2016 Mtns & Mesas with covers

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page 42 you miss the fork, don’t worry, follow the loop and merge going left, then stay on the right branch, turn right, and follow the road back out to Highway 160. Table top mountains...what’s the deal? Another trip option is to start out in Trinidad. Visit the Louden-Henritze Museum, located at 600 Prospect Sreet within Trinidad State Junior College. Admission is free, so take the chance to head in and learn about the history of the area from the dinosaurs through the paleolithic people of the area. From Trinidad, drive south along I-25 to head past Fisher’s Peak and over Raton Pass. Fisher’s Peak is part of Raton Mesa, a broad overarching group of mesas in the area. Their formation is credited to more igneous activity in the region from about the same time period as the mountains and buttes a bit further north. As mountain ranges lifted up, the Rio Grande Rift began tearing a hole in the continent to the west (the rift has since healed and is known as the San Luis Valley). Not all of the magma was trapped below the surface however, and some of it reached the top to spill out over the landscape. It cooled into hard basalt, resting in patches on top of softer rock below. Over time, the areas not capped by basalt eroded down, but the basalt protected the underlying rock and kept it standing up taller above the valleys below. You can see the flat tops protecting the towers beneath as you drive through the pass and look out south across the landscape. Mountains & Mesas Everything is dead (almost) Once you’re in Raton, you’re in a prime position to see one of the most dramatic events in world history: The K-T mass extinction. Sixty-five million years ago, more than three quarters of all life on earth died. This was the end of the dinosaurs, and the event marks the boundary between the Tertiary and Cretaceous time periods. To witness it for yourself, head west on Moulton Avenue in Raton , then turn left onto Hill Street. Drive up to the intersection, then turn right onto the scenic highway. Follow that to the KT Boundary Trail parking lot, then follow signs for a short hike to the boundary. For such a huge event, the boundary can be hard to see: a thin layer of Iridium is all there is to mark it. There are signs in the area telling you where to look. Head back to the parking lot, turn left, and follow the scenic highway past the Hill Street turn off to the top of Goat Hill for some spectacular views of the region. Into a volcano For more igneous activity, start heading south out of Raton. Turn left onto US-64/Clayton Road and follow that road for about 28 miles. Turn left onto NM-325 N and follow that road for another 3 miles of so, and follow signs for Capulin Volcano National Monument. The cinder cone volcano has been dormant for the last 60,000 years or so, which means driving to the top and hiking around and into the crater is totally safe. From the top, on a clear day, you can see four or five different states, including New Mex- The distinctive flat top to Fisher’s Peak, which looms over Trinidad.
Mountains & Mesas page 43 ico, Colorado, Oklahoma, Texas, and possibly Kansas. Be sure to stop at the visitor center for more information about the volcano and surrounding area. Gateway to the Spanish Peaks... and awesome views For the more adventurous spirits who want great views and awesome rocks away from tourists, consider this loop. Start in Trinidad (or anywhere south of Aguilar), make sure your gas tank is full, and drive north along I-25 until you reach exit 30, then follow County Road 63.1 in to the town of Aguilar. If you’re coming from the north, there is an exit at mile marker 34, but the views of the mountains are far more stunning coming in from the south. While in Aguilar, if it’s summertime, check out the Apishipa Valley Heritage Center at 151 Main Street. A small number of volunteers man the museum, but can’t be there all the time, so before you get into town, be sure to contact them ahead of time for an appointment. Email apishipahistorical@gmail.com or call 719-680-1393 or 719-680-0528. The museum houses archaeological items, newspaper articles, old photos, school memorabilia, and more. Geology students look at the K-T Boundary on a field trip in southern Colorado. Off the tourist trail When you’re done with the museum, get ready to head up the road and into the wilderness. Drive west through Aguilar along Main Street until you get to the end of town, then hang a left on South San Antonio Avenue to follow the road around the corner and out of town. Enjoy your views of the Apishipa Valley as you drive, with the Spanish Peaks in the background. Keep an eye out for your turn: on the left side of the road is a rundown shack, directly Igneous dikes radiate like wagon wheel spokes from the Spanish Peaks
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