In 1940, there was a small ski area where the road from Santa Fe ended at Big Tesuque Creek. The Forest Service had cut some trails which I skied on in the 60s and 70s when people were skiing Big Tesuque from the top of the Horse's Head. I understand that those trails are still there. This photo was taken near the bottom. These folks had skied into the basin on the Windsor Trail, climbed to the top of the Horse's Head and skied back down to the road.
--Mike Lord
4th generation Santa Fe Gringo.
Saturday, 04 December 2021 21:44
posted by Jay Blackwood
Mike, or anyone else remember where the 2 rope tows ran and where the trails were? Plot on a map? I have a few photos of persons on skis there and a tow photo, but it is hard to place them exactly on map. Trees have filled in a lot of area that was open slope.
Monday, 14 January 2013 01:09
posted by Mike Lord
My mom told me today that the trails mentioned here were cut by my grandfather DeForest Lord, Jack Watson and a US Forest Service ranger whose name she can't recollect, in the early to mid 1930s.
She also related a story about this area when she arrived in Santa Fe in 1946. That winter, she and my father, along with some friends, drove to the end of the road at Big Tesuque Creek. She had been equipped with skis, poles, boots,and clothing. She was 20. She climbed up to the top, looked down, took off her skis and walked to the bottom. She didn’t ski again until she was 40.
