Wednesday Burro Group - Change of Plan!

AIR QUALITY NOW IS GOOD ACCORDING TO MY INFO! I PLAN TO MEET ALL WHO WISH TO HIKE TODAY AT MALL AT 8:30, WE'LL DECIDE TOGETHER WHERE WE'D LIKE TO HIKE. HOPE TO SEE THE 5 OF YOU STILL SIGNED ON TO TODAY'S HIKE THERE, PLUS ANYONE ELSE WHO CHOOSES TO SIGN ONTO TODAY'S HIKE.

AFTER CONSULTATION WITH OUR ROUTE LEADER, GARRETT, THIS HIKE IS POSTPONED TO NEXT WEDNESDAY, 8/19, DUE TO CONCERNS RE NEARBY FIRES (BOTH DIRECTION FIRES ARE TRAVELING - CLOSER TO ROUTE - & AIR QUALITY).

I WILL DECIDE IN THE MORNING AFTER CHECKING SAFETY MEASURES IF THERE WILL BE A REPLACEMENT HIKE DESTINATION. I HOPE IT WILL BE REASONABLE TO HAVE A BURRO HIKE TOMORROW, POSSIBLY A DESTINATION DECIDED BY THE GROUP WHEN WE GATHER AT THE MALL.

PLEASE CHECK THIS POSTING IN THE MORNING.

PLEASE NOTE 8:30 START TIME.

SERVICE ROAD REQUIRES HIGH CLEARANCE VEHICLES FOR SAFE DRIVING. IF YOU SIGN UP FOR THIS HIKE, HAVE A HIGH CLEARANCE VEHICLE & ARE WILLING TO DRIVE HIKERS TO TH, PLEASE BRING THIS VEHICLE. I APPRECIATE ALL WHO ARE WILLING TO HELP OUR HIKES HAPPEN BY ASSISTING WITH SPECIFIC ROUTE NEEDS.

Garrett will be our Route Leader for this hike, here's his description:

6.5 Miles, 1,644 ft elevation gain (descend down the Mountain to the Waterfall, then ascend back to the TH).

We drive up toward the ski area, but just past Big Tesuque Campground, we turn on a forest road & drive a couple of miles to the TH (cars with higher clearance are best). The hike starts at the big parking lot (Pacheco Canyon, I think), traveling north along the western side of Aspen Ranch until we reach Rio en Medio. Then we follow the trail downhill along the creek.

It's nice & shaded, we'll see lots of smaller waterfalls along the way. Until the Forest Service repairs the trail from the village of Rio en Medio, this is the only way to see the Waterfall, by hiking down to it, rather than up to it.

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. Please park in a lane near the bowling alley, but not right up against the mall wall. We carpool to all THs. 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.