The annual Volunteer Agreement between the N. M. Cross Country Ski Club and the Jemez Ranger District expires on Oct. 23. I would like to schedule trail work days there on the first three weekends in October, probably on Saturdays.

We would do fall trail maintenance, primarily removing fallen trees from trails, on Los Griegos Mountain, and in the Peralta Area just past the Las Conchas area. On Los Griegos Mountain, we would hike Ladera and Elk Ridge Trails with chain saws and other tools from NM-4 highway to Upper Road at the top of the Ladera Trail switchbacks. In the Peralta area. we would hike up Corral Canyon Trail to Junction Meadow and work on upper Calzada Trail to Tee Intersection and complete the loop by coming down upper Corral Canyon to the meadow. We may not work on the lower part of Calzada Trail, because it is on an open west-facing mountainside that is heated excessively by the sun since the trees were killed by the Las Conchas Fire several years ago. Last year, even with good snow cover, we found that the snow was too icy to enjoy skiing there.

I do not plan a work day in the Redonda Campground area, because last year on a couple of ski outings we found no trees down on the main loop trail.

We would plan to leave Albuquerque at 8 am and return by 6 pm. We would be carrying a couple of chain saws and some hand tools.

Last year we were working on the switchbacks on upper Ladera Trail in about 6 inches of snow, and we had problems finding the route where the Cajeta Fire killed the trees and burned the blue diamonds.

Please email me and let me know if you are interested in working on these trails in October.

Please contact me if you have questions.

Sam Beard, Trails Chair

N. M. Cross Country Ski Club