Neff Mtn Yurt Ski overnight

Neff Yurt overnight ski trip (three nights)
January 25-28 (Sunday thru Wednesday)

SIGN-UP FOR THIS OUTING IS ONLY ON CAMPFIRE, NOT ON MEETUP
https://www.riograndesierraclub.org/calendar/

The Neff Yurt is the easiest Yurt of the Southwest Nordic Center Yurt system. https://southwestnordiccenter.com/yurts/neff-mountain-yurt/
Lots of good info on SW Nordic's web page.
A yurt is a Mongolian dwelling dating back to the times of Marco Polo. It is round with a lattice-work wall, tension cable, compression ring, and conical roof. This simple yet effective design is renowned for its warmth and stability.
The Neff Yurt is at 10,400 on the north side of Neff Mountain. Trailhead is at 9,720. It is a beautiful ski, primarily up logging roads. On Monday and Tuesday, we will take advantage of our close proximity to several bowls and tree skiing, with the potential to ski to the top of the mountain to look down at Cumbres Pass. I have been there almost every year since Doug McLennan put this Yurt in. It is a beautiful area with great powder skiing with many options of difficulty. Overall, it is in an area of low avalanche potential.
No dogs.
No cell service.
No snowshoes (messes up ski track).
Lodging and Food
The Yurt has two bunkbeds and six mattresses; two mattresses go on the floor. You will need to bring your sleeping bag, and a pillow cover or sheet to cover the supplied pillow and mattress cover.
There's a wood stove for heat and a two-burner propane stove for cooking. Each person will bring their own food. Cookware and utensils are provided in the Yurt. Easier to prepare food (like freeze dried) will be facilitate cooking with six participants.
Water is from snow melt. I will bring a water filter; you may want to bring your own too.
As of early mid-December, there is about 1.5 feet of snow, but the snowpack could easily be four or more later in the season. This Yurt is booked just prior to our arrival, so there are likely to be recent tracks into the Yurt. However, I've been there when it snows three feet per day, which very quickly obliterates any tracks.
XC skis only, please. Take your skins along if you have them. Moderate skill level preferred. Trip is rated moderate, but it can be strenuous.
We will plan on leaving the trailhead at 10:30. Under good conditions, it is about a 2-3 hour ski in, however, it can be much longer. It is common to have a totally sunny day, but it is not uncommon to have over two feet of fresh, light snow every day.
Gear highlights

• Headlamp and good batteries
• lightweight snow shovel is a great safety addition. It may also be needed to dig the cars out at the end of the trip.
• Sleeping bag
• If you bring a water bladder, you must take a drink every ten minutes or so, otherwise your tube will freeze up. You can also insulate your tube.
• Minimum 1-quart water bottle.
• Whistle
• Garmin in-reach or similar satellite communication device (optional)
• GPS
• Clothing suitable for winter high-elevation
• Skins (optional but very useful)
• Waxes if using waxable skis
  Before the Trip

1. The Colorado Search and Rescue Card is $5 for a year (COSAR, https://cpw.state.co.us/backcountry-search-and-rescue-program ) is recommended. Unlike NM, Colorado charges for searches and rescues.

Vehicle and Travel

1. If the roads are particularly snowy on our first day, we may opt to stay in Chama the night before. I'll decide Saturday morning how the roads are looking, but they are generally OK (just slower) with moderate snowfall. On clear roads, it is about 2 hours from Santa Fe to Chama, and then another 25 minutes to the trailhead. Some folks may opt to stay in Chama Sunday night regardless of road conditions.

• At a minimum, good tires and chains required -or- snow tires; a 4WD very useful.
• Anticipated departure time 7:30am Sunday, meet behind Market Street on Guadalupe. Stop in Chama to insure we have everyone before heading up the mountain.
  Road Conditions – Snowy Roads, Road Closures
  Heading up to the trailhead, if the highway (CO-17) is closed before we get to the CO-NM border, we will stay in Chama, and ski in the following day. If CO-17 is closed while we are at the Yurt, we may have to stay at the Yurt an additional day. Road closures are not too common, but they do happen. nmroads.com and maps.cotrip.org are the web sites to check road conditions before we go.
  Expense sharing, Liability Release, Medical Information
  We will split the $396.98 Yurt Rental cost among all participants. Vehicle expense and any motel stays in Chama are on your own.
  Two signed liability release forms are required, one for the Sierra Club (when you sign up), and another online for Southwest Nordic Center (I will forward email with link to participants). Medical information form is also required on the Sierra Club signup.