Sandia Snowshoe Classic – Friends of the Sandia Mountains

Announcing the
22^nd Sandia Snowshoe Classic 2026
Saturday, January 24, 2026
– sign up at sandiasnowshoe –

Thursday, 11/27/2025 Page .S016
Copyright (c) 2025 Albuquerque Journal
Click to enlarge image.

Pre-event Updates

December 10, 2025 – Steve Roholt reported: I spent some time shoveling snow and packing with snowshoes with the goal to level out the Upper Switchback Trail. I’m in the process of discussing this issue with Sam. This trail is adopted by the New Mexico Cross Country Ski club and is used for the snowshoe classic. It’s a non-wilderness, multiuser, all-season, official FS trail.

Upper Switchback Trail. Descriptions below. Click to enlarge a photo.

Left photo: Looking up, about 8-12 inches undisturbed snow. Most of this trail is NE exposed and early season sun angle is low. There are a few sun-exposed spots that are a bit thin, but overall trail coverage is very good. Note the canted trail.

Middle photo: Looking down. Shoveled from the back (up) slope to the lower critical edge. Walked through and packed it with snowshoes. In trail lingo it’s benching and backsloping; not dirt but snow.

Right photo: There is ample backslope snow, prevailing winds tend to cause backslope drifting as well. There is a fair amount of canting throughout the trail system. It’s just how the Sandias are at that elevation. The corridor is mostly 6 feet wide.

The idea of this type of snow management is to take from where it’s not needed (above/backslope) and put on the downslope/critical edge. The lower edge of the trail needs to be stable. Shoveling is easier with lighter snow, and shoveling from top to bottom is not as strenuous. It’s generally best to do this early in the season as the packed snow starts a wide, level base. Then when it does snow it generally falls level. Snow gets further consolidated from users (CC skiers and snowshoers) after a few days.

Obviously more snow is better but we have no control over the weather!

Sandia Snowshoe Classic History

FOSM has sponsored this January event under a Forest Service permit since 2001 with cancellations in 2018 (lack of snow) and 2021 (COVID). Registration fees are set to provide modest net income after expenses. Generous sponsors provide refreshments and “swag” for the participants. Registration is limited to 175 participants.

Former director Lou Romero (2014-2017) has published a brief history of the event. The intention has always been that the event be a fun time for participants of all ages and skiils, but elite racers participate.