The annual Chama ski race almost did not happen this year.
After a 50th anniversary celebration in 2023, much of the old event leadership had decided not to return.
But just in time, with five weeks of planning, a new group came together for the 51st event.
“The group just decided that it needed to keep going,” Sage Faulkner said. “So here we are.”
That new group from Chama hosted the 51st annual Chama Chile Ski Classic on Jan. 13, for Rio Arriba’s biggest skiing event.
Held in the Rio Grande National Forest north of Chama and just past the Colorado border along Cumbres pass, the event gave skiers of all ages from around New Mexico and Colorado an opportunity to compete. For a town that thrives off of summer tourism, the Ski Classic provides an opportunity for some extra business during the winter.
“Since we’re all supporters of outdoor recreation activities during the winter, we wanted to support that in every way possible, with direct support from our community” said John Beaver.
Beaver, the longtime course groomer, did not want the event to end. When he called out to find a sponsor, Faulkner, of the Chama Peak Land Alliance, became involved as a fiscal sponsor. Her children had raced in the past.
“We felt like it was important for the community, so we stepped in,” she said. “There’s a ton of volunteers, if I tried to name them all, I’d forget one.”
Beaver said that the event used to be a collegiate one, hosted by the University of New Mexico. Now it is part of the Southwest Nordic Series.
More than 160 total participants came for the event, which Faulkner said was close to a record number of participants. Among the locals, everyone seemed to know everyone, cheering as they rode past.
“Phenomenal turnout, especially given the short window that we had to tell people we were doing it,” Faulkner said.
Karl Walczak won the morning’s 12-kilometer race with a time of 55 minutes, 28 seconds. Times for 46 finishers ranged from that mark to just under three hours, with many in the back there for the experience more than the competition.
Walczak won despite a fall on the course’s back stretch. He crossed the finish line with a face and body covered in ice.
“It was within the last 200 meters, I was just trying to go around a couple people,” he said. “I went off the trail and got sucked in. I went down faster than I could think. All of a sudden, my leg that I had weight on, had nothing going.”
Walczak, from Albuquerque, said this was his sixth year in the Chama race. This was the start of Walczak’s season, which also includes races around southwestern Colorado, and Los Alamos.
“The surroundings, it’s gorgeous here,” he said. “I love the people, the race organizers. Everybody comes together, great atmosphere.”
Elizabeth Quinley of Albuquerque was the female champion at 1:04:26.
The 6-kilometer race had contestants of all ages. Diane Rimple, 57, won the race at 21:01, and 14-year-old Jack Purcell from Durango, Colo. finished second. Two 11-year-olds finished fourth and fifth, and 8-year-old Sage Harper finished 13th out of 51 finishers.
Durago’s Anthony Kunkel dominated the snowshoe race, finished two laps in 1:23:15, for an average of under 42 minutes. (In the official standings, he was one of just two entrants in the 12-kilometer snowshoe race). For the 6-kilometer race, Albuquerque’s Eric Biedermann was the top finisher at 53:05. Most contestants finished at a walking pace between around 90 and 120 minutes.
The afternoon featured the Rookie Race for newbies, including a man dressed in a beaver costume. The rookies skied the course without any competition pressure.
“It’s fun to watch,” Faulkner said. “When the wind isn’t blowing too much in your face.”
Beaver said the scenic course, off road CO-17 (after continuing straight on US-84 to NM-17 through Chama), would be open to the public through March this year.