Ski Season Opens. . . on Sand Dunes

It’s ski season at Great Sand Dunes National Monument--sand skiing season.

This summer, when the snow-deprived need a downhill fix, the shifting slopes of mountainous sand at the monument, 28 miles northeast of Alamosa in southern Colorado, may satisfy. The monument covers about 39 square miles and crests nearly 700 feet above the grassy plain of the San Luis Valley.

Sturdy, cross-country telemark gear is best suited to skiing the sand dunes. No wax is needed, although some fanatics spray furniture polish on their skis to make them slightly faster. People who ski here often say the sand does little damage to the bottom of skis.

Because there aren’t any chairlifts, most skiers work their way up the steep dunes using backcountry telemark techniques, slowly traversing the face of the mountains in a series of long switchbacks.

Looking down from the crest, the grade can look frighteningly steep, and first-time dune skiers often find themselves a bit intimidated. But they quickly discover that the sand’s high friction makes even suicide steepness manageable. The best slopes are along the Medano Pass Primitive Road where the dunes are tall and close; however, a four-wheel-drive, high-clearance vehicle is needed. Or skiers can hike half a mile or less to nearby dunes from either the “Point of No Return” on the Medano Pass Road or the paved viewpoint parking lot just past the Visitor Center.

Entrance fee to the monument is $4. For more information, contact Great Sand Dunes National Monument, 11500 Highway 150, Mosca, CO 81146; tel. (719) 378-2312.