Visitors to the Valles Caldera this summer have posted vivid descriptions online of their experiences in the scenic crown jewel of New Mexico.
Several participants in the Caldera Marathon, which took place on June 13, have posted their thoughts. The marathon route (click here for a map), which fluctuates in elevation from 8,100 to 10,000 feet, basically circumnavigates Redondo Peak (see a view from the sky of Redondo). It begins at the Banco Bonito Staging Area, where weekend equestrian and mountain biking are offered, and heads east through the ponderosa pine forest before turning to the west to Redondo Meadow. There, the route climbs up road VC03, the Redondo Canyon Road, and as the elevation approaches 10,000 feet, the route heads east along the Redondito High Road (VC0301), for spectacular views of the North Rim of the Caldera (see a 360° panorama of this vista along the marathon route). On the east side of Redondo, the route descends along the Valle Grande and the Ranch Headquarters buildings (see a view from the sky of Ranch HQ), before passing through a verdant valley formed by South Mountain on the left and Redondo on the right. The route then traverses El Cajete Crater (see a 360° panorama of El Cajete) before finishing up where it began.
One marathoner from Rio Rancho, NM, took to his blog to describe his epic 26.2 mile adventure on “Adventures in Clydeology,” noting the joy of being able to explore an area which is normally off-limits:
There are few times per year when the Valles Caldera opens its gates and when it does it is like a visit to Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory.
He waxes poetic on the beauty of the scenery he saw during his high-altitude endeavor:
The course, despite its difficulty, is absolutely stunning this time of year; large open meadows with wild flowers, tall pines flanking dirt roads creating a cathedral feeling, white barked aspen in small groves, sweeping mountain top vistas and herds of elk browsing in green fields and drinking from lazy streams.
Runner Lawton Grinter of Crested Butte, CO, provides a detailed, lengthy, and exciting mile-by-mile narrative of his first marathon. He was particularly grateful for the encouragement provided by the volunteers who worked at the aid stations during the race, particularly the enthusiastic ones at Mile 21, noting the “huge boost mentally” provided by the “2 great volunteers there ringing cow bells and clapping.” He also notes the helpful gentleman at Mile 15, who “jumped up with a 1 gallon water jug in his hand, and as if reading my mind he said, ‘Do you want me to pour this over your head?’” Of course, Grinter obliged.
On June 7, geologist Kirt Kempter led an all-day geology tour of the Valles Caldera. Along with Dick Huelster, Kempter is the author of “Valles Caldera: Map and Geology History of the Southwest’s Youngest Caldera,” which you can buy by clicking here. The blog Casa Coniglio has some spectacular photos of the scenery and flora that were witnessed that day.
Phil Springer, of Rio Rancho, recounts his day this summer fly fishing on the San Antonio River (see a view from the sky of the San Antonio) with his wife and great-grandchildren. He applauds the new policy, instituted this year, of allowing anglers to drive their own vehicles out to the San Antonio, instead of being driven to the river in Preserve vans. He also relates how, after lunch, he and he his twelve-year-old great-grandson “seemed to catch fish for the remainder of the day almost in unison,” and lost count of how many they caught. In a separate entry on his blog, he describes fishing on the East Fork of the Jemez River at Las Conchas and on the San Antonio River at La Cueva, both of which are points located within the Valles Caldera, but outside of the National Preserve, in the Santa Fe National Forest.
You can reserve a spot on an official National Preserve recreation activity by clicking here. Be sure to check out VallesCaldera.com’s Visitor’s Guide to learn more about some of these activities, as well as many other pursuits in the portions of the Valles Caldera that are outside of the Preserve.
