LES FALAISES - NEXT EVENT(S)
Looking forward to more events for sure, 1-day or 2! Given the place is under 2 hours from ABQ one of the usual six annual San Yo 1-day events could take place at LF. Subtracting the first three San Yo events as too early for LF leaves three possible San Yo substitutes: late April, November, and December.
If there is only to be one event per year on my properties, I could see alternating between LF and OA each year for a 2-day. After the May 4 & 5 Oachado event I'll get a read from riders about which place they consider the better of the two.
CAPACITY FOR LOWERS
NMTrailboss, you commented, "My only concern my on very short viewing and scouting of the area is that it seems it may be somewhat limited for Lowers content assuming they would have to remain on the bottom level...."
Your viewing and scouting experience was limited... to around 10% of total property area and about 20% of the half of the property we all were on. To support last year's event, this one-man army put in many days over many months to carve the upper loop literally out of the wilderness. That took more time and effort than expected, which shorted me on Lower loop. I wanted a longer lower loop, but the promised support for higher quality loop evaporated and I was on my own. I pushed until I could push no more, and ended up running everyone back by dropping into the sandy arroyo rather than crossing the arroyo to continue at the base of the bluff on the other side of the canyon bottom.
For a next event the length of the lower-area loop can be quadrupled without leaving the half of the property used last year. If the Uppers use also the lower-area loop, and the upper-area loop is also extended, we could have up to four miles of loop trail for the Uppers to use, and about a mile of loop for the Lowers to use, with more than enough section areas. There are a lot of great Upper section areas in the lower-area. Last year I did not drop the Uppers down there because at the time there was a need to simplify things.
WHEN?
We could risk any time, as the weather is just not predictable more than a week or two out. We got lucky with the school and 1-day event last year at LF the first weekend in April. It was snowing on and off until just before the event. Friday through mid Sunday was mostly calm and nice. The wind started back on event day and was insane by late afternoon 👹
Because LF looks 'desert' one could assume it's really hot in high summer. Not really. It's 1,500 feet higher than San Yo and not shaped like a frying pan. It's 3,100 feet higher than Roswell Haystack for a big peak temperature difference!
My first trip to LF area it was over 100 degrees leaving ABQ, but it was tolerable all afternoon at LF. By 5:00 it was yummy nice.
Cool to cold predominates the year at LF. We've camped there in December and January when it was below zero at sunrise. Then with sun it can be nice by 10am and perfect for being active hiking, riding, or working. For long-scheduled events it's wise to avoid January through mid April. Otherwise, nice or not so nice will depend on a mix of factors. I found no 'windy days' graphic, but here are some apricot time periods to avoid depending on conditions.
There are two seasons when the soil gets soaked and gumbo could be a problem: Spring after and during snow melt, which is the worst for mucky soils, and the monsoon, which peaks in later summer.
By avoiding scheduling events in spring the worst periods are avoided. Before improving and surfacing with milled asphalt (now it's good for all but super deep snow), the road to the camping area during snow melt-offs could get really slimy in the low areas.
I have found foot and wheel traction to be great on wet rocks and in the wet-sandy bottom areas. As for heavy downpours in the monsoon, the loose soils have more sand than clay, but I don't know if some areas will go gumbo.
