Monday, September 30, 2013

In Case of a Government Shutdown Tomorrow, Alternatives for your Travel

If the federal government shuts down tomorrow, our national park facilities (Big Bend National Park, Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Fort Davis National Historic Site and Chamizal National Memorial) will lock the gates and be unavailable for our use until Washington resolves the budget issue.
If you  were planning to head our way for one of our national parks, there's no reason to stay at home. Here are some alternatives:

If you were headed for Big Bend, now might be the time to engage an outfitter for a river or jeep or horseback riding adventure.  

If you were interested in birding and wildlife watching, there are plenty of other sites available to you on the Far West Texas Wildlife Trail (a cooperative project between our Texas Mountain Trail and Texas Parks and Wildlife), and all the trail info is online here.
   Big Bend Loop
   Marathon Alpine Loop
   Davis Mountains Loop
   Upper Rio Grande Loop
   Guadalupe Mountains Van Horn Loop
   El Paso Rio Loop
   El Paso Uplands Loop

Hiking can be done in many locations on the Far West Texas Wildlife Trail, but here are some of our favorites:

Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center in Fort Davis
Madera Canyon Trail in the Davis Mountains Preserve (a dawn to dusk Nature Conservancy trail)


And OF COURSE, our state parks:
Big Bend Ranch State Park
Fort Leaton State Historic Site
Barton Warnock Visitor Center
Franklin Mountains State Park
Hueco Tanks State Park and Historic Site (visitation is limited, call the park ahead for information)

Some important state park closures to note:
    Balmorhea State Park's springfed swimming pool will be closed today through Wednesday, October 2.  It will reopen this Thursday.
    Davis Mountains State Park is closed for major infrastructure work through mid-March, although the Indian Lodge will remain open for visitor stays.

Don't forget to check our Texas Mountain Trail events calendar for special events across the region!

And of course, our towns will love having you stay in campgrounds, hotels/motels or B&Bs, and dine in our restaurants!  Come out and enjoy the Texas Mountains, whatever Washington decides to do!

Sunday, September 29, 2013

Save Prada Marfa?

The Prada Marfa sculpture just north of Valentine is now under scrutiny by the Texas Department of Transportation, which has ruled it is not art, but advertising and is illegal.  After eight years, this artwork could be torn down.

Today, we offer some remembrances, some news and some background to help you make up your own mind.

Our Texas Mountain Trail was established in 2005, and our Executive Director wrote this in her personal blog after seeing the newly erected structure along the side of the road:

"One of my favorite drives is down to Marfa, about an hour from Van Horn. Because I'm still new to the long isolated distances and always prepared for any contingency in the desert, I ready myself like an astronaut going into space. My Subaru roof antenna is plugged into the office cell phone, on my lap and in vibrate/ring mode. Check. My personal cell phone, also on the lap in vibrate/ring mode. Emergency water and powerbar on the floor on the passenger side. Check. Two more gallons of emergency water is behind my seat (we're in the desert, for crying out loud!) CDs on the seat beside me. Check. Personal emergency kit (with foil blanket, candle, and fish hook?) in the glove box. Check. Then the usual auto checks--gas, oil, etc. Check. Check. Check.
Once I settle in, I'm ready to enjoy the ride.

By late summer, I started to recognize the landmarks, and I noticed a curious structure being built on the side of the road. Odd. Too small for a house or store. Too large for a bus shelter, and too far from anything to house kids waiting for the school bus. Yet, there it was, being patiently built by a small crew of men, just a few miles north of Valentine, population 247. A boxy-looking thing, way out in the middle of the desert nowhere.

In early October, I took that road home to Van Horn. The first clue was the portable lighted sign by the only gas station in Valentine. "Welcome Prada Marfa," it said. Huh.

Then I sped by, way too fast to get anything but a hint of what it was. Stop the car, back up. What?!? A Prada store?

There, perfectly and beautifully positioned in the desert, is a sealed time capsule, a non-functional full-sized reproduction of an urban boutique Prada store stocked with the fall 2005 line of shoes and purses. It makes me happy just to look at it. It will decay in time, and the ruin will become part of the landscape."

An update on the controversy and the news from KFO News in El Paso, via the Alpine Daily Planet:
MARFA — Italian handbags and shoes line a store front window along a U.S. highway in the middle of a West Texas desert, but the store has never made a sale.
Of course, it’s not a store at all.
After eight years, the Prada Marfa sculpture outside of Valentine, Texas, has come under the scrutiny of the Texas Department of Transportation.
The iconic art sculpture serves as a pop-up art installation and is entirely sealed off to the public, but a recent controversy involving TxDOT and a famous bunny may close the shop that never even opened.
A spokesperson for TxDOT told the Associated Press that the artwork is an illegal roadside advertisement.
This only happened after Playboy erected its neon bunny logo a few miles down the highway from the Italian fashion house sculpture.
State officials gave Playboy until October to take down the 40-foot structure, which some in Marfa tell KFOX14 didn’t sit well with some locals.
“There been a lot of controversy about that because it’s a Playboy bunny. I think if it were anything else they wouldn’t have a problem with it. All the young people in town love it; it looks really cool when it’s lit up,” said lifelong Marfa resident Andrea Estrada.
TxDOT officials said neither Prada Marfa nor the famous bunny have permits or license to “advertise” on the side of a U.S. highway.
Now questions remain about what will happen to Prada Marfa.
“Oh I don’t know. Prada’s been there for so long. Do you think TxDOT would go after that?” asked Marfa resident Brenda Garcia. It’s hard to say what will happen to the famous artwork. If those high heels could talk, they’d tell of the thousands of photos snapped in front and famous visitors, like Beyonce and everyday visitors like Kelly Robinson from Austin.
“It’s just like what I imagined,” said Robinson as she looked upon the small building.
While state officials may try to paint Prada Marfa with the same brush as the Playboy image, the local art commissioners behind the project say it’s black and white because Prada Marfa simply isn’t an advertisement at all.
“It’s eight years down the road to find out that it’s being misinterpreted as an advertisement, and to have any threat of being taken down is you know, upsetting,” said Melissa McDonnell Lujan, deputy director of Ballroom Marfa.
Ballroom Marfa is one of the commissioners behind the project; Lujan said the state has yet to contact them about the issue.
“Prada didn’t pay for any of the sculpture. It’s completely funded through the non-profits,” said Lujan.
“We don’t want to see Prada Marfa taken down. We want it to stay. It’s not corporately funded. It’s not to promote Prada Marfa,” said Lujan.
- See more at: http://alpinedailyplanet.typepad.com/alpine-daily-planet/2013/09/artists-release-statement-community-reacts-to-prada-marfa-controversy.html#sthash.RZJv3RB7.dpuf


MARFA — Italian handbags and shoes line a store front window along a U.S. highway in the middle of a West Texas desert, but the store has never made a sale.Of course, it’s not a store at all.

After eight years, the Prada Marfa sculpture outside of Valentine, Texas, has come under the scrutiny of the Texas Department of Transportation.

The iconic art sculpture serves as a pop-up art installation and is entirely sealed off to the public, but a recent controversy involving TxDOT and a famous bunny may close the shop that never even opened.

A spokesperson for TxDOT told the Associated Press that the artwork is an illegal roadside advertisement.

This only happened after Playboy erected its neon bunny logo a few miles down the highway from the Italian fashion house sculpture.

State officials gave Playboy until October to take down the 40-foot structure, which some in Marfa tell KFOX14 didn’t sit well with some locals.

“There been a lot of controversy about that because it’s a Playboy bunny. I think if it were anything else they wouldn’t have a problem with it. All the young people in town love it; it looks really cool when it’s lit up,” said lifelong Marfa resident Andrea Estrada.

TxDOT officials said neither Prada Marfa nor the famous bunny have permits or license to “advertise” on the side of a U.S. highway.

Now questions remain about what will happen to Prada Marfa.

“Oh I don’t know. Prada’s been there for so long. Do you think TxDOT would go after that?” asked Marfa resident Brenda Garcia.


We're not sure who added the bike signs or when they
popped up along the side of the road near Prada Marfa, but
they were fun to spot!
It’s hard to say what will happen to the famous artwork. If those high heels could talk, they’d tell of the thousands of photos snapped in front and famous visitors, like Beyonce and everyday visitors like Kelly Robinson from Austin.

“It’s just like what I imagined,” said Robinson as she looked upon the small building.


While state officials may try to paint Prada Marfa with the same brush as the Playboy image, the local art commissioners behind the project say it’s black and white because Prada Marfa simply isn’t an advertisement at all.


“It’s eight years down the road to find out that it’s being misinterpreted as an advertisement, and to have any threat of being taken down is you know, upsetting,” said Melissa McDonnell Lujan, deputy director of Ballroom Marfa.


Ballroom Marfa is one of the commissioners behind the project; Lujan said the state has yet to contact them about the issue.


“Prada didn’t pay for any of the sculpture. It’s completely funded through the non-profits,” said Lujan.
“We don’t want to see Prada Marfa taken down. We want it to stay. It’s not corporately funded. It’s not to promote Prada Marfa,” said Lujan.
At times, folks have left their business
cards along the
structure at Prada
Marfa

MARFA — Italian handbags and shoes line a store front window along a U.S. highway in the middle of a West Texas desert, but the store has never made a sale.
Of course, it’s not a store at all.
After eight years, the Prada Marfa sculpture outside of Valentine, Texas, has come under the scrutiny of the Texas Department of Transportation.
The iconic art sculpture serves as a pop-up art installation and is entirely sealed off to the public, but a recent controversy involving TxDOT and a famous bunny may close the shop that never even opened.
A spokesperson for TxDOT told the Associated Press that the artwork is an illegal roadside advertisement.
This only happened after Playboy erected its neon bunny logo a few miles down the highway from the Italian fashion house sculpture.
State officials gave Playboy until October to take down the 40-foot structure, which some in Marfa tell KFOX14 didn’t sit well with some locals.
“There been a lot of controversy about that because it’s a Playboy bunny. I think if it were anything else they wouldn’t have a problem with it. All the young people in town love it; it looks really cool when it’s lit up,” said lifelong Marfa resident Andrea Estrada.
TxDOT officials said neither Prada Marfa nor the famous bunny have permits or license to “advertise” on the side of a U.S. highway.
Now questions remain about what will happen to Prada Marfa.
“Oh I don’t know. Prada’s been there for so long. Do you think TxDOT would go after that?” asked Marfa resident Brenda Garcia. It’s hard to say what will happen to the famous artwork. If those high heels could talk, they’d tell of the thousands of photos snapped in front and famous visitors, like Beyonce and everyday visitors like Kelly Robinson from Austin.
“It’s just like what I imagined,” said Robinson as she looked upon the small building.
While state officials may try to paint Prada Marfa with the same brush as the Playboy image, the local art commissioners behind the project say it’s black and white because Prada Marfa simply isn’t an advertisement at all.
“It’s eight years down the road to find out that it’s being misinterpreted as an advertisement, and to have any threat of being taken down is you know, upsetting,” said Melissa McDonnell Lujan, deputy director of Ballroom Marfa.
Ballroom Marfa is one of the commissioners behind the project; Lujan said the state has yet to contact them about the issue.
“Prada didn’t pay for any of the sculpture. It’s completely funded through the non-profits,” said Lujan.
“We don’t want to see Prada Marfa taken down. We want it to stay. It’s not corporately funded. It’s not to promote Prada Marfa,” said Lujan.
- See more at: http://alpinedailyplanet.typepad.com/alpine-daily-planet/2013/09/artists-release-statement-community-reacts-to-prada-marfa-controversy.html#sthash.RZJv3RB7.dpuf


And a statement from Ballroom Marfa and the artists, with more excellent background here:

"Prada Marfa: An Explainer
What is Prada Marfa?

Prada Marfa is a site-specific, permanent land art project by artists Elmgreen & Dragset constructed in 2005. Modeled after a Prada boutique, the inaccessible interior of the structure includes luxury goods from Prada’s fall collection from that year. The door does not open, ensuring that the sculpture will never function as a place of commerce. Art Production Fund and Ballroom Marfa co-produced the project.



Prada Marfa is an artwork initiated by ourselves and realized in a collaboration with the not-for-profit cultural organizations Art Production Fund and Ballroom Marfa in 2005. It was not a work commissioned by the fashion brand Prada nor had the fashion brand any involvement in the creation of this work. They kindly gave us the permission to use their logo after we asked them, due to the founder Muccia Prada’s personal interest in contemporary art, and she donated shoes and bags, which have never been renewed but stay the same – as a historic display – inside the sculpture. The right definition of advertisement must be based on criteria more accurate than just including any sign which contains a logo. It is advertisement only when a company either commissions someone to make such a sign, pays for its execution or makes a sign themselves in order to promote the company’s products. And this is not the case here since Prada Marfa never had any commercial link to the fashion brand Prada, unlike the Playboy bunny which went up this summer initiated by Playboy itself.
Prada Marfa is firmly positioned within a contemporary understanding of site specific art, but also draws strongly on pop art and land art – two art forms which were conceived and thrived especially in the USA from the 1960′s and onwards. Many artists, from Andy Warhol with his famous Campbell soup cans to Andreas Gursky with his grand photographic documentation of retail spaces have appropriated and dealt with the visual language of commercial brands. In an increasingly commercialized world, we see the independent artistic treatment of all visual signs and signifiers as crucial to a better and wider understanding of our day-to-day surroundings, including the influence of corporations.

It comes as a big surprise for us that the Texas Department of Transportation now after eight years may declare this well-known artwork to be illegal and we think it would be a shame for the local community if it disappeared after being there for so long since the work clearly is one of the strong points for the cultural tourism, which is such an important financial factor in this region. However, we are very happy to experience the fantastic support from both art professionals internationally, locals and others, who have even created a Facebook page named “Save Prada Marfa” that after just a short while has received almost 4000 likes and daily receives plenty of new posts, stories and images from people who once visited this site. "

– Elmgreen & Dragset


For more information on the controversy, read this excellent blog post by Ballroom Marfa.  Consider supporting Ballroom Marfa with a membership gift, here.  To see the "Save Prada Marfa" facebook page, click here.

Saturday, September 28, 2013

Time Travel to 1936!

Our friends at Magoffin Home State Historic Site recently sent us word about a neat event:

"Time Travel with us to 1936 during our annual living history tours. Visit the Glasgow family as El Paso kicks off the Texas Centennial celebrations in January of 1936! Meet an interesting cast of historical characters and enjoy refreshments and spooky tales on the grounds."

Tour Times: 6:30 p.m., 7:30 p.m., and 8:30 p.m. each evening, Friday October 25th and Saturday, October 26th!
Tickets ($6 in advance/$8 at the door) are limited and go on sale at the Magoffin Home State Historic Site beginning October 5th.  This event is sponsored by the Casa Magoffin Compañeros.

More about the Magoffin Home from its website:

"
The Magoffin Home, a Texas Historical Commission property, is located in downtown El Paso less than one mile from the U.S.–Mexico border. The state of Texas and the city of El Paso purchased and opened the home to the public in 1977. The home is part of the Magoffin Historic District and is one of the oldest surviving adobe structures in the area. It reflects the lives of a prominent early El Paso family.

Numerous authentic artifacts including furniture, textiles, photographs, art and documents are on display in the home. These are supplemented with period pieces to give a more complete view of what the home looked like in different time periods.

The 1.5-acre site offers a glimpse of the past as visitors explore its lovely grounds and renovated rooms. The historical significance of the home lies in its unique architecture and in the history of the Magoffins and their descendants who lived in the home for more than 100 years. A multicultural family, they were active and influential participants in their community, served during military conflicts and witnessed important historic events. Their 1875 home is a prime example of Territorial style architecture and features a center courtyard and peaceful landscape."

Time Travel with us to 1936 during our annual living history tours. Visit the Glasgow family as El Paso kicks off the Texas Centennial celebrations in January of 1936! Meet an interesting cast of historical characters and enjoy refreshments and spooky tales on the grounds.
Tour Times: 6:30 p.m., 7:30 p.m., and 8:30 p.m. each evening
Tickets are limited and go on sale at the Magoffin Home State Historic Site beginning October 5th.
This event is sponsored by the Casa Magoffin Compañeros.
- See more at: http://texasmountaintrail.com/events/magoffin-homes-time-travel-1936#sthash.RDpiLvtt.dpuf

Friday, September 27, 2013

Lady Bird Johnson, An Oral History

Lady Bird Johnson on the Potomac River, June 10, 1965.
#34581-6a, LBJ Library. Photo by Navy.
NOTE:  All events associated with the LBJ conference set for Chamizal National Memorial have been moved to the El Paso Community Foundation, 333 N. Oregon, El Paso, TX.  (Location change announced October 5)

While directing the LBJ Presidential Library’s oral history program, Michael Gillette recorded 37 interviews with Lady Bird Johnson over a span of 14 years, gathering stories of how she evolved from a shy, isolated country girl whose mother died when she was 5 years old to a memorable First Lady whose influence continues today.

Michael Gillette, the author of Lady Bird Johnson, An Oral History published by Oxford University Press, will relate Lady Bird’s story and share recordings of her voice at El Paso's Chamizal National Memorial. He will also sign copies of his recently released book.

Head on over to Chamizal National Memorial, El Paso, Friday, October 11, 6:30-7:30 pm.  Click here for our event listing details.  The event is part of a conference on President Johnson at Chamizal, with opportunities for the public.  Click here for full details on the conference.

This event is part of a month-long celebration of the life and contributions of Tom Lea.  Tom Lea (1907-2001) was a genius of the twentieth century who worked as a muralist, illustrator, war correspondent, novelist, historian and easel painter.  He worked alone in his native El Paso for most of his life.  Read more at www.tomlea.net


Thursday, September 26, 2013

National Public Lands Day 20th Anniversary -- Cee Lo Green's "Shout Out"



This Saturday, Big Bend National Park has some work for you!  Become a volunteer for their National Public Lands Day work project!  Their entry on the NPLD website is below:

The projects at Big Bend National Park will center around the Chisos Basin area this year, with volunteers sprucing up the Chisos Basin Amphitheater.  The asphalt walkway from the parking lot is in very bad shape and needs to be removed so a new one can be poured.  The work will involve removal of chunks of asphalt that have been reduced to a manageable size by mechanical means and carting them off to a waiting truck.  A small group will help sand, prime and paint the amphitheater benches.  There will also be work going on in the campground in an effort to eradicate social trails.

Saturday, September 28, 2013 - 8:00am - 1:00pm
Jane Brown
Contact Email: 
Jane_Brown@nps.gov
(432) 477-1106
Last year's National Public Lands Day
projects coordinated by Friends of Big Bend National Park

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Celebration of our Mountains...a great outdoor festival in El Paso taking place ALL fall!

Franklin Mountain Prickly Pear by Dan Baeza
Photo from the Celebration of our Mountains website
The Window, Ron Coleman Trail, Franklin Mountains
State Park, by Michael L. Lewis

For more than 19 years, El Paso's Celebration of our Mountains has been encouraging hiking, biking, birding, climbing, photographing, geocaching, studying and celebrating the natural wonders of the Borderland.  And again, all fall, there are some great opportunities for anyone in or visiting El Paso!

From their website:


"Begun in 1994 by Dr. Phil Goodell and other professors and students from the Geology department at the University of Texas at El Paso, the Celebration was later spearheaded by Randy Limbird, editor and publisher of El Paso Scene. Today, with event leaders from Texas Parks & Wildlife, the Texas Master Naturalists, El Paso/Trans-Pecos Audubon Society, El Paso Ridgewalkers and many other groups, Celebration of Our Mountains has grown to encompass dozens of events each fall that get people in West Texas and Southern New Mexico outdoors to enjoy the natural wonders of the Borderland.

The Celebration of Our Mountains is a labor of love for those of us who see our mountains as the focal point of a unique and very special ecosystem. Our environment continues to define our region, and we’re excited to continially explore and share it with the rest of the world.
Celebration of Our Mountains is always looking for experts in hiking, biking, climbing, birding, history, archaeology, geology, botany and other subjects to lead events throughout the region. We hope you’ll join us and consider volunteering your knowledge and expertise next year!"
This year, we've added two Texas Mountain Trail events to their calendar, tonight's presentation at Reliance Outdoor Supply (see yesterday's entry below!) and a special program for military families at Fort Bliss on October 3rd.  Click here to reach the festival's event calendar to find a program or hike or outdoor opportunity especially for YOU!




Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Looking for your next adventure?

Our Texas Mountain Trail's Executive Director Beth Nobles, will share a program of "New Adventures in Far West Texas" at Reliance Outdoor Supply in El Paso on Wednesday night!  Click here for the listing on our calendar.

Participants will see images from great adventures in our region, like Dennis McElveen's Big Bend photos, and will go home with lots of brochures, magazines, flyers to help plan their own GREAT TIMES in the Texas Mountains.

Big Bend National Park's Window
Trail, captured by Dennis McElveen
Reliance Outdoor Supply is located in EL Paso at 1060 Doniphan Park Circle, behind Vista Market at Sunland and Doniphan.  Join us there at 7 pm!
  • Reliance Outdoor Supply
  • 1060 Doniphan Park Circle
  • (Behind Vista Market at Sunland and Doniphan)
  • El Paso, Texas

  • - See more at: http://texasmountaintrail.com/events/el-paso-new-adventures-texas-mountain-trail-region#sthash.Jqbrie9s.dpuf
  • Reliance Outdoor Supply
  • 1060 Doniphan Park Circle
  • (Behind Vista Market at Sunland and Doniphan)
  • El Paso, Texas

  • - See more at: http://texasmountaintrail.com/events/el-paso-new-adventures-texas-mountain-trail-region#sthash.Jqbrie9s.dpuf

    Monday, September 23, 2013

    Comic Future opens at Ballroom Marfa on Friday!

    Our friends at Ballroom Marfa are opening a new exhibit this Friday...read information on the show from their website:

    "COMIC FUTURE

    Curated by Fairfax Dorn

    27 September 2013 through 26 January 2014

    Artists:

    Walead Beshty
    Liz Craft
    Aaron Curry
    Carroll Dunham
    Arturo Herrera
    Mike Kelley
    Paul McCarthy
    Erik Parker
    Sigmar Polke
    Peter Saul
    Dana Schutz
    Michael Williams
    Sue Williams

    Comic Future features work by artists who employ the language of various and discordant approaches such as abstraction and figuration to twist representation of their immediate environment thereby imbricating a skewed, often apocalyptic vision of the future.
    Showcasing works from the 1960s through 2013, the exhibition surveys political satire and cultural commentary through art movements ranging from capitalist realism to contemporary pop art. The works include early drawings by Sigmar Polke, collage by Walead Beshty, painting by Carroll Dunham and Peter Saul, alongside newer works by Dana Schutz, Sue Williams, Michael Williams and Erik Parker. Sculpture by Aaron Curry, Liz Craft and Mike Kelley. A Ballroom-commissioned site-specific wall installation by Arturo Herrera will complete the show.
    Drawing from the art-historical lineage of cubism, cartoons, figurative painting and gestural abstraction, and appropriating subjects from mythology, advertising, print culture and consumerism, Comic Future is as much about the breakdown of the human condition as it is about the absurdities which define the perils of human evolution. The exhibition will be on view September 27, 2013 through January 26, 2014."

    After the opening, they invite everyone for a free community dinner, catered by Future Shark, and held under the shade structure on Highland in the middle of Marfa! 
    Join us after the opening for a free community dinner catered by Future Shark at the shade structure in the middle of Marfa on Highland. - See more at: http://texasmountaintrail.com/events/marfa-comic-future-opening-ballroom-marfa-and-free-community-dinner-marfa-shade-structure#sthash.EJnS62YJ.dpuf
    Join us after the opening for a free community dinner catered by Future Shark at the shade structure in the middle of Marfa on Highland. - See more at: http://texasmountaintrail.com/events/marfa-comic-future-opening-ballroom-marfa-and-free-community-dinner-marfa-shade-structure#sthash.EJnS62YJ.dpuf

    Sunday, September 22, 2013

    Finally...the Remington Exhibit is OPEN!

    Charge of the Rough Riders by Frederic Remington
    Now at the Museum of the Big Bend in Alpine
    The Museum of the Big Bend brings “Treasures from The Frederic Remington Art Museum” to West Texas. Frederic Remington is considered the most influential and important artist to portray the American West. Works from the Remington Museum rarely leave their home in Ogdensburg, New York.  And....it is finally open! 

    Admission is free.
    Donations are always welcomed.
    Tuesday - Saturday
    9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
    Sunday
    1 p.m. - 5 p.m.
    Monday
    Closed


    This historic exhibit will display a large number of Remington’s best known works from September 20th through December 8th. The iconic bronze, The Broncho Buster, and the never-before toured painting, The Charge of the Rough Riders, are but two of the pieces in the exhibit. Brought to the museum through the generosity of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Mallory and The Holland Hotel, the exhibit will contain more than twenty-two works that explore the diversity of the media and styles that Remington used in his pursuit of creating fine art while chronicling the West.

    Saturday, September 21, 2013

    Flood Update and Openings/Closings at Guadalupe Mountains National Park

    We continue to have conversations with our friends at Guadalupe Mountains National Park, as they work on trails after this week's flooding.  Below is a full update from the Park, but here's some highlights:

    --Starting Monday, the park will temporarily close the McKittrick Canyon Trail so trail crews can start their work in earnest.  They hope to get the trail open for fall colors up to the Grotto.

    --Temporarily, no trails will be open for horseback riding, as the only trail open to stock is not accessible from Frijole Ranch

    The park's update as of last night:

    Guadalupe Mountains National Park Storm Update

    (Pine Springs, TX) Park staff continues to assess the damage from last week’s storm and flash floods, and has initiated repairs. The park opened Dog Canyon, the Bush Mountain Trail from Dog Canyon to the Marcus Overlook, and the Tejas Trail from Dog Canyon to the junction with the McKittrick Canyon Trail.

    Open facilities now include:
     Pine Springs Visitor Center
     Pine Springs Campground (Both RV and Tent Camping)
     McKittrick Canyon Visitor Contact Station
     Guadalupe Peak Backcountry Campground
     Wilderness Ridge Backcountry Campground
     Frijole Ranch (Exterior Areas Only)
     Dog Canyon
     Guadalupe Peak Trail
     The Pinery Trail and the Pinery Butterfield Station Ruins
     Guadalupe Peak Stock Trail
     McKittrick Canyon Trail (First 1½ Miles to 4th Water Crossing Only)
     Devil’s Hall Trail (1st mile only)
     The Western Smith Spring Loop (Smith Spring Trail is Closed Between Smith Spring and Manzanita Spring)
     The Manzanita Spring Trail
     Bush Mountain Trail (from Dog Canyon to Marcus Overlook)
     Tejas Trail (from Dog Canyon to the junction with the McKittrick Canyon Trail)

    Closed Areas include:
     Frijole Ranch Cultural History Museum
     Ship on the Desert
     McKittrick Canyon Trail Beyond the First 1½ Miles, including Pratt Cabin
     Devil’s Hall Trail After the First Mile
     Williams Ranch Road and Williams Ranch
     Williams Road, the Salt Basin Dunes and Western Part of the Park
     All Other Trails, Backcountry Campgrounds and Backcountry Areas
     All trails are temporarily closed to horseback riding and stock use.

    The McKittrick Canyon Trail will be temporarily closed beginning Monday, September 23, as trail crews and equipment begin repairs. The park is working to have this trail repaired to the Grotto in time for Fall Colors, which attracts thousands of visitors to see the changing fall foliage in McKittrick Canyon annually.

    All park trails are temporarily closed to horseback riding and stock use, at this time, due to safety concerns from heavy damage to and current conditions of park trails.

    Much of the park sustained rain and flood damage during last week’s storm. The Frijole Ranch Cultural History Museum, inside the Frijole Ranch House, and the Frijole Bunkhouse sustained heavy water damage to the carpet and walls, and mold is growing inside. A large section of water line was also lost in Frijole Ranch. Ship on the Desert sustained water damage from roof leaks. Park staff is drying out the Frijole Ranch House, Frijole Bunkhouse and the Ship on the Desert, and have initiated repairs. Park staff hiked to Pratt Cabin and the Williams Ranch House to conduct preliminary damage assessments. Although neither suffered significant damage, both remain isolated, as Williams Ranch Road and the McKittrick Canyon trail both sustained heavy damage. Approximately 45 feet of the embankment of the wash behind the Pine Springs Visitor Center was washed away, so that it is now only 35 feet from the Pinery Butterfield Station Ruins. One of the stone benches at Smith Spring was washed away. Part of Williams Road and the salt flats on the park’s western flank remain under water. A large section of fiber optic line that the Dell Telephone Company maintains in the park’s housing area, which was buried at least four feet underground, was washed away. Park staff continues to assess the damage from the storm and flooding. However, most other trails sustained damage, with many areas being washed out or covered with debris, and remain closed. Visitors are reminded that trails which have been opened still have loose rocks and soft, uneven ground, and many require shallow water crossings. Hikers and backpackers should exercise extreme caution, and all visitors are asked not to enter closed areas, for their own safety.

    The National Weather Service reported that the Bowl recorded 12.41 inches of rain during a 24 hour period from September 11-12, while Dog Canyon recorded 9.50 inches, McKittrick Canyon recorded 7.32 inches and the Pinery recorded 5.12 inches. The Texas Tech University West Texas Mesonet (http://www.mesonet.ttu.edu) weather station, located near the park’s fire cache, registered 15.73 inches of rain between September 9 and 14, including 13.50 inches during a 24 hour period on September 12-13.

    Park information, including park conditions, closures or restrictions, weather and program information, may be found on the park’s website at www.nps.gov/GUMO/, on the park’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/Guadalupe.Mountains/, or by contacting the Pine Springs Visitor Center at (915) 828-3251 x2124. Motorists traveling past the park along Texas Highway 62/180 may tune in to the park’s Traveller Information System radio broadcast at 1560 AM for up-to-date park information. The Pine Springs Visitor Center is open daily (except for Christmas) from 8:00 AM until 4:30 PM. The McKittrick Canyon, Frijole Ranch House, Dog Canyon and Salt Basin Dunes (Dell City, TX) Visitor Contact Stations are open intermittently. Please call the Pine Springs Visitor Center at (915) 828-3251 x2124 to find out whether they are open. For Dog Canyon, call the Dog Canyon Visitor Contact Station/Ranger Station at (575) 981-2418. For the latest weather information for Guadalupe Mountains National Park, see http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?zoneid=TXZ258 or http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?zoneid=TXZ421. For the latest road information, call 511, or visit www.drivetexas.org/ for Texas or http://nmroads.com/ for New Mexico.


    Friday, September 20, 2013

    The Marfa Triptych Part One: Country and Western Big Band Suite

    One of the most innovative arts organizations you'll find just about anywhere--Ballroom Marfa--is once again presenting lovely and thought-provoking work, inspired by the landscape and culture of Far West Texas.  This November 16th, Ballroom is presenting the music of composer Graham Reynolds at Marfa's Crowley Theatre.
    Crowley Theatre in Marfa

    From Ballroom's blog:

    The Marfa Triptych Part One: Country and Western Big Band Suite, is an instrumental suite for 13 players, described by Reynolds as “classic instrumental country meets Western soundtrack meets power jazz rhythm section.” This performance includes contributions from country music veteran Redd Volkaert, along with other members of Reynold’s far-reaching group of collaborators."

    Want a brief "listen" now?  There are two sound samples here.  


    "This project is inspired by Reynolds’ trips from his base in Austin, Texas to the high desert grasslands of Far West Texas that Ballroom Marfa calls home. His approach combines local musical traditions — from cowboy songs and Southern jazz to the norteño music of Northern Mexico — with a personal perspective that comes from years of scoring film, theater and modern dance performances."

    "As the project springs from the culture of Far West Texas, Reynolds is currently in the process of working with Ballroom Marfa to coordinate research trips throughout the region in order to experience its culture and history firsthand. Through his own connections and via sources recommended by Ballroom, Reynolds has been keeping an itinerary that includes visits with musicians, historians, storytellers, artists and local legends from Terlingua, Alpine, Presidio, Shafter, Fort Davis, Valentine, Marfa and other far-flung locales in the Big Bend region."

    "This is the first installment in Reynold’s documentation of his progress, with more to come."


    Ballroom Marfa
    Tickets are available online in the Ballroom Marfa store.

    Half-price tickets are available in the gallery for all residents of Brewster, Jeff Davis and Presidio counties.









    Looking for more events in the Texas Mountain Trail region?  Visit our events calendar at: www.texasmountaintrail.com/events

    Thursday, September 19, 2013

    Flood Update and Trail Openings in Guadalupe Mountains National Park

    Fallen boulders on the Devil's Hall trail
    From our friends at Guadalupe Mountains National Park...sent last night:

    Guadalupe Mountains National Park Storm Update

    (Pine Springs, TX) Park staff continues to assess the damage from last week’s storm and flash floods, and has initiated repairs. The park opened the Permian Reef Trail and the Wilderness Ridge Backcountry Campground.

    Open facilities now include:

     Pine Springs Visitor Center
     Pine Springs Campground (Both RV and Tent Camping)
     McKittrick Canyon Visitor Contact Station
     Guadalupe Peak Backcountry Campground
     Wilderness Ridge Backcountry Campground
     Frijole Ranch (Exterior Areas Only)
     Guadalupe Peak Trail
     The Pinery Trail and the Pinery Butterfield Station Ruins
     Guadalupe Peak Stock Trail
     McKittrick Canyon Trail (First 1½ Miles to 4th Water Crossing Only)
     Devil’s Hall Trail (1st mile only)
     The Western Smith Spring Loop (Smith Spring Trail is Closed Between Smith Spring and Manzanita Spring)
     The Manzanita Spring Trail

    McKittrick Canyon
    Closed Areas include:

     Frijole Ranch Cultural History Museum
     Ship on the Desert
     McKittrick Canyon Trail Beyond the First 1½ Miles, including Pratt Cabin
     Devil’s Hall Trail After the First Mile
     Williams Ranch Road and Williams Ranch
     Williams Road, the Salt Basin Dunes and Western Part of the Park
     Dog Canyon
     All Other Trails, Backcountry Campgrounds and Backcountry Areas
    Map of current trail status in Guadalupe Mountains National Park

    Much of the park sustained rain and flood damage during last week’s storm. The Frijole Ranch Cultural History Museum, inside the Frijole Ranch House, and the Frijole Bunkhouse sustained heavy water damage to the carpet and walls, and mold is growing inside. A large section of water line was also lost in Frijole Ranch. Ship on the Desert sustained water damage from roof leaks. Park staff is drying out both the Frijole Ranch House and the Ship on the Desert, and have initiated repairs. Park staff hiked to Pratt Cabin and the Williams Ranch House to conduct preliminary damage assessments. Although neither suffered significant damage, both remain isolated, as Williams Ranch Road and the McKittrick Canyon trail both sustained heavy damage. Approximately 45 feet of the embankment of the wash behind the Pine Springs Visitor Center was washed away, so that now only 35 feet from the Pinery Butterfield Station Ruins. One of the stone benches at Smith Spring was washed away. The part of Williams Road and the salt flats on the park’s western flank remain under water. A large section of fiber optic line that the Dell Telephone Company maintains in the park’s housing area, which was buried at least four feet underground, was washed away. The New Mexico Department of Transportation is reporting that New Mexico Road 137 is open. However, Dog Canyon remains closed while park staff assesses storm damage there. Park staff continues to assess the damage from the storm and flooding. However, most other trails sustained damage, with many areas being washed out and debris and remain closed.
    Smith Spring

    Visitors are reminded that trails which have been opened still have loose rocks and soft, uneven ground, and many require shallow water crossings. Hikers and backpackers should exercise extreme caution, and all visitors are asked not to enter closed areas, for their own safety.

    The National Weather Service reported that the Bowl recorded 12.41 inches of rain during a 24 hour period from September 11-12, while Dog Canyon recorded 9.50 inches, McKittrick Canyon recorded 7.32 inches and the Pinery recorded 5.12 inches. The Texas Tech University West Texas Mesonet (http://www.mesonet.ttu.edu) weather station, located near the park’s fire cache, registered 15.73 inches of rain between September 9 and 14, including 13.50 inches during a 24 hour period on September 12-13.

    Park information, including park conditions, closures or restrictions, weather and program information, may be found on the park’s website at www.nps.gov/GUMO/, on the park’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/Guadalupe.Mountains/, or by contacting the Pine Springs Visitor Center at (915) 828-3251 x2124. Motorists traveling past the park along Texas Highway 62/180 may tune in to the park’s Traveller Information System radio broadcast at 1560 AM for up-to-date park information. The Pine Springs Visitor Center is open daily (except for Christmas) from 8:00 AM until 4:30 PM. The McKittrick Canyon, Frijole Ranch House, Dog Canyon and Salt Basin Dunes (Dell City, TX) Visitor Contact Stations are open intermittently. Please call the Pine Springs Visitor Center at (915) 828-3251 x2124 to find out whether they are open. For Dog Canyon, call the Dog Canyon Visitor Contact Station/Ranger Station at (575) 981-2418. For the latest weather information for Guadalupe Mountains National Park, see http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?zoneid=TXZ258 or http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?zoneid=TXZ421. For the latest road information, call 511, or visit www.drivetexas.org/ for Texas or http://nmroads.com/ for New Mexico.