Bustamante 2006

TSA President's Day Project

  February 17 thru February 20, 2006

Last year’s President’s Day Bustamante Project went well and the cool weather made the outdoor projects much more comfortable than over the Labor Day Weekend. Again, several outdoor projects are planned and President’s Day Weekend was chosen for the project. Development work at the cave has yet to start although the mayor has indicated that work on the road up to the cave was scheduled to start shortly after the first of the year. Since the project is over a weekend he said that it should not interfere with our project.

The Bustamante area provides a premiere trip destination for beginner as well as experienced cavers. In fact, many of the project’s past participants have been friends and relatives of cavers. The TSA sponsors this project to provide assistance to Mexico in cave conservation and appropriate development. Planning for the 2006 Bustamante Project is being finalized and coordination continues with Bustamante officials and TSA facilitators.

As in the past the city will provide the following:

* Free access to the cave beginning on Friday, February 17th. Most work will be done on February 18th and 19th.

* Free camping in the canyon at or near the spring (ojo de agua).

Registration:

*   No limit to the number of participants but pre-registration is encouraged to help plan work projects.
*   Pre-registration forms are available on this website, and will soon be available at the TSA website.  
*   Onsite registration will be available on Saturday morning at El Cono  in the lower parking area.

Present plans include the following tasks:

* Continue trail work between the upper parking area and the cave entrance.

* Trail maintenance on the trail to Cabeza de Leon.

* Continue graffiti removal in some of the more remote, difficult to get to areas in the cave. Some caving experience is recommended.

* Continue graffiti removal outside the cave.

* Replace defective pig tails and install additional compact fluorescent light bulbs and shades. The ones installed in 2003 and 2005 have held up well and the removal of incandescent bulbs reduces the heat load in the cave.

* General cleanup in and around the cave.

* Remove clay buildup from the concrete steps. A good project for youngsters.

* Trim back vegetation along road and trail.

To help you fill out the pre-registration form, we have provided expanded explanations for some of the categories. If you have additional questions, please call Rae at the phone numbers on the form. Many of you have E-mail addresses and as a lot of communication will occur in late January and early February, it would be helpful if we had that information.

Work in and around the cave begins on Saturday morning and some work may continue on Sunday. Field trips will begin on Sunday morning. Dinner is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. on Sunday and will probably be at the Ancira Hotel. Beer will be available at an additional cost.

        

On task preference, we would like to get a rough count on who wants to participate where. Please indicate your work preference on the pre-registration form. If a Grotto or other group would like to take on a task area please contact Rune, Orion or Aimee. The gate will open at 7:30 a.m. Saturday morning and you, of course can come at any time you choose after that. A shuttle will run people up and down the mountain beginning at 7:30 a.m. The road paving is now complete to El Cono so there will be no repeat of the 2003 holdup. If you want to work all day, it will be deeply appreciated.

Items you might bring to the project are listed below in each task description.

Trail Building Outside the Cave: Work on improving the trail from the upper parking area to the cave entrance began in 2003 and will continue during this project. The primary project will be the construction of stone steps at a particularly steep area of the trail. This is a great opportunity to learn stone work. Outdoor trail work will be sunny, so wear protective clothing, bring sun screen and lots of water!
 Contact Dave  DeGroot for further information.

   
              

Trail Maintenance: The trails which have been improved in the past have become overgrown with weeds and bushes due to the heavy rains over the past year. Philip Russell will lead a crew in general trail clearing and minor re-grading.   Lopping shears, machetes and hoes will be needed. Outdoor trail work will be sunny, so wear protective clothing, bring gloves, sun screen and lots of water!

Cave Graffiti removal: Most of this year's effort will focus on remote, difficult to get to areas. Some caving or climbing experience is recommended. Some graffiti remains in the Cathedral Room area which might be worked on. For graffiti removal, the following equipment and supplies will be provided: stainless steel brushes, clean nylon brushes, zip lock bags, sponges, spray bottles, vessels for carrying water. The Cathedral Room is located below the steep breakdown slope and the remote cleanup areas are in the lowest portions of the cave, so it is important to wear boots or shoes with non-skid soles. Be sure to bring your lunch, plenty of drinking water and a pee bottle. Call or contact Aimee Beveridge if you have questions, if you can offer specialized tools, or if you wish to assist leading a group.

        
                  

             

Graffiti Removal Outside the Cave - Power drills needed, otherwise, other equipment will be provided by the Project Coordinator. Please contact R.D. Milhollin for more information.

Bridge Building - All but a few minor items were completed on the bridge at the last project.  Remaining work will be accomplished by Rune Burnett and Orion Knox.


Cave lighting: This years project involves replacement of defective lighting pig tails, replacing incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs and installing shields. Experienced electricians, familiar with replacing fixtures on a "Hot@ circuit, are needed for the project. Tom Brown will be heading up the work. Basic electricians tools will be needed by those replacing the pig tails. Orion Knox will be purchasing materials for the project. One step ladder is at the cave and a second will be brought by Orion.
               
          

General Cleanup: Trash bags will be provided for collection of discarded items in and around the cave and upper parking area. The inside of the cave has remained relatively free of trash since our initial major cleanup efforts the first few years. This is encouraging. There is still a problem outside the cave.

Concrete steps cleanup: Clay from visitors shoes accumulates on the concrete steps leading into the first room. Hoes and trowels will be available for scraping them off. This is a good project for younger members of the project.

Brush Clearing Along Road: Brush and tree limbs are beginning to encroach onto the road to the cave. We would like to have a crew start at the upper parking lot and work their way down the mountain, trimming vegetation back as they go. The cool weather should make this a pleasant job. Bring bow saws and lopping shears for this task. Some will be provided. A chain saw or two for the larger trees would be helpful Nancy Weaver will coordinate this project.

Sunday Tours:

Sunday Tours or day trips to local areas of interest are always a part of the Bustamante experience. The 2006 project is no exception. Weather has, over the years, dictated where we were able to go. We have listed several possible trips with the final list to be determined at the project. Because of the cool season, we are including hiking possibilities we have avoided in the past because of the Labor Day heat.

Candela River Trip

Leaving Bustamante at 9:30 we will caravan to Candela, meet our guide and drive to a beautiful stratified rock outcropping on the Rio Candela. This is a great site for swimming and a picnic lunch so, if we have a warm enough day, come prepared for both. This trip is subject to being able to make advanced arrangements for a guide in Candela. We will be back in Bustamante between 3:00 and 4:00 PM Sunday afternoon. Time permitting we will also visit an aguamiel farm just north of Bustamante. 
Contact Terry Plemons for later information on this trip.

Chiquihuitillo Rock Art Site

For those not interested in longer hikes, we will provide route maps to a nearby rock art site, Chiquihuitillo, west of the Bustamante canyon. This is a spectacular site with many pictographs and petroglyphs. A relatively short climb up to the mesa is required. Sturdy footwear is suggested. A small fee is charged by the caretaker who lives at the base of the mesa. For more information contact Ron Ralph.


                

Sierra de Bustamante Ridge Hike:  Subject to acceptable weather, Philip Russell and / or Orion Knox will lead a hike from the upper cave parking lot, to the crest of the Sierra de Bustamante via the ridge to the south of the cave and return by way of a steep canyon back to the starting point. This will be a moderately strenuous hike with spectacular views to the east overlooking Bustamante, to the west overlooking the Chihuahuan Desert with Cabeza de Leon to your north. From this vantage point you will be able to see pine trees which grow in the higher elevations of the range. Of particular interest is the sharp vegetation divide between the moist east slope and the dry, desert west slope which results from the mountain’s rain shadow. Sturdy hiking footwear should be worn. Also, bring a lunch and ample water. Because of the limited parking at the upper parking lot, participants should car-pool. The road to the upper parking lot has deteriorated and high clearance vehicles are mandatory. For more information, contact Philip Russell.


          

         

 El Vallado Canyon Hike:    If there is any interest, an optional self guided hike up the beautiful Vallado Canyon will be available. The trail, starting at El Cono, will be flagged and a sketch map will be provided if any registrants indicate a desire to take this hike during registration. The Grutas de Bustamante overlooks this canyon. The hike will begin at the El Cono parking lot at the base of the mountain and go well into the range. For the most part you will be hiking up the wash at the bottom of the canyon with an occasional segment of trail. Some scrambling over boulders will be required. The canyon contains many lush plants, abundant bird life and spectacular views. Of interest is a large shelter cave well up in the canyon where it is reported that a large contingent of soldiers took refuge during the revolution. There are also mines along the way. This will be a moderately strenuous hike and sturdy hiking footwear should be worn. Also, bring a lunch or snack and ample water. For more information, contact Susan Souby or Jan Knox.        

Sport Caving or Continue Project Work in Palmito

Also, Palmito cave will be open on Sunday for continued conservation projects and sport caving. Please plan on being out of the cave by 4:30 unless you make prior arrangements with the gatekeeper, Sr. Rangel. Please let us know if you are willing to lead a trip to the back of the cave, to the Birthday Passage, the Red Room or some other scenic location. Don't forget to get back on time for the banquet on Sunday evening.          

          
                                           

Monday Tour:

Terry Plemons, our Texas expert on the subject, will be at the mescal factory starting at 9:30am on Monday morning to give tours of the distillery as you leave for home. This is a fascinating local industry and a must see for those who haven’t been there before. For those who have taken the tour before, this can be a refresher course and a chance to sample the product.   
               
         

click here to  Pre-Register Now !!!
The deadline to pre-register is February 11, 2006.

Bustamante Accommodations:  

In addition to the campgrounds located in the canyon, there are three hotels in town. The Ancira Hotel is the project hotel and is located just south of the church on the plaza at 108 Independencia. Jan Knox is handling reservations for the Ancira until February 11th when the final list will be given to the hotel. Should any rooms be left after the 11th , inquiries can be made at 011-52-829-246-0310 (complete number for call from U.S.). Rooms with two double beds are $35 and one double bed is $30 per night.

La Casita is located several blocks west north west of the Ancira and has 20 rooms that have two double beds and cost $48 per night. The telephone number listed on the Bustamante web site is 011-52-829-246-0316.

The other hotel is the Hotel Chimenea’s which appears to have seven or eight rooms. It is located on the central west edge of town. Prices for this facility are unknown. Their telephone number is 011-52-829-246-0443 and 011-52-829-246-0243.

Photos By: Rune Burnett, Geoff Hoese, Orion Knox, Philip Russell, Geary  & Graham Schindel.

                     

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