March 11-13, 2005

Cosima and I, and six friends spent three wonderful days in and around the "Bull of the Woods" pasture near New Mexico's famous Taos Ski Area.  This area is part of the "Columbine/Hondo Wilderness Study Area".  Our accommodations consisted of a Yurt designed for a maximum of 10 people.  Thus, we ate and slept at close to 11,000 feet.

Nearing the summit of Gold Hill

The Yurt was quit warm due to great insulation and a blazing wood stove.  The kitchen was very basic, but allowed us to create near gourmet quality food.  Don Gettamy was our highly competent chef, as well as our trip leader.  The rest of us took turns with kitchen help, and chores.

The skiing was typical of high altitude New Mexico Spring skiing ....dense, sometimes wet snow and ice, 50 mph winds, and beautiful New Mexico sunshine.  We had the entire area to ourselves; we saw no others except in the ski area parking lot where we found the trailhead to the Yurt, and a steep two mile ski/backpack.

The mountains above the Yurt were glorious.  Gracia Coffin and Cosima played on and around "Bull of the Woods Mountain", while Don, Bill Priedhorsky, Martin Staley, and I spent most of our time getting up and down 12,700 foot "Gold Hill".  Mark Zander and Leslie Champ alone braved the East face of Gold Hill and telemarked to Goose Lake at 11, 600 feet, then bushwhacked back to the Yurt.

We were fortunate to have seen a herd of Rocky Mountain Big Horn Sheep near the top.  Unfortunately they stayed their distance, making photos rather non-spectacular.  The camp robbers at the Yurt  were amusing as always!