Announcing a new Meetup for The Albuquerque Hiking and Outdoor Meetup!

What: "Ancient Graffiti. Sacred Altar." Aldridge Archaeological Panels

When: Saturday, August 28,[masked]:00 AM

Where: BLM El Malpais Ranger Station
State Road 117 Mile[masked] miles south of exit 89 off I-40
Grants, NM 87020
[masked] (local for Albuquer

8/28/10 "Ancient Graffiti. Sacred Altar." Aldridge Archaeological Panels

Discover this large petroglyph-covered outcrop inside the Cebolla
Wilderness. Visitors at the outcrop have said, "Awesome!", "Why did they do
this?", "Wow!", "What do they mean?" Delve into the wonders and wisdom of
the ancestors. Explore the plants, rocks, animals & history of the Cebolla
wilderness firsthand. Try your hand at navigation with a map & compass
(loaners available). Test your tracking and awareness skills. Find a
hidden flower, a lizard, and maybe an elk. Peak into the secrets of the
rocks of the hot, wet time of the Cretaceous when life was exploding in
abundance and diversity. Enjoy the beauty, the mystery, and the
community!

9:00 AM Meet at the El Malpais Ranger Station parking lot.
Caravan 30 miles south and park beside State Road 117. On the evening
before and throughout the hike the ranger will carry the emergency cell
fone:[masked]. Call ahead to the Ranger Station, or the night before
to the emergency fone, to check trip status.

DIFFICULTY: Hike off trail throughout this event for 2 miles with a total
elevation rise of 200 feet plus up & down a few arroyos up to 20 feet
deep. Sturdy footwear, and long pants are highly recommended. Suitable
for all ages. Littler ones may need carrying.

WEATHER:
http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=34.65919277297455&lon=-107.97019958496094
&site=abq&smap=1&unit=0&lg=en&FcstType=text

GEAR: At least 2 litres of water. Bring protection from sun, wind, and rain
at 7500 feet. Optional: compass (limited number available to borrow) to
practice following a bearing, Sand Canyon USGS 1:24000 topographic map
(limited number available to borrow) to practice orienteering. Those that
wish can continue independently into the wilderness for an overnight loop
north to Cebolla Canyon.

CITIZEN SCIENCE: photograph and document site conditions and paleontologic
resources

INCLEMENT WEATHER BACKUP HIKE: Narrows Rim Trail. Meet as planned then
only drive 14 miles south along 117 to park at the trailhead at the
entrance to the Narrows Picnic Area. This trail can be a riot of
wildflowers with a wealth of birds. It passes a secret petroglyph site and
the sandstone surface makes for intriguing and fairy easy all-weather
walking. 5-7 mile depending on group speed fairly flat hike returning to
the vehicles by 2 PM. Halfway point and lunch is the vista of the arch on
117.

TOPICS: puebloan culture, forest health, fire ecology, bird watching, wild
flowers, native views, map reading, orienteering, compass use, homestead,
archaeo-astronomy, ancestral construction, ancestral town planning, middle
Cretaceous, sandstone, fossils, wilderness, climate change

RSVP to this Meetup:
http://www.meetup.com/hiking-204/calendar/14255649/