Pajarito Mountain Ski Area
Encyclopedia
Pajarito Mountain Ski Area (Pajarito) is located on the north face of Pajarito Mountain, one of the Jemez Mountains
in north central New Mexico
, west of Los Alamos
. It is located on 850 acres (3.4 km²) of privately owned land. The Los Alamos Ski Club (LASC), a non-profit organization, owns and operates Pajarito. A typical season runs from Christmas to early April, but an outstanding season may run from Thanksgiving to late April. Pajarito currently does not have snowmaking
, but a proposal to provide this capability was approved by the LASC membership and a snowmaking system is currently under construction. It is planned to start producing snow in late 2010. Season passes are available with discounts available for early season purchase.
In summer, Pajarito hosts numerous special events, many involving mountain biking
. An extensive network of single and double track mountain bike trails criss-cross the mountain, including a new singletrack trail going to the summit. There also are hiking trails, and horse riding is permitted everywhere except on the mountain bike trails. Adjacent to Pajarito is a Los Alamos County campground, Camp May; Santa Fe National Forest; and Valles Caldera National Preserve.
and was first associated with the area by the archeologist Edgar Lee Hewett
who was in turn inspired by Tsirege, which means "bird place" in the Tewa language
. Tsirege
is a prominent archaeological site located on property owned by Los Alamos National Laboratory
.
Jemez Mountains
The Jemez Mountains are a volcanic group of mountains in New Mexico, United States. The highest point in the range is Chicoma Mountain at an elevation of 11,561 feet . The town of Los Alamos and Los Alamos National Laboratory adjoin the eastern side of the range while the town of Jemez Springs...
in north central New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, west of Los Alamos
Los Alamos, New Mexico
Los Alamos is a townsite and census-designated place in Los Alamos County, New Mexico, United States, built upon four mesas of the Pajarito Plateau and the adjoining White Rock Canyon. The population of the CDP was 12,019 at the 2010 Census. The townsite or "the hill" is one part of town while...
. It is located on 850 acres (3.4 km²) of privately owned land. The Los Alamos Ski Club (LASC), a non-profit organization, owns and operates Pajarito. A typical season runs from Christmas to early April, but an outstanding season may run from Thanksgiving to late April. Pajarito currently does not have snowmaking
Snowmaking
Snowmaking is the production of snow by forcing water and pressurized air through a "snow gun" or "snow cannon", on ski slopes. Snowmaking is mainly used at ski resorts to supplement natural snow. This allows ski resorts to improve the reliability of their snow cover and to extend their ski...
, but a proposal to provide this capability was approved by the LASC membership and a snowmaking system is currently under construction. It is planned to start producing snow in late 2010. Season passes are available with discounts available for early season purchase.
In summer, Pajarito hosts numerous special events, many involving mountain biking
Mountain biking
Mountain biking is a sport which consists of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, using specially adapted mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes, but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and performance in rough terrain.Mountain biking can...
. An extensive network of single and double track mountain bike trails criss-cross the mountain, including a new singletrack trail going to the summit. There also are hiking trails, and horse riding is permitted everywhere except on the mountain bike trails. Adjacent to Pajarito is a Los Alamos County campground, Camp May; Santa Fe National Forest; and Valles Caldera National Preserve.
Origin of the name
Pajarito means "little bird" in SpanishSpanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
and was first associated with the area by the archeologist Edgar Lee Hewett
Edgar Lee Hewett
Edgar Lee Hewett, D.Sc., was an archaeologist/anthropologist active in work on the Native American communities of New Mexico and the southwestern United States, and most famous for his role in bringing about the Antiquities Act, a pioneering piece of legislation for the conservation movement...
who was in turn inspired by Tsirege, which means "bird place" in the Tewa language
Tewa language
Tewa is a Kiowa–Tanoan language spoken by Pueblo people, mostly in the Rio Grande valley in New Mexico north of Santa Fe. The 1980 census counted 1,298 speakers, almost all of whom are bilingual in English...
. Tsirege
Tsirege
Tsirege is a classic Anasazi Pueblo archaeological site located north of Pajarito Road about one mile west of White Rock, New Mexico on property owned by Los Alamos National Laboratory...
is a prominent archaeological site located on property owned by Los Alamos National Laboratory
Los Alamos National Laboratory
Los Alamos National Laboratory is a United States Department of Energy national laboratory, managed and operated by Los Alamos National Security , located in Los Alamos, New Mexico...
.
History
Pajarito Mountain first opened on 23 November 1957 with no toilets, no water, no grooming, no modern lifts and a few short slopes. The Aspen run received a T-bar for the 1962-1963 season. An additional 400 acres (1.6 km²) of land were purchased in the late 1960s and the first chairlift installed on the Spruce run for the 1969-1970 season. A similar two person chairlift was installed on the Big Mother run for the 1976-1977 season. A beginners lift was installed for the 1981-1982 season, and a triple chairlift replaced the T-bar for the following 1982-1983 season. Construction of the new Ski Lodge began in the summer of 1987 and was finished for the 1988-1989 season. A quad chairlift was completed in 1994 for the Townsight run.Elevation
- Base: 9000 ft (2,743.2 m). / 2,743 m
- Lodge elevation: 9200 ft (2,804.2 m). / 2,804 m
- Summit: 10440 ft (3,182.1 m). / 3,182 m
- Vertical Rise: 1440 ft (438.9 m). / 439 m
Trails
- Skiable Area: 280 acres (1.1 km²)
- Trails: 40 total (20% beginner, 50% intermediate, 30% advanced/expert)
Facilities
- Equipment Rental
- Retail
- Cafe
- Snowsports School
- Ski Patrol: Volunteer, NSP affiliated
