Hello Skiers,
Michael Arndt and I will lead a Class I-II tour on the Coyote Call Loop Trail on the Valles Caldera National Preserve on Saturday, December 21.
This area is located south of the middle of Valle Grande on the south side of NM-4 in the Jemez Mountains. The length of the tour will be about 3 miles on logging roads with an elevation change of 400 feet. The tour will go east from the
trailhead through meadows and turn uphill along a moderately steep logging road to the saddle between Scooter Peak and Rabbit Ridge. From the saddle, the route turns to the west for about a mile over level and slightly downhill terrain. At the southwest corner
of the loop, the trail descends through meadows and scattered trees with a low grade back to the trailhead. Ascending the east segment is easiest with skins, but they are not required. We have been climbing it without skins in the past couple of winters.
Bring cross country ski equipment, lunch, snacks, drinks, and warm clothes.
At 4 pm today, the Quemazon SNOTEL 708 site at 9500 feet elevation between Valle Grande and Los Alamos was reporting 13 inches of snow with a temperature of 28 F. The elevation of the Coyote Call Loop ranges from 8750 feet to 9150 feet.
Meet at 8 am on the west side of the Target parking lot on the southeast corner of the intersection of Paseo del Norte and I-25N. We will plan to return to ABQ before 5 pm.
If you are planning to ride with another driver, bring $15 for vehicle expenses.
Sam and Michael