The Santa Fe Hiking Meetup Group

BORREGO SHUTTLE HIKE

Description: Bobcatting the Winsor from Norski to Borrego (Shuttle)
Round Trip Hiking Distance: ~6.0 miles
Round Trip Hiking Time: 4 hours
Elevation: 10,300' down to 8100' then back up to 8900'
Gain: Overall 2200 ft. drop but there is a final ascent of 800'
Rating: Moderate
Pace: Mellow Plus

Be considerate of others and do not RSVP for this hike if you cannot go up and down Atalaya in under 3 hours. This helps us to stay together as a group, enhancing the hiking experience for everyone. This is a group hike and participants are expected to stay with the group. It is not about competition, but cooperation. No firearms or commercial solicitations. COVID vaccination and compliance with CDC rules on quarantine and isolation are required (i.e., don't attend if you have Covid!)

Hike Description:
We will start at Norski (after leaving one vehicle at Borrego which will shuttle drivers back to Norski at the end of the hike), which is on the ski road about a half hour from Santa Fe. We'll follow the Winsor Trail downhill from Norski thru mostly wooded and shady terrain. There are a couple of small streams along the way that are home to assorted wildflowers, as well as large wildflowery meadows just before the Borrego-Winsor junction and along the Tesuque Creek before the Bear Wallow-Winsor. We'll head up Bear Wallow Trail and a short section of Borrego Trail, both of which are gently to moderately uphill, to the Borrego trailhead. The shuttle vehicle will then shuttle the drivers back to Norski and all the vehicles will head back to Borrego to pick up the non-driving hikers. This is a nice walk in the woods, highlighted by some meadows and flowing water. The shuttle allows us to see less frequented sections of trail, and to hike mostly downhill (up until the last rise).

What to bring:
Sturdy hiking boots or shoes.
Layers, extra clothing, and water resistant outer wear.
Water for a 4 hour hike. Be sure to bring plenty of water.
Snacks and lunch

Meeting Place:
DEVARGAS. We will meet behind Market Street at Devargas Center (i.e., toward St Francis), but a little closer to the bowling alley. We leave promptly at the meet time. If you are running late or your plans change at the last minute, please call Ken: 248-252-0708.

Cancelling. Please be considerate to folks on the wait list and remove yourself from the 'go' list promptly once you know you won't attend.

Dogs: Well-behaved dogs with no history of problems on group hikes are welcome, but must be on a leash at all times.

Cost/Driving: Non-drivers are to contribute $5 for gas. Since this is a shuttle, everyone will have to be in a vehicle with someone else.

Waiver and Release. By attending, the Participant releases the Event Leaders from liability arising from the Event and assumes all risks of the Event, including (without limitation): 1) injuries from falls, living things, pre-existing health conditions, vehicles, and weather, and 2) injuries resulting from the Event Leaders not undertaking the least risky option available (e.g., hiking a steep slope instead of a gentle slope) or not treating an injury in the optimal way (e.g., due to insufficient training). The preceding sentence supplements any other exculpatory arrangement to which the Participant is subject.

PLEASE NOTE 8:30 START TIME.

WE HAVE RAIN IN OUR FORECAST FOR TODAY, MORE LIKELY IN LATER AFTERNOON, BUT I'M SEEING VARYING REPORTS RE TIMING, SO COME PREPARED! I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE WISE TO PLAN FOR A SHORTER HIKE TODAY.

For today's hike, we will park in the same parking lot as we do when we hike Circle Trail, about 1/2way up Hyde Park Road, but we'll stay on the right side of the road. We walk up through the campgrounds, to an easy loop trail, which we hike up about 1/2way, not turning once it begins to descend. There is a spur trail just past the loop's peak which takes us straight up to a saddle in front of the Watershed. There are routes both to the right & left of this saddle, I prefer the right one, & that's what we'll do today. It is a series of maybe 4 or so steep climbs, each one leading to a short plateau, before the next ascent. Once we reach the meadow, we'll have our snack break, it offers beautiful views which we don't often get to see from this vantage point. We return the way we came. Short distance, probably 3+ miles, but a hard work-out with multiple steep climbs up & then down.

Sometimes, some of us have enjoyed hiking a bit further on a trail to the left of "our meadow" where we typically turn around. We will have the option to add this additional segment to our hike, or some may like to, which can be decided once we reach the meadow.

ONLY STRONG, STURDY HIKERS SHOULD SIGN UP FOR THIS ONE, DON'T BE FOOLED BY SHORT DISTANCE, IT'S A WORK-OUT!

Burro Hikes are for experienced hikers, most of our hikes are moderate in difficulty (by our standards), usually on designated trails, usually 4-6 miles in distance unless otherwise specified.

Non-aggressive, well-mannered dogs are welcome on all my hikes (unless otherwise specified, some locations prohibit dogs).

Newcomers are welcome on all my hikes; I ask that newcomers please test your fitness for my Group by timing yourself hiking up and down Atalaya, which you should be able to do comfortably in 3 1/2 hours or less (from Wilderness Gate or staircase). If you have any questions about this, or about my hikes in general, please feel free to contact me through Meet Up Messaging or by text.

We meet at the DeVargas Mall, in the back lot, behind the stores. Park in a lane near the bowling alley but not right up against the mall wall. We carpool to all THs. Drivers can request that riders wear masks in their vehicle. Please offer your driver $2 to cover gas expense for this hike. We like to leave promptly so if you're running just a few minutes late, text me, & we'll wait up to 5 minutes for you.

Ronnie Chafel, 617-331-1838

Please be considerate of those on Wait List & sign off hike as soon as you know you cannot attend, preferably 24 hours in advance whenever possible. PLEASE DO NOT NO SHOW. Repeated No Shows have consequences.