Spring is always the time of birth and for some rebirth? Being interested in all things outdoors I have had the great fortune of watching a Mourning Dove nesting just outside my window for the past few days. Whether she can avoid the natural selection of the nesting site she chose is to be determined? We will see and keep you posted.

New Mexico Rain when mixed with high country snow tends to get those skirt wearing paddlers out the door early with the recent rain we may be finally giving way to paddling season on the Rio Grande and the Chama River. I woke this morning thinking about river gauges and what they would be up too? We are probably going to have a flash peak on the Rio as it is rumored Colorado has let there quota of drippings come over the state line. Presently the Rio is flowing at 1440 cfs. but I expect to see it peak here pretty quick. The Chama is flowing at 1800cfs. and may or may not continue to flow depending on the release from El Vado Damn. If you have been thinking about slipping into your skirt and strapping on the Tupperware, this should be an excellent weekend for the boaters.

Thanks Mark and Bob for putting up this great resource for back country travelers. If you are interested in Avalanche conditions and snow pack data for the Northern New Mexico region, this is great place to look. If you are an active and knowledgeable BC Skier in Northern New Mexico, please share your findings from your own snow studies. See you in the Back Country.
Check out Northern New Mexico Avalanche Exchange.
Knowledge is Power!

Hurray , The long awaited arrival of the Sierra Clubs 6th addition of Day Hikes in Santa Fe is out and it definetly worth upgrading. The New Book is greatly improved and "every hike is accompanied by an easy-to-use map, courtesy of Local hiker Greg Ohlsen.

Drop By Sangre de Cristo Mountain Works today and pick up the new and improved copy of Day Hikes in Santa Fe. "A new life for a must have book if you live in Santa Fe" says owner of Sangre de Cristo Mountain Works ,Kent Little.

Wow , the store is loaded for spring and summer and we are looking forward to hitting the trail with you. This years season brings more emphasis in the outdoor gear world on reducing

weight. The development of new fabric technologies like silicone impregnated high denier materials has enabled every day backpacker's, ultra-light packer's and hikers to lighten their load considerably. The Ultra-light phenomenon has given birth to products in almost every category of the industry that are benchmarks for the new millennium of outdoors exploration. Through the inception of lighter gear, outdoor athletes are able to push the limits of their respective sports to places never explored. In choosing to go this route the consumer is perhaps trading some durability and should expect to pay higher prices for the products represented in this category.

Ultralight gear spans all categories and can serve to reduce one's back country load by up to 20%. If you are looking for great gear in this realm, here are a few of our best selling products: Check out the Jet-Boil cooking system weighing in at 15 oz or 425 g and generating 4500BTU's, this baby will roll two cups of water
( the exact amount needed for a freeze dried meal) in about two minutes. The Jet Boil is a canister stove and pot system that fits neatly together for a compact light weight cooking system.
Another great system to check out is from Snow Peak. The Snow Peak Ti Giga Power Stove is the lightest and smallest high out put canister stove. The Ti Gigapower weighs in at an amazing 3Oz's and fits in the chest pocket of your jacket. A great choice for speedy alpine ascents or fast packing. The Ti Giga Power is cheap at $74.95 and provides the high velocity athlete with a quick and easy means of reaching a boil.
Stoves are not the only thing that is getting lighter. The trend has spread from traditional hard good categories through tents, Packs, Bags, Apparel and footwear too. Some great weight savings tent products to check out are the Seed House Series from Big Agnes and the Ultralight tents from Mountain Hardwear like the Airjet 2, another in store favorite. The Big Agnes Seed House SL series of tents are ideal for solo backpackers, thru-hikers, touring cyclists and other lightweight disciples. The all mesh tent body provides great ventilation and the full coverage fly offers protection from the elements. Free-standing with a hub-pole system, one person can set these tents up in minutes. Our Super light tents are the lightest, roomiest, free-standing, double wall tents around. The Mountain Hardwear Airjet™ 2 and 3 are full-size, well ventilated, backpacking tents for two or three people. Winner of Outside Magazine’s coveted Gear of the Year Award, Airjet's tip the scales at about half the weight of typical tents this size thanks to Atlas Scandium SL poles and a light, single-wall canopy that incorporates our exclusive CrossFlow™ ventilation system for comfortable airflow and reduced interior condensation. Guaranteed watertight construction. Most interesting in design are probably the latest Flight Series tents from The North Face. We are currently stocking and digging the North Face Spectrum 33. The Spectrum 33 Weight : [trail] 4 lbs 5 oz (1.96 kg) [total] 4 lbs 12 oz (2.17 kg) is a great lightweight fast packing tent for group situations or for the packer who likes to bring the dog along. Whatever you do when you are buying a tent make sure to set it up in store and get inside, you may have to spend extended periods inside and inf the space does not suit you, you will be uncomfortable.
In light weight packs, we are currently big fans of the Atmos Series from Osprey packs as well as there latest release in Talon Packs for the super light utility category. For people looking for an excellent and super light pack which does not compromise on stability or durability the Atmos 65 brings our lightweight AirSpeed Suspension, contoured mesh backpanel and waffle foam harness and hipbelt to multi-day backpacking. With a strong 10mm aluminum frame with titanium flex struts and thicker harnessing, you won't be disappointed with the comfort of this well-featured pack.
If you are looking to bag multiple peaks in a day but need as much volume as the atmos check out the Talon 33 from Osprey it is the most versatile pack in its series, meeting the needs of everyone from the expert light and fast backpacker to hardcore do-it-in-a-day alpinists. Easy top loading and a floating top pocket keep you organized and on the move.
Whatever you do heavy or light remember to support your local mountain shop because shopping locally is thinking globally. email info@sdcmountainworks.com for more information. Peace.

With plenty of water coming down from the mountains New Mexico Game and Fish is preparing for the Santa Fe Youth Fishing Derby this Saturday. Game and Fish is said to be stocking about five hundred Rainbow Trout in the river and damming up pools for the derby on Saturday the 19th 2007. This should be a great event for kids to get out and enjoy the Santa Fe River which has been running with a steady flow for most of the spring. Children under the age of twelve can fish for free and adults can also fish after acquiring a legal state fishing licence. Thanks to Santa Fe Youth Corps a local not for profit for building the pools and providing the time and energy to positively support Santa Fe's Youth. Grab a pole and a line as this should be a really great family day. Visit our Friends at High Desert Angler or the Reel Life for Licences and more information.

I want to thank my good freind Hansi Johnson for inspiring me to Blog again via his amazing site Universal Klister. Have a good day!

I was recently reading some industry statistics and was disappointed to find out that campsite visits in the US have diminished by 100,000,000 visits over the past five years. As an outdoor retailer I am shocked and a bit unnerved as this statistic is a costly one. One could surmise that the decline in visits is directly proportionate to a decline in America's activity level. Are we too connected to our technology, the web and the television? Have we lost our way as a society? Unplug your self and get outdoors or you might join the ranks of Americans who are sitting in line in there cars at the thunderbutt cafe texting there order to the cashier as they slowly turn themselves into whale meat. For more information check out: http://www.outdoorindustry.org/webnewsimages/webnewsMay26.htm

I started this blog with the greatest intentions and now find myself coming back after too many months to share my words. Spring is upon us in New Mexico and the water is chugging in the rivers and ditches. It is the one in ten year for Spring skiing . Reports form the high country are flowing into the shop on a daily basis with tales of skiing Nambe chutes, and the North Chutes on Santa Fe Baldy ( A rare May occurence). Recently local back country fanatic and ski patroller Bob Lee shared some of these awesome ski shots in pictures.....No drooling please. The New Mexico backcountry is remote but filled with alpine pleasure and the remote nature leaves most shots untracked. Back country ski information in New Mexico is available on our site at www.sdcmountainworks.com
Hit the Backcountry while it lasts I think we only have another few weeks of bc skiing. Peace out and free your heel..........your mind may follow.