 X-treme Sports Trail Report: Sandboarding |
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| Rating Information |
 Difficult - My grandma did this last year |
| Summary |
 | Boading in the Great Sand Dunes |
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| Trail Report |
| The Dunes are an awesome spot to get away for a few days. Sure they've got your hiking, horseback riding and 4-wheeling, but if you're tired of the usual and jonesing for one more day on the board then look no further. You won't find a lift around for many miles, but the walking isn't as bad as it looks if you stay on the crest of the dunes. The dunes peak out at 8700 feet which require roughly a 30-60 minute hike from the camp grounds or picnic area depending on where you go, how wisely you choose your route and how bad your hangover is. Bring plenty of water and try to get an early start as the sand gets mighty warm during the day. Not exactly what you would expect while boarding. It is a safe bet that afternoon showers may rain on your parade or at least look as if it will. Overall.... It's awesome. Don't waste the wax for this outing, it's gone after the first 10 feet. The Steeper the better is the philosophy here. You wont be making many turns unless you get some good speed going. Good carving can be had, it just takes a little more effort in the sand than the snow. The sand will put a nice smooth finish on the bottom of your board, I recommend using an old board if you just forked out the cash to have your board tuned. A note to Step-in Binding users: The sand gets everywhere. Count on it. It will be in your boots, bindings, shorts and ears. You will be digging the stuff out for days to come. If your binding have areas that cant be cleaned and/or require periodic lubrication then don't bring them here. Stick to the Ratchets. Have a great time! -Eric |
| How to Get There |
| Alamosa Area - Located 38 miles NE of Alamosa, CO nestled in the San Luis Valley between the San Juan Range and the Sangre DeCristo Mountains. Call: 719-378-2312. |
| Trail Maps (1:100,000 scale) |
Topo Map |
(click image for a larger map) |
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| GPS Information |
 | Trailhead: 37.7966 N , 105.5638 W | 
(Build a map from these coords) |
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| Additional Resources |
This trail is in the:
 San Isabel National Forest
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