The Sangre de Cristo Mountains in the north of the state are
crossed by routes used since Spanish colonial times, or even
earlier by indiginous people. These are the highest passes in
the state and are a land of cool forests even in the summer.
As you go south historic passes become more and more wide
shallow gaps between alluvial fans, reaching up to dessert
mountain ranges. But even in the land of large private land
grants, trails and dirt roads reach up high into the
mountains. In New Mexico you don't have to stop cycling
summits in the winter. The south has large climbs that are
snow free for at least the largest part of the winter.
The tables
below currently contain 16 passes, including 6 unrecogniced
summits
Summits
with more than three pictures are listed again in
