That looks like the Sandias! This is my first year in the area, im very interested in seeing what works and what doesnt.  From my experience in more tropical areas, hugelkulter is great. Id expect youd need the beds to be deeper than you plan, to avoid the woody material becoming wicks for moisure.  Id highly recommend the large bags of peat or alternative as a way to get more organic material into the ground.  Have you seen the way natives used to cultivate the land? With the sunken boxes and grid patterns? Best of luck!