There’s good news across the country and in New Mexico, as we begin to get the Coronavirus pandemic under control and get closer to the normal life we had in the good old days. Although there are still more questions than answers about the rest of 2021, it’s looking good that RMOWP will gather for a conference September 26-29 in Alamogordo, New Mexico, home of White Sands National Park. See the May-June issue of Rocky Mountain Outdoors for photos of the Alamogordo area.
New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham announced that the state is “conquering Covid” and should be able to fully reopen by July 1. She said she expects 60 percent of the state’s adults to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 by then, which would allow the loosening of restrictions, including the size of gatherings, although she added that she expected some regulations such as indoor mask requirements (for those able to wear them) to remain in effect for a while.
In keeping with your thoughts from our recent survey, and depending on what restrictions there may be at the time, we’ll be looking at a conference with more outdoor activities and staying at least somewhat socially distanced, but at least we’ll be able to see each other face-to-face, maybe even without masks!
Alamogordo (Spanish for fat cottonwood tree) is a small city in south-central New Mexico, about 90 miles north of El Paso and 210 miles south of Albuquerque. It will be our headquarters for treks to some of the most scenic and fascinating destinations in southern New Mexico.
We’ll photograph the glistening white gypsum sands of White Sands National Park, explore Three Rivers Petroglyph Site with more than 21,000 ancient petroglyphs, discover the true Wild West at Oliver Lee Memorial State Park, and drop in to the New Mexico Museum of Space History for a glimpse of the beginnings of America’s space program.
Headquarters will be the Holiday Inn Express, with nightly rates of just under $140, which includes breakfast. We expect to email registration forms and more details in June, but in the meantime mark your calendars for September 26-29, that’s Wednesday through Sunday, in Alamogordo, New Mexico.