a·foot 2026 · santa fe and abq hiking group

This is the follow-up class for the Beginner's Guide to the Colorado Fourteeners. I will take the researching and planning concepts discussed in the first class and apply them to a mock trip using La Plata Peak as my example.

In this class, you will learn:

• How to use 14ers.com to explore, analyze and choose a route.
• How to download routes from 14ers.com.
• How to upload routes into other apps.
• How to analyze route terrain in CalTopo.
• How to analyze your chosen mountain in Google Earth desktop and mobile.
• How to use the 14ers.com mobile app.
• How to plan for lodging and / or camping.
• How to plan for après hiking activities.
• How to write an itinerary.
• And more...

This is a comprehensive class that will help you plan a safe and enjoyable hike up some of the most spectacular mountains in the US.

Your instructor, Bernard Tibbetts, has climbed all the Colorado Fourteeners and has been an outdoor instructor for over ten years.

Why does a Marmot Precip jacket costs $100 and an Arc'teryx Alpha SV jacket costs 900? They're both just rain jackets. Right?

Technical clothing is designed to keep you dry and comfortable and to protect you from the elements when exploring the outdoors. But understanding the concepts and the technology can be daunting. Your instructor, Bernard Tibbetts, will take the mystery out of shopping for outdoor technical clothing so that you can be confident in your purchases and save money to boot.

By applying what you learn in this class to future clothing and gear purchases, you will recoup your investment in this class many times over.

This class will teach you the following:

• Poor weather or just poor clothing choices?
• The layering principle.
• Evaluating clothing properties such as insulation, wicking, sun protection, breathability, water protection and wind protection.
• Understanding the various water proofing methods.
• How to prioritize your purchases and build your layers over time.
• When is cotton appropriate for the outdoors?

Your instructor, Bernard Tibbets, had been an outdoor leader and instructor for over a decade and is committed to empowering others to get outdoors and lead their own adventures.

Let's go visit a really cool volcano at Capulin Volcano National Monument, east of Raton, NM near the Colorado border. Capulin (pronounced kah·poo·leen), means black cherry in Spanish and denotes the dark red color of the long-ago cooled lava it spit out at least 56,000 years ago. Capulin Volcano is a near perfect example of a cinder cone type volcano with a hiking trail along the crater rim and down into the crater vent.

We will meet at the Capulin Volcano National Monument visitor center where I will give the group an orientation about the volcanic field and the volcano. From there we will drive to the top of the volcano and explore. The views are extraordinary - you can see four states. And we will witness the lady bug bacchanal, a summer phenomena where millions of lady bugs turn the trees and rocks orange.

After exploring Capulin, we will drive along the top of Johnson Mesa, via the small town of Folsom and make stops along the way. Johnson Mesa is one of several mesas in the area that were caused by lava flows which solidified into basalt. Over time the softer sedimentary rock surrounding the basalt eroded leaving several distinct large elevated tablelands with precipitous sides. From the west side of the mesa, we will drop down into Sugarite State Park, have lunch and hike a trail around Lake Maloya before returning to Santa fe.

This is an exploratory adventure. The hiking will take place on Capulin and around Lake Maloya. The hiking distance is minimal. The rewards are the views of this unusual and ancient volcanic area, learning about volcanoes and discovering Sugarite State Park.

I will talk about car pooling as we approach the date. It is a three hour drive from Santa Fe and almost four hours from Denver, but I am organizing this as a day trip. The drive is part of the adventure. If you want to camp overnight, there is a KOA in the village of Capulin and there is camping in Sugarite State Park.

Entry is $20.00 per vehicle or you can use your America the Beautiful Pass. It pays to car pool!

We will sneak in to Telluride between the Bluegrass Festival and the Yoga Festival. By avoiding the insanity, we should have a relaxing time exploring the trails around Telluride.

So many to chose from:

• Bridal Veil Falls
• Tomboy Road
• Jud Wiebe Trail
• Sneffels Highline Trail
• Bear Canyon
• See Forever
• Wasatch + Wasatch Connect

Lets see how many we can do. Telluride is a favorite place of mine. I know it well. Allow me to lead our exploration and to introduce you to this amazing place.

Regarding accommodations' - those are up to you. There is lodging in town and in the Mountain Village as well as The Bivvy Hostel in Placerville and camping all around.

I may have to limit the group to 8 persons, but let's see who signs up. Stay tuned for Zoom call to discuss options and itinerary.