The Los Alamos Ski Club no longer owns Pajarito Mountain. While the club originally founded and…read morebuilt the ski area in the 1950s, it transferred management to a resort group in 2014 and sold almost all the land and infrastructure to Mountain Capital Partners in 2018. Despite selling the resort, the Los Alamos Ski Club maintains strong ties to the mountain and club members actively volunteer for trail clearing and forest maintenance. Despite the long and winding trip up the Mountain, Gayle and I enjoyed the scenery as we drove up the parking lot to take a look. It no longer looks like the family-run operation of years past, but it remains formable and maybe worth a special winter trip to check it out again.

First time skiing, total success! I signed up for a lesson, rentals and a full day lift pass…read more Paid $172 for everything. Started at the rentals, they already had my skis and poles out and labelled, went up and got my boots, made a quick exchange for a size up- ski boots are hard to put on! Then rented a locker for our shoes (which when we came back proved to be unnecessary since everyone just leaves their shoes on the ground) Walked over to the lesson area and got placed in a group of beginners based on our zero skill level. They had a few other groups for those with more experience. We went through a ton of drills- one foot in, then the other, then will both. Worked on pizza/French fry positioning, wedge turns and horizontal climbs. Then headed to the magic carpet- would have been nice to be told what to expect when exiting - just stay loose and upright and walk out when off the belt. With 30 mins left of the lesson, I asked if we were going to go up the beginners lift, the instructor was psyched to take the three of us older kids The instructor slowed the lift for getting on and off to make it easier. Then taught us how to use the wedge turns to navigate down the mountain. Had a great time and feeling super accomplished! Couple notes- I bought ski pants/bib thing, went with a few layers on top with a rain jacket over, good gloves and regular sunglasses. Felt very comfortable and warm and happy I didn't spend any more on gear. For the food, you'll be better off bringing your own cooler. You can eat outside food in the lodge and they don't have alcohol, so if you're looking for a midday beer, you should bring some with you. I should have just got the beginner lift tickets, I wasn't ready after one lesson for anything else Overall great day and would totally come back!

The Ranger was friendly! $20 per car, cash or card. The hike trails are both about 1/4 of a mile…read more Prepare to get your shoes and legs wet if you go through the bottom trail. Top trail has a few steep sections. We spent a little over an hour (hiking both trails). Got some good pictures and enjoyed nature!

This waterfall blew my mind! I didn't know that such a large waterfall existed in NM! I'm so glad…read morewe hiked it, and I'll be back! The water was pretty frigid, but still fun!

A challenging hike, but absolutely worth it!…read more When we went, the parking area had some construction going on, but it was still usable. There are several trails that start from the lot, so it will be used. The construction seems to be to connect this trailhead area to the nearby nature preserve society buildings and educational area. Which, by the way, is the closest restroom facilities. For those that need it... The trail is pretty easy to follow, though at the beginning, I was checking the photo I took of the trails and the AllTrails map. There were a couple confusing and unmarked on maps forks, or small dry creek beds or other areas that look like possible trails. And since part of the Picacho Peak trail is along or in a dry creek bed...it can be a little confusing. But once past that, the trails are pretty clear and well marked. It is challenging. It is in a higher elevation than I am generally used to, and even higher again from Albuquerque. And then you are climbing up a dang mountain. Take your time if you need to, bring more water than you think you'll need, bring snacks for energy at the top of the mountain. And enjoy!! The trail was neat and pretty well-maintained. The views are wonderful! And the other folks who will also make this trek are friendly and kind. Very glad we did it!

The views are so worth the sweat! Trails aren't well marked at trailhead, but gets better as you go…read morealong. Moderate to hard effort and you need to pack ample water. Highly recommend this beautiful hike.

Beautiful place for a hike! We did the moderate level…read moreChamisa trail. It had elevation and rocky sections. Definitely not for beginners. If doing this trail, ensure you are wearing hiking shoes/boots and bring plenty of water.

(September 27):…read more What a great drive! I've always wanted to see the Fall Foliage in Santa Fe. I absolutely loved the breathtakingly refreshing views and crisp air. Every turn was better then the first and there are a few pull outs, nice to take pictures. Can't wait to go back.

We played the Executive course and it was a gem! A fun and challenging 9 holes with good…read moreconditions. Get there early and enjoy the wonderful putting green and driving range. Locals have a great place to play.

Thursday. September 19, 2024. Lunch…read more This restaurant re-opened under new management a while back, after Covid. They get quite a few golfers here, even on weekdays, but I am reviewing the restaurant, the Links Bar and Grill. The hours are Monday through Thursday, from 7 am until 3 pm. Friday through Sunday from 7 am until 5 pm. They seem to do a robust business from nearby workers at animal control, the dump and New Mexico Department of Game and Fish. I stopped here with a co-worker for lunch. He offered to buy my lunch, so I obliged. They were empty as it was after 2 pm. I ordered a shredded beef burrito ($12) smothered in Christmas chile (red and green). Burrito came out fast, less than 5 minutes. Large and filling, but just average taste wise. Red and green chile had no bite. Would have liked it stuffed with a bit more beef. Service was good, large portion would have liked a bit hotter chile.

We had a fun water rafting day with our guide Sparky. This was the first time for our family to…read morewater rafting. Our experience was top notch from reading all the great information they provide on their website, to booking the trip and traveling to the river and back. They even provided a health and delicious snack. I would definitely book another trip. Also, I I thought I booked our trip for the Wednesday we were in town and actually booked it for the following week. We showed up and they were able to accommodate date is for the next day!!!! I can't thank them enough for finding a guide to take us out in short notice.

My group of 12 river rafted with these folks and it was super. 4 hours on the Rio Grande river…read more The guides were terrific. The river was a little bit low which made getting through the rapids challenging age the guides would figure out how to get it done.

During our annual winter road trip from Austin to Taos, we take as many opportunities as possible…read moreto stretch our legs and take in some beautiful New Mexico landscapes, especially after a great local meal. We chose one of the trails at La Tierra because it was near our location after our tasty late lunch at the original Pantry diner and would put us on the correct side of town to easily continue our journey north on Highway 84 to our lodging at Embudo (north of Espanola). From a peek at the trail system map from Santa Fe Conservation Trust (SFCT, https://sfct.org/la-tierra-trails/), it looked like the La Cuchara trailhead (off 599 aka Veteran's Memorial Highway, behind Unity Santa Fe church) would be our best option, as we could access the roughly 3-mile Ridgetop Loop that would give us a bit of elevation gain with lovely views of the mountains in every direction. If you wanna follow our path, start at the trailhead (designated by marker "TH" throughout the park) and proceed through these numbered markers: 24, 21, 17, 16, 14, 12, 11, 25, and back to the trailhead. This was a mild winter Sunday afternoon, with temps in the low-40s, breezy, and partly sunny. There was a bit of leftover snow here and there, but the single-track terrain was primarily sandy and rocky with minimal mud, a good thing, since we were in our street shoes. We encountered only 2 other parties during our 1-hour outing, one guy on a mountain bike, and a couple walking their 4 dogs (off-leash, grrrr, but thankfully, harmless). The La Tierra Trails system has over 25 miles within 1.5k acres and is rated for multi-use by hikers, cyclists, and horses, plus a small section for motorcycles and ATVs at Buckman Track. Trail runners can also enjoy this trail system, with caution for the abundant cacti. Mountain bikers and BMX riders can have extra fun with some technical trail sections, jumps, and terrain obstacles created just for them; they even get an annual event during Santa Fe Bike Month (August) here, the La Tierra Torture race https://www.core-crew.com/la-tierra-torture-4-27 . Good to know: There are no restrooms or other comfort facilities (at least near the trailhead and path we took). We did notice signs about the risk of car break-ins and shattered window glass on the ground, but no one broke into our car while we were on the trail.

We loved hiking out here, nice and secluded, well marked trails that were easy to follow. All the…read moretrail markers had the full map to help you orient. Very good scenery. There were a couple places that were a little steep but most of the trail was very reasonable grade wise. We took a two mile or so loop from the calabasas trailhead, but there are a bunch of different trail heads to start from and options to go. Some are horse and bike friendly, some not. Bring water with you! There isn't any place to get it nearby.

Been there 2 times, and both times we were confronted by the blonde female employee at the front…read moredesk. She was beyond rude and disrespectful both times we've played. Almost to a point of harassment. Overall decent course- but the blonde female employee needs to go.

Beautiful course. Fun and challenging. Course was in great shape. Don't understand all the bad…read morereviews about course employees. Every single employee I came into contact with from pro shop to bar and grill to the starter was polite and helpful. I accidentally left my credit card with the beverage cart employee and they mailed it back to me with no problem. I highly recommend Black Mesa.