DRIVEN TO RIDE '05 - ANGEL FIRE, NM

“I swore I saw a freebird fly, soaring the winds of a southern sky.”

Continuing our powder quest across the western States, we decided to follow a fast-moving storm to New Mexico in search of new terrain and fresh tracks. After a quick stop at a mini-mart to pick up Snakes, bottle rockets, and other hazardous explosives (you can’t get this stuff in CA in February), it was off to Angel Fire. The road leading to the resort was covered in snow, which created havoc in the RV as everyone rushed to get their gear on. We pulled into the parking lot, grabbed our boards, and scurried up to the first visible lift. However, upon arriving at the Chile Express chair, a liftee recommended, “You guys should get on the shuttle.” Showing such confidence as he spoke, we figured this guy had to know what he was talking about, so we made a mad dash to get the last three spots. Then it was a mellow drive up to the western side of the resort, where we strapped in and hopped on the Southwest Flyer chair, one of the resort’s two high-speed quads. It was almost eerie, in a good way though, to see no tracks anywhere and to only be followed by 15-or-so people. There were countless “Ohhs” and “Ahhs” on the chair up as we looked at all the possibilities and options. Although we were on one of the first chairs, when you see the conditions just right, it’s all too easy to get panicky, and to think to yourself, “So many options, so little time.”

Like three ADD-stricken kids on a Pop Rocks diet, no one made any attempt to comment or discuss where to go and instead just pointed it downhill. Somehow we ended up on El Sol, a blue run that wasn’t too steep but so much fun with its foot or so of fresh. The raddest thing had to be all the built-up snow on the sides of the run, which were ripe for slashing.