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The Trip

Surrounded by the Santa Fe National Forest and Bandelier National Monument, the Valles Caldera National Preserve is the giant crater of a massive super volcano that erupted 1.25 million years ago. The Caldera was born of fire -- riotous, exhaustive, smoldering, pulsing -- and finally cascading molten rock. Not extinct, but only dormant, it still dreams of the ghosts of that past, still boils from within pouring forth ubiquitous hot springs. Deep below, a significant fault line shrugs and wrenches itself along the Great Rift of the Rio Grande Valley, thrusting the shoulders of the Jemez Mountains westward and the Sangre de Cristos eastward.

But this is not stark and ravaged ground, this is a montaine upland draped in ponderosa pine, fir, spruce and aspen, gleaming with the golden stems of tall grass meadows, and shimmering with the glitter of woodland streams. Creatures and wildlife roam at will, in their seasons, up the mountains in spring, down in fall -- a parade of solitary and herd species passing within our ken if we have the patience to be still and watch...

The ambitious nature of the project, the spectacular location, and the well-appointed accommodations assure that this will be a popular trip. If you have ever wondered, 'What do biologists and environmental professionals really do?' or if you have always wanted to do a service trip but hesitated at the last minute, this may be the trip for you.

The Project

Following the Las Conchas wildfire in the summer of 2011 (the largest forest fire ever recorded in New Mexico history), the Valles Caldera’s science program began a long-term study on the ecological recovery of the Preserve's ecosystems and their wildlife.

The studies include vegetation recovery in grasslands, forests and mountain meadows, as well as wildlife population recolonization and expansion, and stream populations of invertebrates and fish.

As part of this large-scale effort, the Sierra Club volunteers will participate in both stream and terrestrial ecosystem measurements: capture/release studies of the fish communities in the post-snowmelt environment, and biodiversity surveys of springtime terrestrial arthropods (beneficial and pest insects and other invertebrates) in forests and grassland valles.

Two field days will be devoted to each project, with some laboratory work involved to process the samples and analyze the data.

Itinerary

This is a lodge-based trip at a single location. Once we are settled in, we will stay put for the duration of the trip.

Participants should plan to arrive on the afternoon of the first day. A specific meeting time and location will be sent in separate communications to the group. No work is scheduled for the day of arrival.

The work week will consist of two work days, then a day off, and then two more work days. The group will depart on the morning of the last day.

Getting There

You are responsible for getting yourself to the meeting point at the Valles Caldera Science and Education Center, in Jemez Springs, New Mexico. Jemez Springs is an easy drive from Albuquerque, maybe two hours at the most starting from Sunport International Airport. The Science and Education Center is clearly marked on State Route 4, toward the northern end of the village of Jemez Springs.

Accommodations and Food

The Science and Education Center, stretching for a quarter mile along the Jemez River, is quite large. Laboratories and lounges, kitchen, dining room, and dormitory-style bedrooms are all under one roof.

Each bedroom is double occupancy, fully furnished, with all linens, including towels for your private bath. Please bring your own toiletries and indoor footwear. Paved parking is suitable for vehicles of all sizes and is not visible from the highway. No pets, please. Wi-fi is available, but cell phone service can be erratic or non-existent.

Each participant will be expected to assist with meal preparation for at least one day. Typically, breakfast will be served at 7 a.m. We will pack lunches to eat wherever we happen to be at noon. Please bring hard plastic containers to hold your lunch and snacks. Dinner will be at 6 p.m. in most cases. Reasonable dietary requests (especially concerning food allergies) should be carefully noted on your trip questionnaire. (See: General Notes/ Participant Approval at the end of this brochure).

Trip Difficulty

This will be a moderately strenuous trip. Be in good shape and prepared for lots of work and fun. Anyone who doesn't live in mountain/high desert environs must have a healthy respect for the altitude. Many concerns about having an enjoyable trip are tied to the altitude. At 8,000 to 11,000 feet, lungs must work harder to get needed oxygen. This accelerates water loss, even before you add a little healthy perspiration. A current up-to-date tetanus shot is required for this trip.

NOTE: All participants must be approved by the Trip Leader to be included on the trip. Please follow the instructions for "Participant Approval," found in the General Notes section at the conclusion of this brochure.

Equipment and Clothing

Trip members are expected to furnish their own day pack. The VCNP will provide work tools. Please bring at least two one-liter/one-quart containers for carrying water, your own supply of moleskin and Band-Aids, sunscreen, insect repellent, and lip balm. Bring comfortable clothes and boots. Remember, this is not a fashion show -- bring clothes that are broken-in but not worn out, and that can be easily layered for warmth. In the late spring average temperatures can fluctuate between 40 and 70 degrees.

Conservation

The west is a desert, or wants to be one, and it likes to burn on a regular basis. Wildland ecology, now more than ever before, must answer questions for today and for decades to come. Research work, and building reliable data, makes these crucial decisions more factual, more informed, less theoretical, less apocryphal, and augment the tools that land managers need to continue the delicate balance between human usage and wildlands needs. Combining the lessons of the past and the knowledge of the present, it is still possible to protect and conserve the biological and ecological heritage of our wild-earth places.

Trip Price

See the How to Apply for an Outing section for more details on registering for this trip and details about our Reservation and Cancellation Policy.

The payment of a deposit does not confirm you as a member on the trip. Participants must be approved by the trip leader. After signing up for this trip, you will be sent a confirmation packet containing approval materials (Participant Approval Questionnaire, Medical Form, Liability Release Form). Each applicant (including those on the waitlist) must fill out these forms and promptly mail them to the trip leader. The leader will review the approval materials and notify you of your acceptance in a timely manner.

Staff

Leader:

When a Sierra Club leader accepted the last person waitlisted for a Chaco Canyon service trip in 1988, Susan Estes participated in her first service trip to the Four Corners. Since then, her service trip odyssey has drawn her to Utah, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, west Texas, and, following a close scrutiny of the globe, to Hawaii (which is, in fact, "southwest" too). Enduring friendships, a wicked sense of humor, and the high energy of a committed group doing selfless service top the list of reasons Susan does service trips. And, yes, she still makes a special effort on behalf of any of her waitlisted participants.

E-mail: susan.estes@sierraclub.org

Commissary:

For two decades Phyllis Singleton's ranch-style cooking has fed us on service trips in the National Parks and Monuments of Utah, Colorado, Texas, and New Mexico. Phyllis has seen a lot of the same country from the back of her horse. As a breeder and member of the American Paint Horse Association, there is very little she does not know about bloodlines and horseflesh.

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General Notes About Sierra Club Trips

• Carbon Offsets
• Carpooling
• Electronic Devices
• Equipment
• How to Apply for a Trip
• Leader Gratuities
• Liability Release and Assumption of Risk
• Medical Issues
• Non-discrimination Statement
• Participant Approval
• Reservation and Cancellation Policy
• Seller of Travel Disclosure
• Travel Insurance
• Trip Feedback
• Wilderness Manners