West - Driving Farmington to Los Alamos NM: Question about route

Mr. GoogleMaps suggests driving US 550 from Farmington to San Ysidro, then NM 4/501 to Los Alamos.

My question: How about cutting east on NM 126 at Cuba. Mr. Google suggests it will take longer but looks like it might be a nice mountain road. Is it drivable this time of year? (The NM highways site http://advanced.nmroads.com/ says

Difficult driving conditions on NM 126, mile marker 5-25 (from east of Cuba to the Fish Hatchery). Road is icy in spots to the end of the pavement and bladed, but snow packed from the end of the pavement to the Fish Hatchery. Visibility is good. Please drive with caution, reduce speed and obey all posted traffic signs. This event will be updated as conditions change.

Is that iciness seasonal or (absent more snow) will the road improve in the next few days.

Of the part of highway 4 west of Los Alamos (which either route would have to take) it says:

Difficult driving conditions on NM 4, mile marker 25-46 (from La Cueva to the Los Alamos County Line). Road is icy in shaded areas. Visibility is good. Please drive with caution, reduce speed and obey all posted traffic signs. This event will be updated as conditions change.

Mr. GoogleMaps suggests driving US 550 from Farmington to San Ysidro, then NM 4/501 to Los Alamos.

My question: How about cutting east on NM 126 at Cuba. Mr. Google suggests it will take longer but looks like it might be a nice mountain road. Is it drivable this time of year? (The NM highways site http://advanced.nmroads.com/ says



Is that iciness seasonal or (absent more snow) will the road improve in the next few days.

Of the part of highway 4 west of Los Alamos (which either route would have to take) it says:

I've taken route 126 but not in winter. This was about 6 years ago so my recollection of the road is not that great except that I do remember it is a gorgeous drive. There was a lot of evergreen forest land. There were parts of it that were not paved and I do remember it having ruts in it even in the summer. Maybe it has been paved since I've been there. The beginning and end of the road were paved when we took it.

Thanks for reminding me about this. It makes me want to take another trip out there.

Bobette

Well, it was an adventure. :)

Temp was about 35 degrees, so the 20 miles or thereabouts of dirt road were alternately some serious mudholes (4WD engaged, don't stop!) and, in the shade, some very slippery ice/snow.

It was utterly gorgeous, though! I would not attempt this in winter without 4WD and a high clearance vehicle. There is no cell service (neither Verizon nor ATT anyway) and we only saw one other car.

Well, it was an adventure. :)

Temp was about 35 degrees, so the 20 miles or thereabouts of dirt road were alternately some serious mudholes (4WD engaged, don't stop!) and, in the shade, some very slippery ice/snow.

It was utterly gorgeous, though! I would not attempt this in winter without 4WD and a high clearance vehicle. There is no cell service (neither Verizon nor ATT anyway) and we only saw one other car.

Cell service didn't even occur to me. That could be a pretty scary route if anything happened along the way. I'm glad it worked out though. It is a beautiful drive.

Bobette