Again this year FOSM will be sponsoring a project on National Trails Day in conjunction with other projects offered by the Albuquerque Open Space Division at Simms Park adjacent to the west side of the Sandia Ranger District.  Projects end by around noon, followed by free lunch and giveaways by REI at the Kiwanis picnic shelter in the Elena Gallegos Picnic Area of Simms Park.  If you want to participate and get the T-shirt, you need to register with REI at their website below.  Registrations are limited.  There is no cost.  Note that REI refers to Simms Park as Elena Gallegos Park.  Simms Park is located at the east end of Simms Park Road east of Tramway Boulevard just north of Academy Road.

Our project this year will be similar to the one last year in which we installed a chicane at the Embudito trailhead to dissuade (in the words of the Wilderness Act) "mechanical contrivances" from crossing into the Sandia Mountain Wilderness.  Kerry Wood, SRD Trails and Wilderness Program Manager, has requested that we install similar one-sided chicanes at the Pino and Domingo Baca trailheads.   A generic chicane diagram is attached.  Our chicanes will be similar to the diagram, except that the openings probably will be to the left and installed on the National Forest side (east, i.e., inside the Wilderness).

BTW, on the same day Kerry will be leading his regular off-site work day doing re-routes on the Challenge Trail in the vicinity of the Nine Mile Picnic Area.  If that interests you, contact Kerry for more details:  kerry.wood@usda.gov

Dan Benton

FOSM

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