NORDIC SKIING AND SNOWSHOE SPOTS

ANGEL FIRE RESORT’S NORDIC CENTER includes more than 12 kilometers of groomed, classic, and skating trails for crosscountry skiing. The trails circle the resort’s golf course and are open from mid-December to March, depending on the weather. Lessons and season passes are available. PAJARITO MOUNTAIN SKI AREA, near Los Alamos, offers a variety of ski trails, including those for cross-country skiing. The area sells season passes for the winter. pajarito.ski VALLE CALDERA NATIONAL PRESERVE, off NM 4 west of Los Alamos, offers non-groomed trails for cross-country skiers and snowshoers from mid-December to mid-March. The gate is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visitors must purchase a backcountry pass to access the whole preserve. The preserve issues 35 backcountry passes per day, and they tend to sell out on the weekends, so get there early. Those who park on NM 4 may ski or snowshoe directly into the preserve, which is open from dawn to dusk. nps.gov/vall THE SANDIA NORDIC SKI CLUB maintains 4 miles of Sandia Mountain trails outside Albuquerque. The club grooms the trails and updates its website with grooming reports. sandianordic.org THE NORSKI TRAIL’s topography and elevation make it perfect for cross-country skiing. Volunteers maintain the easy, 2.5-mile trail in Santa Fe National Forest, off Hyde Park Road just before Ski Santa Fe. fs.usda.gov/recarea/santafe