S U M M E R 2 01 8
VISITOR GUIDE TO THE SOUTHERN ROCKIES
ANGEL FIRE CHAMA CIMARRON DURANGO EAGLE NEST RED RIVER SIPAPU SOUTH FORK TAOS TAOS SKI VALLEY
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Contents
4
Welcome
6
Our Towns
10
Outfitters
14
Cool Road Trips
18
Lore And Order: Playscaping
21
On The Green
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Time to Dine
24
Summer Calendar
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Festival Favorites
PUBLISHER/EDITOR Joe Haukebo DESIGN/PRODUCTION/SALES Digerati Design, Beth Levine CONTRIBUTING WRITERS John Biscello, Dr. Michele Potter PHOTOGRAPHY Angel Fire Resort, Gentry Haukebo, Geraint Smith COVER Pow wow dancer Malachi Tsoodle-Nelson of the Kiowa, Navajo, Taos Pueblo, and Delaware Nations yellowmanfineart@yahoo.com | yellowmanfineart.com Photo by Geraint Smith | geraintsmith.com
PHOTO by GERAINT SMITH
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Welcome Daughter shows up the old man on a fly fishing trip
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p early. The songbirds beat us, chirping since daybreak. A beautiful New Mexico morning. Light breeze blowing fresh air and scent of lilacs through the window. A hearty breakfast then we’re off – my daughter and me – to fly fish one of Vermejo’s 17 lakes. Ready to load up the gear and then… dang it. A flat tire. We’d been trying to come here for a while, a little daddy-daughter time. I imagined, when I first brought it up, one of her friends texting “OMG! Fishing? In the middle of nowhere? That’s gonna suckkk.” To which I also imagined her rallying to my defense, texting back “Whatevs, Pops is good peeps. Besides, it’s supposed to be a cool place. Movie stars used to hang there.” And she’s right. Vermejo Park Ranch, owned by Ted Turner, is a very cool place. Her friend’s right, too. It’s a 900-square-mile ranch 40 miles from Raton, in the middle of nowhere but full of southern Rockies magnificence.
fit right. After having ankle surgery, Dad was gimping around with his cane trying to make it work. He was wigging out more than me, but it’s not like the fish were going to get up and walk away. But IDK; it’s my first time. The lodge is tricked out, very comfy beds, lots of cool nooks and crannies for chillin’, antlers and brookies mounted on the walls, cowboy art everywhere. Outside, elk and bison are all over the place. The staff was way cool too. Fishing was Dad’s idea; I just wanted us to hang for a few days and catch up.
DAUGHTER: The flat tire
DAUGHTER: The scenery
wouldn’t have been so bad, except the tire wrench didn’t
around the lake is sick. I keep looking at the pow left on
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DAD: Probably, I’m thinking after we hit the road, I should have taken her to a spa, a concert, a film fest, something more up her alley. But she’s a good sport, carrying the trolling motor, battery and gear to the boat. Her brothers are good fly fishermen and as she starts casting, patiently learning, getting into the rhythm, I can tell she’s a natural. We get some bites, then she hauls in a rainbow, a beautiful fish full of fight, and I can tell she’s starting to like it.
the peaks off in the distance. I’m super-stoked to be done with finals, and now it’s time to chillax. I feel like a noob flinging this rod around, but I think I’m starting to get the hang of it. I’m glad that we don’t kill the fish; it’s all catch and release, so when I snagged Dad a couple times I decided to let him go, too. We were casting wooly buggers – who names these things? We had to wrestle the wind a bit, and got some gnarly sunburns, and Dad’s knees are starting to match my cherry lipstick – how cute. If his camera battery wasn’t dead, I would totally be taking pics for Instagram. Note to self: don’t wear white shoes, you’ll end up stepping in green goose poop, and don’t let Dad pass you your sandwich unless you like PB&Js with a hint of fish. I’m impressed and slightly grossed out by how much Dad kept blowing his nose in the same torn-up tissue (I guess he’s a conservationist like old Ted Turner). LOL, I can’t stop laughing.
DAD: The kid’s a natural. How’d she figure out the roll cast? I never showed her that. Dang kid; she’s already caught more than me. I love being a parent (and grandpa) and I figure it’s my duty to teach
kids important stuff in life like how to goof off going fishing. Fishing is a funny thing. And I figure that for God – fish was more His Son’s thing – it’s part of his cosmic joke. I mean you can almost see Him messing with us mere angler mortals. You’ll be sitting there, maybe daydreaming, and all of a sudden a huge strike at the end of your line. So you set the hook. But the fish is gone, ripped off your fly. That’s God jerking your chain. “Ohh. That was a good one,” you’ll whine. And you can almost hear God agreeing. But I guess Him being all-knowing, and ever-present for all eternity, if anyone needs a laugh now and again, it’s Him. A little cosmic relief.
DAUGHTER: Dad looks a little dazed after missing that big fish that just bit. But I guess he’ll get over it cause he’s got kind of a goofy grin on his face. Come to think of it, so do I. And I’m pretty sure the memory of that grin will last a lot longer than our sunburns. Welcome to the southern Rockies. — Joe Haukebo, publisher — Gentry, dutiful daughter HighCountry 2018
G ERAINT S MITH P HOTOGRAPHY T AOS, N EW M EXICO
P E R SON ALIZ ED P HO TO T OURS
C U STO MIZED M ULT I D AY W O R KSH O PS
L IMITED E DITI O N F INE A RT P R IN T S
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s Door o a T C& c Hardware Company ~ Made in Taos ~
AGED WOODEN DOORS in the OLD WORLD TRADITION DESIGN, FABRICATE, FINISH & INSTALL DOORS IN STOCK
575.758.1357 100 EL TROS (CALL FOR DIRECTIONS)
PETER & GAYLE BARLOW,
Proprietors
OPEN by APPOINTMENT taosdoor@taosnet.com
www.TaosDoor.com hawk-media.com
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People don’t take trips; trips take people.
Our Towns
— John Steinbeck
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rom vortexes to two-steppin’, red chile sunsets to green-bearded mountains, interactive art to prehistoric impressionism, the multi-layered wonderscape of northern New Mexico and southern Colorado is what you might call a mutable feast. Depending on where you are, what you’re seeking, who you’re with, and numerous other variables, you may find yourself steeped in inimitable silence, engaging in a margarita-infused convo on a sun-warmed patio, or perhaps speaking in tongues after a breath-altering trek to the peak of a mountain.
TAOS Taos is a sort of like a trip that took itself and remains in the lighted center of its own pilgrimage, Chaplin’s “Little Tramp” ambling indefatigably along a dusty road. Live music, performances, and festivals will be an integral part of Taos’s social fabric during the summer season, showcasing the tried-and-true: 33rd annual Taos Pueblo Pow-Wow (July 6-8), the centuries-old Las Fiestas de Taos (July 20-22), alongside upstart newbies, i.e., the Taos Vortex, Meow Wolf’s hawk-media.com
first-ever music and art festival (August 3-4), featuring headliners The Flaming Lips and Thievery Corporation. If your sense of drama runs more toward the operatic, Taos Opera Institute’s “Cantos de Taos” perform shows, some of them free, in different settings (June 7-30). If Middle Earth is more your thing, The Rio Grande Gorge will give you Lord-of-the-Rings-Southwest. In lieu of hobbits and orcs, there are bighorn sheep and American bald eagles, and of course the frothy delights of white water rafting on worldclass rapids. Taos Ski Valley offers a variety of hiking trails, levels ranging from intermediate to advanced, amidst a towering bounty of aspen, spruce, firs and pines. And for those in a top-of-theworld-ma kind of mood, there’s Wheeler Peak, New Mexico’s highest point at 13,161 feet.
ANGEL FIRE
ANGEL FIRE CHAMA CIMARRON DURANGO EAGLE NEST RED RIVER SOUTH FORK TAOS TAOS SKI VALLEY
Photos by Geraint Smith
Speaking of altitude, one of Angel Fire’s summer specialties is its Zipline Adventure Tour, which brings a whole other dimension to “getting wired,” as you glide above the awe-inspiring Moreno Valley. Back 7
on ground level, there’s the trail-tested majesty of Angel Fire Bike Park, the largest bike park in the Southern Rockies, with the heart-pumping Bike 5 downhill racing series taking place on July 28-29 and September 1-2. If you
tennial celebration planned (June 20-July 8).
like your classical with a twist of altitude, numerous chamber music concerts will be served up during the Music from Angel Fire series (Aug. 17-Sept. 1), celebrating its 35th year.
in this resort town with a hearty appetite for fun, and two popular summer events which characterize its spirit: The Buckaroo Ball, a Western-attired gala event (August 3), and Hot Chili Days, Cool Mountain Nights, featuring live music spread throughout the town, and a variety of cook-offs, including the New Mexico State Green Chile Championship.
EAGLE NEST Two other notable commemorations: 2018 marks the 50th anniversary of the David Westphall Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Angel Fire, as well as the 100th anniversary of the creation of Eagle Nest Dam, which created nearby Eagle Nest Lake, with a special cen8
RED RIVER The tagline for Red River, New Mexico’s “Little Texas” could be: Big Hats, Little Stress. Laidback is the aim of the game
CHAMA In a tech-heavy world of tweet-centric expediency, there’s something
reassuring, or maybe just nostalgically invigorating, about a hulking locomotive, chortling steam, as it rumbles along shivering tracks. The past is alive and fully operational in Chama’s Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad, which offers a 64-
mile trip through landscape ranging from verdant and lush to ancient and stonefaced. Specially-themed train trips are scheduled throughout the season (May 26-October 21).
DURANGO Durango is home to both the Animas River, which provides a ceaseless flow of summer-friendly recreation (rafting, kayaking, fly fishing, and canoeing), and the Durango Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. One of the train’s popular events, The T. Rex HighCountry 2018
Express, gives children an opportunity to become rail-riding paleontologists while digging into prehistory (June 16-24). Durango Fiesta Days celebrates the heritage of the area in a week-long celebration that features rodeos, a cook-off, music, dancing, a parade and more. Music in the Mountains brings strings, keys and other classical components to the Rockies, in this popular summer festival (July 7-29). Mesa Verde National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is home to over 5,000 known archaeological sites and the architecturally savvy cliff dwellings, formerly inhabited by ancestral Pueblo people (A.D. 600 to 1300). Other nearby points of attraction include: Chaco Canyon, Vallecito Lake, and Chimney Rock. If ghostly lore floats your boat, then drop in at the historic St. James Hotel in Cimarron. With some of its outlaw “interior decorators” leaving bullet holes in the walls as a stylistic statement, the rough-and-tumble past of the St. James Hotel is a sneak peek into the psyche of the Wild West. Numerous ghosts are said to call the St. James home. And just down the road is Philmont Scout Ranch, largest private backpacking facility in the world.
SOUTH FORK The pristine gateway to the San Juan Mountains, Rio Grande County hawk-media.com
comprises South Fork, Monte Vista and Del Norte. South Fork, billed as a “small town with world class adventure,” is the kick-off point for the Silver Thread National Scenic Byway, and abundant in nature-rich recreation. Monte Vista is home to the Monte Vista Wildlife National Refuge, a wetlands sanctuary for a stunning diversity of birds, including Mallards, pintail, teal, Canada Geese, American Avocets, killdeer, white-faced ibis, egrets, and herons. It is also home to Colorado’s oldest pro rodeo, and that cinematic mainstay, the Star DriveIn Movie Theatre, which is celebrating its 69th year of continuous family ownership. Formerly a rough and tumble supply town for miners, Del Norte traded in its shovels and pickaxes for gears and tires, as the town offers inspired terrain for crosscountry biking and bike races. Nearby Penitente Canyon, formerly a sacred place of worship for the Los Hermanos Penitente, now inspires spiritual zeal and passion in rockclimbing enthusiasts and adventurers.
Originally from Brooklyn, NY, John Biscello has lived in Taos since 2001. He is the author of the novels Broken Land, A Brooklyn Tale, and Raking The Dust. His new novel, Nocturne Variations, will be released November 2018. 9
Outfitters
Guided backcountry adventure
BIG RIVER RAFTING The ultimate NM Whitewater Rafting Adventure! Big River Rafts has been guiding NM rafting trips and tours since 1983. Your adventure begins just 20 minutes south of Taos. We offer rafting trips to suit every need, every skill level. Relaxing dinner floats or exciting rapid rides down the Rio Grande, delicious picnics. Mild to wild rafting trips. Operating March-November. Large and small groups welcome.
www.BigRiverRafts.com bigriverbilly@yahoocom 1-800-RIVER-GO 575-758-9711
ESKE’S PARADISE BALLOONS Hot air balloon rides into and over the Rio Grande Gorge since 1991. Flights at dawn with a ride into the desert outside Taos, inflation of the huge lighter-than-air craft, boarding the basket and floating upward with an experienced, licensed pilot. Champagne brunch and celebration included. Call for reservations and rates.
www.TaosBallooning.com ken@taosballooning.com 575-751-6098
NM RIVER ADVENTURES
Whitewater raft trips & scenic river travel in Santa Fe and Taos, NM. We offer other exciting water sports like kayaking with world class instructors, stand up paddle boarding with the region’s only ACA certified guide, or wilderness travel in the high alpine country, all with professional, safety conscious and knowledgable guides. Families and groups welcome. Call to reserve the adventure of a lifetime!
www.NewMexicoRiverAdventures.com info@newmexicoriveradventures.com 800-983-7756
THE SOLITARY ANGLER
PUEBLO BALLOON COMPANY
Quality Year-Round Fly Fishing Without The Crowds. Guided fly fishing trips to wild river canyons, Rocky Mountain lakes and streams. Best guides and best private water around. Hacienda and cabins available on the Cimarron River. Owner Van Beacham is the author of Flyfisher’s Guide to New Mexico.
We fly the scenic Rio Grande Gorge and Rio Grande del Norte National Monument, the perfect way to celebrate special occasions. We drop down into the Gorge and kiss the river for the most thrilling balloon ride anywhere. Experienced, safe, and knowledgeable crew, FAA certified pilots. Breathtaking wildlife and sunrises; champagne toast. Hotel pick-up. Book your trip today!
www.TheSolitaryAngler.com 113-A Paseo del Pueblo Norte, Taos 866-502-1700
www.PuebloBalloon.com info@puebloballoon.com 575-751-9877
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PHOTO by GENTRY HAUKEBO
FREE RIVERSIDE LODGING! FREE FISHING*
FREE DISC GOLF
FREE ATV TRAILS
Create your own family adventure at Sipapu, located 20 miles southeast of Taos. Here, you’ll enjoy FREE amenities including fishing (*with a license), disc golf, ATV trails, hikes, and FREE riverside lodging when you purchase 2 nights (available nearly everyday).
S i p a p u . S k i | 8 0 0 - 5 8 7 - 2 2 4 0 | 5 2 2 4 H W Y 5 1 8 , VA D I TO , N M
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LOS RIOS
RIVER RUNNERS
Ida Kavafian, Artistic Director
August 17 – September 1, 2018 Celebrating 35 Years
Chamber music festival featuring Carnegie Hall & Lincoln Center musicians bringing the beauty of live music to Angel Fire, Taos, Las Vegas & Raton
Join us this summer for two weeks of concerts and events celebrating the music of Mozart, plus world premieres, education and family concerts, parties, and more!
New Mexico’s oldest and most experienced rafting company! Best-trained, most fun rafting guides White-knuckle whitewater trips Star-filled river camping • Float trips with Native Pueblo Indian guides
Concert packages & single tickets on sale June 1 Save with a family pass • Free student tickets For a full list of festival events and to purchase tickets:
www.musicfromangelfire.org 575.377.3233 • 888.377.3300
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LosRiosRiverRunners.com
575-776-8854
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575-377-1000
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o n e v a H ss a p om c Free Hot Breakfast Free WiFi • Walking Distance to Town 800.433.9612 elpueblolodge.com
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Cool Road Trips Afoot and light-hearted, I take to the open road, Healthy, free, the world before me, The long brown path before me, leading wherever I choose.
GERAINT SMITH
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hus sayeth the sage Walt Whitman and a recent car commercial. So inspired, I heed their words, jump in my VW camper van and start my engine. After all, this is America, and even more so this is the West, where adventure is more like an obligation. I start on the wild side. I know where to find some alternate universes within a day’s drive from Taos. I go up Hwy 64, turning left at the Y which otherwise goes to Red River, drive up past Eagle Nest Lake as fast as an old VW can manage and head towards Cimarron. Even the name evokes the Wild West. In the winter, I’ve been stopped in my tracks by huge herds of elk. In the summer, I stop to gawk at hawks. Here, keep an eye out on the Palisades, river left (la rive gauche) to look out for wily rock climbers. I see none but spy the careful fisherman, up to his Orvis waiters in the spirited, elegant and sinuous river sliding through a most dramatic canyon. Let’s promise to get fishing licenses this year, just so we can be part of this cinematic scene. The 3116 acre Colin hawk-media.com
Neblitt Wildlife Area is part of the section that comprises Cimarron Canyon State Park and Preserve, and it’s the largest wildlife area in NM. You can camp, horseback ride, and trail run. But if you go 16.6 miles past the park, you’ll be back in time. Stop at the 1872-built St. James Hotel. It used to be called Lamberts, after its original owner, (who happened to be Abe Lincoln’s private chef). Order up a whisky, toss it back. Slam it on the bar. Ask nonchalantly (just like they did every day in the good old days) “Who was killed at Lambert’s last night?” Your next bar stool over might have been occupied by Black Jack Ketchum, Annie Oakley, Wild Bill (who recruited nearby Indians for his Wild West Show) or even Jesse James—who always took room 14. Just don’t ask for room 18—it’s still locked. After all, there’s a ghost in there. And you thought you lived in violent times. Order dinner and count the bullet holes in the ceiling. The railroad was a death knell to the Santa Fe Trail, but you can still find old wagon ruts. Though the town of Cimarron and
the St. James fell on hard times, thoughtful renovations and a new wing have made for both comfort and a certain shoot-em-up authenticity that authorize it to take its rightful place on the National Register of Historic Places. Head over another 4.2 miles to Philmont Scout Camp, another of nature’s star places. Over 22,000 kids set out on 12 day backpacking adventures every summer. Check out Villa Philmonte and the Philmont Museum, along with the Kit Carson Museum at Rayado. Another way to go back in time is to drive to Mora. I love to tell people my folks were from Mora, too, and when they look puzzled, I confess: “Well, Mora, Sweden.” I’m a pretender, but I like to become one with the local heritage and landscape in Mora, about an hour away from Taos on Hwy 518 (unless, like me, it’s all just too photogenic). Twenty miles out of Taos, pop in to Sipapu, a popular local resort, which offers fishing, disc golf, ATV trails, hiking, and riverside lodging in summer. At the intersection of 518 and 442, stop
at the Cleveland Roller Mill Museum, a restored mill and ranch built in the 1870s to supply flour to the nearby Fort Union. The village of Cleveland is right up the road. It’s lovingly restored with guided tours, picnic tables, a restaurant and greenhouse and (in season) you can pick your own raspberries at the Salman Raspberry Ranch, or buy products from the mercantile. Pop some raspberries in your mouth. Betcha can’t eat just one. You might also want to visit the alpacas at the Victory Ranch. Head for Mora. As you near Mora, notice the huge cottonwood trees along the river and huger mountains surrounding the valley. Spanish speaking settlers founded it in 1835, having displaced the Utes, and Comanches back in the 1700. They tried to create a buffer against American encroachment from East, even joining the Taos rebellion in 1847, managing to kill a number of Americans in the valley. Recall that New Mexico was not a state until 1912, so if you hadn’t left by then you were now an American. Continued on page 17 15
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Past history lives on in the surrounding ranches and many once-fancy but now abandoned houses. In 1900 Mora County had the third largest number of homesteads registered in the New Mexico territory, over 15,000. In 2013 Mora County became the first county in the United States to ban oil and gas on public and private land. I guess they take their land, water and heritage seriously. Maybe I’ll just camp at Morphy Lake and become one with the people. Both my smallest and largest friends just want to go straight north, about two hours, to the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. Head that way north on NM 522, into Colorado on 159, a left in Fort Garland on 160, then it’s 20 miles off the beaten path on 150. It’s totally incongruous, these enormous stretches of sand dunes (the highest in North America) nestled up against the 14,000-foot Sangre de Cristos. It’s a great workout—like walking on a vertical beach (wear shoes, especially on hot summer days) but sliding down (especially if you’ve rented a sand board) is its just reward. At night there are more mystical stars in the velvety sky than paens to nature and self by old Walt. There’s more than just the vertical beach here—there’s also the seasonal Medano Creek and the nearby Zapata Falls and, oh, yes—a handy nearby hawk-media.com
alligator farm. When a family with four kids moved from Post, Texas to Colorado, they discovered geothermal riches and thought, “Why not grow Tilapia?” Later they had to order a hundred baby alligators to eat the dead fishy byproduct. Next thing you know, folks from all around decided to “rehome” their no-longer-welcome pet pythons and such. Thus the Alligator Ranch, Reptile Sanctuary and Educational Center was born. The world’s cutest grandkids just came back from there. Augie, aged five, said, “I really did! I petted one!” His brother Elija, three, remarked, “First I was scared. But then it was so fun!” If you’re exhausted from all these day trips, go to Ojo. Ojo Caliente has been a hot spot since ancient times, when native people gathered here. It’s become upscale, even glamorous, but still retains that authentic vibe. This 1,100 acre spread features a hot spa and is the only place in the country with four kinds of mineral pools—lithia, iron, soda, and arsenic. There are 12 pools in all, including a big swimming pool. Add a massage, yoga in the yoga yurt and hike or bike to the site of the ancient Posi Pueblo, watching for myriad bird species, or just stroll along the sweet Rio Ojo Caliente. Have dinner (farm-to-table food from the Ojo Farm). Or just
enjoy a glass of wine in the wine bar. If you’re still awake, keep driving. The gorgeous Ghost Ranch is six miles or so past the road to Abiquiu Reservoir. One mile off the highway is this hidden gem, a 21,000 acre retreat and education center best known for its association with Georgia O’Keeffe’s who called these breathtaking canyons “her red hills.” They can be yours, too. Take in their museum, sign up for a retreat, or soak in the dazzling light betwixt the canyons and cliffs. Once a working ranch (1766) it’s owned by Presbyterians who have encouraged local arts and crafts traditions. It also sponsors the High Desert Research Farm, maintaining a global seed bank and a living museum. There are hiking and riding trails, a swimming pool, tours, and two museums, which sounds like a lot. But what it’s really famous for is the peace, silence, and beauty. If you can’t envision world peace here, you never will. One of the best-known paleontological digs in North America is also here, featuring the bones of the official New Mexico dinosaur, the Coelophysis. I’ll bet you want a picnic and a swim. I know I do. The perfect place to stock up on groceries and gas (and must-have local craft items) is the landmark Bode’s store. Don’t forget to pick up Monk’s Ale, made just up the road by Benedic-
tine Monks in the Christ-inthe-Desert Monastery along the banks of the Chama. You can go there, too, if you’re willing to bounce along for 13 miles on a dirt road. Small penance for large blessings. Or just take the beer to the lake. Abiquiu Lake. At last: picnic and a dip. This huge reservoir holding back the Rio Chama offers some of New Mexico’s best fishing. Told you I should have gotten a fishing license! I’m going to stay the night anyway, just to swim, camp and in the morning over coffee, ask the The Pedernal if there’s a meaning to life. Suddenly, I’m hearing a voice, Dorothy’s, saying over and over ad nauseum: “There’s no place like home/there’s no place like home,” so I slam the top of the VW camper down and step on it, thinking that Walt Whitman’s a better poet, anyway, and a better advocate for open-road therapy for sure. …I inhale great draughts of space; The east and the west are mine, and the north and the south are mine. And they can be yours, too. All yours.
Dr. Michele Potter is a scholar of Walt Whitman and the open road. In winter she heads for the open slopes, to Taos Ski Valley where she teaches skiing. She has lived in Taos for 22 years. 17
Lore & Order: Playscaping Keeping it surreal in the high desert
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ecently, when talking to the waitress at the diner where I am a regular, she told me how a woman was griping about the diner policy regarding split checks, and the woman begrudgingly emphasized, “You know, in the real world…” There I cut in and told the waitress she could have stopped the woman and said, “But you’re in Taos, which is no longer the real world.” Which, on so many levels, is true. There is a specific breed of unreality, a charged idiosyncrasy, a clock-challenged quirkiness to this town, which places it in a sphere all its own. It is easy to imagine Taos as the crossroads where Robert Johnson sold his soul to the devil for musical genius, as a 18
spiritual witness protection program for astral projections, or a high-and-dry locale for a paleolithic western. Taos does not self-consciously try and cultivate its weirdness as something kitsch or hip: it’s simply a little off, a dust-scabbed red wagon with one wheel missing. That red wagon, rattling along at its own pace, speaks to and carries within it a lot of time-tested tradition, but it also leaves room for a new wave of influxes. Or to echo Taos’s 2018 art-empowered promo-claim, Taos Is Art (which has resulted in a colorful siege of town-spread banners, featuring the work of various local contemporary artists), the town itself, and those energetically tied in to its communal fabric, is its own vital and malleable work of art, its own surrealist masterpiece forever in the making. There are no static end-results, no marked finishing points, only protean shifts. Two events which exemplify what you might call hybrid nouveau in the
high desert are The PASEO and Taos Vortex. The Taos Vortex is being whipped up by the makers and shakers at Meow Wolf — the multi-disciplinary collective who teamed with Game of Thrones author, George R.R. Martin, and others — in giving Santa Fe its recursive Wonderland for the 21st Century, an award-winning attraction: The House of Eternal Return. The creative Wolf-pack continues to branch out, with plans to introduce new “experiences” in Denver and Las Vegas, and the Taos Vortex will mark their first-ever music festival, with a twist of art and adventure. Kit Carson Park, home to little league baseball, movies under the stars, concerts, craft fairs, and a cemetery that marks the final resting place of that historic figure and lightning rod for local debate and controversy, Kit Carson, will now be rolling out its grassgreen carpet for an event that has the capacity to be one of its biggest ever. The two-day festival (August 3-4), which will offer (adults-only) camping, is bringing together an eclectic bouquet of musical talent. High-profile biggies The Flaming Lips and Thievery Corporation headline the Vortex, with other names on the bill including Eman-
cipator Ensemble, Washed Out, Cashmere Cat, Dr. Dog, Matthew Dear, Poolside, The Librarian, and Öona Dahl. Installations and performance art are to be integrated into the festival, and a dance tent, open from 10 pm-1 am, will provide an “after hours” rhythm-andgroove sanctuary with DJs spinning music. Another aspect to the Vortex will be its supplementary daytime adventures (priced separately from festival fees) spearheaded by local companies and specialists. Confirmed adventures include: Racecourse Rafting (a half-day on the river, undertaking rapids such as The Maze, Big Rock, and Souse Hole), Introduction to Splaggles, Racking and Baching (a hike that will explore the medicinal, mysterious, and enlightening aspects of local plant and tree-life, as well as indigenous folklore), Horseback Riding (a horseeyed view of the enchanting Cebolla Mesa), Llama Trekking (a four-mile hike, accompanied by llamas, as visitors learn about local ecology, history and folklore), Hot Air Balloon Rides, Subterranean Artist Haven and SUP (a paddleboard excursion down the Rio Grande, which will bring visitors to an under-the-radar work of art two years in Continued on page 20
GRAPHIC AND PHOTO COURTESY MEOW WOLF
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the making), and the Enchanted Circle Brewery Tour (a sample-soak in suds from The Taos Mesa Brewery, Red River Brewery, Enchanted Circle Brewery and Eske’s, the oldest brew pub in New Mexico). For pricing info and additional details on the Taos Vortex, visit taosvortex.com. Started in 2014, The PASEO is the conceptual progeny of J. Matthew Thomas, a Taos-based artist and designer and gentleman of many creative hats, whose love of and ties to the local community are reflected in his endeavors. He teamed with Agnes Chavez, an interdisciplinary artist and the founder of stemartslab.com (which generates a collaborative ex-
change between the arts and STEM: science, technology, engineering, mathematics), and, corresponding with the Taos Fall Arts Festival, The PASEO has become a wildly popular, one-of-a-kind, artcrawl-meets-block-party on the Taos recreational scene. Once a year, the center of town undergoes a carnivalesque facelift, a tech-savvy transformation that brings radical symmetry to many different moving parts and mediums. Or, as Thomas puts it, “The PASEO strives to create a space for the community to gather around the celebration of art. It is 100% free and offers access to our community to work that can’t be hung on the walls, new media work… THE PASEO offers access to
international, cutting-edge art, work that is participatory… Taos has a tradition of art, but it also has a tradition of being a type of crossroads in the changing climate of art and art-making.” This year’s PASEO, taking place September 1415, has a whole new slate of eclecticism in store. Kit Carson Park will be homebase for Space Cloud, an LED-illuminated pavilion, created by Estacio de Lube, an award-winning design team out of Madrid, Spain. This new-age sibling to cumulus and nimbus will serve as the site for a variety of performances, exhibits and installations throughout PASEO weekend. The Noise Aquarium will give plankton a super-sized,
It’s time...
digital make-over, amping them 3-D-style to the size of whales; Circular Dimensions will open the gateways to an intimate, psychedelic interpretation of the landscape through ultrared glasses; The GLOWpod offers a greenhouse experience on par with gardening in the Star Wars Universe; and Cosmic System will generate an interactive bridge between sound and vision. Numerous other multi-media works of art will be a part of the celebration, as well as specially-themed events and workshops relating to the PASEO dreamscape. For more information, visit their website: paseoproject.org. — John Biscello
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NorthernNMgas.com
575.377.3744
Open year-round. Call ahead for special rates starting at $99 for 1 BR; or stay two nights plus third night free. (Specials exclude holidays and special events; some restrictions apply.) Modern, deluxe one- and two- bedroom fully-equipped cabins with room to roam on 10 acres along the San Juan River. On the east side of Pagosa, close to Hot Springs, Wolf Creek Ski Area, and National Forest. Private river access and fishing (catch & release) on our property. Individual living area with gas fireplace, bedroom/s, kitchen, bathroom. Nightly rates. Pet friendly.
888.264.9204 970.264.9204 www.FiresideCabins.com 1600 E. Hwy 160, Pagosa Springs, CO HighCountry 2018
On the Green Mountains and mesas
ANGEL FIRE RESORT GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB
Take your game to a higher level – like 8,700 feet – at Angel Fire Resort Golf Course & Country Club. Situated within the Sangre de Cristo mountains of northern NM, our 18-hole championship course offers challenging golf and spectacular views at every turn. With a $17 million, state-of-theart Country Club clubhouse, Angel Fire Resort boasts over 6,600 yards of unforgettable high-altitude golf. Affordable spring & summer golf and lodging packages. Fees: $39$99, including cart and range balls. Golf & Lodging Package Info: 855.926.3937 Pro Shop: 575.377.4488 www.angelfireresort.com
PENDARIES GOLF RESORT – ROCIADA, NM
Located 23 miles NW of Las Vegas, this remarkable golf resort is open the end of April to the end of October, with tee times taken up to 12 months in advance. At 8,000 foot elevation overlooking the Rociada Valley, Pendaries is a challenging 18-hole mountain course that will test every golfer’s skill level. Golf course, lodge & restaurant make a perfect getaway for golfing couples, business meetings or retreats. Tall pines and cool temperatures create an atmosphere of relaxation and comfort. Play & Stay packages available; private homes or lodge rooms also for rent. Well worth the trip for a perfect weekend escape from the summer heat. Fees: Mon-Thurs $55, Fri-Sun $65 includes cart and sales tax. Twilight specials after 2 pm: $45 includes cart and sales tax. 505.425.3561 ext 214 for Lodge & Golf Package Reservations. www.pendaries.net
TAOS COUNTRY CLUB – TAOS, NM
Play the #4-rated golf course in New Mexico (Golfweek) in a spectacular setting in the heart of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Measuring 7,302 yards from the back tees, this Jep Wille links-style design is open to the public and has gently rolling terrain with four sets of tees to make the course enjoyable to all. The Terrace Bar and Grill is a great place to finish your round: gorgeous patio, delectable food, and refreshing beverages; or to hold a special event for your family or company. We have PGA Professionals, a fullyequipped pro shop and practice facility. 575.758.7300 www.taoscountryclub.com
TOWA GOLF RESORT – SANTA FE, NM
Awarded #1 Best Golf Hotel by Annual World Golf Awards 2016, Towa Golf Club is part of the AAA Four Diamond Buffalo Thunder Resort and Casino, located only 15 short minutes north of Santa Fe Plaza. Towa is a magnificient collection of 27 holes designed by Hale Irwin and Bill Phillips. With a full array of amenities including a driving range, putting greens, full service club house with food and beverage service, pro shop, professional staff and grounds, Towa is a golfer’s paradise featuring the only island green in New Mexico. For tee times and current rates call 505.455.9000 or 877.465.3489 www.hiltonbuffalothunder.com
hawk-media.com
21
Time to Dine Flavors of the Southwest
FARMHOUSE CAFÉ & BAKERY
GUADALAJARA GRILL
Three miles north of Taos
Southside – 1384 Paseo del
Plaza at Overland Ranch.
Pueblo Sur, Taos: 575-751-
575-758-LOVE (5683).
0063. Northside – 822 Paseo
Farm-to-table, local organic
del Pueblo Norte, El Prado:
cuisine. Legendary grass-fed
575-737-0816. “Our secret
burger, green chile chicken
sauce makes the difference!”
stew, daily quiche. House-
Authentic Mexican food in
made soups, salads and a
New Mexico. Seafood, Chile
variety of vegetarian, vegan,
Rellenos, Azteca Quesadil-
and gluten-free options.
la, Camarones a la Diab-
Incredible assortment of
la, Ceviche and so much
artisan breads, croissants,
more. Beer, Wine, Agave
tarts, muffins, cheesecakes,
Margaritas. Voted “Best Of
cookies and more. Specialty
Taos” 2017: Best Traditional
coffees and fresh organic
Mexican Restaurant, Best
Two locations in Taos:
TAOS
grab-and-go items. Open
Fast Food Restaurant, and
styles made with New
8 am-5 pm daily. Sunday
2nd Place for Best Margari-
ACEQ
Mexico’s best meats, grains,
Brunch. Ask about our din-
ta. Open 10:30 am to 9 pm
vegetables and fruit. Fresh,
480 State Road 150, Arroyo
ner hours. Full menu on
7 days a week. Full menu
local, organic, delicious.
Seco, NM 87514. 575-
farmhousetaos.com
online:
Great patio; killer view.
776-0900. Fresh, local,
All-craft, all-draught beer
THE GORGE BAR & GRILL
fun dining at its finest.
and about 100 wines. Never
103 East Taos Plaza. 575-
RICKY’S
Family-owned, farm-to-
reservations; show up when
758-8866. Try our juicy
Located 2 1/2 blocks south
table restaurant in Arroyo
you’re ready. Noon to 9,
burgers, handshaken
of Taos Plaza at 312 Paseo
Seco. We serve our own
seven days a week. We’re
margaritas, or fresh oysters
del Pueblo Sur. 575-758-
interpretation of comfort
here for you.
– something for everyone!
1156. A locals’ favorite.
food, utilizing the best in
taoscommonfire.com
Enjoy the best Happy Hour
Breakfast, lunch and dinner
in Taos on our patio over-
specials daily. Great New
looking Taos Plaza. TWO
Mexican and American
local, wild, and farm fresh
guadalajaragrilltaos.com
takes on old classics, house-
DOC MARTIN’S RESTAURANT
happy hours: M-F, 3-5:30 pm
dishes at family-oriented
made specialties, craveable
1/2 block N of Taos Plaza in
and 9-10:30 pm. Check out
prices. Breakfast enchiladas
desserts. Chicken & Waffle
the Historic Taos Inn, 575-
our wine bar and retail shop
and meat-lover’s Bruno
Sunday-Thursday, Fresh
758-1977. Fresh, casual
located below The Gorge:
Omelette. Gluten-free and
Fish & Chips Friday, and
dining in a historic setting.
PARCHT BOTTLESHOP +
vegetarian chiles. Burgers
Prime Rib Friday-Saturday.
Winner of Wine Spectator’s
BITES. 575-758-1994. A
made with fresh local beef
Reservations highly recom-
“Best Of Award Of Excel-
cozy place to discover unique
daily. Kids’ menu. 80% of
mended.
lence” for 29 consecutive
wines + quality craft beer +
our dishes available vegetari-
aceqrestaurant.com
years. Innovative Regional
hand-picked artisanal cheese
an. Dine in or take out. Open
info@aceqrestaurant.com
New American Cuisine us-
& charcuterie + locally roast-
7 days, 7 am to 8 pm.
ing the freshest local ingredi-
ed coffee. Explore the things
ents, specializing in organic
88 State Road 150, El
that excite us while you taste
vegetables, meats and fish,
Prado, NM. Locals-friendly,
+ shop + unwind.
including favorites like buf-
kids-friendly, just-plain-
thegorgebarandgrill.com
falo, elk, trout. Homemade
friendly. Bring an appetite.
& parcht.com
desserts. Lunch, dinner,
Beautiful, wood-fired clay
weekend brunch. Reserva-
oven pumps out flatbreads
tions recommended.
and braises in a world of
docmartinsrestaurant.com
ingredients. Contemporary
COMMON FIRE
22
HighCountry 2018
SABROSO RESTAURANT AND BAR
and cocktails. Served on one of the most beautiful
PIZZA STOP Located one block from
470 State Hwy. 150,
patios in Taos. Open daily
the slopes, Village Center
Arroyo Seco, NM. 575-
11 am to 3:30 pm. Open
#1, North Angel Fire
776-3333. A fine dining
Wednesday-Sunday ‘til
Road. 575-377-6340.
restaurant on the road to
8:30. Sunday brunch 9
Angel Fire’s oldest family
Taos Ski Valley. Sabroso,
am to 3:30 pm. There’s
restaurant features all
which means delicious,
something for everyone at
kinds of pizzas, sandwich-
is housed in a historic
The Terrace!
es, spaghetti, garlic rolls
150-year-old adobe in the tiny village of Arroyo
taoscountryclub.com/ theterrace
Seco. Famous for our wood-grilled steaks, fullystocked bar, and wine cellar. Patio dining in summer with outdoor bar, covered tables. Enjoy our fabulous margaritas, listen to musicians on our patio, or enjoy the comforts of our cozy indoor bar area. Annual 4th of July pig roast. Plan your event in our plum orchard. Open daily 4-9 pm. sabrosotaos.com
THE TERRACE at TAOS COUNTRY CLUB 54 Golf Course Drive in Ranchos de Taos. 575758-7300. With 360º views of the beautiful Sangre de Cristo Mountains and Taos Valley, we offer breakfast & lunch daily from 11:30 to 3:30 pm with fresh sandwiches, flavorful salads, and cold beer for a long day on the course or just a quick escape from town. We serve Sunday Brunch 9 am-3:30 pm with the best Eggs Benny, Monte Cristo sandwiches, and our Bloody Mary bar. For dinner we offer great steaks, shrimp, wine
hawk-media.com
and more. Open Monday–Saturday 11 am-1 pm and 4:30 ‘til closing. Open
ANGEL FIRE
Sunday 4:30–closing.
ANGEL FIRED PIZZA
night – 25% off any pizza;
Located on the second floor of the Mountain View Mall (next to the Lowe’s Valley Market).
Thursday night is family not good with any other offer. Closed Tuesdays. Thanks for the past 28 years!
serve specialty pizzas,
RED RIVER
baked pastas, subs, cal-
BRETT’S BISTRO
575-377-2774. We
zones and salads. Our fun,
At Lifts West, 201 W.
relaxed atmosphere has
Main Street in Red River.
great views of the moun-
575-754-9959. Serving
tain. Wide selection of
the best steaks, seafood
handcrafted beers and fine
and Rocky Mountain trout
wines. Many gluten-
for over 35 years. Daily
free options. Dine-in or
specials, kids’ menu. Cold
carry-out. Open lunch and
beer and fine wines. Like
dinner, Tuesday-Sunday
us on Facebook. Open
11 am-9 pm. Happy Hour
daily 11 am–9 pm.
daily 3-6 pm.
brettsbistro.com
angelfiredpizza.com
It A Happens
SUNDANCE High Street at Copper King. 575-754-2971. Same great food, same great service. Celebrating our 44th year. Steaks, salads, excellent Mexican food. Great sopaipillas! Specials include shrimp fajitas and quesadillas. Frozen wine margaritas.
World Famous Margaritas, Award Winning Cuisine Historic Lodging, & Live Music Nightly
Reservations welcome. Call for to-go orders. Open nightly 5 pm.
TTT HHHHHHHH TTTT III
125 Paseo Del Pueblo Norte, Taos, NM taosinn.com | (575) 758.2233 23
2018
Events in the southern Rockies
MAY
JULY
9-Oct 27 Taos Farmers’ Market, Saturdays
1
Angel Fire Adventure Marathon, Angel Fire Resort
18
Opening Day, Angel Fire Bike Park & Zip Line
4
Arroyo Seco, NM July 4th Parade
18-20
Taos Lilac Festival
4
July 4th Parades, Picnics & Ceremonies, all areas
24-25
Memorial Day Motorcycle Rally, Red River
6-8
Freedom From Violence Arts & Crafts Fair, Taos
25-27
Iron Horse Bicycle Classic, Durango
7
Bacon & Brews, Taos Ski Valley
25-27
Taos Quilting and Needlecraft Show
7-8
37th Annual ArtsFest, Angel Fire
26
Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad season begins
7-29
Music In The Mountains, Durango
26-27
Mountain Bike Demo Daze, Angel Fire Bike Park
13-15
Taos Pueblo Pow Wow
28
Memorial Weekend Ceremonies, Vietnam Veterans
13-15 2nd Annual Taos Writers Conference, SOMOS, Taos
Memorial, Angel Fire
16
Taos Fandango Fundraiser, Taos Country Club
30
Nashville to NM Songwriter Festival, Eagle Nest
20
Shortgrass Music Festival, Cimarron
20-21
First Annual Eagle Nest Cowboy Festival
20-22
Logger Days Festival, South Fork
20-22
Las Fiestas de Taos, Taos Plaza
Ongoing Summer Chairlift Rides, Angel Fire, Red River
21
Taos Ski Valley Arts Festival
1-3
Music on the Mesa, Taos Mesa Brewing Mothership
21-22
Rocky Mtn. Enduro Series Race, Angel Fire Resort
2
Annual Red River Classic Car Show
25-26
Feast Days of Santiago and Santa Ana, Taos Pueblo
2
Animas River Days, Durango
26-29
Fiesta Days, Durango
3-Oct 14 Questa Farmer’s Market, Sundays
28
Wags & Wine Festival, Red River
3-Dec 31 SOMOS Writer’s series, Taos
28-29
35th High Country Arts & Crafts Festival, Eagle Nest
5
28-29
The Fire Five Race, Angel Fire Bike Park
31-Aug 23 Taos Plaza Live, Thursday nights
JUNE
Wine and Wagyu Weekend, Angel Fire Resort
6-Aug 8 True West Rodeo, Durango, Wednesdays 8-10
Folk n’ Bluegrass Festival, Pagosa Springs
AUGUST
8-9
10th Annual Pagosa Springs Car Show
3
Buckaroo Ball, Red River
8-Jul 30 Taos Opera Institute season begins
3-5
Dulcimer Festival, Red River
9-10
Scott Enduro Cup Bike Race, Angel Fire Bike Park
3-5
Rhythms on the Rio Music Festival, South Fork
13
San Antonio Feast Day / Corn Dances, Taos Pueblo
4
Up & Over Trail Run, Taos Ski Valley
14
Flag Day Ceremony and Flag Retirement,
4
5th Annual Blues, Brews & Bikes Festival, Taos
Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Angel Fire
4
Half Marathon & 5K, Red River
15-Aug 31 Cool Summer Nights Concerts, Angel Fire, Fridays
4-5
Habla Tamale Festival, Angel Fire
15-Aug 31 Eagle Nest Farmers Market, Fridays
6-12
Colfax County, NM Fair and Rodeo, Springer
16
Not Forgotten Poker Run & Benefit Concert, Taos
8-12
La Plata County Fair, Durango
15-17
Fine Art & Wine Festival, Red River
9-11
Taos Pride in the Park & Annual Parade
15-17
Balloons Over Angel Fire
10-12
Arts & Crafts Fair, Taos
16-17
Summer Slam Disc Golf Tournament, Sipapu
10-12
Chama Days, Chama, NM
17-Sept 2 Arts & Farmer’s Market, Angel Fire
11
Dog Days: Benefit Concert, KTAOS Solar Center
23-24
Rodeo de Taos
16-18
Hot Chili Days, Cool Mountain Nights, Red River
24
San Juan Feast Day, Taos Pueblo
17-19
Taos Ski Valley, Summer Wine Festival
30-July 5 Eagle Nest Dam 100th Anniversary Celebration
17-Sept 1 Music From Angel Fire 35th Summer Festival
30
18-19
24
Toast of Taos Wine Festival and Golf Tournament
Questa, NM Studio Tour HighCountry 2018
21-22
Taos Ski Valley Art Festival
24-26
Cowboy Music & Poetry Gathering, Cimarron
24-27
Angel Fire Food & Wine Roundup, Angel Fire Resort
25-29
Junior Golf Clinic, Angel Fire Resort
26
Live Auction at Taos Art Museum & Fechin House
TBA
Annual Taos Autumn Run Car Show, Taos Plaza
31-Sept 2 Four Corners Folk Festival, Pagosa Springs
SEPTEMBER 1
Mutt Strut, Taos Ski Valley
1
Brick Laying – Run For The Wall Reunion
Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Angel Fire
1
Glam Trash Fashion Show, Taos
1-2
Chama Valley Studio Tour & Art Festival
1-2
The Fire Five Race (2-day race), Angel Fire Bike Park
1-3
TAO Studio Tour, Taos
6-8
Michael Hearne’s Big Barn Dance Music Festival,
Kit Carson Park, Taos
7-9
BMW Motorcycle Bavarian Mtn. Wkend Rally, Sipapu
8
Million Dollar Charity Golf Classic, Angel Fire Resort
8-9
Rio Costilla Valley Studio Tour, Costilla
9
Enchanted Circle Century Bike Tour, Red River
13-16
Bluegrass & Traditional Music Festival, Red River
14-15
The PASEO, Art Installation / Projection, Taos
14-16
ColorFest Weekend Hot Air Balloon Rally, Pagosa
15
NeoRio Arts Festival, Wild Rivers Area, Questa
15-16
Oktoberfest Celebration, Taos Ski Valley
15-17
Beat the Heat Pickleball Tournament, Angel Fire Resort
21
Shortgrass Music Festival, Cimarron
21-23 21-30
COURTESY ANGEL FIRE RESORT
OCTOBER 5-7
Oktoberfest in Red River
6-7
Taos Wool Festival, Kit Carson Park
7
Sabor: A Taste Of Taos, Taos Plaza
12-13
SOMOS / Taos Storytelling Festival
13-14
The Fire Five Race, Angel Fire Bike Park
15-16
Taos Ski Valley, Oktoberfest
21
Fall Festival, Rotary Club of Angel Fire
26-28
Taos Mountain Balloon Rally
INFORMATION ANGEL FIRE
800-446-8117
CHAMA
800-477-0149
Aspencade Arts & Crafts Fair & Folk Fest, Red River
CIMARRON
575-376-2417
44th Annual Taos Fall Arts Festival, Taos
DURANGO
970-247-3500
22-23, 29-30 High Road to Taos Art Tour
EAGLE NEST
800-494-9117
29
Angel Fire Studio Tour
PAGOSA SPRINGS
800-252-2204
29
7th Annual Jog, Walk & Wag, Chama
RED RIVER
575-754-3030
29-30
Trek Dirt Series Mtn. Bike Camp, Angel Fire
SANTA FE
800-777-2489
29-30
San Geronimo Eve and Day, Taos Pueblo
SOUTH FORK
800-571-0881
TAOS COUNTY
800-732-8267
TAOS PUEBLO
575-758-1028
TAOS SKI VALLEY
800-517-9816
Dates subject to change. Check with local centers for ongoing events and updated info. hawk-media.com
25
Festival Favorites High altitude celebrations
BALLOONS OVER ANGEL FIRE June 15-17, 2018 – A great getaway for the family to give Dad a special weekend. Hot air balloons will fly over Angel Fire throughout the weekend with a special Balloon Glow on Saturday evening. 7 AM. Free parking and admission to the balloon launch field each day.
ANGEL FIRE ARTSFEST July 7-8, 2018 – This premier juried art show has consistently drawn talented artists showcasing original works such as paintings, photography, jewelry, weavings, sculptures and other fine arts from New Mexico and surrounding states. Enjoy two days of art, food, entertainment and a silent auction.
artup-nnm.org
balloonsoverangelfire.com
FIESTAS de TAOS
FESTIVAL ECLECTICA
July 20-22, 2018 – The Annual Fiestas de Taos weekend fills Historic Taos Plaza with Spanish Folk music, northern New Mexican cuisine and native dance. Four centuries of Taos culture are celebrated with high-spirited fervor. Share and enjoy delicious cuisine, traditional music and fellowship, while honoring the cultural uniqueness of Taos. Be sure to catch the famous Historical Parade on Sunday afternoon – where mounted conquistadores mingle with tribal dancers, French fur trappers and eye-popping floats. ¡Que Vivan Las Fiestas!
June 16, 2018 – An inaugural festival/fundraiser during Balloons Over Angel Fire Father’s Day weekend to benefit Angel Fire’s Shuter Library. Featuring Zydeco accordionist, singer/songwriter and Grammy nominee Dwayne Dopsie, with his group The Zydeco Hellraisers, as well as Max Gomez, Baracutanga, and other exciting acts. At the balloon venue, Colfax County Airport, Angel Fire.
festivaleclectica.org
fiestasdetaos.com 26
BALLOONS OVER ANGEL FIRE
MUSIC FROM ANGEL FIRE August 17-September 1, 2018 – Music from Angel Fire celebrates extraordinary chamber music in the magnificent Northern New Mexico communities of Angel Fire, Taos, Raton and Las Vegas. Led by artistic director Ida Kavafian, the festival presents world-renowned artists performing an impressive array of works from the great classical, romantic, baroque and contemporary masters. Join MFAF this summer for two weeks of concerts and events celebrating the Festival’s 35th season and the music of Mozart, plus world premieres, family concerts, parties, and more. Venues and ticket prices vary.
musicfromangelfire.org
FOUR CORNERS FOLK FESTIVAL August 31-September 2, 2018 – The Four Corners Folk Festival takes place on Reservoir Hill, located in the heart of downtown Pagosa Springs, CO. In addition to incredible live music on the main stage, enjoy on-site camping in the pines, late night performances, workshops and a kids’ tent packed with fun activities. Take a festival break and soak in Pagosa’s world-famous hot springs, after hiking or biking the 13+ miles of trails on Reservoir Hill. 2018 performer highlights: Nahko & Medicine for the People, The Dawg Trio (feat. David Grisman, Danny Barnes & Samson Grisman), Sam Bush, We Banjo 3, Amy Helm.
folkwest.com HighCountry 2018
ROBERT MIRABAL – PHOTO COURTESY MUSIC FROM ANGEL FIRE
VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL BRICK LAYING CEREMONIES September 1, 2018 – The bricks that line the Memorial walkways commemorate all United States veterans, living or deceased. Each brick has a story. Run For The Wall friends lay bricks into the Memorial walkway at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Approximately 400 bricks, including eight Medal of Honor bricks, are laid annually.
vietnamveteransmemorial.org
hawk-media.com
MICHAEL HEARNE’S BIG BARN DANCE MUSIC FESTIVAL September 6-8, 2018 – A one-of-a-kind, world-class music festival, the 16th Annual Big Barn Dance takes place again this year in Kit Carson Park, Taos, NM. A listening room experience in a festival setting, come experience some of the most diverse and well-respected names in Americana, Country, Bluegrass and Folk music, along with some good old-fashioned two-step “boot scootin’.” Performers: Michael Hearne & SXSW, Chris Hillman & Herb Pedersen, Hayes Carll, Gary P. Nunn, Michael Martin Murphey, Jack Tempchin, John Fullbright, Jason Eady & Courtney Patton, Terri Hendrix & Lloyd Maines, Shake Russell, Tish Hinojosa, Walt Wilkins & The Mystiqueros, and so many more! Info and tickets:
bigbarndance.com
ANGEL FIRE ART UP STUDIO TOUR BLUEGRASS & OLD TIME MUSIC FESTIVAL September 13-16, 2018 – Southwest Pickers and Red River Bluegrass present the 43rd Annual Southwest Pickers Bluegrass and Old Time Music Festival. The festival includes bluegrass, old time and Americana bands, instructional workshops, dancing, food, a beer garden and vendors. Held in Brandenburg Park in the historic town of Red River, north of Taos.
September 29, 2018 – An annual event to showcase our local artists and the scenic beauty of the Moreno Valley during the fall foliage. Visit artists and artisans in studio environments and watch them work. All artists will have works for sale.
artup-nnm.org
southwestpickers-festival.org
27
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WWW.REDRIVERSKIAREA.COM
HighCountry 2018
H IDDEN T REASURES • P IONEER F LYER • S CENIC C HAIRLIFT • T IP R ESTAURANT