Page 16 - SandovalCountyConnection_2017

Above it All

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› •—”‹•‡ ‘ ƒ› ‰‹˜‡ ™‡‡‡†ǡ –Š‡ •‹‡• ‹ –Š‡ ”‡‰‹‘ ƒ”‡ ƤŽŽ‡†
with hot-air balloons. Due to moderate temperatures and mild
weather from January through December, many licensed balloon
’‹Ž‘–• ‡Œ‘› ƒ ›‡ƒ”Ǧ”‘—† ƪ›‹‰ •‡ƒ•‘ ƒ† ‘ơ‡” „ƒŽŽ‘‘ ”‹†‡•Ǥ
Pilots participating in the Albuquerque International Balloon
Fiesta regularly land in Sandoval County, and the skies during
this annual October event come alive with color as hundreds
‘ˆ „ƒŽŽ‘‘• ƪ‘ƒ– ‘˜‡”Š‡ƒ†Ǥ ‹‡ ‘’ƒ‹‡• ™‹–Š
‡”–‹Ƥ‡† ’‹Ž‘–• ‹ ‹‘ ƒ Š‘ ƒ† Ž„—“—‡”“—‡ ‘ơ‡” ƒ
Šƒ ‡ –‘ •‘ƒ” ‘˜‡” –Š‡ ‹–› ƒ† –Š‡ ‹‘ ”ƒ†‡ǡ ™‹–Š
•’‡ –ƒ —Žƒ” ˜‹‡™• ‘ˆ –Š‡ ƒ†‹ƒ•Ǥ ‘•– ‘ơ‡” ‰”‘—’ ”ƒ–‡•ǡ
continental breakfast/champagne, and hotel pick-up.
Balloon rides normally take place at sunrise or near sunset,
weather permitting. Allow two-to-three hours for the
experience.
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High altitude and distance from city lights create the
’‡”ˆ‡ – ‘’’‘”–—‹–› ˆ‘” ƒ•–”‘‘› „—ơ•ǡ ™Š‘ ˜‡–—”‡
into the desert hills for a stellar viewing experience.

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New Mexico may be one of the best-kept secrets in
American alpine skiing, and many of the best ski destina-
tions are a short drive away. Sandia Ski Area is nearest in
proximity: a basic slope whose biggest draw is for
families, snow-boarders and beginning-to-expert skiers.
Santa Fe Ski Area blankets the Sangre de Cristo Moun-
tains with a varied terrain just a few hours north. At Taos
Ski Valley, thrill-seeking skiers are treated to some of the
bumpiest moguls, freshest power and steepest
double-diamonds in the country. Northern New Mexico’s
‰‡Ž ‹”‡ ‹ŽŽƒ‰‡ ‘ơ‡”• •‹‹‰ǡ •‘™„‘ƒ”†‹‰ǡ œ‹’Ž‹‡
adventure tours, downhill mountain biking, and more.

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www.newmexico.org

tourism.sandovalcountynm.org

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