While in Albuquerque, the wife and I took the tram up to Sandia Peak. The difference in elevation was about 4,000 feet and the difference in temperature was about 30 degrees.
Category: Places
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Sandia Peak Tram
Almost 2 miles up although it doesn't look it since ABQ's elevation varies from 4,900ft to over 6,700ft. NE Albuqurque is in the background as one car descends (on the left) and another ascends (on the right). Trees grow on a cliff beneath a shelter on top of the Sandia mountains. Clouds roll by over Sandia Peak. A view of Albuquerque from Sandia Peak. At the top of the tramway on Sandia Peak. Looking south along the ridge line of the Sandia mountains. A tram car pulls into the landing at Sandia Peak. It is not uncommon for tram employees to ride the tram "al fresco". I got a pic of myself before entering the tram car to head back to ABQ. -
Las Conchas wildfire outside of Los Alamos, NM
Earlier today a fire broke out 12 miles southwest of Los Alamos. The wife, the Cat and I are okay but we’re prepared to evacuate if necessary. Links to info about the fire are listed at the bottom of the post.
View of the Las Conchas Fire from a residential street in Los Alamos, CA. 
View of the Las Conchas Fire from the corner of Diamond Drive and University Drive. Los Alamos, NM. 
Local emergency crews from Los Alamos en route to help with the Las Conchas fire. 
The sun breaks through the fire plume of the Las Conchas Fire. 
The Las Conchas Fire seen from NM state road 4 near Bandelier National Monument. 
The Las Conchas Fire seen from NM state road 4 near Bandelier National Monument. 
View of the Las Conchas Fire from Pajarito Ski resort outside of Los Alamos, NM. 
View of the Las Conchas Fire from Pajarito Ski resort outside of Los Alamos, NM. 
View of the Las Conchas Fire from Pajarito Ski resort outside of Los Alamos, NM. 
A plume of smoke from the Las Conchas Fire extends over Los Alamos County. 
View of the Las Conchas Fire from an area burned by the Cerro Grande Fire of 2000. Los Alamos, NM. Links regarding the Las Conchas Fire:
If you need to get a hold of me, text me at 310.425.5090 or email me at szapien@gmail.com (I’ll be checking both regularly). I’ll also be posting updates to the twitter and the facebook.
-sz
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Visiting the Valles Caldera
Not far from my new home is a collapsed volcanic crater named Valles Caldera. Comprised of grasslands, peaks, rivers and hot springs, the landscape is striking.
The Valles Caldera from NM Road 4 
Local fauna partake in the short grass of the Valles Caldera. 
Part of an elk skull hangs from a barbwire fence near the visitor center. 
Cerro La Jara, a lava dome, rises 250 feet from the caldera floor. 
A tree on the edge of Cerro La Jarra. 
A marker along the Cerro La Jara trail. 
New Mexico Cinquefoil. 
Western Blue Flag irises. 
Cattle graze in the Valles Caldera. 
Looking northwest over a pond in the Valles Caldera. 
The east fork of the Jemez River in the Valles Caldera. 
Walking back from the pond. The Valles Caldera Visitor Center can be seen just right of center. 
Horses in a meadow near Jemez Springs, NM. 
Battleship Rock, Jemez Springs. -
Road Trip Days 4 – Grand Tetons and Yellowstone National Parks
Entering Tetons National Park. 
The Tetons from the side of the road. 
The Tetons from Shwabacher's Landing. 
The Tetons from Jackson Lake. 
Free range bison. 
Tasty, tasty bison. 
A break in the fence posts to allow the wild life to go back and forth. 
At Old Faithful. 
The terrain around Old Faithful was like a cross between the moon surface, a volcano, and forest. 
Wait for it… Wait for it… 
RELEASE! 
The Tetons from Shwabacher's Landing. Totally worth the 1200 mile detour. -
Road Trip Day 3 – SLC to Jackson Hole
Left Salt Lake City after hitting up Moochie’s and the Epic Brewing Company. Quite surprised that there were parts of the country still under snow. In June.
On the Utah side of Bear Lake looking North. 
Detail of young trees along the southern edge of Bear Lake with the Caribou Range in the background. 
A barn near Ideal Beach, Utah. 
Springtime in Fish Haven, Idaho. 
Impressive building in St. Charles, Idaho. 
View of the Salt River Pass in Wyoming. 
Detail of pine tree along the Salt River Pass, Wyoming. 
World's largest elk horn arch. Afton, Wyoming. 
Horses graze on meadowlands near Afton, Wyoming. 
A peak of the Salt River Range north of Afton, Wyoming. 
Storm clouds surround a grove of trees near Jackson Hole, Wyoming. 
Welcoming committee, Jackson Hole, Wyoming.