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Trip Number: 12090A
Price: $1,195
Deposit: $200
Capacity: 12
Staff: Susan Estes
Highlights:
- Learn to identify, sample, and record data with the VCNP staff
- Discover this beautiful land and its ecological, scientific, and cultural
importance in order to help with its preservation
- Enjoy lodge accommodations at 8,000 feet surrounded by 11,000-foot mountains
Includes:
- All tools and materials for work
- An experienced service trip cook for all meals
- All presentations and field trips
The Trip
The Valles Caldera was a privately owned ranch of 89,000 acres, used for livestock
grazing, hunting, and timber harvesting. In 2000, the United States government
bought the ranch and the U.S. congress created the Valles Caldera National Preserve
(VCNP). The VCNP is administered by the Valles Caldera Trust, an agency comprised
of national land agency representatives and members from agencies in the surrounding
area. Located about two hours north of Albuquerque, it's the central feature
of the Jemez Mountains of New Mexico, at the southern end of the Southern Rocky
Mountain eco-region.
The volcanic field underlying the Jemez Mountains of northern New Mexico has
been active for the past four million years, and is by far the largest and most
powerful such formation in the region. It was 1.22 million years ago when an
eruption, one hundred times more powerful than Mt. St. Helen's, ravaged the
landscape. Devoid of its natural geological support, the land fell in on itself
to form the bottom of a giant, roughly circular bowl about 14 miles across,
surrounded by a knife edge of mountains. This collapsed volcanic field is the
Valles Caldera. Today it remains one of the best exposed examples of caldera
formation known to science, and it's the most studied caldera in the Unites
States, and probably the world.
As an upland habitat, the vast valles are covered with green vegetation and
grasses. Within the VCNP there are about 524 species, subspecies, and varieties
of plants that are typical of the flora and ecology in the Rocky Mountains.
This is the environment in which we will work for our week in the VCNP.
The Project
Photo: Rourke McDermott
As part of the ongoing scientific monitoring of the Preserve resources, scientists
and managers of the VCNP are interested in understanding the impacts of large
herbivores, elk, and cattle on the grassland plant communities and the vegetation
along the streams. Scientists have built a series of large enclosures around
stretches of streams to keep elk and cattle away from the vegetated areas along
the streams, and they're monitoring the changes in stream bank geomorphology,
vegetation, soils, water quality, fish, invertebrates, and small mammals. Part
of the vegetation sampling involves collecting plant biomass to determine the
amount of vegetation production that has occurred under each experimental condition.
Sierra Club volunteers will participate in clipping vegetation plots, and drying
and weighing the biomass samples.
In addition, there are 44 small enclosures distributed across the Preserve
in different grassland types, and these will be sampled during the same week
to understand elk and livestock impacts in upland grasslands. The combination
of the two projects will permit participants to visit and work in all parts
of the 89,000-acre Valles Caldera. In subsequent years, there will undoubtedly
be continued scientific work, as well as service work usually associated with
most land agencies: trail maintenance, fence removal or construction, and non-native
vegetation removal.
Itinerary
The group will meet at the visitors' parking area at Valles Caldera National
Preserve at 1 p.m. on May 20. From there we'll caravan to the lodge area for
a snack lunch and brief orientation before moving everyone into his or her room.
You'll then be free to enjoy the area during the rest of the afternoon. The
first full meal will be at dinner at 6 p.m. on day one, and the last meal will
be breakfast on the morning of day seven. We will work four eight-hour days,
with Wednesday as our day off. On the day off you'll be free to further explore
the Valles Caldera, or to drive to Los Alamos and Santa Fe for the day.
Getting There
You are responsible for getting yourself to the meeting point at the Valles
Caldera National Preserve in New Mexico. The entry road to the VCNP is at post
39.2 on Route 4. This road should lead directly to the visitors' parking area,
where the group will meet at 1 p.m.
Accommodations and Food
Photo: Rourke McDermott
We will be staying in the Baca Lodge, a beautiful round, stone structure formerly
used as a hunting lodge. There are eight bedrooms with twin beds and four shared
bathrooms. Each room opens immediately onto the great room, and looks outward
onto a vista of the caldera. Rooms will be assigned based on double occupancy.
Linens -- including bedding, pillows, blankets, and towels -- are furnished;
you will need to bring your own toiletries. The center of the lodge is a large
lounge area with comfortable chairs, the dining area, and a large fireplace.
Smoking is not allowed in the lodge. Adjacent to the lounge area is a large,
well equipped kitchen where meals will be prepared. 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.
Trip Difficulty
Because few other trips can offer as much breadth of interest and activity
in one place, this trip is sure to be popular -- attracting adults of all ages
and a nice blending of couples and singles. Past participants for southwest
service trips have come from as far away as Connecticut and Alaska, Canada &
Taiwan. If you have always wanted to do a service trip but are wary of camping,
this trip may be right for you. 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.
Equipment and Clothing
Photo: Rourke McDermott
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 and removed as the day's temperature increases. May temperatures
in New Mexico can range from 35 degrees at night to 80 degrees in the mid-afternoon.
While we hope for warm, clear days, rain or snow can sweep in; be prepared for
the unusual, but bring the usual, sensible items and you'll be fine. The only
special item you must bring is a good pair of leather gloves. Gloves, like boots,
serve best when broken-in early. A flashlight will generally be very helpful.
Conservation
We will assist preserve scientists and managers with ecological monitoring
of montane riparian plant communities as part of ongoing elk and cattle experimental
enclosure studies.
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
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
General Notes About Sierra Club Trips