From: von@cory.Berkeley.EDU (Steve Von Worley)
Subject: Re: moving to New Mexico
Organization: University of California, at Berkeley
Distribution: usa
Date: Tue, 29 Sep 1992 08:57:29 GMT

In article <4788@crl.LABS.TEK.COM> rjn@snowbird.LABS.TEK.COM (Jim Nusbaum) writes:
>Well, I am finally moving back to a place that has some real skiing.  We will
>be moving to Santa Fe, New Mexico in about a month.  I know about and have
>skied at Taos (loved it!).  I have seen the trail maps for Ski Santa Fe
>(looks interesting) and Red River (looks boring).  I have heard that the Los
>Alamos ski area (open at limited times) is quite good and has challenging
>skiing.  Don't know much about Angel Fire (except it is acessible to Texans,
>ugh!!).  Anyway any info, advice, etc. on skiing in the northern New Mexico
>area would be appreciated.

Well, I have have skied five areas in Northern New Mexico:

Taos:	
	Definitely the best in the bunch!  50 percent expert terrain, 30
	percent intermediate.  If you are into chute skiing, you can hike
	the ridge, or walk up Kachina peak in the spring for fresh powder.
	They also get the most snow of any area in NM.  Also, a good
	amount of trails not marked on the map (if you can find them)!
	The atmosphere of Taos combined with the skiing (like Jackson
	Hole on a smaller scale) is hard to beat anywhere!  Try Michael's 
	Kitchen for breakfast.  

Santa Fe:
	This is the good ol' standby for most Albuquerquean skiers since
	it is the closest area with consistently good snow.  It is 
	relatively small (1650' of vertical) but interesting.  When they
	have good snow, there is a large area of the top of the lift
	which houses some interesting expert terrain (tree skiing and 
	cliff areas, for instance).  In particularly good seasons when
	hasn't been much wind, they may open the lightly wooded front
	face (good for powder skiing after storms).

Sandia:
	This area is just outside of Albuquerque (5 miles as the crow flies
	from the city limits).  It's moderately sized, with mostly 
	beginner terrain (~1800 feet vertical).  Many people learn how
	to ski there and move on (like me).  Most seasons the snow is not
	very good (the average February base is maybe ~50 inches) but
	they do get big dumps (the good old six footers) occasionally.

Los Alamos:
	This area is run by a non-profit ski club which funnels skier
	proceeds back into facilities and trail maintenance.  It is fairly
	small (1100' vertical), but skis larger than it actually is.  
	Some of the expert terrain is faily interesting, with lots of 
	narrow trails which undulate through the forest (try 3 Fingers).  
	Before they built the new base lodge, you could go there and swear 
	you were back in the '50's.  Los Alamos takes the cake for 
	"the most snow I have ever personally seen at a ski area in my 
	life"; one year a succession of major storms (an 90 incher, 
	two 60 inchers and many lesser storms) left a bottomless base 
	which I estimated to be ~ 20 feet.  Some people call Los Alamos
	a "little Taos".
	
Angel Fire:
	Bleagh.  Leave this for the Texans (and Oklahomans).  Bad snow,
	boring terrain.

So there you have it.  Also "nearby" is Purgatory, near Durango CO.  Some
people I know love it, but personally I find it kinda wierd.  Lot's of
flat stuff (although The Legends are neat!)

Happy skiing,

Steve
-- 
Steve Von Worley
von@cory.berkeley.edu
Computer Science Gradual Student
University of California at Berzerkly 
Newsgroups: rec.skiing