Supporting Sandia Ranger District Since 1997
Notices and Highlights
Everyone
– We love our mountains!
– FOSM organization and members receive Forest Service awards
– Eleven FOSM volunteers complete Adopt-a-Highway cleanup
– Slides available from May 6 membership meeting
– Sandia Ranger District seeking volunteer recreation stewards
– Forest Service announces temporary area closure of Cedro 4 project area for public health and safety
Members
– Welcome our new members
– Paint crew leader needed
– New officers needed in 2026
– Time to report April hours
Click on a link above to go to details below. You may need to scroll back up slightly to see the topic header. Scroll back to top of page to return to this menu after reading a topic.
Volunteer Opportunities
About Us
Who We Are
Our History
Trail Construction
Description
Reports and Photos
General Projects
Description
Reports and Photos
More About Us
Our Board of Directors
Our Awards and Recognition
Trail Maintenance
Description
Reports and Photos
Other Activities
Painting and Graffiti Removal
Youth Outreach
If you enjoy the outdoors and would like to give something back,
join Friends of the Sandia Mountains!
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
FOSM and Several Members Receive Forest Service Awards
May 16, 2025 – FOSM President Mike Madden writes:
About 60 people attended Tuesday’s SRD All Volunteer Appreciation Event. Special thanks goes to Aryn LaBrake of Public Lands Interpretive Association (PLIA) for having the food catered.
Ken Born, Sandia District Ranger, presented FOSM with a SW Region Volunteer and Service Award, ‘in recognition of volunteer contributions in LEADERSHIP in fiscal year 2024, to conserve and manage natural and cultural resources for the SW Region of the Forest Service.’
Julie Padilla and Jen Medina-Gray presented individual awards to the following:
- Bob Lowder and Byron Garner for leading the Monday Crew – “Outstanding Leadership”
- Sam Beard for leading the Wednesday Crew (and for working on the district almost every day) – “Enduring Service”
- Laura Leon for leading the Thursday Crew – “Outstanding Leadership”
- Joelle Hertel for leading Special Projects – “The Visionary”
- Lou Romero for leading Youth Programs and Donation Wood – “Community Service”
- Jamey Browning for GPS, maps, kiosk and trail signs – “The Extraordinaire”
- Luis Cuadros for his community engagement and a deep interest in improving his trail building expertise
Click on any image to enlarge.
Adopt-a-Highway Cleanup Completed
May 13, 2025 – Steve Roholt writes:
Today, 11 FOSM volunteers completed our semiannual highway cleanup. Our section of Highway 536 is between mile marker 4-5. We finished at 11am.
Volunteers were Pauline Ho, Rick Buss, Betsy Galloway, Dan Benton, Sam Beard, Susan Gregory, Cliff Giles, Sim Cook, Gordon Eatman, Mike Madden( kneeling) and Myself( photo credit).
Jen and Canyon Educate Us About Trail Construction in Sandia Ranger District
Trails Foreman Jen Medina-Gray and Trails and Wilderness Program Manager Canyon Young educated FOSM members and guests about trail construction in the Sandia Ranger District (SRD) during our May 6 membership meeting. Presentation materials from the meeting as well as information about past and future meetings can be found here.
Forest Service Seeking Volunteer Recreation Stewards
April 3, 2025 – Julie Padilla, Sandia Ranger District Recreation Staff Officer, issued the following bulletin:
We are advertising though Volunteer.gov for up to 4 volunteer Recreation Stewards on the Sandia Ranger District to assist this season with recreation duties, such as site cleaning, landscaping, public interaction and light maintenance duties, and are offering free RV camping with full hook ups at the District Office, or limited hook ups at Capulin, Cienega, or Doc Long picnic areas.
We would greatly appreciate assistance in sharing this opportunity out far and wide! If anyone belongs to any social media RV groups, knows of anyone who might be interested or has any other ideas for sharing, please do.
Forest Service Announces Temporary Area Closure of Cedro 4 Project Area for Public Health and Safety
Albuquerque, NM, February 3, 2025 – The Cibola National Forest and National Grasslands (NF&NGs) has issued an area closure order (03-03-05-25-03) for the Cedro 4 Project Area east of Forest Road 462 and southeast of Forest Road 12 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 February 10th, 2025, at 0600 through May 31st, 2025 at 0600, unless rescinded.
The purpose of this Order is for the protection of public health and safety during mechanized thinning work as specifically shown attached map.
Member Messages
Welcome, New FOSM Members!
Scott Forman – May 5
Nancy Gloman – April 27
John Braly* – April 11
Bill Perkins – March 31
Ira (Bud) Bickford – March 19
Noel Wagner – March 15
Craig Tucker – March 11
Roger Squires – March 11
Richard Fagioli – March 3
Jim Houle – March 3
John McNett – March 2
Carolyn Grady – March 2
Brandon Sanchez – February 26
John Samuli – January 26
Caleb Kirby-Meyer – January 23
Mimi Junick* – January 5
Scott Nicolaysen – December 26
*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.
Vice President – Cliff Giles has announced that he will not seek reelection after 5 years as FOSM vice president. Please let a member of the board of directors know if you are interested in assuming this position in October.
Treasurer – Jeff Young has announced that he will not seek reelection after his current term as FOSM treasurer. Please let a member of the board of directors know if you are interested in assuming this position in October.
Time to Report Volunteer Hours for April
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.
