I’ve really enjoyed taking a tour back through some of the early (pre LANL) history of Los Alamos. I know you guys have enjoyed this too because I’ve been hearing great positive things about the blog, which is so wonderful! Thanks for that, by the way! It is SO good to hear your stories and comments and shared memories!

However, as we’ve had some pretty interesting “ski hill” moments in our house in the last few weeks, I wanted to give everybody a heads up about some really cool winter programs here in Los Alamos.

I’m not a skier and I didn’t grow up on skis like many of my local friends did. This means I wasn’t taking my kiddos out to ski before they could walk. Not experiencing this activity at an early age means there’s a pretty steep learning curve if someone decides to try it later on. Let’s just say that I really wish I’d taken advantage of some of the programs we have today to teach local kiddos to ski!

Bluebird Ski Camp

The first session of Camp Bluebird at Pajarito Mountain is just wrapping up, but the second session is still to come! The camp teaches kiddos ages 7-12 how to downhill ski. This is a huge camp with tons of participation and a lot of great teaching! Even if you don’t ski, this can be a fantastic opportunity for your kids to give it a try in a fun environment that is likely full of their school friends.

Camp Bluebird has options for skiing and snowboarding. The cost includes the lesson, equipment rental, lunch, and even a season pass for the kiddo! Camp sessions are four weeks long and are only on Saturday. It’s a really great opportunity to get your kiddo started or sharpen up their skills. It might even be a great way for a snowboarder to try skis or vice versa.

If you’re interested in getting your kids into lessons even after Camp Bluebird is done for the season, you’d probably be surprised at the number of options available. Private, group, and even custom groups are available for both skiing and snowboarding. In fact, you could get your kids, your neighbor’s kids, or a whole party of them up there for a custom group lesson. This might actually be the coolest winter thing to do for out of town guests with no ski experience.

Pajarito Mountain has come up with one more interesting way to pick up the sport. Learn to Ski Thursdays and Learn to Ski Spring Break offer a really fun way to experience something new! For folks who have never ever tried skiing or snowboarding, a two hour complimentary lesson is available with lift ticket and equipment rental. Check out the website here for details on this fun thing to do!

Southwest Nordic Ski Club

If downhill skiing seems too limited for you, Cross Country Skiing might be just the thing! Never tried Cross Country, otherwise known as Nordic Track, skiing? No problem. Los Alamos based nonprofit, Southwest Nordic Ski Club, has you covered.

The Southwest Nordic Ski Club originally gained momentum in the 1970s as the Los Alamos Nordic Ski Club. The club mission is focused on promoting the sport of nordic track skiing in the Northern New Mexico and Southern Colorado region. The club is entirely volunteer driven and has created and maintained agreements with the Santa Fe National Forest allowing nordic track skiing access on the Cañada Bonita trail as well as the Guaje Canyon Trail #282. The club maintains the trails in all seasons, grooms the trails in the winter for nordic track and snowshoeing use, and participates in countless stewardship projects to help all users have a more enjoyable trail experience. How cool is that, folks? It’s such a cool thing to be a part of!

The club has a wonderful website with the latest grooming reports as well as information on upcoming lessons, clinics, group ski activities, and more. They also have more information on the SW Nordic Ski Kids program, which actually goes year round. Not only do they have activities to help kids learn and connect with others their own age who enjoy it too, they do the same in summer! On warmer weekends, you can sometimes find the club practicing their skills on the quiet, winding, and sometimes fairly hilly terrain in neighborhoods around Los Alamos!

So if you’re looking for ways to enjoy the wonderful snow we’ve been having lately, check out these two amazing organizations here in Los Alamos. And when you’re ready to join our community here on the Pajarito Plateau, give me a call! I’d love to chat Los Alamos Real Estate with you!