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I find myself unwinding from the week’s activities at The Cowgirl BBQ – a local BBQ joint in Santa Fe started by two entrepreneurs who “came up with the idea of promoting the culture of the American Cowgirl through the foods of the American West and Southwest.”  There’s nothing like getting a little American culture with some good ole’ folk music and BBQ.  I can’t help to think how cultural entrepreneurs surround us every day and we don’t even realize it.

The patio air is crisp and I know fall is here as I put my jacket on for the first time since spring.  I sit with a few friends planning the weekend’s activities: do we head north to Tres Piedras to climb or south to hike the 11,301 ft extinct volcano known as Mt. Taylor?  As we weigh the options, I sit and listen to a young but talented fiddler. We opt for Mt. Taylor.

The car is loaded with friends, gear, and good spirits as we head south on I25 from Santa Fe and then West on I40.  The drive to Grants is about two hours.  Upon arriving at the trailhead I wonder why no one else is here on this beautiful fall day, but then wonder if it is due to the lack of road signage through Grants!  We got about a half hour off schedule due to missing various turns through the town.

But the good thing about getting off course is that I spotted Badlands Burgers – the restaurant that won Gov. Bill Richardson’s recent Green Chile Cheeseburger Challenge at the state fair.  I’m not a fan of hot and spicy food, but I think I may have to try it simply because it is the best in all of New Mexico!  Perhaps it will satisfy my post-hike hunger later in the day.

It’s a gorgeous fall day as we start our ascent up the Gooseberry Spring Trail through the ponderosa and aspen forest.  Most of the aspens have reached their peak as they glisten in the sun.  We come to our first clearing and see amazing vistas and mesas in the distance.  This gets us excited to reach top to see what the views look like from 360 degrees around.  A few hours later, we’ve reached the summit, where the temperatures have dropped and the winds have picked up but it’s all worth it for the views as I’ve read you can see a third of New Mexico from the top.

As I stand on the summit I can’t help but think how Mt. Taylor has so much to offer – hiking, biking, snowshoeing, backcountry skiing – that there is even an event that highlights all of these activities in one race!  Coming this February, Grants will host the 27th Annual Mt. Taylor Winter Quadrathlon…a grueling physical and mental challenge from Grants to the summit of Mt. Taylor and back via four sports.  I’m not sure if I have the physical prowess to compete in such a race, but it has me intrigued so perhaps you’ll read more about it in February.

But Mt. Taylor doesn’t just provide outdoor adventure experiences, it provides cultural experiences as well.  It’s a sacred mountain to as many as 30 Tribes in the area and was recently listed on the State Register of Cultural Properties to protect the cultural and natural resources from uranium mining.  Can its cultural significance combined with its adventure opportunities make Mt. Taylor and nearby Grants a destination for adventure and cultural tourism?  Grants, like other Western communities, is moving beyond extractive industries as resources deplete and now has to think about developing a sustainable economy.  In the coming weeks, you can read more about this topic as I talk to some locals about the opportunities that may exist.