Enchanted Forest Ski Trails - Red River, NM

The ski lodge at Enchanted Forest

The prognosticators are saying we will get at least one more pass of winter weather before Spring arrives for good, 4"-8" of fresh cold stuff predicted for the mountains this evening. So, before the skis are ceremoniously stowed away for next season I thought it would be appropriate to highlight a recent trip up to Enchanted Forest ski area with Todd and John. If you're looking for a last round of spring ski runs you'd be hard pressed to find a better place in northern New Mexico.

Owners Geoff and Ellen Goins have done an admirable job of building this nordic ski and snowshoeing destination a couple miles east of Red River, which sits about 12mi east of Questa, which sits about 30mi north of Taos. Such is the reason I hadn't visited before now, but the trip is well worth the drive. This is the best nordic skiing in northern New Mexico. Beginning from the full service ski lodge, 20mi of groomed and tracked trails fan out under cover of pine forest. Additional signed and mapped trails exist for snowshoeing and hiking with the dogs. It's a pretty well laid out place. 

Over and through miles of trail

The Captain cresting a hill

Intersection with the snowshoe system

The fellas and I had picked up complimentary ski passes at the Chama Chile Ski Classic in January, which provided all the incentive we needed to make this trip. I get a fair amount of flak from these two for bailing on group downhill days in favor of my early morning xc sessions, but on this day it was those two clumsily free-heeling along while I powered around on my skate-ski setup exploring all of the fantastic groomed track. We kept to the easy and moderate trails and saw several groups enjoying the favorable ski conditions we've had this year. Saw a few deer too, wondering what we were up to in their neck of the Carson forest.

One section of the trail system affords clear views of the upper Red River valley and the saddle between Wheeler Ridge and Gold Hill. I had stood up on that same ridge (in these same skis!) not three weeks before, looking down into this valley wondering what on earth was down here. Wouldn't you know it if it wasn't miles of heavenly ski tracks gliding through the woods. How's that for an unexpectedly cheers-worthy coincidence? I'll take more of that please.

The lower Wheeler Ridge from a distance

 

Dude and trail

A major benefit of the drive to Taos is the increasing number of micro-breweries in the area. We chose Eske's Pub for an apres-ski stop over the Taos Ale House and the Blue Heron Brewery in Embudo. Nothing quite completes a day on skis like stories with friends over a beer.

Eske's, a Taos establishment

Enchanted Forest Ski Area: Day passes $7-15, ski and snowshoe rentals available as well as waxing and tuning services. Seasonal events include the Low O2 Challenge NM Nordic Cup, national snowshoe race qualifier, ski and snowshoe clinics, and moonlight tours. There are even overnight yurt accommodations offered in a backcountry setting several miles up-trail (reservations required). 

See also:   
 - Area Nordic Trails Listing




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Salida Colorado's Run Through Time Trail Marathon

Botas on the initial climb. Collegiate Peaks in tow.

Salida’s spring Trail Marathon was this last weekend. I know this because my Google Reader has been feeding me a steady flow of race reports. The peculiar timing of this run simply doesn’t fit with my work commitments but my man Boots has been lining up the last couple years, and now that the results are posted I can see he did so again this year. He’s a new father so I thought that life may have slowed him down some, but this doesn’t appear to be the case. A strong 12th place finish for one-half of Team Hobo, one placing back from last year but with a speedier time over a more winterized course. Defending champ Timmy Parr wasn’t too far up the trail it seems. Very well done sir. I guess I'm buying at the next get together.

More about the race then. Salida's a terrific early season trail-run that in the past has brought a lot of folks up from New Mexico. Steve and Deb Pero repped the northern NM crew this year. Steve had a big day, laying claim to an age-group title. Waltz, Crone, and Halladay were up last year. For a small out of the way race that has no awards budget it also brings out a fair number of pros. Defending Jemez 50 champ Nick Clark came down from Fort Collins to claim this year’s bragging rights. Nick was edged out by Parr for the win last year. Word had it that Nederland’s Geoff Roes was fueling with Pabst Blue Ribbon at the aid stations last year, getting his legs under him for the long racing season ahead. There’s not a lot about this race that I would find hard to like. 

At the front on the snowier sections - photo: N. Clark, Rocky Mtn Dirt Running (2010)

Finishing statistics for the Nuevo Mexico contingent

Overall	Name	Age	Sex	Home	Time
14	Jacob Lawrence	30	M	Albuquerque	3hrs43min
46	Mark Porter	35	M	Los Alamos	04:34.2
65	Vlad Henzl	33	M	Los Alamos	04:55.4
69	Steve Pero	60	M	Jemez	04:58.4
91	Lynette Padilla-Orpinel	36	F	Los Lunas	05:20.1
105	Kevin Zelechoski	35	M	Jemez Springs	05:43.4
118	Deb Pero	57	F	Jemez Springs	06:00.3
119	Nalisha Johnson	30	F	Los Alamos	06:03.4
135	Susan Gardner	47	F	Albuquerque	06:45.5

Running Plus Snow Equals Awesome - Dorothy Stewart Trail

I looked out my window yesterday and saw snow, and that got me back into my running shoes. An easy three miles through the arroyos. I hadn’t run in so long the chronometer on my watch still reads my time from New York (Nov.). Both funny and sad. 

After some work at the office I saw that the foothills were still socked in with cloud, so I excitedly jumped back into the shoes and headed up for an evening loop of the Dorothy Stewart Trail. Nothing beats running in snow (and fog!). They ought to charge admission for this but I see only one other set of tracks on the trail, practically criminal. After steep climbing to gain the ridge, I catch my breath and take in this last bit of winter. Darkness falls and I push happily along my way, exchanging knowing high-fives with the many snowy pine-branches welcoming me back.

Distance: 5mi roundtrip

Starting Elevation: 7,200ft

Max Elevation: 7,900ft

68min car-to-car. Can be run in under 55min in decent conditions. Snow and darkness will add significant minutes but pay you back with brilliant fun and adventure.

Ponderosa overpass

A solitary friend in space-time

Hi-five

The ridge trail

Dorothy Stewart's six-and-a-half switchback hill (Talaya Hill) in silhouette

Snow at switchback seven

City lights

Man with headlamp

Trailhead and snow with city beyond

Nearby Trails:
  - Atalaya Mountain
  - Complete HDD Trail Listing

View Dorothy Stewart Ridgeline Trail in a larger map

Skiing the Valles Caldera

There's some winter trekking to be had up at the Valles Caldera National Preserve but until now I hadn't had much luck capitalizing on it. The Valles quietly offers a large selection of groomed nordic trails and snowshoeing throughout the western end of the vast Valle Grande (weather permitting). The Desert Babe and I made it up this last weekend for the moonlight-ski. Surprised to see how many people were up there although most were snowshoeing, for shame. The snow was in good shape and it was a clear cold windless magnificent evening, stars ablaze in a moonlit valley of snow.

A large bonfire was burning outside the Staging Area Cabin for folks who were returning or just setting out. Skiers were asked to check-in inside and log what route we were taking in the case we didn't return! Yessir, I think I could grow to like this kind of skiing. In reality, it would have been mighty hard to get yourself lost out there. The trails were flagged and groomed for classic skiing. Some skating was possible but the track was chewed up and uneven from multi-use. We followed a two mile loop around Cerro Jara, with side trails leading out to Missing Cabin as well as anywhere-you-might-care-to-venture seeing as there were few immediate features or trees to contend with. Maps show 37mi of trail mostly limited to day-access of which 'almost 80%' are groomed for skiing and snowshoeing.

At the staging area

winter ghosts

The Desert Babe with stars

Desert Babe in light

Apres-ski warming hut

Our time was spent mostly star-gazing. Another skier told us that five planets were visible in the sky that night. One great big snow park, hemmed in by mountains and the heavens above. Looking west we could make out crispy treelines on the hills above Conchas where last summer's historic fire burned south toward Cochiti and Los Alamos. It all seemed very temporal from the caldera of an ancient volcano staring up at balls of gas and fire tracking slow orbits through our universe.


Los Alamos area Nordic Trails:
Valles Caldera - Valle Grande Staging Area:  Four miles of groomed trails in the Preserve. Fri-Sun 9am-5pm and special events. Fees are $10, $8 for children or seniors. Maps available at sign-in. 37 miles of trails track throughout the Valle, although snow conditions are best on the west side. The Staging Area is two miles north of the Main Gate at Highway 4 mile marker 39. (Caldera Map .pdf)

Coyote Call Trail:  Four miles of non-groomed skiing overlooking Valle Grande from the south. Trailhead and parking on the east side of Highway 4 at mile marker 41 (~1.5mi east of the Main Gate). No fees.

Canada Bonita Trail at Pajarito:  Six miles of classis and freestyle ski track adjacent to the Pajarito Ski Area, feverishly maintained by the Southwest Nordic Ski Club. Also known as SWNSKI trails and Guaje Canyon Trail, these trails are specially permitted by the National Forest during the winter for nordic skiing. Nearby track accommodates miles of snowshoeing and multi-use activity. Donations or club membership suggested (at the trailhead).

See also:   
 - Area Nordic Trails Listing
 

Jared Campbell trail-running/climbing/skiing Mt Olympus, UT

I haven't been out on the trails much lately, but when my mind wanders I see visions of grandeur that look something like this. La Sportiva runner Jared Campbell crushes the west slabs of Salt Lake's Mt Olympus. Running like this makes laps on Atalaya Mountain seem like a recovery run.

Rob Zombie assists on the sweet ski-glissade descent.