59 WINTER 2021 ISSUE 02 / VOL . 02 SNOWGOER . COM
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The Endless Playgrounds Of CHAMA
So , I fell in line . Sort of . I also booked a ticket and traveled more than 1,000 south . But the beach was not on my agenda : I was going to the high country of one of our most southern states – to ride sleds !
The logic seems stretched , especially when my plane landed in Albuquerque , New Mexico , on this particular Sunday afternoon . It was so warm , I was tempted to upgrade to a convertible at the Hertz counter . Driving north toward my destination of Chama , New Mexico , with my left arm out the open window , the bright red , orange and brown rock formations of central and northern New Mexico made for an entertaining drive . I was assured earlier in the week that great riding lay ahead , but I ’ d be lying if I said doubt wasn ’ t creeping in when I entered the town of Chama three hours later and still hadn ’ t seen a single sign of anything that didn ’ t look like summer .
“ You have any snow in the mountains around here ?” I asked in the welcome center on the south edge of Chama ( population : 1,199 ).
“ Oh sure ,” the lady behind the counter said with a smile . “ Just north and east of town .”
What waited for me , I found , were some of the best high-mountain playgrounds I ’ ve ever seen . The riding area around Chama features a fantastic series of wide meadows and easy-tohandle hillclimbs , most found above 9,000 feet in altitude .