The San Luis Valley Outdoor Report for the week of Dec. 19, 2023. This report is updated following each recording of The Outdoor Citizen podcast.
The most recent episode of The Outdoor Citizen podcast featured San Juan Nordic Club president Laura Conchelos and trail groomer Marvin Hatton. There’s a lot of outdoor recreation to be had, but one of the staples in the San Luis Valley is nordic and cross country skiing. It’s an equitable and cheap way to get outside during the winter. Conchelos and host Marty Jones talked about trail access, shared trails, how to get started cross country skiing, and upcoming events that the San Juan Nordic club has coming up in December and into the new year. Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts.
OUTDOOR FIELD REPORT
Check out our latest outdoor field report from Ken Marquez, who spent a sunny day ice fishing this past weekend at Beaver Reservoir.
Whether you’re walking or biking the local trails or climbing mountains, hunting and fishing, or just sitting in your backyard, it’s easy to be an Outdoor Field Correspondent. All you have to do is record an audio file on your phone and send it to us. We wouldn’t mind seeing a photo or video along with it, too. You can email info@alamosacitizen.com or text the audio file and photo to 720-891-6759 with a brief description and your name for credit.
WINTER CONDITIONS
We’ve had some good snow on the Valley floor here in December, but snowpack in the Upper Rio Grande remains at 59 percent of normal.
According to the US Drought Monitor, the San Luis Valley is the only place in Colorado that is experiencing major drought.
SKI AREAS
Wolf Creek hasn’t seen much snow this past week, reporting a 27-inch summit base. A slight chance of snow is possible Wednesday night going into Thursday.
Monarch Mountain has received less than half a foot of snow this past week and is reporting a base depth of 23 inches. Snow showers are also possible for Wednesday night.
Taos Ski Valley is sitting with only a 20 inch base depth with a week ahead of mostly sunny skies.
AVALANCHE CONDITIONS
Avalanche danger for Tuesday, Dec. 19, in the Southern San Juans is MODERATE right now. According to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center, it is getting harder to trigger avalanches, but it’s not out of the question. If you were to trigger an avalanche, it would be on the west to the northwest through southeast-facing slopes where cohesive slabs of snow rest on top of weak buried layers in the middle and bottom of the snowpack. Avalanches could be triggered without warning signs, such as cracking or collapsing, or after multiple people travel on the same slopes. Shallow areas near exposed rocks, on the backside of steep rollovers, and below cliffs are common trigger spots for avalanches. Stick to lower-angled slopes without steep slopes overhead or specific southerly slopes for safer travel options.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Here’s a look at some events in December and January:
Tuesday, Dec. 26, is the San Juan Nordic Club’s Full Moon Ski at Big Meadows.
Monarch Mountain will have Santa hitting the slopes on Christmas Day, then on New Years Eve there will be an uphill climbing race.
An ice fishing tournament is set for Saturday, Jan. 13, at Mountain Home, from 6 am to about noon. It costs $35 to pre-register, or $40 on the day of the tournament. All proceeds go to support military veterans of the San Luis Valley.
The annual Rio Frio Ice Fest is set for the weekend of Jan. 26-28. The event lineup includes the San Juan Nordic Club’s Evening Luminaria X-country Ski at the Blanca Vista Park in Alamosa on Friday, Jan. 26.
And then the Rio Frio 5K run at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 27. You can register at rioraces.com.
OUTDOOR NEWS
The possibility of a white Christmas in the San Luis Valley remains with cloud cover expected throughout the Christmas weekend. A storm system is working its way toward Denver and may make travel difficult. If you plan on flying out of DIA, be sure to keep an eye on the weather and plan ahead for your holiday travels. The best way to stay up to date on road conditions is at COtrip.org.
Gray wolves are back in Colorado. Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials released five Oregon gray wolves in Grand County on Monday. The three male and two female wolves are the first of their kind in Colorado for the first time in more than 80 years. These five animals will be the start to the restoration of their species in Colorado. CPW plans on capturing up to 10 more wolves and releasing them in Colorado by March 2024. Each wolf will be fitted with a GPS collar and monitored regularly. Here is a full report with videos and photographs from the Dec. 18 release.
Kit Carson peak is one of the latest in Colorado to potentially undergo a name change. The Colorado Geographic Naming Advisory Board will undertake a series of new name changes in their January meeting, including Kit Carson. We’ll track this story in the new year.
On a final note, Happy Trails to Sharon Vaughn who is leaving the San Luis Valley after 8 ½ years of service to the San Luis Valley National Wildlife Refuge. Her friendly nature, can-do attitude, work ethic and dedication to public service will be missed by those who worked with her. A farewell celebration will be held on Thursday, Jan. 4, from 2-4 p.m. at the SLV National Wildlife Refuge Complex, 7824 El Rancho Lane in Alamosa.