Cross Country Skiing - Ski Santa Fe

Sunrise with Totemoff's and Aspen Peak

I'd heard several weeks ago that there were a group of guys heading up to Ski Santa Fe early in the mornings to put in skate-ski workouts. The idea was to get up to the ski hill before the lifts open, get an hours worth of laps around Totemoff's, and jet back down to town for work by 8am. They would bring head lamps to light up the first half of the workout before dawn broke. This is badass.

After spending the last few months getting the hang of classic-cross skiing, free heeling, turning and the whole bit, I felt I was ready to give this skate interval idea a go. Also, there is no freaking snow around here south of Chama except up at the ski basin. All that being the case, I picked up some skate rentals at Alpine Sports last night (my Rossignols are old clunker nordic skis) and set the alarm for 5am.

Sunrise on the catwalk - The face of Tesuque Peak in the distance

Salomon skate setup

Arrived at the parking lot at ten after 6am. There was another truck there which I figured to be some backcountry guy skinning up Raven's Ridge but turned out to be a basin employee who later was asking how the snow was. The route was up around the catwalk to the left of the double chair, around Totemoff's, and returning down Easy Street. My first lap up the track was slow going. The climb was a bit steeper than I'd expected, probably because I'd never skied up the run before. I was mostly hopping around classic style and trying to work in some skating here and there. By the second lap the skating was coming together but I'd have to break into 30sec. classic ski 'rests' to hold my momentum. It is hot as hell skating up a hill, I had sweat dripping off my nose. Lift-to-Totemoff's took about 9-10min, skiing down Easy Street took about 90sec. I got to work on big telemark GS turns which was nice. All told I got in four and a half laps before having to head back to town.

There was nobody else up there but the guys in their SnowCats. The corduroy snow I was on was great but it was easy to see we could use a few storms. Like a lot of storms. It was actually my first day up at Ski Santa Fe all year, and for what I was doing the snow couldn't have been better, I found the crowds to be minimal, and the tickets were a steal. Makes me want to go back.

Uphill first-tracks

My morning ski partner

Off to work now, and then on to Albuquerque this afternoon to catch some indoor comp. on the boards (2011 US Indoor Championships). I'm super excited to see Lagat in action. The guy is a stone-cold killa. I'm also psyched to see the crew of ex-Buffs go 'round and Crash Davis in the vault. I also wouldn't turn down a cold adult beverage should the opportunity arise.

Related Posts:
 - Nordic Skiing in Chama - Edward Sargent Wildlife Area
 - Enchanted Forest Ski Trails - Red River, NM
 - Trading the Downhill Skis for Nordic
 - Cross Country Skiing NORSKI Trail, Santa Fe

See also:  Area Nordic Trails Listing



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