Notices and Highlights
Everyone
– We love our mountains!
– Ken Born named Sandia District Ranger
– Conditions favorable for Sandia Snowshoe Classic
– More snow on the way
– La Niña adversely affecting snowpack
– Historical project reports and photographs available
– Decision memo signed for North Sandia Fuels Reduction project
– Registration open for 21st Sandia Snowshoe Classic 2025
– Forest Service announces closure for thinning work at the Cedro 4 project area
Member Messages
– Life-member Dave Weaver passes
– Welcome our new members
– Paint crew leader needed
– Time to report November hours
– Time to renew memberships
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Supporting Sandia Ranger District Since 1997
Volunteer Opportunities
Awards and Recognition
History, Strategic Plan, and Board of Directors
We Love Our Mountains*
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.
*Technically, it’s Sandia Mountain (singular), but we often use the plural to recognize the existence of northern and southern peaks.
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 too often 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.
Take the Tram to the Top⏤an Unforgettable Experience!
Sandia Peak Tramway makes the top of the mountain easily accessible and one-way hikes of La Luz Trail possible, but be sure to check their website before starting your journey.
Weather and Road Conditions
Forest Service Names Ken Born as Sandia District Ranger
Albuquerque, NM – January 15, 2025 – The Cibola National Forest and National Grasslands (NF&NGs) is excited to welcome the following individuals to our forest leadership team. In their leadership roles, they will be responsible for the overall management of the unit they are assigned to, including oversite of recreation, timber, fire, and other land management activities. Along with leading personnel, they will also serve as liaisons with community members, local leaders, and elected officials.
Ken Born, District Ranger – Sandia Ranger District, Tijeras NM
Ken Born comes to the Sandia Ranger District from the US Forest Service’s Southwestern Regional Office in Albuquerque where he has worked since 2018, primarily as the region’s Recreation Special Uses Program Manager. In this role, he supported administration of commercial permits which authorize ski areas, resorts, marinas, outfitters and guides, and recreation events on National Forest System lands. He has more than 15 years of federal service and has also served in local government, spending his early career working as land use planner. He began his time with the Forest Service as the Forest Planner for the Tonto National Forest in Phoenix, AZ and has been a District Ranger previously on the Coronado National Forest near Tucson, from 2015-18. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in environmental planning from Northern Arizona University, and a Master of Arts degree in public policy from Stony Brook University.
Ken follows Sandia District Ranger Crystal Powell who has accepted a position as the Regional Developed Recreation Program Manager for the US Forest Service Southwestern Region. Prior to the selection of the permanent District Ranger, the Sandia Ranger District was led by Acting District Ranger Amanda Ginithan; who has accepted a position as the Lincoln NF Deputy Forest Supervisor.
Conditions Favorable for 21st Sandia Snowshoe Classic
January 14, 2025 – FOSM President and Sandia Snowshoe Classic Director Mike Madden reports: I just spoke with Matthew, supervisor of NMDOT Tijeras yard. Hwy 536 got plowed yesterday, two full lanes, all the way to the top. His crews were done by 5pm. Some switchbacks still have old ice, so use caution. There might be a fresh dusting from any light snow that fell last night.
The weather looks nice and stable through Saturday for our race.
More Snow on the Way (perhaps a lot!)
January 11, 2025 – Thanks to Kerry Jones for keeping us so well informed about upcoming weather patterns:
(1) Weather Stations – Two fully automated weather stations were put in place just above the 10K trailhead (small meadow near the nordic ski loop) back in October. The newest station is owned/maintained by USFS Sandia RD and the other station, previously owned/maintained by UNM, is less than 100 yards away and was recently transferred into New Mexico’s ZiaMet (state funded) network of weather stations across the state. Both stations are fully operational and real-time, but neither have heated tipping-bucket rain gauges nor report snowfall real-time. The former UNM station is the one located within the chainlink fence and several years ago was part of a USGS research project. The Sandia RD has/had an MOU with UNM on this station.
The USFS station is available at 10K. The ZiaMet station is available at ZiaMet Weather Station Network. Soon, both stations will show up at this link MesoWest Surface Weather Maps along with all available wx stations but for now only the USFS station at 10K appears.
(2) Snow Outlook – We have another shot of colder air and some light snow arriving later tonight into tomorrow (Sunday). Maybe a fresh dusting up to 2″ at the Crest by Sunday evening/night. Good news is that colder-than-average temperatures of the past week will get a nice reinforcement for Sunday into Monday. The pattern looks quiet with a day-to-day warming trend for Tuesday-Thursday. However, models are showing a colder and increasingly unsettled pattern next weekend through MLK Jr. Day. Right now, the window for any snow looks to be Saturday night into Sunday/Sunday night or just after the Race. If the European model verifies, snowfall would be significant and we’ll be enjoying potentially a foot of snow at the Crest on the 19th and 20th. The American model is far less bullish at this point. So we’ll see in the coming days as the models come into better agreement.
At a minimum, I would expect and plan for some gusty westerly winds for the Race next Saturday. It might also be prudent to anticipate snow-on-road impacts the day after the race even though it’s not for certain this far out. The chart is a “Blend” of about a dozen different models. More models than not do show at least several inches of snowfall next Saturday night through Sunday night with definitely some upside, but light snow doesn’t really expand until Tuesday late afternoon/evening through early Wednesday morning, and then again Wednesday night or Thursday morning. These appear to be the “key” periods for any impacts. Substantially colder tomorrow, a little colder still on Wednesday (daytime highs below freezing) and remaining 10-20 degrees below normal for Thursday and Friday.
La Niña Adversely Affecting Snowpack
December 31, 2024 – Our favorite weatherman Kerry Jones reports: An incredibly dry December as everyone has experienced/seen. Growing signals in the long range models that our beloved Sandias may get some light snow during a couple different windows early next week but, unfortunately, nothing that looks significant. The emerging La Niña pattern has taken hold. Wanted to share some comparison photos taken one year apart.
Click to enlarge any image.
New Webpages Provide Access to Historical Project Reports and Photographs
Project leader reports and associated photographs from 2018 through 2024 are available on new webpages:
Trail maintenance – 206 reports and 1,958 images.
Painting and graffiti-removal – 116 reports and 347 images.
General projects – 266 reports and 2,710 images.
Trail construction – 211 reports and 2,523 images.
Decision Memo Signed for North Sandia Fuels Reduction Project
November 13, 2024 – The Cibola National Forest & National Grasslands is announcing the signing of a Decision Memo for the North Sandia Fuels Reduction Project, a significant step towards mitigating wildfire risk in the area. The project will restore, maintain, and improve forested conditions on approximately 2,965 acres on the Sandia Ranger District, Sandoval and Bernalillo Counties, Sandia Mountains, north of I-40 (see attached map for project area and treatment types that may be used).
Objectives for the North Sandia Fuels Reduction Project include reducing the impacts of high severity fire, reducing wildfire risk to communities within the wildland urban interface (WUI), and restoring forest structure and composition within the planning area.
The Forest Service thanks the public for their input and active engagement in the development of this project and looks forward to continued engagement and collaboration throughout implementation.
Individuals who commented on this project will be notified directly regarding the signing of the decision memo.
To view the categorical exclusion and signed decision memo along with other helpful documents and information, please visit the project website at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/cibola/?project=65654
Print copies of the final documents will be available for viewing at the Sandia Ranger District office at 11776 Hwy. 337 Tijeras, NM 87059 and the Cibola National Forest & Grasslands Supervisor’s Office at 2113 Osuna Rd. NE Albuquerque, NM 87113. Copies of the documents will also be available for viewing at the Placitas Community Library.
For additional information, please contact:
[email protected]
Registration Open for the 21st Sandia Snowshoe Classic 2025!
“Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!” Our mountain is covered in fresh powder. It’s not too early to make plans for the 21st Sandia Snowshoe Classic to be held on January 18, 2025.
More details are available here.
Forest Service Announces Area Closure for Thinning Work at the Cedro 4 Project Area – North of Forest Road 462
Albuquerque, NM, September 27, 2024 – The Cibola National Forest and National Grasslands (NF&NGs) has issued an area closure order (Order 03-03-05-24-13) for the Cedro 4 Project Area north of Forest Road 462 on the Sandia Ranger District of the Cibola NF&NGs, described below and shown on the attached map.
This Order shall be in effect from October 7, 2024, at 0600 through May 3, 2025 at 0600, unless rescinded.
The purpose of this Order is for the protection of public health and safety during mechanized thinning work in the Cedro 4 project area north of Forest Road 462 as shown on attached map.
Member Messages
Dear FOSM members,
I was recently notified that a FOSM LIFE member passed away on Thursday, 1/9/2025. Fran Lusso notified Bob and I that her dear husband Dave Weaver passed away quite suddenly. They had recently moved (August, 2024) to North Carolina to be closer to their family. Those long time FOSM members will remember Dave and the support he gave to FOSM, the Forest Service and the Natural History Center in the Cedar Crest area. He also fed the birds at the Crest House every winter for many years.
Fran will stay in touch with any news of memorial services that maybe planned for later. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Fran and her family during this difficult time.
Sally Lowder
Welcome, New FOSM Members!
Mimi Junick* – January 5
Scott Nicolaysen – December 26
Karen Thorn – October 15
Glen Clement – October 15
Peter Rhyins – October 4
Scott Christenson – September 3
Janet Simon and Mark Weber – September 2
Eric Messerschmidt – August 16
Chuck Logan – August 12
Courtney and Svetlana Conte – August 12
Tom Spross – July 20
James Epps* – July 18
*Life sponsor
Time to Renew Memberships
Sally Lowder sent the following message on January 2 – …for those needing to renew your memberships, please do so now. All memberships typically expire at the end of each year.
You can renew here.
Volunteer Opportunity – 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 December
We are starting a new Forest Service fiscal year, FY2025. Expect a monthly call for hours going forward. This is a call for your individual volunteer hours for November.
*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.
