Seasons and Sights Seen Along Valles Caldera North Rim
Summer
View of Valle Toledo from High Meadow on Garita Ridge-Hunter’s Point
Immediately surrounding Valle Toledo, clockwise, are the west dome of Cerros de los Posos, a ring-fracture dome of the 1.6 million-year-old Toledo Caldera, and two of the ring-fracture domes of the 1.2 million-year-old Valles Caldera, Cerro del Medio, and Cerros del Abrigo. On the very far horizon and on the Valles Caldera east rim, left to right, are Cerro Bonito, Pajarito Mountain (two peaks close together), and smoothly-rounded Cerro Grande, behind Cerro del Medio.
When the Valles Caldera magma erupted, it broke the surface rock into a ring-shaped fracture all around the collapsing caldera. The ring-fracture domes that encircle Redondo, the Valles Caldera’s resurgent dome, formed when residual magma continued to squeeze and erupt through the broken ring-fracture zone.
One hike in the Valles Caldera National Preserve (VCNP) goes up the bald, grassy face of Garita Ridge-Hunter’s Point, following a dirt road up to the locked Garita Gate on the west end of the ridge. You don’t have to go all the way to the gate, though, to get fantastic views--just walk up the grassy face. At the top of the ridge are numerous logging roads coming in from the north; all lead back to the boundary fence between the VCNP and Santa Fe National Forest (SFNF). The VCNP calls the hike La Garita or Garita. The description of the hike in the September 2007 Draft State of the Preserve (page 45) refers to this area as Garita Ridge. Others say that historically this whole ridge was called Hunter’s Point. On USGS topo maps, neither name appears. This seems a grave oversight for such a lovely place. Regardless of what you wish to call it, sign up for this hike! The views are spectacular.
When you go on this hike, be sure to have a map and binoculars to study how everything fits together in the Valles Caldera. You’ll see close-up views of the ring-fracture domes (also called moat rhyolite domes) and valles of the northern caldera, plus far-off views all the way to the east and south rims. Kirt Kempter has taken wonderful panoramic photos of the Valles Caldera from this ridge. You can see them at both the Bradbury Museum and the Pajarito Environmental Education Center (PEEC) in Los Alamos.
If you don’t want to make a reservation for the Garita hike, there is another way to get to these great views. It involves, however, a very long drive on Forest Road (FR) 144 out of Española. After all that distance traveled, you are constrained to look at the beauty of your public land from behind a fence.
Eastern End of Garita Ridge-Hunter’s Point
On a SFNF map you’ll notice clearly the encroachment of Santa Fe National Forest into what was once the perfectly square Baca Location No. 1 land grant, in the Garita Ridge-Hunter’s Point area at the middle of the VCNP’s north rim. This happened in 1966, when the United States Forest Service made a land trade with Pat Dunigan, owner of the Baca Location, for an “access road”, which probably refers to the construction of FR 144.
At the eastern end of Garita Ridge-Hunter’s Point, the SFNF boundary makes a strongly V-shaped incursion into the VCNP. It’s rumored that the V-shape on the eastern end of the land exchange was made to allow people to get closer to the stunning views without trespassing on Dunigan’s land. Located here is a memorial to someone’s son and, nearby, prayer flags are attached to a tree. This “point” is obviously of great importance to people, because they make their way here even though the distances are great. Once here, though, they’re not allowed to set foot on the Preserve--even though they own it!
Autumn
Golden Aspens along FR 144
FR 144 runs west of Española and accesses portions of the Valles Caldera north rim that are on SFNF land. It’s truly an amazing road. From it, views of practically all of northern New Mexico can be had--these include Polvadera Peak, Cerro Pedernal, Abiquiu Dam, Clara Peak, and Caballo Mountain. In places, FR 144 wanders back and forth across the caldera rim and sometimes the road is smack-dab on the rim. Myriad old roads, trails, tree blazes, aspen dendroglyphs, gray weathered tree stumps are to be seen, and there are tons of peace and quiet. The 10,000’ elevation makes the hiking pleasant, and afterwards, on descending to 82-degree temperature in Española, makes you wish you’d stayed up there!
In Santa Fe National Forest on Cerro de la Garita, Looking toward South Rim
This excellent viewpoint is off on old logging road west of Garita Ridge-Hunter’s Point, near Cerro de la Garita. In the immediate foreground, looking south, are the Cerro Santa Rosa dome complex, Valles Caldera moat rhyolite domes. The complex comprises a large dome, 9701’ (above the tallest aspens) and a small dome, 9232’ (partially hidden behind the lone conifer on left). On the horizon are the Valle Grande with Rabbit Ridge-Rabbit Mountain, left, and the Paso del Norte-Peralta Pass-Las Conchas area, right. Beyond that, Sandia Mountain, east of Albuquerque, is a barely visible hump of blue haze
In Santa Fe National Forest on Cerro de la Garita Looking toward East Rim
A skinny piece of Valle San Antonio is at the right center, Valle Toledo is left, and a smear of Valles de los Posos is seen on the horizon. The Valles Caldera east rim is also on the horizon--left to right, Cerro Bonito, Pajarito Mountain (two peaks close together) and gently-rounded Cerro Grande. The ring-fracture domes preen beguilingly--Cerro del Medio, low-slung, in front of Cerro Grande, and Cerros del Abrigo, with its loads of aspens.
To me, standing on the north rim, looking into the Valles Caldera National Preserve, is much like seeing the Grand Canyon for the first time--I almost can’t believe what I’m seeing! It’s an astounding tableau of visual delight, especially in autumn with the yellow aspens!
Valles Caldera North Rim: Garita Ridge-Hunter's Point
Summer
View of Valle Toledo from High Meadow on Garita Ridge-Hunter’s PointImmediately surrounding Valle Toledo, clockwise, are the west dome of Cerros de los Posos, a ring-fracture dome of the 1.6 million-year-old Toledo Caldera, and two of the ring-fracture domes of the 1.2 million-year-old Valles Caldera, Cerro del Medio, and Cerros del Abrigo. On the very far horizon and on the Valles Caldera east rim, left to right, are Cerro Bonito, Pajarito Mountain (two peaks close together), and smoothly-rounded Cerro Grande, behind Cerro del Medio.
When the Valles Caldera magma erupted, it broke the surface rock into a ring-shaped fracture all around the collapsing caldera. The ring-fracture domes that encircle Redondo, the Valles Caldera’s resurgent dome, formed when residual magma continued to squeeze and erupt through the broken ring-fracture zone.
One hike in the Valles Caldera National Preserve (VCNP) goes up the bald, grassy face of Garita Ridge-Hunter’s Point, following a dirt road up to the locked Garita Gate on the west end of the ridge. You don’t have to go all the way to the gate, though, to get fantastic views--just walk up the grassy face. At the top of the ridge are numerous logging roads coming in from the north; all lead back to the boundary fence between the VCNP and Santa Fe National Forest (SFNF). The VCNP calls the hike La Garita or Garita. The description of the hike in the September 2007 Draft State of the Preserve (page 45) refers to this area as Garita Ridge. Others say that historically this whole ridge was called Hunter’s Point. On USGS topo maps, neither name appears. This seems a grave oversight for such a lovely place. Regardless of what you wish to call it, sign up for this hike! The views are spectacular.
When you go on this hike, be sure to have a map and binoculars to study how everything fits together in the Valles Caldera. You’ll see close-up views of the ring-fracture domes (also called moat rhyolite domes) and valles of the northern caldera, plus far-off views all the way to the east and south rims. Kirt Kempter has taken wonderful panoramic photos of the Valles Caldera from this ridge. You can see them at both the Bradbury Museum and the Pajarito Environmental Education Center (PEEC) in Los Alamos.
If you don’t want to make a reservation for the Garita hike, there is another way to get to these great views. It involves, however, a very long drive on Forest Road (FR) 144 out of Española. After all that distance traveled, you are constrained to look at the beauty of your public land from behind a fence.
Eastern End of Garita Ridge-Hunter’s PointOn a SFNF map you’ll notice clearly the encroachment of Santa Fe National Forest into what was once the perfectly square Baca Location No. 1 land grant, in the Garita Ridge-Hunter’s Point area at the middle of the VCNP’s north rim. This happened in 1966, when the United States Forest Service made a land trade with Pat Dunigan, owner of the Baca Location, for an “access road”, which probably refers to the construction of FR 144.
At the eastern end of Garita Ridge-Hunter’s Point, the SFNF boundary makes a strongly V-shaped incursion into the VCNP. It’s rumored that the V-shape on the eastern end of the land exchange was made to allow people to get closer to the stunning views without trespassing on Dunigan’s land. Located here is a memorial to someone’s son and, nearby, prayer flags are attached to a tree. This “point” is obviously of great importance to people, because they make their way here even though the distances are great. Once here, though, they’re not allowed to set foot on the Preserve--even though they own it!
Autumn
Golden Aspens along FR 144FR 144 runs west of Española and accesses portions of the Valles Caldera north rim that are on SFNF land. It’s truly an amazing road. From it, views of practically all of northern New Mexico can be had--these include Polvadera Peak, Cerro Pedernal, Abiquiu Dam, Clara Peak, and Caballo Mountain. In places, FR 144 wanders back and forth across the caldera rim and sometimes the road is smack-dab on the rim. Myriad old roads, trails, tree blazes, aspen dendroglyphs, gray weathered tree stumps are to be seen, and there are tons of peace and quiet. The 10,000’ elevation makes the hiking pleasant, and afterwards, on descending to 82-degree temperature in Española, makes you wish you’d stayed up there!
In Santa Fe National Forest on Cerro de la Garita, Looking toward South RimThis excellent viewpoint is off on old logging road west of Garita Ridge-Hunter’s Point, near Cerro de la Garita. In the immediate foreground, looking south, are the Cerro Santa Rosa dome complex, Valles Caldera moat rhyolite domes. The complex comprises a large dome, 9701’ (above the tallest aspens) and a small dome, 9232’ (partially hidden behind the lone conifer on left). On the horizon are the Valle Grande with Rabbit Ridge-Rabbit Mountain, left, and the Paso del Norte-Peralta Pass-Las Conchas area, right. Beyond that, Sandia Mountain, east of Albuquerque, is a barely visible hump of blue haze
In Santa Fe National Forest on Cerro de la Garita Looking toward East RimA skinny piece of Valle San Antonio is at the right center, Valle Toledo is left, and a smear of Valles de los Posos is seen on the horizon. The Valles Caldera east rim is also on the horizon--left to right, Cerro Bonito, Pajarito Mountain (two peaks close together) and gently-rounded Cerro Grande. The ring-fracture domes preen beguilingly--Cerro del Medio, low-slung, in front of Cerro Grande, and Cerros del Abrigo, with its loads of aspens.
To me, standing on the north rim, looking into the Valles Caldera National Preserve, is much like seeing the Grand Canyon for the first time--I almost can’t believe what I’m seeing! It’s an astounding tableau of visual delight, especially in autumn with the yellow aspens!
Valles Caldera North Rim: Garita Ridge-Hunter's Point
On this map, Garita Ridge-Hunter's Point is the area that's plastered with waypoints. Cerro de la Garita arcs around the left middle of the map. Both are on the Valles Caldera 's north rim and both are partly on Santa Fe National Forest land and partly on Valles Caldera National Preserve land. They are accessed from FR 144 out of Española or from FR 100-FR99 out of Youngsville.
The waypoints are from when I went on the VCNP's La Garita hike. I've left the waypoints on the map so as to easily differentiate Garita Ridge-Hunter's Point from Cerro de la Garita which is to the west.
Special thanks to Donald and Dorothy Hoard for their encouragement and help on this project.
The waypoints are from when I went on the VCNP's La Garita hike. I've left the waypoints on the map so as to easily differentiate Garita Ridge-Hunter's Point from Cerro de la Garita which is to the west.
Special thanks to Donald and Dorothy Hoard for their encouragement and help on this project.