Standing at 10,350 Feet
We drove out to the local Santa Fe ski area on a lovely summer day. It's 15 miles outside of town, a short drive away.
But what a drive. It is 15 miles of switchbacks, tight corners, steep drops and canyon climbs. The view of Santa Fe spread out below at some points along the way is awesome. But I would never ever drive that twisting torturous road in winter conditions. I could not manage it. I got carsick with Jim driving slowly on a dry summer day.
But there is a bus that goes from downtown to the ski area in season, and that solves the driving problem. There are lockers in the lodge that I might rent for the season to store my gear, then just hop on the bus when I want to go skiing, unencumbered by equipment for each trip.
Some of my nausea on this drive was due to the constant turning on steep roads with sheer drop offs, but some of it was due to the altitude. The base is at 10,350 feet. My altimeter showed 10,341 in the parking lot below the lodge.
This is a totally local ski area. All skiers make that drive each day, either on the bus or in their cars. There are simply no condos, no motels, no inns anywhere to be seen. No lodging at all, except in Santa Fe 15 miles down that road.
No restaurants or bars or pubs. Only the cafeteria in the base lodge. The lodge is big and it's clean and rustic, very nice. But there are no other eateries or shops or rental outfits or clothing stores or anything at all anywhere near this ski area.
In that way it's a lot like the local area I skied at home, Sundown, which was just a ski area with no other amenities. This is the local Santa Fe version, except it has a 12,075 foot summit, almost 2,000 feet of vertical drop, and you can't get there without Dramamine and a fearless driver.
Starting in September there are lift rides to the top for fall viewing, and Jim has agreed (trepidatiously) to go with me one afternoon. He can make that car ride up the road in late summer weather but will need Dramamine for the chair lift.
Starting this winter, I'm looking forward to taking the bus, storing my gear at the mountain and trying out my wimpy Eastern ski skills on this mountain. Over age 72 skis free (I had thought it was 70, I still have a way to go).
The issue may not be my skills or my age, but the altitude. I'm standing at 10,350 feet looking up the slope on a summer day and I'm breathing hard just clicking the camera button. How is this going to work with skis on in winter?
Gail, are you up for this?
But what a drive. It is 15 miles of switchbacks, tight corners, steep drops and canyon climbs. The view of Santa Fe spread out below at some points along the way is awesome. But I would never ever drive that twisting torturous road in winter conditions. I could not manage it. I got carsick with Jim driving slowly on a dry summer day.
But there is a bus that goes from downtown to the ski area in season, and that solves the driving problem. There are lockers in the lodge that I might rent for the season to store my gear, then just hop on the bus when I want to go skiing, unencumbered by equipment for each trip.
Some of my nausea on this drive was due to the constant turning on steep roads with sheer drop offs, but some of it was due to the altitude. The base is at 10,350 feet. My altimeter showed 10,341 in the parking lot below the lodge.
This is a totally local ski area. All skiers make that drive each day, either on the bus or in their cars. There are simply no condos, no motels, no inns anywhere to be seen. No lodging at all, except in Santa Fe 15 miles down that road.
No restaurants or bars or pubs. Only the cafeteria in the base lodge. The lodge is big and it's clean and rustic, very nice. But there are no other eateries or shops or rental outfits or clothing stores or anything at all anywhere near this ski area.
In that way it's a lot like the local area I skied at home, Sundown, which was just a ski area with no other amenities. This is the local Santa Fe version, except it has a 12,075 foot summit, almost 2,000 feet of vertical drop, and you can't get there without Dramamine and a fearless driver.
Starting in September there are lift rides to the top for fall viewing, and Jim has agreed (trepidatiously) to go with me one afternoon. He can make that car ride up the road in late summer weather but will need Dramamine for the chair lift.
Starting this winter, I'm looking forward to taking the bus, storing my gear at the mountain and trying out my wimpy Eastern ski skills on this mountain. Over age 72 skis free (I had thought it was 70, I still have a way to go).
The issue may not be my skills or my age, but the altitude. I'm standing at 10,350 feet looking up the slope on a summer day and I'm breathing hard just clicking the camera button. How is this going to work with skis on in winter?
Gail, are you up for this?
Comments