Dune-Hill Skiing The Mountains Of Sand Of Colorado’s Great Sand Dunes National Monument Offer A Perfect Fix For Snow-Deprived Downhill Zealots

Outdoor aficionados might be divided in to two factions - winter people and summer people. Winter people are those who live for the season when snow blankets the land. Their idea of nirvana is a white-clad peak where they can don skis and carve turns down endless runs. Summer people, on the other hand, prefer warm days, sunshine and playing on sand. True winter zealots also relish those things - but only with their skis on.

For the snow-deprived in need of a downhill fix, the soft, shifting slopes of mountainous sand dunes seductively beckon like the song of the Sirens. The loftier the mound, the better the ski downhill, and for those bold enough to challenge the highest, the Mount McKinley of dunes rises in southern Colorado at Great Sand Dunes National Monument, tallest sand pile in North America.

On a cold January day in 1807, explorer Zebulon Montgomery Pike first gazed upon this vast, wind-sculpted topography of sharp-edged ridges, pointed peaks and soft valleys. He described their appearance as being “exactly that of the sea in a storm, except for color.”

This choppy ocean of toast-brown sand covers approximately 39 square miles and crests nearly 700 feet above the flat, grassy plain of the San Luis Valley. The cool, forested peaks of the angular Sangre de Cristo Mountains provide a lofty backdrop to the warm, undulating sand. Few plants mar the barren surface, making them perfect for dune-hill skiing.

Every year, a small group of fanatics from the Colorado Mountain Club descend on the monument for a wild weekend of dancing down dunes. They probably cause bewilderment among the Winnebago crowd when their vehicles blitz in to the campground with ski-filled rooftop racks. Occupying a few adjoining sites, they establish camp and, after a preparatory night of mirth and merriment, arise at the crack of mid-morning, devour a leisurely brunch, then load their four-wheel-drives for the short spin to the sandy slopes.

Their preferred terrain lies along the Medano Pass Primitive Road. Conventional cars can negotiate its first mile to a small parking area, aptly called the “Point of No Return.” Beyond, only four-wheeldrive vehicles with high clearance have a chance of remaining unmired in the sandy ruts that pretend to be a road.

The route parallels Medano Creek on the eastern edge of this unusual Rocky Mountain sandbox, formed with the help of the Rio Grande River. For millenniums, the stream deposited sand, silt and sediments along the nearly flat floor of the San Luis Valley. As the channel shifted, abandoned residues became exposed to the prevailing southwesterly breezes. In a process called saltation, the wind picks up these grains and hops them along, a few inches at a time. On the eastern edge of the valley, a combination of steep grades and downward alpine drafts from the Sangre de Cristos prevents the sand from traveling farther. Unable to advance, it simply piles up.

Since wet particles do not travel far, Medano Creek forms a natural barrier to the saltation process. Sand migrates up the windward in clines, then avalanches down a massive slip face toward the creek. Here, the dunes are high and steep, very nearly at a 34-degree angle of repose. Close access makes them an ideal target for heavily laden skiers.

After a couple of miles of four-wheel fishtailing, the Mountain Club group reaches its favorite site, the popular Castle Creek picnic area where Medano Creek flows between the road and the dunes, 200 yards away. Along the brook’s eastern bank, trees and grasses proliferate in the sandy soil, but just across its shallow flow, the nude face of a mammoth dune juts skyward. Only a few pioneering prairie sunflowers and some Indian ricegrass survive on a low northerly arm.

The area already teems with frolicking visitors when the group arrives. Toddlers dig in the flat, damp sand along the creek. Older children drag plastic sleds up the steep dunes, then scream down. Many parents, shaking off years of stifling maturity, romp and roll with their kids.

The skiers join the party-in-progress after schlepping equipment across the creek. They drop packs and ice chests into a temporary base camp, then eagerly mount skis. Since sand messes up sensitive alpine bindings, and because there aren’t any chair lifts, most choose telemark equipment. To reach the top, they employ standard cross-country diagonal-stride technique, slowly traversing the face of the dune in a series of occasional switchbacks. At least 20 minutes pass before the first skier’s head pops up atop the hill, hundreds of feet above.

From the crest, the grade looks amazingly steep. First-time dune skiers, accustomed to slippery snow, find themselves a bit intimidated. But they quickly discover that the sand’s high friction makes even suicide steepness manageable.

After a brief rest and a drink of water, the first skier peels off and shoots downward. Another follows, then another. In a ballet of elegant S-shaped patterns, they descend slowly at first, gradually picking up speed.

The group slithers down using classic telemark turns, widely considered to be the highest level of cross-country skiing. To change direction, the practitioner lunges gracefully into the fall line, advancing one foot forward with the rear knee bent straight down, almost touching the ski. Arced across the gradient, the forward edge pushes hard against the giving surface. The sand loudly groans against the forces like the deep growl of distant thunder. Poles dig in for balance. As the skier’s course changes, a rooster tail of displaced sand shoots behind, offering a gauge of speed for those admiring the action from below.

Sand on the eastern edge of the dunes comes from two sources. That blown in from San Luis Valley is fine and smooth from constant impacts along the distant route. Coarser granules come from the nearby Sangre de Cristos. The combination yields variable conditions that frequently grab the unwary. While skiers love the kamikaze exhilaration of flying down endless slopes of “quicksand,” those unexpectedly hitting a patch of slower grains often execute teeth-gritting face plants.

Too often, the unfortunate casualty launches headfirst downward, legs and skis flailing in the air. Sand flies. When it settles, victims find themselves coated with grit, and their eyes, mouths, nostrils, ears, and pockets filled with sand. Just as the happiness of motorcycle riders can be judged by the number of bugs on their teeth, skiers’ bravado can be measured by how closely they resemble moving sand sculptures upon reaching the bottom.

After dusting off at the completion of each run, the group reassembles at the base, pops beverages from waiting coolers and relaxes with a well-deserved break. Then, they toil up the hill and do it again. As the day wears on, the pauses become longer, and the fervor diminishes for yet another slog up the dune. The flaming diehards keep at it, but others in the group surrender to sore knees, aching backs and fatigue. One by one, these formerly avid winter people remove skis, shed clothing, spread blankets and kick back on the sand.

They start to look and act just like summer people.

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: IF YOU GO Getting There Great Sand Dunes National Monument lies in southern Colorado, 38 miles northeast of Alamosa. When to Go Great Sand Dunes National Monument is open year-round and each season offers something special. Winters are cool (average daytime highs of about 35 degrees), and perfect for dune hiking since moisture frozen in the sand solidifies footing. Warmer temperatures and the first wildflowers arrive with spring. An elevation of 8,200 feet makes summers pleasant with an average high of only 81 degrees. Autumn invites with warm days, golden colors and fewer visitors. All are good for the dune-hill skiing. Lodging Alamosa offers an array of motels including the Alamosa Super 8 (2505 Main Street, 719-589-6447, from $39) and the Days Inn (224 O’Keefe Parkway, 719-589-9037, from $43). There is no lodging at the monument. Camping Pinyon Flats Campground in the monument offers sites on an unreserved basis at $8 per night. Great Sand Dunes Oasis (719-378-2222), located just outside the main entrance, has tent sites starting at $9 per night and full RV hookups at $14 per night, all with showers included. Supplies and tours Great Sand Dunes Oasis sells gas, groceries, ice, beer, snacks, gifts, and souvenirs. From May through September, they offer daily four-wheel-drive tours of the dunes for $14 per person. Skiing the dunes Sturdy, cross-country telemark gear is best suited to skiing the sand dunes. No wax is needed, although some fanatics spray furniture polish on their skis to make them slightly faster. People who ski here often say the sand does little damage to the bottom of skis. The best slopes are along the Medano Pass Primitive Road where the dunes are tall, steep, and close; however a four-wheel-drive, high-clearance vehicle is needed. Those lacking such transportation can hike half-mile or less to nearby dunes from either the “Point of No Return” on the Medano Pass Road or the paved viewpoint parking lot just past the Visitor Center. For more information Call the Great Sand Dunes National Monument at 719-378-2312 or write to 11500 Highway 150, Mosca, CO 81146.