VallesCaldera.com – The independent news source about the Valles Caldera

George Jennings, Jr., of Los Alamos, wrote a letter to the editor of the Los Alamos Monitor that was printed this past week, entitled “Access Valles Caldera means much more.” In this letter, he calls on the Valles Caldera Trust to increase New Mexicans’ ability to access and enjoy the Valles Caldera National Preserve:

Now I ask myself, since I live in Los Alamos, why is it that I almost never access the Valles Caldera?

I’m really not interested in hunting or fishing or grazing cows in the area. I’m not interested in a half-day sled ride, I’m not interested in hiking a few “designated trails,” I’m not interested in viewing elk from a car in a safari, I’m not interested in having a “guide” and I’m not interested in any “event.”

I am very interested in spending time on and getting to know the wilderness by multi-day (unescorted) backpack trips, by extended mountain bike rides and by wandering around with my binoculars and camera.

However, I find that kind of access is strictly prohibited in the Valles Caldera Ranch.  I am not a member of the Sierra Club or any “special interest” group, just a Los Alamos local who happens to love being in and exploring the outdoors. The Valles Caldera seems to have moved from being a working ranch with public access to being a more-than-national-park-like piece of land to be protected down to the last twig from an irresponsible public, except those who are willing to pay steep prices for short slices of very controlled access or hunters.

Jennings brings forth a multitude of suggestions about how to increase access. He suggests holding a rodeo, focusing on building the Valles Caldera Rim Trail, and allowing folks to backpack, mountain bike, and “wander around.”

He concludes by informing the Trust that to allow more access to the Caldera would pay substantial dividends in terms of increased public support for the management structure of the Valles Caldera National Preserve:

“Should the Valles Caldera move to improve access for people like me and yes even the ’special interests’ mentioned in Mr. Tinsley’s Aug. 12 Monitor ‘Guest Column,’” Jennings writes, “I think they would be astounded how much support they would get and how much it would move the Valles Caldera forward in the realm of public appreciation and enjoyment and support.”