Dear Los Schneiders,
My wife and I are driving up to Sandia Crest right after C-mas. Trying to figure out where this site with the feeders (Crest House?) is located is very confusing using Google Maps. Also the phone # on their website earlier in the week would not be answered, then would convert to a ‘fax tone’. Today I couldn’t even find their website via Google!
I know you two are the ‘pros’ on the finches so I am taking the liberty to ask you the best way to find them and the name and location of the restaurant/gift shop whose feeders they frequent. About how many miles from the ‘San Antonio’ junction of H-14 is it?
Thank you very much,
D E
San Antonio, TX= = = = = =
Hi, D.--
Sorry about the phone number. It did work only a few days ago, but if it has changed I will verify it and publish it in the
Sandia Crest Birding Forum. It may have been closed due to the recent snowstorm, in which case the phone will go unanswered.
The feeder is on the deck of the Sandia Crest Gift Shop and Restaurant, Highway 536, Sandia Park, NM 87048 According to the
Turquoise Trail Web site and other Web references, the telephone number is still (505) 243-0605. Their parent company is
Sunwest Silver in Albuquerque.
Take I-40 West from the Texas Panhandle to Exit 175 (Cedar Crest/ NM 14). Exit right from I-40, and turn right on NM-14 Northbound.
Then follow NM-14 signs north past Cedar Crest, total of about 6.0 miles, to NM 536 westbound, also known as the Crest Road or the road to the Sandia Ski Area.
More information from
this rosyfinch.com web page:
Do not confuse the base of the Sandia Peak Ski Area, at the 7 mile mark, with Sandia Crest, at 13.5 miles, the very top. There are no Rosy-Finch feeders at the Ski Area! The Tram from Albuquerque goes to the Peak, which is a mile south of the Crest. The 1.5 mile trail connecting the Peak and Crest should not be attempted by casual hikers, especially in winter...
...Because of the very high high altitude (each breath at 10,678 feet delivers one third less oxygen than at sea level), it is safer to acclimatize by spending at least one night at 5000 to 7000 feet, and making several short trips rather than venturing up for a long period of time.
Good birding, and please let us know how how you do on your visit.
Ken
Locked
