March 15, 2015 by New Mexico Rails-to-Trails Association

Work Day – March 21st!

What we’ll be doing

We’ll be yet again continuing the work we’ve been doing over the last couple of months at the mouth of Labrocita Canyon just above La Luz.

To recap: the original rail bed runs through two private properties (we have easements in place with the owners of the land, so we’re all legal for public access) and we’ll be taking on the task of transforming the original rail bed into a usable hiking trail where needed. We’ll be working the same piece of property we worked the last two months and may start some preliminary work on a private piece of property further up trail (for which we also have a legal easement in place). This month we expect to have an excavator provided by the Forest Service so we can hit some erosion control work much harder.

We also may send a side crew to do some tread board replacement on the Salado Canyon Trestle.

When/Where: Saturday, March 21st, 2015. Meet at 9am and we’ll work until noon.

Directions to the La Luz Creek area where we’ll start from the main intersection in La Luz (click this link for a Google map)

Driving Directions

Drive to the center of La Luz (the three-way intersection of La Luz Road/Main Street and Alamo Street) and then do EITHER of the following:

– Drive south about 50 feet and turn east on to Section Road.
– Travel east on Section Road 1.1 miles to just before you cross La Luz Creek… YOU ARE THERE! Park along the side of the road.

– Drive north on Main Street (leave La Luz) about 1.9 miles and turn east onto Labrocita Canyon Road.
– Travel 1.4 miles up Labrocita Cayon Road to the cut off that crosses La Luz Creek (south side of the road).
– Cross the creek… YOU ARE THERE! Park along the side of the road.

Thanks!

If you need any additional information, please call 575-434-1949 (ask for Grady) or e-mail nmrailtrails@gmail.com

February 15, 2015 by New Mexico Rails-to-Trails Association

Work Day – Feb 21st!

What we’ll be doing

We’ll be continuing the work we started last month at the mouth of Labrocita Canyon just above La Luz.

The original rail bed runs through two private properties (we have easements in place with the owners of the land, so we’re all legal for public access) and we’ll be taking on the task of transforming the original rail bed into a usable hiking trail where needed. We’ll be working the same piece of property we started last month and possibly starting on the second stretch of property. A lot of the rail bed is in pretty decent shape, but a lot is not. We have some major work ahead of us in the months to come. We’ll be coordinating with the city and Forest Service and, as always, the Forest Service will be providing us with support.

Be sure and bring your own drinking water, sun protection, work gloves and study boots. As always there will be work for all skill level and ages.

When/Where: Saturday, February 21st, 2015. Meet at 9am and we’ll work until noon.

Directions to the La Luz Creek area where we’ll start from the main intersection in La Luz (click this link for a Google map)

Driving Directions

Drive to the center of La Luz (the three-way intersection of La Luz Road/Main Street and Alamo Street) and then do EITHER of the following:

– Drive south about 50 feet and turn east on to Section Road.
– Travel east on Section Road 1.1 miles to just before you cross La Luz Creek… YOU ARE THERE! Park along the side of the road.

Thanks!

If you need any additional information, please call 575-434-1949 (ask for Grady) or e-mail nmrailtrails@gmail.com

February 2, 2015 by New Mexico Rails-to-Trails Association

JANUARY 2015 WORKDAY SUCCESS

We had a PHENOMENAL work day last Saturday! We ended up with 24 volunteers (including two Forest Service representatives) so we got a lot accomplished!

We worked on the Clarke private property (through which we have a legal easement in place for public access) down at the mouth of Laborcita Canyon outside La Luz.
We filled most (not all) of the holes caused by the old water line failures.
Cleaned rocks and weeds from most of the rail bed (though there’s more to do).
We worked on most of the old wood culverts — cleaning out the input sides — we have more to do with those.
MAJOR IMPROVEMENT: We routed the rail bed around one of the more dangerous spots near the end of the property.

MORE TO DO IN THE FUTURE