Winter Outings

Please RSVP the leader unless otherwise stated. Updates on some outings may be available on the Santa Fe Outings Meetup page.

December outings

Saturday, December 31: Soda Springs Loop at Buckman. Down wash and out Soda Springs trail, then up the old but well-built trail to the top of the Caja, then across the Caja, and back down to the cars parked at the trail-head just below Diablo Canyon. Great views of White Rock Canyon. Advanced to Moderate, 8 miles, half off-trail, and about 1,100 feet elevation gain.
Leader: Mark Dunham, email medunham2@msn.com to confirm, or call (505) 795-0199 close to event time
Location: Santa Fe area

January outings

Sunday, January 1: Moderate New Year’s Day snowshoe, location TBD
Leader: Marcia Skillman marciaskillman@hotmail.com or (505)699-3008
Location: Santa Fe area

Tuesday, January 3: Series of moderate aerobic afternoon hikes starting at noon, shooting for about 1,000 feet gain in a fairly short (maybe 5-mile round-trip) hike. We will move time up if it is a bigger hike. Each hike destination will be specified separately in the Meetup site comments for this series. Also, Meetup RSVP feature is open for this series. However, still contact the leader if you are new, as he will waitlist unknowns who have not contacted him.
Leader: Mark Dunham, email medunham2@msn.com to confirm or call (505) 795-0199 close to event time.
Location: Santa Fe area

Saturday, January 7: Beginner snowshoe clinic, location TBD.
Leader: Marcia Skillman marciaskillman@hotmail.com or (505)699-3008
Location: Santa Fe area

Saturday, January 7 and/or Sunday, January 8: Series of Taos outings. Moderate/strenuous hike or snowshoe in Taos area, come for Saturday, Sunday, or both. Dogs OK. Repeats most weekends of the winter season.
Leader: Tobin Oruch, tobin.oruch@yahoo.com or (505) 690-6253
Location: Taos area

Saturday, January 14: Strenuous snowshoe outing to Nambe Lake, 7 miles and 2,000 feet elevation gain. Two or three dogs OK.
Leader: Larry, lorenz.hughes@gmail.com or (505) 913-0589
Location: Santa Fe area

Saturday, January 21: moderate hike on Piedra Lisa trail up to the Rincon Ridge on the north side of the Sandias (close to Albuquerque). Two miles, 1,100 feet elevation. 10:30 a.m. start. Splendid views. Two dogs OK. End with optional potluck at Odile’s house.
Leader: Odile, (505) 433-4692 or odile@pitot.org
Location: Albuquerque area

Saturday, January 21: Moderate snowshoe in Taos area. Dogs OK. Repeats most weekends of the winter season.
Leader: Tobin Oruch, tobin.oruch@yahoo.com or (505) 690-6253
Location: Taos area

Saturday, January 21: Moderate hike to Window Rock at Medanales: Moved to Feb 4.

Saturday, January 28: Moderate snowshoe in Taos area. Dogs OK. Repeats most weekends of the winter season.
Leader: Tobin Oruch, tobin.oruch@yahoo.com or (505) 690-6253
Location: Taos area

Saturday, January 28: moderate hike to Broad Canyon and Valles Canyon, in the Organ Mountains Desert Peaks National Monument. Beautiful canyon route with ancient petroglyphs. About 5 miles, easy elevation.
Leader: Paul Pierce, (505) 670-7653, please no emails
Location: Las Cruces area

February outings

Saturday, February 4:  Strenuous snowshoe hike to Nambé Lake.  Distance 7: miles, elevation gain: 1,900 feet.  Call for details to make sure it suits you.  Participants will be listed  on our Meetup site once they have joined the hike. Should be a perfect day for it!.  Aku 505-577-2594.

Saturday, February 4 (was Jan 21): Moderate hike to Window Rock at Medanales (Santa Fe SC Guide p. 370). Amazing lava dyke window in the middle of sandy terrain. See also the “sandworm” formations popping from the wash beds, as well as an interesting shrine the locals have carved into soft rock walls. Nine miles on trail or in wash bottoms, and 1,000 feet gain.
Leader: Mark Dunham, email medunham2@msn.com to confirm or call (505) 795-0199 close to event time.
Location: Santa Fe area

Saturday, February 4: Moderate snowshoe and/or hike in North Sandias, close to Albuquerque and Santa Fe. Sponsored by the Sierra Club Military Outdoors Program. All are welcome. Start at the 10K trailhead and proceed north. Stunning views of both the east and west side of the mountain. Five miles round trip, 600-foot elevation gain starting at 9,600 feet. Good for first-time snowshoers. Bring your own or rent snowshoes and poles. Dogs OK.
Leader: Terry Owen, 505-301-4349 or teowen@q.com by Feb 2
Location: Albuquerque area

Saturday, February 4:  CANCELED:  Moderate snowshoe about 5 miles, East Fork of the Jemez.

Saturday, February 4 or Sunday Feb 5: Moderate snowshoe in Taos area. Dogs OK. Repeats most weekends of the winter season.
Leader: Tobin Oruch, tobin.oruch@yahoo.com or (505) 690-6253

Friday, February 10:CANCELED:  Full Moon snowshoe at 4 p.m. Location close to Santa Fe to be determined.
Leader: Marcia Skillman marciaskillman@hotmail.com or (505)699-3008
Location: Santa Fe area

Saturday, February 11: Strenuous snowshoe outing to Deception Peak, 6 miles and 2,500-foot elevation gain. Two or three dogs OK.
Leader: Larry, lorenz.hughes@gmail.com or (505) 913-0589
Location: Santa Fe area

Saturday, February 11: Difficult climb on top of Hidden Mountain (south of Los Lunas). Four miles, 400-foot elevation gain. Slippery, steep trail with rocks make this hike difficult. Discover great basalt cliffs, petroglyphs and a mysterious “Ten commandments: inscription. 10 a.m. departure. No dogs. End with optional potluck at Odile’s house.
Leader: Odile, (505) 433-4692 or odile@pitot.org
Location: Albuquerque area

Saturday, February 11: Moderate snowshoe in Taos area. Dogs OK. Repeats most weekends of the winter season.
Leader: Tobin Oruch, tobin.oruch@yahoo.com or (505) 690-6253

Saturday, February 18: Moderate hike to the Rio Grande: Ancho Canyon to Red Dot Loop. Moderate and beautiful hike through White Rock Canyon; see the pictures from Nov. 21 hike. We will car shuttle from Red Dot trail to Ancho Rapids Trail on the way to Bandelier NM, with the hike from Ancho to Red Dot, as the one with the most scenic rewards during the climb out. Moderate, 8 miles on good and primitive trails, with1000’ gain.
Leader: Mark Dunham, email medunham2@msn.com to confirm or call (505) 795-0199 close to event time.
Location: Los Alamos area

Saturday, February 25: Moderate snowshoe in Taos area. Dogs OK. Repeats most weekends of the winter season.
Leader: Tobin Oruch, tobin.oruch@yahoo.com or (505) 690-6253

Sunday, February 26: Tour Organ Mountains Desert Peaks National Monument. Moderate hike on the new Western Ridge trail to the top of Picacho Peak with 360-degree views of the entire national monument as well of views into Texas and Mexico. Return via either the original trail route or one of the other trails in development around the mountain. About 4 miles, 700 feet elevation gain.
Leader: Howie Dash, contact for meeting time and place, tel:5756527550 or howiedash@aol.com
Location: Las Cruces area

March outings

Saturday, March 4: Moderate/strenuous snowshoe outing to La Vega, 9 miles, 1,300 feet elevation gain. Two or three dogs OK.
Leader: Larry, lorenz.hughes@gmail.com or (505) 983-8296
Location: Santa Fe area

Saturday, March 4: Moderate snowshoe in Taos area. Dogs OK. Repeats most weekends of the winter season.
Leader: Tobin Oruch, tobin.oruch@yahoo.com or (505) 690-6253

Saturday, March 11: Easy to moderate Foothills Hike. Sponsored by the Sierra Club Military Outdoors Program. All are welcome. If you’d like to explore the wonders of nature and hiking in New Mexico in the company of great people, this is the hike! Begin at the foot of the Sandia Tram in Albuquerque and proceed to the La Luz Trail cutoff. Beautiful views of the city. Three miles, 200 feet elevation gain. Dogs OK.
Leader: Terry Owen, 505-301-4349 or teowen@q.com by March 9
Location: Albuquerque area

Saturday, March 11: Easy hike in Albuquerque’s Petroglyph National Monument. Guided tour in Piedras Marcadas by specialist Bill Pentler. Great for children and grownups alike. Meet at 9:30 a.m. Two dogs OK. End with optional potluck at Odile’s house.
Leader: Odile, (505) 433-4692 or odile@pitot.org
Location: Albuquerque area

Saturday, March 11: Moderate snowshoe in Taos area. Canceled.

Sunday, March 18: moderate hike at La Bajada.  Canceled due to access closed.

Saturday, March 18: Moderate snowshoe in Taos area. Canceled.

Saturday, March 25: Moderate snowshoe now:  Moderate hike up Atalaya, early start at St. John’s parking lot trailhead, 7 miles and 1800 feet of gain, dogs OK.  Come out for some Spring Training!  Marcia Skillman, (505) 699-3008, marciaskillman@hotmail.com   

Saturday, March 25: Moderate hike up Arroyo Hondo Southeast of Santa Fe. Assuming we can drive up FR79, we will walk up Arroyo Hondo headwaters to the South Ridge of the watershed, then east along the ridge to the last hill before Apache Canyon. Seldom-seen look at the Monument tower buried deep in the watershed, and at territory that remains attractive through the summer. Eight miles on old logging roads, and 1,400 feet elevation gain.
Leader: Mark Dunham, email medunham2@msn.com to confirm or call (505) 795-0199 close to event time.
Location: Santa Fe area

Saturday, March 25: Moderate snowshoe in Taos area. Dogs OK. Repeats most weekends of the winter season.
Leader: Tobin Oruch, tobin.oruch@yahoo.com or (505) 690-6253
Location: Taos area

Sunday, March 26: Moderate hike to Window Rock in the Abiquiu/Medanales area, with 1-2 social dogs OK.  RSVP by Fri 3/24.
Leader: Lisa Bowdey (505) 699-2953, lisab4628@yahoo.com
Location: northwest of Española

Featured image of winter skiing in Bandelier Monument