[Cdt-l] New Mexico Mapping Report and Trail Changes

[PeekTrekker4 at aol.com]

I've done all of NM, but we're all extremely fortunately to have  Jerry & 
crews' work: maps & waypoints, and now a fair number of changes  already. 
Even when an intersection makes no sense at all, one misses a turn, or  starts 
down the wrong ridge the waypoints get one back on track fairly  quickly.
Thanks Jerry & crew!
Trekker
 
 
In a message dated 9/3/2012 6:15:13 P.M. Central Daylight Time,  
blisterfree at yahoo.com writes:

It's hard to tell just going by waypoint names in  Bearcreek's description, 
but in the event that the new trail around  Lagunitas CG was not discussed, 
note that (as of June) this was still  unsigned and a little tricky to 
follow. In fact, I couldn't find any  sign of the trail upon reaching Upper 
Lagunitas (after the initial climb  above the lake, where the trail sort of 
reaches a dead-end dirt road  turnabout). Had to bushwhack north a hundred yards 
or so until stumbling  on the trail again, which looked as though that part 
hadn't been worked  in a year or two. No idea where the trail was coming 
from. Again, no  signage anywhere in this vicinity, nor at the cairned 
crossing of the  dirt road south of Brazos Ridge, nor the eventual termination of 
new  trail nearly at Brazos Ridge. I realize this is a work in progress, but  
southbounders are unlikely to find or use it this fall unless signed or  
otherwise highlighted here or wherever. There are good views (for a  little 
while) closer to the Lagunitas end, with outlooks toward San  Antonio Mountain 
and the distant Sangre de Cristo Mountains. 

The  new trail approaching Hopewell Lake nobo seemed to do a lot of 
needless  meandering, coming back to nearly kiss the familiar graded dirt road,  
then veering away, only to return again. It also needs waterbars in a  serious 
way, at least during springtime.

It'll be interesting to  see whether the caterpillar-defoliated aspens in 
this area were able to  regenerate over the summer. Will sobo hikers tread 
upon freshly-fallen  leaves or just shriveled caterpillar husks? A local 
rancher had  indicated that the trees did, in fact, successfully green up again 
last  year, so here's to hoping.

-  Brett




_______________________________________________
Cdt-l  mailing  list
Cdt-l at backcountry.net
http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/cdt-l

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://mailman.backcountry.net/pipermail/cdt-l/attachments/20120904/6e68cf68/attachment.html