Brazos Cabin Cross Country Ski/Snowshoe Trip
March 2-4, 2007
Trip Leader,
Author
and Trip Report Photos:
Dave Yeamans
Trip
Participants: Don Gettemy and Gracia Coffin, Francesco
Grilli, Kathleen Gruetzmacher, Jan Studebaker, Bill Priedhorsky, and Dave
Yeamans.
Photo Galleries:
Francesco Grilli,
click here,
Jan Studebaker,
click here
Original Club Announcement:
click
here for details
Seven Los Alamos
Mountaineers skied and snowshoed into a cabin maintained by member
David Yeamans between the Brazos Cliffs and the Colorado border.
Some of the crew shoveled a place to park along the private roads
where we launched while others prepared the heavy sleds full of gear
to be pulled by a snowmobile. By about 3:00 all but two of the
travelers had made the 8 1/2 mile trek up 2000 feet or more and were
safe inside the snow covered cabin. A snowmobile "rescue" was
indicated for the others so we dispatched the sag wagon and brought
them up the last four miles or so. One crash with trivial injuries
provided plenty of excitement for that contingent.
Our wonderful
accommodations at about 10,000 feet.
We spent the next
day skiing in the area. The snow was over the tops of
all the fence posts and there were slopes, gullies, canyons, meadows,
and every other terrain that can be skied. We cut a lot of turns and
wore ourselves out thoroughly. That made the evening's meal of
enchiladas and Spanish rice all the more meaningful....green chiles and a
good appetite. And don't forget the chocolate cake.
Jan viewing our groups
tracks.
The trip was planned for
ten people but we agreed that seven or eight is more like the number
that can easily fit into the well-appointed cabin. There were enough
chores to go around: shoveling a path to the outhouse, taking off the
window covers, keeping a fire going, cooking, and cleaning. Everybody
pitched in and we even had time left to relax and play cards.
Ascending an unnamed
high spot for an excellent view,
and a fun downhill ski.
Early to bed and "early"
to rise worked for us but in zero-degree weather we were happy to wait
until about 9:30 to hit the trail home. It is a fun ski down for about
half the trip where the snow is deep and soft but as we lose elevation
the snow gets thinner and harder making a controlled descent very
taxing. But everybody got down without injury. Even so, the snowmobiler
was doing a mother hen routine just to make sure.
Lessons
learned:
-
It's OK to
snowshoe but having a ski option also would be good for next
time,
-
The window covers have
4 bolts, not 3....don't rip off the cover or you'll break it,
-
Let your passengers
walk the last 200 yards to the cabin,
-
Snowmobiles can be
blamed for anything and they don't resent it,
-
The greatest luxury in
a winter camp is liquid water so bring plenty,
-
The 'library' cafe in
Chama offers belly dancing classes.
This trip is likely to
become an annual or even semi-annual one for the club based on the
smiles we all wore at the end of it. Thanks for coming along.
