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Backpacking Info by Steve

Hello, I'm Steve, I've got some great backpacking info for you on this site.

These are all very important things to bring on an overnight hiking trip.

MOSQUITO COILS

I tried one of those little things that run on a battery and emit a high frequency sound that mosquitoes can't stand, it didn't work so I'm back to mosquito coils.

CAMP SAW

Camping saw or camping axe, that is the question. Saws are light, axes are heavy but faster and easier to use. If you go alone, just bring a saw to save weight, but if you are in a group it's good if one person brings an axe.

FIRST AID KIT

A first aid kit in the back pack is well worth the weight it weighs. You never know when you might need it.

MULTI PURPOSE TOOL

Whatever brand you choose make sure it's of high quality. The stores are full of cheap junk, get a good one, it could mean the difference between life an death.

SLEEPING BAG

You can get a cheap sleeping bag for about 25 bucks and it'll be just as warm as an expensive one, but it won't be as light and as compact when rolled up, that's the difference.

TARP

Not necessary to bring but it will make your stay much more comfortable. You can make a good shelter to hang out under in the daytime if it rains.

STOVE

I have used all kinds of camp stoves in my years of hiking through the wilderness and I can tell you that the best one by far is the Trailstove, not because it's the lightest but because it is a wood stove so you don't need to carry gas. There are some other wood stoves on the market but they are either too heavy for backpacking or have battery powered fan, completely unacceptable in my mind. The Trailstove has no moving parts what so ever, it simply cannot malfunction.

MAKE A SHELTER

Find two 4 foot sturdy branches with "Y" shapes at the ends.

Find an 8 foot sturdy branch.

Pu the branches together into a pyramid with the longer branch towards the wind, make sure that they're securely joined, tie something around the top if you need to.

Line the two long walls with ribs consisting of branches resting against the long branch.

Cover the two long ribbed walls with smaller branches.

If you want to and you have plenty of time you can prepare the ground under the shelter ahead of time by digging down a few inches and burning a fire on the ground for a few hours and then covering the coals with the dirt from the dig. This way the ground in your shelter will be warm and dry all night long.

Bandelier National Monument

Los Alamos, NM

Best known for mesas, sheer-walled canyons, and the ancestral Pueblo dwellings found among them, Bandelier also includes over 23,000 acres of designated Wilderness. It was named for Adolph Bandelier, a 19th-century anthropologist. Proclaimed on February 11, 1916. Acreage: 32,737, all federal. Wilderness area: 23,267.

CONTACTS

Email - BAND_Superintendent@nps.gov

Fax- 505-672-9607

Write to
HCR 1, Box 1, Suite 15
Los Alamos, NM 87544

Phone
Visitor Information - (505) 672-0343

TRAVEL BASICS

Operating Hours, Seasons
Daily. Summer: Visitor Center, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; Winter: Visitor Center, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Spring/Fall: Visitor Center, 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Frijoles Canyon: dawn to dusk. Closed December 25, January 1.

Getting There
CAR - Visitors traveling North-South on I-25 take St Francis/84/285 exit for Santa Fe, go straight through city, then follow signs to Bandelier at each major junction.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION - To Monument: no regularly scheduled commercial transportation available.

Weather & Climate
Sunny and dry, with thunderstorms in mid-late summer months. Frost and chance of snow storms from October through May. Wear layered comfortable sportswear type clothing appropriate for season, with sturdy walking shoes. The elevation in Frijoles Canyon is 6,000 feet and can cause breathing difficulties for some people visiting from lower elevations.

Accessibility
Visitor Center not to standards but accessible. Visitor Center restrooms not up to standard but accessible. First quarter mile of Main Loop Trail accessible. Wheelchair available for loan. Orientation slide show captioned. Two tactile tables available. Main Loop Trail guides available in large print and Braille.

Getting Around
Paved road leads from entrance to campground, visitor center, and picnic area. No other roads available for use by visitors. Approximately 70 miles of back country trails available for day or overnight use.

FEES/PERMITS

Entrance Fee
COMMERCIAL AND RECREATIONAL GROUPS
$Varies for One Time
For more information, contact the park prior to arrival.

EDUCATIONAL GROUPS
Free! for Day
Entrance fee waiver available for bona fide educational groups visiting the park as part of their course work; call at least 2 weeks in advance (505)672-3861 x534

PER CAR
$10.00 for 7 Days

Permits
FILMING PERMIT

Filming permits are issued on an individual basis (based on size of project, whether a movie, commercial, etc., how many staff needed for supervision, and how much time will be involved.) For additional information, call (505) 672-3861 ex 502

WILDERNESS PERMIT
Free!
Wilderness permit is required for overnight backcountry use. It must be obtained in person at the Visitor Center during regular hours. Maps, information, advice available for hikers. No campfires, weapons, or pets permitted in backcountry. Notes to hikers: Zone C and Zone D in Capulin Canyon are presently closed to camping. No water available in mid-Alamo. Turkey Springs Trail difficult to travel due to downed trees from the 1996 Dome Fire. The trail going north from the Dome Trailhead, into Zone A in Capulin Canyon, no longer exists due to flooding following the Dome Fire.

Special Use Permits
SPECIAL USE PERMIT

At least one month's notice and application for Special Use Permits is required.

CAMPING

Juniper Campground
Juniper Campground, with 94 sites, is located on the mesa top near the park entrance station, among pinons, junipers, and some Ponderosa pines. It is available for use most of the year, but may close in winter depending on weather. First-come first-served, no reservations (seldom fills). There are no hook-ups, but there are centrally-located water taps, and a dump station is available. Each site has a paved parking pad, picnic table, and fire grill. The restrooms have flush toilets. There are no showers in the park, but they are available for a fee at the public pool and YMCA in Los Alamos (12 miles). Limit 10 people/2 vehicles/3 tents per site. Firewood gathering is not permitted. Pets are permitted only in campsites, parking areas, or along roadways, and must be on leash. Evening programs are offered at campground amphitheater in summer as staffing permits; check the bulletin boards on the restrooms. Camping fee $10/night/site.

Ponderosa Group Campground
Ponderosa Campground, for use by groups of 10 or more only, is located along State Route 4 about 6 miles west of the Bandelier entrance station. There are two sites, capacity 50 people each; fee is $35/night/site. Parking is limited, and any group may have only 1 RV among its vehicles. Central water taps, pit toilets, fire grills, picnic tables; no hook-ups. No showers in the park, but showers are available at the public pool and the YMCA in Los Alamos (5 miles) for a small fee. Firewood gathering not permitted. Campground available seasonally, reservations required; contact (505) 672-3861 ex 534 as far in advance as possible. Sites can also be reserved for day use.

FACILITIES

Visitor Centers
BANDELIER VISITOR CENTER
Open All Year
Location - Frijoles Canyon, 3 miles from park entrance.
Closures - The park is closed December 25 and January 1. Buses are not allowed to park in canyon area most of year. Parking at the Visitor Center is limited, and there may be a wait as long as an hour in summer and on holidays. Pets are not permitted on trails and must be on leash at all times where allowed.
Special Programs - Craft-making demonstrations by local American Indians are presented on weekends throughout summer months. Evening programs are presented in the campground amphitheater during summer months.
Exhibits - The Visitor Center in Frijoles Canyon has exhibits on prehistoric and historic Pueblo culture. Rangers are on duty to provide information on monument as well as nearby attractions.
Available Facilities - Wilderness permits, information, and an orientation slide show are available at the Visitor Center, as well as a bookstore operated by Southwest Parks and Monuments Association. Concessionaire-operated gift shop and snack bar, also open year-round, are nearby.

Some content donated by Hikercentral.com and the National Park Service

MOSQUITO COILS		I tried one of those little things that run on a battery and emit a high frequency sound that mosquitoes can't stand, it didn't work so I'm back to mosquito coils.
CAMP SAW		Camping saw or camping axe, that is the question. Saws are light, axes are heavy but faster and easier to use. If you go alone, just bring a saw to save weight, but if you are in a group it's good if one person brings an axe.
FIRST AID KIT		A first aid kit in the back pack is well worth the weight it weighs. You never know when you might need it.
MULTI PURPOSE TOOL		Whatever brand you choose make sure it's of high quality. The stores are full of cheap junk, get a good one, it could mean the difference between life an death.
SLEEPING BAG		You can get a cheap sleeping bag for about 25 bucks and it'll be just as warm as an expensive one, but it won't be as light and as compact when rolled up, that's the difference.
TARP		Not necessary to bring but it will make your stay much more comfortable. You can make a good shelter to hang out under in the daytime if it rains.
STOVE		I have used all kinds of camp stoves in my years of hiking through the wilderness and I can tell you that the best one by far is the Trailstove, not because it's the lightest but because it is a wood stove so you don't need to carry gas. There are some other wood stoves on the market but they are either too heavy for backpacking or have battery powered fan, completely unacceptable in my mind. The Trailstove has no moving parts what so ever, it simply cannot malfunction.