Sandia Mountains, New Mexico

Looking down from the ridge over another lower ridgeline, the flat town of Albuquerque, and further mountains in the Sandia Range.  The town is 5000 feet below the ridgeline.  Awesome views!

I took my first road trip in my new Mazda CX5!  I drove to visit Cousin Dean in the mountains just west of Albuquerque,  an easy drive from Longmont on I-25.
And I plan to see old neighbors now living near Santa Fe too.  

I heart travel.

 

Today Dean and I went snowshoeing in the Sandia mountains in the Cibola National Park,  in the sunshine!  Albuquerque sits on the east side of the mountains and from the ridge you can look down on the city,  5000 feet below.  It's breathtaking!

From one ridge with a CCC stone Hut on top,  you can hike along another ridge to the tram and ski lift.  It's a long way down.

Photo borrowed from a trails website...so you can see the hut at the top of the ridge at 10,500 feet.  We assume it was built to house hikers since it had two fireplaces.  

From the city you can take a tram to the top of the mountain and to the top of the ski area there, and to the snowshoe trails.    In summer you can hike and backpack in the Sandias. Loved it!

Snowshoeing along the ridgeline above Albuquerque. 

On the far left, at the top of that ridge, is the Civilian Conservation Corp hut from 1936.  We travelled over the snow from there to the top of the tram and ski area.