Gavilan Trail #60

Type: Backcountry or Sidecountry

The trailhead is on the north side of New Mexico Highway 150 immediately west of the village of Amizette and the Austing Haus hotel. Parking can be tight after a big storm, the NMDOT and Village of TSV plows have absolutely no regard for the US Forest Service trails and push snow onto the parking spaces along the highway. Usually there's enough room for a few cars to park here, but if there isn't, there are several hotels and lodging options in Amizette—if you're a backcountry skier and don't care about the ski area this a great opportunity to consider as a destination. There are literally hundreds of thousands of acres of uncrowded wilderness to be explored, including remote terrain and hundreds of lines that have most likely never been skied. Best to travel in the wilderness with at least one partner, and know how to assess snowpack conditions and avalanche potential.

This is well known and heavily used trail during summer, and much of the foot traffic carries over into winter and the first couple miles are usually packed by hikers, snowshoers, and cross country skiers. The winter route may vary once you approach the switchbacks about a mile up at the bottom of the Y Chute avalanche paths; from here, the route is exposed to unseen as well as obvious avalanche terrain. After climbing past the Y Chutes, the trail enters an open, flat meadow below several slide paths and skiable lines, generally trending northwest towards the ridge west of Gavilan Peak.