What Is the New Mexico Cross Country Ski Club and How Can You Join?

Updated

The New Mexico Cross Country Ski Club (NMCC) is a nordic skiing club based in Albuquerque that organizes cross-country ski instruction, outings, and social events for its members. It suits anyone in the Albuquerque area — or willing to travel there — who wants structured, low-cost ways to learn nordic, telemark, and backcountry skiing and to ski with a group rather than alone. The club's own site describes five main things it does: instruction, outings, member meetings, trail maintenance, and a resource library of trail, weather, and gear information.

What the club offers members

Free seasonal instruction

The club offers free instruction to members every season, with opportunities ranging from beginning instruction to telemark and backcountry skills. Because this is framed as a member benefit, the practical sequence is: join, then watch for the season's instruction schedule. If you are new to nordic skiing, the beginner track is the entry point; if you already ski and want to add turning or off-trail skills, the telemark and backcountry sessions are the relevant ones.

Organized outings

NMCC organizes ski outings for members that range from day trips in the Albuquerque area to weeklong bus/hotel trips in the Rockies. That range matters when deciding whether the club fits you:

  • Local day trips — good if you want to ski regularly without committing vacation time or travel budget.
  • Longer Rockies trips — good if you want the logistics (bus, hotel) handled and prefer skiing with a group in bigger terrain.

Meetings, social events, and volunteering

  • Monthly member meetings in Albuquerque during the ski season, typically with an outside speaker plus time for refreshments and socializing.
  • An annual fall picnic, which the club describes as a chance for members to plan the coming winter.
  • Opportunities to join the club's Board if you want a larger role.

Trail maintenance and resources

The club participates in Adopt-A-Trail (AAT) programs on the Sandia and Jemez Ranger Districts. A few times a year, generally in summer and fall, the Club Trails Chair announces work outings through the club email group — so trail work is a volunteer activity tied to the same email channel as other club news.

The website also maintains links to trail maps, weather and avalanche information, gear advice, and more under its Resources section. Even before joining, this is the part of the site worth checking for planning a trip.

How to get involved

  1. Start with the club website (ski.nmccskiclub.org) and read the Instruction, Outings, About Us, and Resources sections to confirm the current season's offerings.
  2. Join the club — instruction and outings are described as member benefits, so membership is the step that unlocks them.
  3. Get on the club email group — this is how trail work outings and other announcements are distributed.
  4. Connect through Facebook and Meetup — both are linked from the club site and are the channels for updates and event coordination.
  5. Show up to a monthly meeting during ski season if you want to meet members and hear speakers before committing to a trip.

What to verify before you commit

The club's site does not publish membership pricing, meeting locations beyond "Albuquerque," or a current trip calendar in the material available here. Before joining, check the site directly for:

  • Current membership cost and sign-up process
  • This season's instruction schedule and skill levels
  • Dates and destinations for outings, and whether trips fill up
  • Whether meetings are in person and where

If your main goal is learning to ski, the free member instruction is the strongest reason to join. If your main goal is big-mountain travel with logistics handled, the weeklong Rockies trips are the draw — but confirm the current season's schedule, since trip offerings change year to year.