 Poster: A snowHead
|
New Mexico trip.
Jonny Jones suggested that a trip report on New Mexico would be very interesting, and as I have just got back a week or so a go, here it is.
First a couple of disclaimers – was on annual family in Texas and took a side trip to New Mexico, and skiing was not the primary purpose of trip - allegedly - lol.
I did not take any lessons there, so cannot comment on this – I have had several lessons in New England and can only say that they were excellent, no “follow the silver fox as can be the case in France”.
Also included other things to see, as many SHs ask for cute town, village etc., and unless you live in Western half of US, New Mexico is a long way to go.
Skiing wise I tend to go for the blue pistes, black if they are less challenging, as it varies by resort.
The resorts I skied at varied from steep to very steep.
--
Flew into Albuquerque, took a car and drove the beautiful High Road to taos.
Scenery is high desert for most of the route, but as you start getting higher, it changes to alpine trees and grass and then snow.
Stayed 2 nights in Taos town.
Beautiful place, many restaurants of top quality, mix of international, American and New Mexican cuisine. Taos is a mix of Hispanic, Native American and very trendy alternative Anglos. Taos is a genuine walking town.
The next day we visited Taos Pueblo (the Native American reserve about 5km from town centre and then drove on the Enchanted circle, stopping at Red River town and ski area.
It is a cute Western Town, very popular with Texans, so has a fun “yihaw” atmosphere. Even our hosts in Taos said that Red River is different but a lot of fun, as “those Texans sure know how to party.
The skiing – excellent snow, at the top of the mountain 3155 meters is a terrific area with green runs through trees, and lots of challenging blues down the whole mountain, as well as some decent looking blacks, which I happily skied carefully.
Stunning views, many people come every year, but is definitely worth a days skiing combined with driving the Enchanted Circle. And the ski runs finish in the town just off Main Street.
After skiing just had time to complete the Enchanted Circle before sundown, driving over Bobcat Pass, really worth the trip, and then across high ranch land.
We passed another ski area, Angle Fire, which I didn’t ski, but our hosts at Old Taos Guest house told me has some of the best views. They also said it was one of the best choices for low level, especially nervous intermediate, as it s green runs weren’t as steep – driving past it was obviously true.
Next day drove to Taos Ski Valley. This is a big resort. It’s green runs are actually quite steep, the blues very challenging, rating black in most places. I personally would not ski most of their blacks, for someone else it would be heaven. And they have lots of double diamond blacks which are really steep.
The snow was amazing, though I preferred the runs under Lift 8, as they were more shaded and a little icier and grippy, though not ice in the negative sense. I also skied a couple of the black runs in this part which were no steeper than the blues really, but were glades and unpisted which is fantastic when you have lots of natural snow. They even have blue mogul runs.
Did not get time to ski the whole mountain. One comment, which was also made by the hosts at our Guest House in Taos (who ski their everyday) and our host in Santa Fe, that there is no way the Green run back down to the base is Green, rather a steep and tricky blue.
The steepness is somewhat offset by the quality of the snow. Snow was fantastic. And even at 3600 meters (11,820 feet) high, it is tree lined.
--
After Taos we tried to visit DH Lawrence ranch but closed in the winter.
We then drove over the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge to “Ojo Caliente” Hot Springs and stayed there a night. If you are skiing in Taos, it is really worth visiting – it can be done after skiing (many of the staff their live in Taos), and if you finish skiing an hour earlier than close, you can do it in full daylight (we didn’t). It is a very old hot springs spa with the pools outside http://ojospa.com/, and has an excellent restaurant.
After this we drove to Santa Fe. Santa Fe is a wonderful medium sized town (about 65,000 people), all walkable. It has some of the oldest buildings in The USA and great shopping and food and people.
I had one long afternoons skiing up in Ski Santa Fe. It is a very beautiful drive up through a National Park and then a road going along the side of the mountain. The top of the resort is 3680 meters high, and you can see Colorado 100 miles away on a clear day (most days), and down to Albuqueque.
The trails were gorgeous, snow wonderful. I saw some very good snowboarders carving their way past me in one of the gladed areas and heard them comment that “oh, this is icy” – I guess anyone who has done most of their skiing elsewhere would wonder what they were talking about! Away from the glades, like in taos and red river, it was powder. There is definitely a full days skiing for a piste basher, more for someone who is more interested in good runs.
-
How big were the ski areas? It’s all in acres so hard to say. I have skied some French Pyrenees resorts which have about 100km, and one with 28km, and I found the area claims somewhat dependent. The 28km piste area (Luchon) had lots of trails through trees, or curving round, which made me thinks that there is really a full 28km here, wheras Saint-Lary is listed as 100km of piste, but they have 3 pistes nearly next to each on the same slope, so I doubt it is 100km.
The New Mexico pistes are all through trees, so I suspect the acreage means a lot of skiing!
If someone was to fly from Europe to ski NM, I would probably suggest stopping in Santa Fe first for a couple of nights, as the town is a must, and skiing Ski Santa Fe, which is really nice and not too small. And when arriving in Taos area, driving the Enchanted circle and skiing Red River or Angel Fire on the route, maybe even one on each day. The skiing Taos, because Taos makes all the other resorts seem small. Also it gives you time to acclimatise – Santa Fe is at same altitude, but is warmer than Taos, and Taos Ski valley is that much colder. There are also plenty of Casinos if that takes your taste.
Conclusion – the skiing was excellent, the people so friendly and knowledgeable, the service was American service at its best, the State is beautiful, and the history and culture very interesting.
PS have photos, will try to link in in future.
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Mon 16-01-12 23:27; edited 2 times in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
alanmartin, Great report sounds exotic! I knew an American chap who lived in New Mexico and was a good skiier and rated the terrain as some of the most challeging in the US. I believe they've had the best snow so far this season than anywhere in the continental US. Very off the beaten track for a UK visitor but New Mexico is a place I'd like to visit.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
|
alanmartin, thanks for this, very nice trip report  My OH is going to be working in Houston for a couple of weeks in March, we have been toying with the idea of trying to combine it with a family holiday and have been looking at New Mexico and in particular the Taos area.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
Hi Sarah,
that would be so easy to do. You could drive, but it is a Texas long distance (12 hour drive).
Try http://www.southwest.com/ for really good flight prices.
They fly from Houston Hobby and you each get 2 bags free, so prices can be excellent 
Hobby is the original airport and very quick for moving through, Albuquerque airport is just great.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
alanmartin, Great pics, really strange environment to those used to skiing in the Alps, deserts, and snow, and tress at 3000 + meteres! I skied in the Tahoe area before and is strange looking down on a desert from the top of the mountian on one side then the worlds second largest alpine lake on the other!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Grizwald, thanks
Yes, I absolutely agree with you, it was most strange (if used to more Northerly climes) that the higher up one went, the more lush with vegetation and trees it became.
At Ski Santa Fe at the top of one of the lifts, the lift attendant was happily chatting with skiers and taking photos for them.
It shows how things are relative, as I remarked how amazing it was to have forests and grass at over 12,000 feet (3,700 meters) and desert at 7200 feet (2135 m), he replied "it's completely normal for me, it's what I've grown up with", so if he visited New England or the Alps or Pyrenees, I guess he would find the change in tree line and vegetation to be the reverse of "normal"!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
<br>
