Category: Trail Projects

Sierra Mosca Trail Scouting 2021

My previous scouting for the Capulin Trail for an NMVFO project showed an impassable route, and the USFS recommended we switch to a different nearby trail in the northern Pecos Wilderness, the Sierra Mosca #156. Today I hiked in to check it out.

The short road from FR306 to Borrego Trailhead is too eroded for me to drive comfortably, so I parked at the intersection with FR306 and hiked 0.7 miles to the trailhead. Google Maps does not show a reasonable route to the trailhead, so it is better to follow the route to the Borrego Mesa Campground, and then turn off at the sign to Borrego Trail.

Borrego Trail seemed frequently used with good visible tread, and few downed trees. A log crossing across Rio Medio kept feet dry. After 4 miles is the intersection with Sierra Mosca Trail, a bit further south than my map showed.

Tread continued to be visible on Sierra Mosca, with several cut blowdowns along the side of the trail to help mark the way. There were no recent signs of a recent burn, so these downed trees seemed to be just an ongoing replacement process. The trail follows along a gentle climb alongside Rito Con Agua for about two miles. At first, near the junction with Borrego Trail, the number of blowdowns were infrequent, but closer to the two-mile mark the blowdowns became more common, often clustered with several together. Beyond the 2 mile mark the tread became more faint, but old saw marks marked the route of the trail.

I did not scout beyond 2.2 miles, but counted 60 blowdowns, with the promise of many more beyond. Diameters of downed trees ranged up to 2 feet in diameter, suggesting a two-person crosscut saw may be needed.

The trail is not especially brushy, but several aspen saplings near the trail need to be lopped, along with patches of Gambels Oak.

Sierra Mosca intersects with Rio Molina Trail, which the NMVFO has a project with later in the year, which should offer loop opportunities. Mosca also connects to Capulin, if we can ever reopen that section of trail.

Socorro to Box Trail 2021

The NMT Bike Club led a 30-strong group of volunteers to work on a segment of new trail between The Box (popular among rock climbers) and the Socorro rodeo grounds, supervised by Mike Comiskey from the BLM, and joined by a group from Rocky Mountain Youth Corps. We met for an early 6:30AM start at eastern Black Canyon trailhead, to get some work in during cooler temperatures.

The route had to make some turns to thread between private land and state land.

This was my first trail project with this group, and I hope to return. Good folks.

Capulin Trail Scouting 2021

In preparation for a NMVFO unsupported (i.e. no gear hauled by horsemen and no cooks) backpacking project on the Capulin Trail #158 in the Pecos Wilderness, I scouted trail to see the condition. Arriving at Borrego Mesa Campground, I found a small no-fee campground with a few sites, with some picnic tables and fire rings and corrals, but strangely the double vault toilet was permanently closed, with the metal doors welded shut and blasted by gunshot.

The Rio Medio #155 Trailhead is a short distance away on an unmaintained rutted dirt road. The trail itself goes along the Rio Medio, and is well maintained and appears to be frequently hiked, with no recent forest fires to cause problems. The trail tends to stay upslope a few hundred feet, to avoid washouts and brushy conditions nearer the river. At about 6 miles, near the intersection with Capulin is the only wet-foot crossing, where a crossing log broke in two.

Capulin Trail itself seems impassable with a large number of blowdowns in a recovering 2013 Jaroso Burn area along a narrow creek canyon.

I counted 50 blowdowns in a 0.25 mile section, and the tread is now unused and nearly invisible. The logs are mixed conifer, sometimes up to 1.5 or 2.0 feet in diameter.

Near the intersection of Rio Medio and Capulin is a small flat area suitable for backpacking camp, although it is not far enough away from trails and streams as one would like.

Capulin Trail is marked with survey tape for about 0.35 miles, and I could not find any tread or trail markings beyond that point. The number of stacked blowdowns were difficult to scramble over, and I could not go further than 0.4 miles before needing to start my return hike, far short of the 2.6 miles I hoped to scout to the intersection with Sierra Mosca Trail #156.

Capulin Trail, with Sierra Mosca and the Rio Molina Trail that will have a project later in the summer, gives the possibility of loop opportunities, if Capulin can be saved before it disappears entirely. I need to do more research this week.