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Trip Number: 12326A
Price: $1,245
Deposit: $200
Capacity: 12
Staff: Susan Estes
Highlights:
- Work directly with Preserve biologists in a unique setting
- Help to preserve this land as you discover its beauty and importance
- Enjoy lodge accommodations at 8,000 feet
Includes:
- All meals and snacks
- All tools and materials for work
- All presentations and field trips
The Trip
Please note that the trip dates have changed from what was originally published. If you
have questions, please
contact us.
Photo: Rourke McDermott
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 Congress created the Valles Caldera National Preserve (VCNP).
The events that define the present landscape began approximately 1.22 million years ago, when an explosive volcanic eruption created a roughly circular bowl about 14 miles in diameter. The Valles Caldera is so large that it was not realized that this area was a collapsed volcano until it was mapped from the air. This collapsed volcanic field is the most studied caldera in the Unites States, and probably the world.
The VCNP supports a great variety of animals, plants, and fungi. The VCNP provides summer range and breeding/calving grounds for the Jemez Mountains elk herd, consisting of about 4,500 animals. A small number of livestock also are permitted to graze in the VCNP during the summer months. This is the environment in which we will work for the week.
The Project
As part of the ongoing scientific monitoring of the VCNP, scientists and staff are interested in understanding the impacts of elk and cattle on the grassland plant communities and the vegetation along the streams. Part of the project involves collecting plant biomass to determine the amount of vegetation production that has occurred in various enclosures. 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 during the peak of both autumn leaf colors and the elk rut -- a spectacular time of year!
In subsequent years there will undoubtedly be continued scientific work as well as service work more usually associated with most land agencies: trail maintenance, putting up or removal of barbed wire fencing, and removal of non-native vegetation.
Itinerary
Photo: Rourke McDermott
The group will meet at the visitors' parking area at Valles Caldera National Preserve at 1 p.m. on the first day. 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, local pueblos, National Monuments, hot springs, 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 -- directions will be provided.
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. Adjacent to the lounge area is a large, well-equipped kitchen where meals will be prepared.
Each participant will be expected to work and 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 usually be at 6 p.m. Reasonable dietary requests -- especially concerning food allergies should be carefully noted on your trip questionnaire. This is a vegetarian- and celiac-friendly trip. To say that you are a vegetarian is not specific enough. Describe the nature of your vegetarian diet so an attempt can be made to meet your dietary needs. Smoking is considered an "outdoor" activity.
Trip Difficulty
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.
At 8,000 to 11,000 feet, your lungs will work harder to get needed oxygen. Taking
a couple of aspirin and drinking lots of water usually alleviate any negative
effects.
Those who have not seen their health care professional in the past five years
should plan a quick visit with their physician and, after a discussion with
this brochure in hand, obtain a doctor's signature on the medical questionnaire.
Minor medical conditions known to the participant are no impediment to having
a full, enjoyable experience. Also, do not forget, all participants must have
a current tetanus shot.
Equipment and Clothing
Photo: Rourke McDermott
Trip members are expected to furnish their own day pack. The VCNP will provide work tools. Please bring your own supply of moleskin and bandages, 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. September temperatures in New Mexico can range from 30 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 items you must bring are a good pair of leather work gloves and a flashlight. Gloves, like boots, serve best when broken-in early. Bring at least three one-liter/one-quart containers (or equivalent) for carrying water. A more complete equipment list will be provided to registered participants.
Conservation
Sierra Club volunteers will assist Preserve scientists and managers with ecological monitoring of montane riparian plant communities as part of ongoing vegetation studies in habitat occupied by elk and cattle. Subsequent interpretation of long-term data can assist Preserve and other regional land managers in making intelligent and compatible decisions about land use of their respective ecosystems.
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
Assistant Leader:
Gordy Olson is a veteran Sierra Club Service trip participant and leader as well as a curious world traveler. He has enjoyed learning from the heights of Kilimanjaro, the beaches of Bali, and the depths of the Great Barrier Reef. He especially loves to share service trip experiences with other Sierra Club adventurers.
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.
General Notes About Sierra Club Trips