Bonito, NM: 12 years after one fire. 1 week before another
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 9 ก.ย. 2024
- Hiking and camping in the Lincoln National Forest in the Bonito Lake area. Turkey Canyon, Argentina Canyon, and Bonito Canyon hikes. 1 week after I arrived, and at the time of posting this video, another fire is raging through the area.
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Not sure how old you are, I'm 59. Born in El Paso, there till age 7. We spent many weekends at Bonito. I remember laying in the cabover truck camper bed while on the drive and looking out the front window as we went through Ruidoso, neon signs on the cafes and motels lighting up the night, rabbits' ears sticking up along the sides of the dirt roads, and then arriving at the campground. I was always more interested in exploring the woods than fishing with my parents and brothers. Moved to south TX in '72 (age 7), then to SENM in '78. Went camping back at Bonito a few times with the family over the next 5 years, just as good as I'd remembered. Fast forward two decades, took my daughters there in early 2000s, wasn't the same, at all. Loud music, people obnoxiously loud and wasted, campsites overly packed... not what I'd remembered at all. Maybe just went at a bad time, I don't know. Hopefully it'll go back to the quiet, family-friendly place it used to be, and be spared another decade of cleanup from the fires...
I'm about to turn 44. We used to camp at South Fork in the mid 80s, but even then it was starting to get rowdy with the biker parties, so my family started camping farther up the valley near Turkey. It was peaceful for a time, but eventually the crowds moved up the valley as well. Lately it's been terrible. My high school friends and I used to camp up in Tanbark, but the campsites we used to camp at are now private property with houses. There are still some good, peaceful campsites up there, though! My brother and I used to get there the same way, in the bed of a truck with a camper shell. Getting past Capitan into the pines was my favorite part of the drive. Thanks for the stories and thanks for watching!
I grew up coming to Ruidoso! I finally moved here at 61 years old. Like you said in the opening! This place has always called my name and heart! 💞💞💞
That's awesome! Hope things get better for the city after all the chaos of this spring/summer. I couldn't imagine what that's been like for all the residents.
Bro, the way you described your feelings for the mountains perfectly encapsulated my feelings for them as well. I grew up in the Panhandle of Texas, on the High Plains. We used to go to Northern NM (Tres Ritos, to be exact) as a kid, and the mountains were, and are to this day.....magical. I really appreciate you sharing this. My wife and I spent a few days in the Bonita Lake area while it was being renovated. It's nice to see it full again. You earned a sub with this video.
That area is amazing as well! I've done some camping at Upper La Junta and also played in a disc golf tournament at Sipapu the fall after the fire. It was right when the leaves were changing. It was incredible! Thanks so much for watching and following. One of my goals when I started the channel was to create a sort of community of the people who love these places the way I do!
@@TheMetalMonkey970 we get it, my man. I'll be honest, the community aspect of TH-cam of one of the most satisfying aspects of this whole thing. We've met subs from all over the country, and some even feel like family now. Good luck on your journey.
Me too. Fond memories of Bonito Lake and fishing the stream post dam. Remember the floods through there also. Still can’t beat the full pine air capturing my mind as a window rolled down to hear the stream. Always respected the founding Indians in those mountains cuz they knew where the earth could grow your spirit. That’s why they stayed and I suppose why all of us were drawn to revisit the areas that kept our peace within the mountains. Very thankful for the awakening they formed in me. Thank you Metal for telling its history for you and for bringing out tales of others because the memories were what I needed. I’m a native Texan, almost 70 years along but consider myself a New Mexican also because my family’s path and my childhood growth blossomed there riding wild donkeys in a valley to cave mining around Nogales to snowmobile to ski slope. NM gave this flat lander wings that carried me through Colorado and all states north going to Anchorage, Alaska. I am eternally grateful as you all are for receiving the gifts from New Mexico’s mountains. Hmmm. Yeah
@carenclemmons5002 I love hearing everyones' stories! Thanks so much for sharing yours! Even with all the fire damage over the years, it's still been alive and magical. I need to go back when it's reopened to see the current status, but I'm sure it will still feel the same, even if it looks different.
Glad you posted this . I first saw Lake Bonito over 45 years ago as a young man and many times after with Family, Girlfriends etc. Loved camping upstream way back near the horse stalls. You could rent a nag back in those days. We also used the trail head to Monjeu (sp) lookout on the crestline. The area was much less developed back then, Ruidoso was much smaller as well. . Coming from desert lowlands you knew you were close when opening the car door and smelling the pines.I knew those hills well back then ,have not been back since before fires, afraid to see maybe. Gotta change that..
Thanks for sharing! It sounds like we've had some pretty similar experiences there. My parents first date was to Monjeau, and I've taken so many of the people closest to me up there because it may be the most special place in the world to me, and I wanted to let everyone else experience the magic that place holds. From what I can tell, the stables and all the areas upstream from there weren't hit by the fire, but I won't know for sure until I go back. That may be another video in the future. It just breaks my heart that it keeps happening.
Im 60 . Most beautiful there back in the day. It's getting there . Still beautiful
It is still beautiful, but it's definitely changed over the years. Wish it would stop catching on fire though!
I live in El Paso and never have the time to visit that beautiful area. Thanks for sharing!
There may not be much to see up there now, but it was a truly magical place. I'm glad I got to see it one more time before it got burned again.
Our family used to camp at south fork also, we always saw a lot of bear and had to run for the campers! I have a lot of wonderful memories. Also hiked a little at Turkey Canyon about a couple of months ago. The fires and floods are so sad. Thanks for the video!
No way! I've never seen a bear up there! I know they're up there, but I've never seen one. I just get the skunks and raccoons that wander into my camp while we're sitting around the campfire. We did have a dog get into it with a mountain lion/bobcat back in the 90s. It was dark and we couldn't see it, but there's no mistaking a big cat scream. Thanks for watching and sharing your story!
Thank you for making this beautiful video. We camped up there last year was so good to see the new vegetation. So sad to have it ruined again.
It is. I hear some of my favorite places were spared, but it's gonna be hard to go back and see the overall devastation...again.
Nothing but good times & memories camping with my brother, picnicking with my parents. Beautiful area miss those times
Seems like it's the place where a lot of our families bonded.
Grandparents took us up there during some summers to camp/fish back in the late 80’s/early 90’s. Beautiful place tucked in the mountains.
Those were the glory days! At least in my experiences. It's still incredible, but it's changed a lot.
@@TheMetalMonkey970 we never go south, always head up to Colorado now, but Bonita will always be in my memories. There was also a cutie that guided trail rides one summer up there at the stables.
@matth5117 understandable. I spend most of my summer exploring CO, and my family lives there now, but I still head south on occasion.
Absolutely sickening to see the devastation of these fires. I grew up going to my family’s little piece of land we camped on in cloudcroft. These same mountains sparked my love for the outdoors as well. I’m so saddened by the loss. I haven’t heard the condition of the lake since these new fires but I really really hope it’s not totally ruined again.
Sad to say as I was watching the fires, it looked like the Blue 2 fire went straight through the lake. Hopefully they can somehow manage to keep it from getting filled with all the silt and debris like the last one.
Hi, I am from Ruidoso! It is a beautiful place! Try the hike from bonito side over the top down into Threerivers! Great hike!
I'll definitely check that out! Thanks!
Thank you for making this Video. Never thought I would see that lake again after the fire. Spent a lot of time there between 2007-2011. Very un-nerving encounter while fishing there alone one day in summer of 2008 but one of the most beautiful and peaceful places I have ever been to. Wish I could relive those days.
You and me both. I wish I could go back and see it the way it was when I was running around up there as a kid. It's changed so much, but it's spirit is still the same. It still feels the same for me when I'm up there, even if it looks different.
MM, there was no lightning strike. Multiple Fires were started by arsonists; and weather was bright Sun, with no clouds in sight ( a high pressure ) and was after the day after local Cherry Festival in OteroCounty NM. I could write more but I only write truth.
Thank you for sharing your memories and hiking videos.
I'm just going off of the reports I read. I know the Salt Fire was arson, but the Blue and Blue 2 Fires that went through the lake are still being shown as lightning.
True, true.
Also you remind me of Desert Drifter.. y’all kinda look alike! 💞
I'll have to check him out. Never heard of him.
I love your videos. I live in ABQ too. I'm so happy that you have inspired me to take my kids here.
Thank you so much! It is a truly wonderful place. I wish you could've seen it before the fires, but some of my favorite places were seemingly untouched. Won't know for sure for a while though.
@@TheMetalMonkey970You are the best bro! Hope to meet up on the trails soon!
Im 64 and our family would go camping with Tents , in the 70's I remember my father taking out the Colman stove, and my mom cooking eggs bacon and sausage for 6 of her children plus coffee for the uncles & aunts cousins, I really wasn't the type to go hiking, instead I preferred to go fishing with my uncle we would get there late Friday and pack out mid Sunday at the end my parents would mahe sure everyone would be picking up all the TRASH we would leave our area cleaner than when we arrived, We would be out there about 3 times per summer, Last time we were there was about one year before the first fire with a church group mostly teenagers i remember taking about 12 bicycles and my 3 kids and most of the teens church group took off on a bike ride and they all came back sokeing wet cause of the rain. Good thing is they were enjoying themselves.
I've definitely come back soaking wet from excursions up there. Had some scary lightning moments up in Turkey Canyon too!
now a few months later, two major fires, and numerous floods. Are you gonna be able to do a monsoon season follow up trip ?
That's my goal. I normally go there for my birthday in mid to late September. I have another trip planned around then, but I'm sure I'll still make it up at some point. I don't know what it's looking like for them even opening that area back up to the public at this point.
WILD IRIS
Thanks! I'm terrible with plants, but it's something I'm trying to learn.
First time up there was a backpacking trip in I think 1987 with our two daughters who were 3 and 6. Short, up Argentina to the top. Camped in that short oak grove. Awesome view of desert on the west and forest on the east. One more by ourselves then just day hikes up the trails. We are in our 60s now and a lot slower but did the same loop you did in this video last September. So sad about another fire. I called the Ranger station and was told a lot of that was spared. But the meadow camping area burned. I was asked to call back August 23. Thanks for the video! Oh have you ever gone to the back of that mine? Me neither. Ha ha.
My first time was about '84. I always loved it up there, but when I got old enough to do it, my first hike up to that ridge was what hooked me. That view out west blew my mind coming from Roswell. It did look like everything north and west of the stables was spared in this fire, but I want to go back and see for myself when I can.
And no, I don't mind caves, but I don't like mines. And I've always been worried about cornering a wild animal or something 🤣
Hopefully you can go back after the closure is lifted or reassessed on August 23.
@bryanschwertner3585 I normally go up in mid to late September for my birthday, so we'll see how it's looking around then.
We started camping in the 1960s in what is now called Mescalero Cabins. Some years back it got a little pricey and wild on summer weekdays. We changed to the Upper Bonito Canyon for good in 2019 instead of now and then. It is only 250-260 miles from the farm in Texas so easy to do 2-4 nights in the middle of the week (now that we are retired). But this year my heart broke! The fire! So we went to Collegiate Peaks CG up from Buena Vista. Very pretty. Did the trail up to Mt Yale but turned around at 12,400’ for old folks reasons. Ha ha. Afraid of injuries that would require air evac.
How come you didn't drive through Mescalero? In fact you went way around? Dude? What is going on here?
I grew up in Roswell and always drove through Mescalero on the way there, but I live in Abq now and come through Carizzozo.
Those are Iris
Thanks! I need to quit slacking and just get one of those plant identification apps already. My knowledge on all plants is sorely lacking.