10/19-26/02 Guadalupe Mountains National Park Trip Report

October 19-26, 2002
Guadalupe Mountains National Park - by George Boemerman
The Fall season brought about the annual Trail Tamer trip to the Guadalupe Mountains. Two groups were formed to accommodate the assigned projects. Chris Zielinski led the Guadalupe Peak trail crew with Jutta Haubold, David Justice and Bob Saegert while George Boemerman coordinated the Sand Dune area crew of Carol Burris, Debbie Galloway, Randall Bosarge, Mary Zeitler, Raylene Welch, Derly Rivera, and Jerry Smolinski.

On October 19th, we drove out to the Guadalupe Mountains and rendezvoused at the Ship on the Desert (a Park Service lodge located in an isolated spot in the park). The next day, the Guadalupe Peak crew hiked up the mountain while Jack Kinkaid, the park's wrangler, carried up their gear on horses. Roger Murillo of the park's trail crew accompanied them.

The Sand Dune area crew had Sunday off and some took advantage of the good weather to hike the McKittrick Canyon trail while others took the Permian Reef trail. On Monday, they joined Juan Mendoza from the park's trail crew and drove out to the Sand Dune area where small trailers were set up for our accommodations. This crew spent their time taking down old barbed wire fences and became quite proficient at it!

The Guadalupe Peak crew accomplished a significant amount of trail restoration on their project, cleaning and repairing existing waterbars, adding new ones along with new steps, three new retaining walls, filling in eroded areas, etc. and even got to contend with some sleet on top of the mountain!

We all finished our projects early and returned to the Ship on the Desert on Thursday. Some folks had to return home early, but a few took advantage of Friday being a day-off to drive up to Carlsbad Cavern where the park afforded us free entrance because we are a volunteer group.

The crew had the traditional party on Friday night and Jack Kinkaid, the park's wrangler and Tony Armijo, the park's trail supervisor attended.

I'd like to thank Chris Zielinski for doing a great job as the Peak Trail crew leader and for running the show when I had to leave early. Also, thanks to Derly Rivera for a great job in purchasing the group's food, planning the menus and performing as the chef.