Columbine-Hondo Wilderness News

I was invited to fly around Taos for my second time since I've lived here this morning (Feb. 27), though this time the trip was work-related.

Two U.S. senators and a congressman visited Arroyo Seco last weekend to discuss the permanent protection of public lands in Taos County.

Last week, our Congressional delegation reintroduced a bill to protect 236,000 acres along both sides of the Río Grande as a national conservation area.

U.S. Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-NM, visited Taos multiple times during the course of 2012 — his last year in office.

Citing broad local support and uncertainty about Congressional action, U.S. Sens.

We estimated the wind speed at around 20 mph as we hiked along Lobo Ridge toward Gold Hill.

I've hiked to the top of Lobo Peak about 10 times, and only once before have I seen another person on top. Then came last Sunday (Sept.

As a member of the Arroyo Hondo Arriba Community Land Grant, I am writing to express my deepest thanks to Sens. Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall for introducing a bill which will forever protect our Columbine Hondo Wilderness from industrial development and motorized and mechanized use.

A small group of hikers headed up Columbine Canyon July 21 with further protection for the area in mind.

The trail, which heads south from Columbine Canyon on State Highway 38, lies within the approximately 45,000-acre Columbine-Hondo Wilderness Study Area. It has held “wilderness study area” status for about three decades, and local groups have been seeking permanent protection for the Columbine-Hondo.