This aspect of mountaineering allows the mountain lover to use their skill to not only climb to the top of a mountain but to safely and expertly descend. The deep snow pack of the winter and spring keep many visitors away from the mountains. For the educated snow rider, winter opens a new door to the mountains where the thrill and satisfaction of getting to the top of the peaks is only equaled by the exhilaration of making turns back down.
The winter environment brings its own set of hazards. A primary concern for the backcountry skier is avalanche hazard. Learning the how, where, and when hazard develops as well as avalanche rescue, are key skills that must be developed by all backcountry travelers. Also important is choosing the right equipment, orienteering, and all the intricacies of both uphill and downhill travel that allow for full enjoyment of skiing off-piste. The mountains of New Mexico offer amazing backcountry terrain. The mountain summits are high and the powder is dry. The late winter and early spring snow pack of northern New Mexico rivals and often exceeds that of most of Colorado. The Sangre de Cristo Mountains are host to many 12,000 and 13,000 foot peaks with steep faces and wide open alpine bowls. Some of this impressive terrain can even be accessed from Santa Ski Basin utilizing the lifts to “bump” you into the alpine wonderland. Come explore the New Mexico backcountry.
Also see tour packages in: Email it to a friend: Click here to email this vacation to a friend
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||




