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Fresh New Design

Two cents from the
Creative Department

The magazine formerly known as the New Mexico Winter Adventure Guide is now New Mexico Slopes!™ Magazine. How did this happen? And why?

The magazine’s legacy extends back almost twenty years. Editor-in-chief Emily Esterson and I were both fortunate to have met with founder and publisher Kathy Pitre only weeks before her retirement in 2008. When Emily and I met with Kathy and Ski New Mexico Director George Brooks to discuss the future of the publication, we were excited by both the magazine’s rich history and its potential for growth. In the new media age, it’s rare to find a successful print-only niche publication so devoted to its constituents, readership and advertisers.

Spring, summer, fall and winter — New Mexico is an awesome outdoor recreation destination the whole year, thanks to our stunning always-sunny weather, our unique culture and our unmatched open spaces. And when it comes to winter sports, our greatest assets are often overlooked by adventurers who tend to look further north. The Land of Enchantment boasts eight diverse and amazing downhill ski areas. And our vast Rocky Mountain landscapes that lend themselves to cross county skiing are endless here. We know it. Others should too.

It is the internet, not the times, that has imposed upon the magazine’s promise. This magazine has a rightful place in the world. Our commitment to Kathy, George and Ski New Mexico members, is to advance the medium and leave its original purpose intact. Thus the Winter Adventure Guide was reborn as Slopes!.

In May 2008 we presented Slopes! to the Ski New Mexico Board of Directors. Many of New Mexico’s ski area owners were seated around the table. We introduced the new identity, the redesigned cover and layouts, and we shared our editorial ambitions. Then we unveiled the SlopesMag.com website which would augment the magazine. Their response was invigorating. We are grateful to have Kathy’s sincere blessing, George’s endorsement, the support of the Board and ski area owners. Slopes! is destined for success.

Vincent Thomé
Creative Director

Ski Apache

Slopes Magazine