the recreation area and leads to a Visitor Center about half way around the 13 mile loop.

The southern region of the Monument is found along NM Hwy 570. A second Visitor Center is located in Pilar, a small unincorporated community in Taos County. Unlike Wild Rivers that sits high above the gorge, the former Orilla Verde (Green Shore) Recreation Area lies within the gorge at river level. The many campgrounds in this area offer access to the nearby river.

Gentle waters with occasional small rapids through Orilla Verde provide an ideal area for canoeing, kayaking, and non-whitewater rafting. Anglers along the Río Grande will be challenged by brown trout, rainbow trout, and northern pike. Because of the dramatic changes in elevation from the river to the rims of the gorge and the diversity of plant life, Orilla Verde draws many species of animals, including eagles and hawks, songbirds, waterfowl, beaver, cougar, ringtail, mule deer, and more.

While brother Dave and I were just passing through on October 3, 2016 to get a sense of what was available, both Wild Rivers and Orilla Verde offer dozens of hiking trails that plunge from the mesa tops into the gorge, and follow the Rio Grande as it meanders through rugged volcanic backcountry. We will no doubt be back. As you can tell from the pictures, it was stormy in the morning at Wild Rivers, yielding to a beautiful afternoon at Orilla Verde. What a contrast.

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

The Puebloan people have lived in the American Southwest for many centuries. Archaeologists think they are descended from groups of hunters and gatherers who came to the region over 10,000 years ago. In the area that is now Bandelier National Monument, in Northern New Mexico, the villages of Tyuonyi and Tsankawi and their adjacent cliff dwellings appeared in the 13th century AD. Handsome Pueblo revival-style structures and Civilian Conservation Corps trails now serve the park, enabling visitors to discover the history and culture of the ancestral Puebloans. More than 70 miles of trails are available, including this 1.2-mile Frijoles Canyon Nature Trail to Tyuonyi and the Long House cliff dwellings. My brother Dave and I visited this charming national monument on Friday, May 1, 2015 from 7:30AM to 8:30AM. Our plan was to explore the ancient ruins along the Nature Trail behind the Visitor Center.

Bandelier National Monument protects over 33,000 acres of rugged but beautiful canyon and mesa country as well as evidence of a human presence here going back over 10,000 years. Petroglyphs, dwellings carved into the soft rock cliffs, and standing masonry walls pay tribute to the early days of a culture that still survives in the surrounding communities.

40-year-old self-taught anthropologist Adolph Bandelier came to the New Mexico Territory in 1880. His ambitious goal was to trace the social organization, customs, and movements of southwestern and Mexican peoples. He traveled and studied throughout the region, exploring canyons and mesas, living and working among American Indian groups. The sheer cliffs, year-round stream, and distinctive cave-room architecture of Frijoles Canyon captured his imagination.

He made the canyon and dwellings the scene of his novel, The Delight Makers, depicting Pueblo life in pre-Spanish times. He left New Mexico in 1892 and continued his studies in Peru and Bolivia. Bandelier’s pioneering work is now relatively unknown to the public, but it established the foundation for much of modern southwestern archaeology. Another archaeologist, Dr. Edgar Hewitt saw the need to preserve these ancestral Pueblo sites and was instrumental in getting Bandelier National Monument established in 1916.

There was no road into Frijoles Canyon until the mid-1930s when the Depression-era Civilian Conservation Corps built one, along with trails, the Visitor Center, and a lodge. The closest archaeological site is a mere 400 yards from the Visitor Center, and the paved 1.2-mile Frijoles Canyon Nature Trail to Tyuonyi and the Long House cliff dwellings can be walked in about an hour.

Dave and I were exploring the Los Alamos area and decided to check out Bandelier on our way by. When you enter the national monument property, the park road takes you down, down, down for three miles off the mesa and into Frijoles Canyon. We arrived bright and early, just past dawn, and were greeted on the Nature Trail behind the Visitor Center by a handful of white-tailed deer.

The deer were obviously accustomed to tourists as they let us approach within about 20 feet. Their appearance was kinda scarred and scruffly, like they had frequent run-ins with predators.

Soon after, we reached Tyuonyi. This is one of the largest ancestral ruins I have seen over the years, rivaling Pueblo Bonito at the Chaco Canyon National Historic Park, also in New Mexico. Archaeological surveys have found at least 3,000 sites in Bandelier. For generations the ancestral Puebloans lived in small, scattered settlements. As the population grew, they began coming together in larger groups, forming villages like Tyuonyi.

As you pass Tyuonyi, the pathway winds upward to the pock-marked cliffs that overlook the canyon. Here you will find the cliff dwellings. Long House is an 800-foot stretch of adjoining, multi-storied stone homes with hand-carved caves as back rooms. It may be what inspired Bandelier’s exclamation, “The grandest thing I ever saw.” Here, yours truly peers from one of the cave rooms, accessible by wooden ladder.

As you continue climbing stairs past the cliff dwellings, you will get a nice overview of Tyuonyi in the canyon below. The trail continues for miles up Frijoles Canyon, but our schedule didn’t allow the time. The Nature Trail loops back down into the canyon and a return to the Visitor Center.

Bandelier National Monument sits at the southern end of the Pajarito (Spanish for little bird) Plateau. The plateau was formed by two volcanic eruptions 1.6 and 1.4 million years ago. Home to the Bandelier Wilderness, Bandelier ranges from 5,340 ft. at the Rio Grande to the south and 10,199 ft. at the summit of Cerro Grande to the north, almost a mile of elevation change in just under 12 miles. After completing our walk through history, we set out by car to check out the rest.

Piñon-Juniper woodlands dominate in the southern parts of the park transitioning through ponderosa pine savannahs and forests finally reaching mixed conifer forests at the highest elevation. Scattered throughout the park are desert grasslands, montane meadows, and riparian areas in the canyon bottoms. 70 miles of backcountry trails navigate through Bandelier, so you can bet that we will be back to explore some of the high country.

Bandelier is set within vast amounts of open space. North and west of the park rests the Valles Caldera National Preserve (VCNP), an 89,000 acre nature preserve, which was created by the eruptions that formed the Pajarito Plateau. The size of the eruptions make Mount St. Helens in my lifetime puny by comparison.

On all sides of the park are over one million acres of the Santa Fe National Forest, with the Dome Wilderness adjoining the Bandelier Wilderness western edge. A large portion of the northeastern boundary is shared with Los Alamos National Lab, which covers 26,500 acres of restricted, mostly open space. Bandelier’s direct neighbors make the park’s 33,000 acres feel much larger than it actually is.

The forest and high country here is absolutely stunning, but there is also evidence of recent major wildfire. Thousands of acres have burned in the past 20 years, as wildfire continues to be a major issue plaguing the drought-ridden West.

Dave and I enjoyed our brief, but delightful, visit to Bandelier National Monument. If you find yourself in Northern New Mexico, near Los Alamos or Santa Fe, take the time to look around. The ruins and cliff houses are quite impressive, and the forests and canyons offer thousands of acres of adventure.

Updated October 5, 2016: Dave and I made another visit to the Frijoles Canyon Nature Trail with a goal of seeing Alcove House, a cliff dwelling 140 feet up the escarpment that guards the canyon. The trail to Alcove House goes about a half mile beyond the main Frijoles Canyon loop. Alcove House is accessible by a series of ladders that climb the rock face.

Frijoles Creek is still littered with log jams from the massive flash flood that roared through the canyon in 2011. Despite that, it is still a beautiful walk through pine forest and steep canyon walls. I was still sick, so when we arrived at the base of Alcove House, I volunteered to take pictures of Dave. Here are the results.

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.