Hello Skiers,

Ski Club member David D Antonio and others reported many trees down on Survey Trail near the highway late yesterday.

Byron Garner agreed to lead a crosscut saw crew tomorrow (Wed., Jan. 5) to work on Survey Trail in the wilderness, and I will lead a chain saw crew to remove trees near the Crest Highway. We will need both sawyers and swampers.

Meet at 9 am at the FOSM Guard Station behind the Ranger Station. Bring personal saws, snowshoes, hard hat, lunch, snacks, drinks, very warm clothes, warm work gloves, ear and eye protection, and chain saw chaps. We will have hard hats for those who do not have one.

We meet at a small building behind the ranger station. Turn east on the road just south of the ranger station parking lot. Drive through the vehicle gate if it is open or wait for someone to open it. You may call 281-3304 and request that it be opened. You may also park there and walk in. Past the vehicle gate, turn right at the first street and go south a short distance to a couple of small buildings.

David reported that the Crest Highway was in good condition.

We will park in the lower lot at Ellis Trailhead. We will decide if we will snowshoe from Ellis and carry the saws and supplies or haul the equipment and supplies to the Survey Trail crossing of the highway and leave them there.

Please email or call me if you have questions. 505-828-0673

Sam Beard, Projects Chair

Friends of the Sandia Mountains

samgbeard:@msn.com