Not all NM4W rides turn out as planned. To ensure a successful ride through the Manzano Mountains, several club members pre-ran the route on 1/6/18 to determine if the Forest Service roads were accessible. We called the Mountainair Ranger District about road availability on 1/13 and were informed that the roads would be open unless a heavy snowfall was received. With all of this pre-planning completed, we met at the Sandia Ranger Station in Tijeras and 12 vehicles drove toward Red Canyon Campground on FS-253 Southwest of Manzano, NM. Unfortunately, FS-253 was blocked by a steel gate since a 1/2" of snow had fallen prior to the run.
To make the most of a beautiful Saturday afternoon, we decided to run the Tajique-Torreon loop in reverse. We headed to Torreon and took FS-55 toward the Fourth of July Campground driving through large pinion and juniper trees. The ride was very scenic and peaceful with approximately 4" of snow at the higher elevations (8,000 ft). We also saw two large turkeys meandering through the forest near the campground. We circled the 4X4 caravan in a large clearing for a leisurely and enjoyable lunch. Afterwards, we drove past the campground (which was closed for winter) and headed to Tajique to air-up around 2:00pm. The lesson learned from this trip was: always have a backup route identified if the main route is not accessible. -Ross
After Ross completed the Torreon-Tajique loop, Bill Gardner led the 4X4 caravan to Cedro Peak and viewed the radio towers. A few vehicles successfully climbed the stairs. Fun was had by all on Saturday. Thank you, Ross Burchard for a great ride. - Bill