New Messico

[c4n007]

I'm stuck in Houston, TX for the winter for work, and I need to get some skiing in BAD. I'm planning on driving to Taos, NM at the end of the month for a hellish long drive for 2 days of skiing.

Any of you kids know of a better resort closer to this H-town hell hole? It sure would be nice to drive less for similar terrain or better conditions.

Taos (18 hour drive) is about as far as I can handle driving btw...

Any help much appreciated, y'all

[The Duke of Hurl]

[c4n007]

should mention that I am set on driving, if I was flying I would just go home to vancouver...

[Cyber Cop]

Not the greatest base this year in New Mexico if that matters. Luckily not the worst la nina year we've had. The land of Feast and Famine. If you can handle the few extra hours wolf creek is going off, as usual.

[c4n007]

Thanks for the heads up cyber, intially the plan was to drive to Apache, in Ruidoso, until I looked at the website... Then came Taos, it just keeps getting furthur and furthur away, just a few hours more, it's adding up though with a quickness.

I realize there is awesomness to be had in CO, but I got to draw the line somewhere

[MontuckyFried]

Taos is normally badass, but not enough of a good base yet last time I checked. Last Spring was freakin' amazing apparently.

Right now, they only have a base of 38". A lot of Taos is nice and steep (great terrain!) so you want a thicker base.

Go to this website regularly for updates...
http://www.skitaos.org/snow-report

If the snow still isn't quite ideal, getting some turns in regardless still beats the hell out of being stuck in H-Town. I'd hit up Taos either way, or like some have suggested, head to Wolf Creek.

[c4n007]

is this the Wolf Creek in Pagosa Springs?

[PowTrees]

I think you've been in Houston too long, stop breathing car exhaust for a minute and consider... Your quibbling between Taos and Wolf Creek, when Wolf creek has a huge base of snow right now. Driving from Houston to Wolf Creek or Taos is what like a couple hour difference in an 18 hour drive?? One has more snow and the other doesn't and you would save an hour or two to go where there is less snow??

Draw the line at Driving to Steamboat or Utah, but Southern Colorado vs New Mexico, is it really that much difference in distance from Houston??

[Blizzard7763]

When I lived in Midland, TX, I drove to Wolf Creek for a weekend. Cool town, and waaayyy cheaper than Santa Fe.

[alTAos]

I think you've been in Houston too long, stop breathing car exhaust for a minute and consider... Your quibbling between Taos and Wolf Creek, when Wolf creek has a huge base of snow right now. Driving from Houston to Wolf Creek or Taos is what like a couple hour difference in an 18 hour drive?? One has more snow and the other doesn't and you would save an hour or two to go where there is less snow??

Draw the line at Driving to Steamboat or Utah, but Southern Colorado vs New Mexico, is it really that much difference in distance from Houston??

Agreed on the drive, but I'd take Taos on a 15" base over WC on a 100" base any day...just personal opinion. I would rather ski steep hard pack than deep low lying pow any day. Others like the pow though, so whatever floats your boat. Pow and a good base: WC, good terrain and no snow: Taos.

[c4n007]

powtrees - I wish car exhaust was the least of my worries being here.

Sounds like Wolf Creek it is then, as good as it sounds skiing some steep with no snow, I'd much rather hit the pow.

I picked Taos blindly as it has lots of lodging choices.

[The Duke of Hurl]

All due respect but driving 18 hrs to ski for a wknd is, IMHO, stupid. RT HOU-SLC on SWA that wknd starts at $170. You'll spend that on gas.

[Endlessseason]

I skied Apache last season and was pleasantly surprised. Quite a nice little place if you decide part way through your marathon drive that 18 hours hain't worth it.
That said, it might've sucked had they not had recent snow when I went last year. I dunno.
When I added Wolf Creek to this season's hit list, I was a little bummed to find it was a 4 hr drive from abq.
Now that I've read your story I realize I was being a wimp. Now 4 hours sounds like nothin. Gracias for putting it in perspective...

[powdork]

cloudmont. you'll save at least 5 hours(over taos), and la nina has been good to the deep south.

[MontuckyFried]

All due respect but driving 18 hrs to ski for a wknd is, IMHO, stupid. RT HOU-SLC on SWA that wknd starts at $170. You'll spend that on gas.

A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do. I always drive when I go to Colorado/New Mexico, even if it's for a weekend. Sure, airfare can be cheaper than gas sometimes, but factor in the additional costs of a rental car or shuttle, plus additional tickets if friends are going with, and the price can add up.

18 hours may sound like a lot to those of you who live in smaller states, but it's not uncommon for me to have an 8 hour drive to a jobsite, and still be in the same state. What's a few hours more to get some turns in? Totally worth it.

[The Duke of Hurl]

^Yeah, I know, but get a bed at the Peruvian with an airport shuttle, 3 squares included and way more skiing instead of driving, no rental needed.

[ncskier]

Take it from a man stuck in the South. Just Fly. Unless you are driving a prius you are looking at least 100 gallons of gas at 3+ you are over 300 buck in gas plus time. Your lucky you have southwest. Hous-SLC shuttle to alta, then ski and veg out.

[BrianH]

Do you want to ski or do you want to drive? Why are you so set on driving? You're not being very realistic! Granted the cost strucutre changes when you have more people, but if you're going solo, just get slopeside somewhere and leave the car at home. I would second the Alta suggestion, the Peruvian is the real deal.

I was at Taos last weekend and it was fun. Steep carvable hardpack and avie debris in the chutes, so much fun in fact that I'm going back this weekend, 'cuz that's where my pass is. But driving 36 hours total for a few days of skiing ... man that's going to be hard on your body, sitting still that long and keeping you act together enough to drive without sleeping.

[el duderino]

I skied Apache last season and was pleasantly surprised. Quite a nice little place if you decide part way through your marathon drive that 18 hours hain't worth it.
That said, it might've sucked had they not had recent snow when I went last year. I dunno.
When I added Wolf Creek to this season's hit list, I was a little bummed to find it was a 4 hr drive from abq.
Now that I've read your story I realize I was being a wimp. Now 4 hours sounds like nothin. Gracias for putting it in perspective...

If you know how to get to WC from ABQ in 4 hours during the winter, please let me know.

[el duderino]

I'm not sure what the underlying factors are with driving, but my $0.02, having just done the drive from Austin to Wolf Creek, which is much shorter than Houston.

The beauty of WC (which happens to be 28 miles over the NM border) is the amount of snow it gets. With that, take into account that fact that this can add substantial drive time to your trip if the roads are snow packed. Also, the pass between Pagosa and WC closes OFTEN. If they get snow in the night, chances are good it will be closed in the morning for Avalanche control. This can kill a few hours in the morning, which is critical if you're planning to only ski for a few days. If this is an issue, there is lodging on the other side of WC (on the South Fork side), but that will add even more travel time. Also, keep in mind there is no ski in/out options at WC. The closest lodging is about 10 miles away on the east side.

That being said, not trying to dissuade anyone from WC. It's a neat place with amazing snow pretty much guaranteed.

However, I would advise listening to some of the other suggestions on this thread. SWA to SLC is a good choice. So good in fact, that we're doing just that in a few weeks. I'm looking forward to SKIING and not f-ing around with the long drive, which is mentally and physically exhausting (unless you love driving in mountain passes in the snow).

[Diamond Joe]

^Yeah, I know, but get a bed at the Peruvian with an airport shuttle, 3 squares included and way more skiing instead of driving, no rental needed.

^^ this

gotta agree with Teh Duke & most everybody else here. Youre IN the city of Houston, right? Shuttle/taxi/public transportation to the airport is short money. Then, a 3 hour flight to SLC to a hotel that includes airport shuttle (TONS of 'em offer it, and not just the ones in the LCC & BCC) & ur done. ~$200 and 7 or 8 hours total travel time, instead of ~$300 and 40-45 hours travel time. Time is $$, especially when you're talking about driving vs skiing.

[changodeoro]

If you know how to get to WC from ABQ in 4 hours during the winter, please let me know.

its actually 3.5 hours from the big burque to wolfie if the roads between here and pagosa are decent...550 to cuba, bang a right at the teepee casino 20 miles north of town, head to dulce then on into pagosa...another 30 minutes puts you in the parking lot...WAY better up there than in taos right now...

[liv2ski]

Take it from a man stuck in the South. Hous-SLC shuttle to alta, then ski and veg out.

Ftw
45678

[capulin overdrive]

$350 nonstop roundtrip from Houston to Crested Butte.


i know what i'd do.

[el duderino]

love when people post, others take the time to respond and then they go dark. Hopefully the OP is on the slopes.