Friends of the Sandia Mountains

Supporting Sandia Ranger District Since 1997


Whether you are a hiker, mountain biker, cross-country skier, trail runner, or you just enjoy being in the Sandias, you know that our mountains are one of nature’s special gifts.

Have you ever wondered what you could do to help protect our mountains? Do you want to learn more about the animals and plants you find there? Do you like to meet people who share your concern for the Sandia and Manzanita Mountains?

Welcome! Please explore our website to learn more about the goals and many activities of the Friends of the Sandia Mountains (FOSM). We likely have volunteer opportunities that match your interests and abilities.

Click here to learn about the fascinating geological history of the Sandias as well as some unique features of our beloved mountains including Sandia Peak Aerial Tramway, Ten 3 restaurant, 84 medallion trees, and sadly more than a dozen aircraft crash sites.

New to Albuquerque or just new to the Sandias? Explore the many recreational opportunities our mountains offer. Please carefully read the Safety section.

Please check out our La Luz Trail webpage if you are planning to hike this iconic but sometimes dangerous trail.

An easy way to get involved is to join Cibola Trail Rangers, an email group consisting of hikers, bikers, XC skiers, horsemen, etc., who frequent the trails in the Sandia Ranger District and are interested in exchanging information on trail conditions on both an immediate and continuing basis. The group includes FOSM members trained to correct reported problems.

Please report corrective actions as well as problems so the FOSM trail maintenance crew doesn’t hike to fix a problem that no longer exists.

FOSM member Sally Lowder maintains a comprehensive database of reported trees and their disposition.


Click here to view materials from this and previous meetings as well as information about future meetings.


ALBUQUERQUE, NM – Sept. 26, 2025 – The Cibola National Forest and National Grasslands are planning prescribed fire operations this fall, as early as September 30th through December, pending all required approvals. See attached map.

We estimate this work to continue through the fall and early winter as weather conditions allow. Prescribed (Rx) fire helps reduce overgrown vegetation to protect local communities, infrastructure and natural resources from catastrophic wildfires.

Prescribed fire planned as early as September 30:

Sandia Ranger District:
– David Canyon Prescribed Fire: 285 acres of broadcast burning in the David Canyon area, in the Manzanita Mountains. David Canyon is located west of Hwy 337 and West of the Mars Court trailhead. Smoke may be visible from Albuquerque, Tijeras, Edgewood and Moriarty, NM.

– Cedro Unit Prescribed Pile Burn: 15 acres of piles within the Cedro unit in the Sandia Piles Rx plan. The pile burn area is in the Manzanita Mountains. Cedro is located south FSRD 462, east of HWY 337. Smoke may be visible from Albuquerque, Tijeras, Edgewood and Moriarty, NM.

– Sulphur Unit Prescribed Pile Burn: 18 acres of piles within the Sulphur unit in the Sandia Piles Rx plan. The pile burn area is in the Sandia east mountains, north of I-40, west of NM-14 and south of NM-536. Smoke may be visible in the surrounding areas of Albuquerque, Tijeras, Edgewood and Moriarty, NM.

Click to read full announcement.
Click to enlarge map.

ALBUQUERQUE, NM – September 25, 2025 – Beginning October 1, the public may encounter contract employees conducting public surveys on the Gila National Forest and Cibola National Forest & Grasslands in developed and dispersed recreation sites and along forest service roads. Surveys will be conducted through September 30, 2026.

The National Visitor Use Monitoring survey is a Forest Service program designed to estimate how many people actually recreate on national forests and grasslands, what activities they engage in while there, and how satisfied people were with their visit. These surveys are conducted on a national forest every five years.

Contract employees will be out in all types of weather conditions, wearing bright orange vests and be near a sign that reads “Traffic Survey Ahead”.

Surveys are voluntary and all responses are confidential; names are not included, and interviews last about 10 minutes.

Questions asked include where you recreated on the forest; how many people traveled with you; how long you were on the forest; what other recreation sites you visited while on the forest, and how satisfied you are with the facilities and services provided. About a third of survey participants will be asked to complete a confidential survey on recreation spending during their trip to measure the economic impact to local communities.

Information about the National Visitor Use Monitoring program can be found at https://www.fs.usda.gov/about-agency/nvum.

Click to read full announcement.
Click to enlarge.

Click to read Shawn Martin’s message.

On Tuesday, September 9, at the request of the Mountainair Ranger District, the FOSM paint crew of Pauline Ho, Rick Buss, and Sam Beard painted the large Cibola National Forest sign located on Forest Road 55 a few miles west of Tajique. This village is about 30 miles south of the Sandia Ranger Station.

Mountainair District Ranger Shawn Martin responded to Sam’s project report as follows:
Thank you Sam and FOSM volunteers for your time and excellent facelift of the sign west of Tajique. This one was on our list for replacement, but those signs are very expensive and this new paint job will definitely help extend the life until we can get it replaced. I really appreciate you extending your “friendship” down into the Manzano Mountains!

Job well done, Pauline, Rick, and Sam!


Adopt-a-Highway Cleanup Project Scheduled for October 14

Sign at Mile Marker 5

Our second Adopt-a-Highway cleanup for 2025 is scheduled for Tuesday, October 14. FOSM will provide vests, trash bags, a few pickup grabbers and buckets.

If you are interested and available, please RSVP to Susan Gregory, and additional details will be provided.

Welcome, New FOSM Members!

Don Fisher* – October 8
Deb C. Hall – September 12
Megan Batchelor – September 1
Nelly Taveras – August 31
Christopher Cudia – August 26
Douglas Binder – August 19
Susan Morro* – August 8
Iris Meyer-Guthman – July 12
Jon Cooper – June 2
Bart Vanden Plas – May 29
Jay Wulf – May 23
Scott Forman – May 5
Nancy Gloman – April 27
John Braly* – April 11








*Life sponsor

Volunteer Opportunities

Paint Crew Leader – Thanks, Anne Hickman for your years of faithful service as leader of the paint crew. Anne has stepped down due to other commitments. Please use the form on the referenced pages if you would be interested in assuming this leadership position.

Time to Report Volunteer Hours for September

Expect a monthly call for hours going forward during Forest Service fiscal year 2025 (October-September).

*The weekly crew leaders (Bob, Sam, Laura) have already provided their crew’s hours by individual into our FY2025 FOSM hours tracker, so if you signed an attendance sheet, your hours are already covered.

*Basically, report any and all individual time spent in a FOSM activity which pertains to the District.

Additional guidelines for reporting hours can be found here.