Sandia Snowshoe Classic

21st Sandia Snowshoe Classic 2025
Saturday, January 18, 2025

Click to enlarge map. Download the GPX file for the course here.
Click to watch an 8-minute video summary of the event.
Click to access Albuquerque Journal feature about the event including 7 great photos by Eddie Moore.

Paul Karas served as course marshal at position #3, the intersection of South Crest and Switchback Trails as the runners proceeded downhill toward Ellis Trailhead. Paul shared 94 photos that he took. The first runners arrived at his station just under three minutes after the start of the event at; 11:00:00. Time (hhmmss) is shown at the bottom of a photo. Thanks, Paul! Snowshoers, enjoy finding yourselves.

Paul’s station #3
Karl Walczak and Brian Hutsel passing at 11:02:57
Brantley Lutz passing at 11:03:13

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Full-resolution copies of Paul’s photos can be found here. File names indicate the date/time the photos were taken.

Stefan Martin served as course marshal at a position near Ellis Trailhead where the course starts back uphill (see map below). Stefan shared 232 photos taken at this station that appear below in order of runners’ times of arrival at the station shown at the bottom of the photo (hhmmss). Thanks, Stefan!

Course near Ellis TH
Brian Hutsel passing at 11:05:19
Michelle Hummel and Mark Kevan passing at 11:05:29

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Full-resolution copies of Stefan’s photos can be found here. All photos taken by Stefan during the event can be found here.

Top male finishers: 2nd – Brantley Lutz (27:13); 1st – Karl Walczak (25:20); 3rd – Brian Hutsel (27:38). These three finished in same order last year. Photo credit: Cliff Giles
Race Director Mike Madden with top female finishers:
2nd – Erin Castillo (34:12); 1st and 2nd overall – Michelle Hummel (27:07). Third place finisher Katie Herman (39:10) unavailable. Photo credit: Silke Bletzer

All race results available here.

Special thanks to our partners and sponsors.

Cottonwood Classical Preparatory School. Photo credit: Stefan Martin
Cibola Search and Rescue. Photo credit: Stefan Martin

Sandia Snowshoe Classic History

Former and current event directors – Jeff Young (2001-2005), Lou Romero (2014-2017), Steve Roholt (2019-2020), Mike Madden (2022-present)

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 and some pointed out a couple of years ago that the course was a little short of a 5K (3.2 miles) race. Because of this, we stopped calling it the Sandia Snowshoe Race and began referring to it as the Sandia Snowshoe Classic. Nonetheless, in 2024 we lengthened the course to a full 5K using a section of the Tram service road and hired professional timing experts and their equipment.

Early Years

Newspaper article and T-shirt from 2001 event
Newspaper article and T-shirt from 2002 event
Newspaper article from 2003 event
Newspaper articles and T-shirt from 2004 and 2005 events both labeled as fourth annual. Was 2004 event canceled?

Recent Years

Photos and videos from can be accessed by clicking on a photo below.

2019 – Michelle leads the pack on Switchback Trail
2020 – Racers Rarin’ to go
2022 – Happy racers
2023 – They’re off!
2024 – Rounding the new turn on service road
Click to watch KOB 4 interview Michelle Hummel and Karl Walczak, winners of the 2023, 2024, and 2025 events.

for recent winter pictures from the mountain see: Sandia Mountains Winter Scenes