Skiing the Rail Trail & Arroyo Chamiso

Friday's snowfall was a welcome sight for as dry as it's been lately.  I biked to work in what looked like 5-6in. of fluffy stuff, and the Santa Fe Ski Area was reporting 16in. from the storm and now has four operating lifts heading into the Holidays.  Wolf Creek is reporting a few feet from the storm, giving it a 60in. December base.

I was like a kid on Christmas Eve watching the snow continue to pile up on Thursday night. I changed out the old 3-pin bindings on my new pair of cross country skis and headed out to the arroyo for an early morning test run of my new gear.  A gorgeous morning with all the snow cover.

Through the Arroyo Chamiso

Looking back on my tracks on the Rail Trail

Retracing my tracks through our neighborhood footpath

I skied out through the arroyo and returned on the as yet unplowed RailTrail, 30min for about 1.5mi of skiing.  I obviously need to get familiar with the different types of wax since my skis were loading with snow and not sliding very well.  It didn't matter though - a morning with fresh snow is a treat all by itself.  Now it feels like December.

Lucy unhappy with not being invited on the ski trip

Skis with brakes are not so good at sliding

Related Posts:
  - Off Piste, Winter Trails
  - Crested Butte Opening Weekend
  - Santa Fe's First Snow


View Zia Rd Trailhead - Cross Country Ski Loop in a larger map