Albuquerque Sports Travel Tips by MountainLaurel

Theme: Skiing/Snowboarding

Ski Santa Fe is a nice hometown ski area, not impressive if you're used to the Alps, but fun for locals and daytrips. Because we're so far south, it's often warm enough to shed your outer layers--I love the days I can snowboard in a t-shirt--but the sun is fierce, so make sure you wear sunscreen. There's enough variety to keep you entertained for a few days, plus the views are amazing. The picture was taken from the top of the mountain (which is 12,000 ft above sea level--one of the highest in the country) with my camera phone, so it's a bit fuzzy. You can see, along the horizon on the left, the Sandia Mountains, which are along the east edge of Albuquerque, about 50 miles away.

In the summer, there some nice hikes in the area, and in the fall I hear they run the chairlift so you can check out the changing leaves on the aspens.

Equipment: You can rent from the shop here or several different shops in Santa Fe or Albuquerque.

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Directions: The website gives directions. It's a nice drive once you get out of town, but you do have to go through town, which can take a bit of time, so factor that into your plans.
Website: http://www.skisantafe.com/index.html

Theme: Skiing/Snowboarding

Sandia Peak is also a small, hometown-style ski area, but if you look, you can still find fun and challenging stuff. Plus lift tickets are cheap. It's only open Wednesday through Saturday, and some seasons it doesn't open at all because of lack of snow. Try to get up here on a weekday and you'll have the place to yourself. Seriously.

You can drive here, which I prefer, or you can take the tram. The disadvantage to the tram, besides the added expense, is that you have to time your last run just right. If you think you have time for one more, and you don't--i.e. if the chairlifts close--you have no way of getting back to the top of the mountain. Well, you could hitchhike, but think of the odds of finding someone who's heading uphill at that time of day, who's willing to stop, and who's got room their car for your skis or board.

In the off-seasons they run the chairlift so you can check out the aspen leaves turning, etc.

The sun actually does set on the chairlift. The mountains run north-south, so the lifts run westward up the slope.

Equipment: Again, you can rent in town or at the mountain, and sunscreen is very necessary.

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Directions: The website gives directions.
Website: http://www.sandiapeak.com/

Theme: Hiking

Hiking the Albuquerque Municipal Open Space areas is great whether you're hardcore outdoorsy--there are some really hilly trails--or just want to find a nice rock from which to watch the sunset. It's hard to get lost because from every high point you can look west and see the city, but if you face east, all you see is mountain and wilderness.

Picture coming soon.

Equipment: Good shoes, sunscreen, water, and a healthy respect for snakes. Also, every once in a while there's a rash of car break-ins at the Open Space parking lots, so don't leave your diamonds on the dashboard.

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Directions: Try the one at the far eastern end of Montgomery Blvd.
Website: http://www.cabq.gov/openspace/