Ski New Mexico

Skiing and Snowboarding in the Land of Enchantment

Cathryn Huff

Spectacular Spring Snow!

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Don’t cry because we’re on the tail end of winter—Smile because we still have an entire month to get out there and make some snow tracks!

And thanks to Mother Nature’s perfectly-timed and generous storm cycle last week, there is plenty of snow on the mountains! Taos got more than 52 inches of fresh powder, neighboring Sipapu topped 36”, Red River recorded 32”, and Santa Fe saw 31”. For full details on all of New Mexico’s ski resorts, click in!

Get a move on while all of our resorts are open this weekend, and three of them are open into April:

Angel Fire: Closes March 20
Pajarito: Closes March 19
Red River: Closes March 20
Sipapu: Closes April 10
Ski Apache: Closes March 20
Ski Santa Fe: Closes April 3
Taos Ski Valley: Closes April 10

Here in New Mexico, we know how to make the most of our seasonal events and activities. There is plenty of time to pack up your roof rack and head to some fun events:

Maybe the most fun a family can have together on a mountain is the Sipapu Cardboard Derby, back this year on Saturday, March 26, from 8 am-4 pm. Racers arrive with innovative vessels made with only cardboard, duct tape, string and paint and careen down the mountain for a chance to win amazing prizes. Need a little inspiration (or maybe just a laugh)? Check out this video!

Squeeze in one more cool kids event at RED RIVER on Wednesday, March 16th at 6:30 pm at the Kids Glow Stick Parade on Gold Rush Hill. Fuel up on free hot dogs at the Main Chalet before your little “hot dogs” hit the hill! Then stick around for fireworks, too. If your “little kids” are now “big kids” in college, check out the College Days savings between March 17-20 here. And for one last hurrah, send off the ski season at the annual Pond Skim on Sunday, March 20 at 3:30 pm.

Taos Ski Valley will host a World Pro Ski Tour World Championships event from April 7—10, 2022, with both men’s and women’s races on the same weekend for the first time. Photo credit: https://www.sportstravelmagazine.com/

Finally, it’s a good thing TAOS has so much snow and is open for so long, because they still have some major events to squeeze into the 2022 ski season! The Ben Myers Ridge-a-thon on March 18 & 19, the High Hazard Hoedown on March 19, and the USSA Southern Series Championships (March 26 & 27) are cool enough. But the event de résistance is the World Pro Ski Tour World Championships April 7-10. This prestigious event is the country’s foremost professional alpine race tour where athletes race side-by-side in a single-elimination format. Join Olympians Bode Miller, Deb Armstrong, and others to watch as the world’s top athletes go head-to-head in hopes of taking home a piece of the $200,000 purse. Thousands of spectators, competitors, and sponsors are expected to attend, showcasing Taos’ world-renowned terrain on international television. Get your tickets here.

As winter winds down, we hope you take the opportunity to visit a new venue, try a new trail or two, and make some fresh new winter memories with your friends and family.

Tiny Museum—Big History

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If you’ve ever taken a break at Ski Santa Fe’s Totemoff Bar & Grill or had a lesson from the Ernie Blake Snowsports School at Taos, you might wonder about the people behind the legendary names. A great place to learn about the pioneers who made skiing in New Mexico possible and to marvel at how far ski equipment has evolved is the New Mexico Ski Museum.

Located at the base of the Sandia Peak Tramway, the charming museum is free and open year-round. It opened in 2008 and was created to document the history and development of skiing in New Mexico. It is dedicated to Robert Nordhaus who developed the Sandia Peak Ski Area in the 1940s, and who, along with Ben Abruzzo, co-founded the Sandia Peak Tramway in 1966.

Ben Abruzzo (left) and Robert (Bob) Nordhaus were the primary forces behind the development of La Madera into today’s Sandia Peak. They are seen together here at the base of La Madera in 1962. Nordhaus was a New Mexico native, born and raised in the original Las Vegas. He obtained a law degree from Yale University in 1935, and became the founding president of the Albuquerque Ski Club in 1936. His wife, Virginia, first suggested they try out this new sport of skiing. He once told author Daniel Gibson, “We began to learn—no one really knew anything about it.” Low snow years in the early 1950s led him to turn over operations to the City of Albuquerque, but in 1952 he and a group of investors resumed management. Both men were inducted into the New Mexico Ski Hall of Fame’s first class, in 2003, along with Ernie Blake. (Courtesy Sandia Peak.) –Daniel Gibson

Taking up one whole corner of the tiny museum is a full-size Ski Apache gondola from the 1960s, and on another wall is a pair of bamboo ski poles with baskets the size of dessert plates. If you’ve skied around the block a few times in your life, you may remember the lace-up ski boots at the beginning of the “From Leather to Plastic” evolution of ski boots collection lined up in a glass case. Other artifacts like handmade wooden nordic skis, fragments of a tow rope and a weathered t-bar are displayed in between historic photos, stories and timelines.

But the real stories lie in the 37 placards on the Ski Hall of Fame of individuals and couples whose passion and foresight in the last century created an annual economic impact of more than $140 million for New Mexico. You’ll meet Kingsbury (Pitch) Pitcher who led work crews to design what is now Ski Apache near Ruidoso and acquired and developed Ski Santa Fe into a successful business until he sold it to the Abruzzo family in 1984; John and Judy Miller, the patriarchs of Red River Ski Area and the Enchanted Forest Cross Country Ski and Snowshoe area; and even the 2004 NCAA National Championship UNM ski team. If you’d like to read their stories in front of your own fire, you can find them all here.

The exact details of this photo—perhaps the oldest photo anywhere of an American Indian on skis—are lost to history but this image of a Taos Pueblo Indian is believed to have been taken in the Hondo Valley a few miles down-valley from Taos Ski Valley circa 1900. He is thought to have been a mail carrier who delivered letters in a pouch on his back to the mining community of Twining. His long single pole was the early favored means of controlling speed and for turning. The effort both uphill and down generated lots of body heat; thus his trim figure and relatively light clothing. (Courtesy TSV.)
–Daniel Gibson

If those stories whet your appetite for more New Mexico ski history, and you want to go back as far as the 19th century, check out the delightful book “Skiing in New Mexico” by Daniel Gibson and Jay Blackwood. Packed with vintage photos and anecdotes, this book may have you thinking a few things: “Wow, they had a lot of snow!”… “Wow, they did not dress very warmly.”… and, “They did all that skiing with no chair lifts?” For an additional short magazine article by Gibson, click here.

The ski industry in New Mexico has come a long way, thanks to passionate and tenacious people who channeled their love of the sport into entrepreneurial endeavors for the rest of us. There’s still time this season to write your own ski story!

Soak in our Hot Springs for Apre-Ski Recovery

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Have you ever gingerly ended a great day of skiing with the thought, “Ohhh…I wish I had paid a little more attention to pre-season conditioning….OWWWW…”? Working out muscles that you forgot about over the summer can surprise you with a deliciously exhausted but sometimes achy body when you come off the slopes.

Well, we’ve got you covered (or technically “submerged”) here in New Mexico, a state surprisingly filled with hot springs and spas to sooth and re-energize your sporty self.

SANTA FE
You actually have to drive right past 10,000 Waves on your way to Ski Santa Fe, which means it’ll be there on the way down. Offering a “Japanese-adobe aesthetic”, 10,000 Waves is only ten minutes from Santa Fe but modeled after the great hot spring onsen in Japan. In addition to self-contained hot tub and sauna suites with private changing rooms and showers, they offer massages, skin care, and multiple spa treatments. And since you’ll be too relaxed to go anywhere afterward, you may as well stay for dinner and book a room. Reservations are limited, and Covid has restricted walk-in communal bathing, so consult the website early on in your planning.

Ojo Santa Fe Resort is another jewel in the NM hot springs crown. Surrounded by 77 acres of lush New Mexican high desert, you can bathe in the luxury of hydrotherapy in spring-fed thermal pools, dine on farm-fresh cuisine at their Blue Heron Restaurant, and lose yourself in a wide selection of spa treatments. Overnight guests get access to perks like morning yoga and freedom to roam the land.

TAOS
Ojo’s sister spa, Ojo Caliente, is about an hour from Taos Ski Valley, 30 minutes from Pajarito, and 90 minutes from Sipapu. With natural pools built into the landscape, Ojo Caliente’s healing waters are legendary for inspiring the country’s very first health spa back in 1868. Sulfur-free pools, rich in four elements—iron, arsenic, soda and lithia—offer deep and soothing mental and physical health benefits. You will also find dining, lodging and spa amenities here. You might want to wait until after you’ve finished the skiing part of your trip, or you may be too relaxed to get back on the hill.

RUIDOSO
Riverbend Hot Springs is not exactly IN Ruidoso—in fact, it’s a well-kept secret about 2.5 hours away, but well worth the diversion. Add a little “fire” to your snowy Ski Apache vacation and detour to the one and only open-air hot springs on the banks of the Rio Grande, long considered sacred by the Apache and Mimbres tribes. Crystal clear mineral waters pumped from deep under the surface of the earth will heal, rejuvenate and recharge your body, mind and soul. Open every day of the year, you can rent a room or RV site, rent a private pool, or breeze through with a one-hour pass.

ALBUQUERQUE
And for something completely different, try the True REST Float Spa, a zero-gravity flotation experience in a special solution of water salinated by 1,000 pounds of Epsom salts. You literally crawl into a private isolation pod, pull the top down and float effortlessly in a completely silent, dark environment for an hour while the water does its thing to relax, heal and provide a profound form of complete rest. Lactic acid is drained from the muscles, reducing soreness and recovery time, and Sulfate naturally detoxes the body. What a dreamy way to end one great day of skiing and get ready for the next.

For more year-round hot springs experiences in New Mexico, check out this list.

Ski Vacation Family Style!

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Introducing your kids to skiing could be the beginning of a life-long love affair with a sport that’s accessible for all levels and all ages. And it’s a great way to be active and explore our state as a family! But if you’re reading this, you already know that…

What you might not know about is all the activities available OFF the mountain for little snow bunnies who still have energy at the end of the day. You can all sleep next week! Read on:

ANGEL FIRE
Snow tubing is a great way to give your legs a rest and connect with your real child AND your inner child as you careen down the 4-lane Tubing Hill at the Angel Fire Resort. There’s also a more budget-friendly kids’ Sledding Hill at the Nordic Center that’s perfect for all sizes. On Fridays and Saturday at 4:00, fuel up at the S’mores and Hot Chocolate Bar on the Zia Bar Deck. And then, if you get a second (or third) wind, Angel Fire offers the only night skiing and snowboarding in New Mexico.

LOS ALAMOS
Speaking of chilling under the twinkling stars, if you are looking for a magical way to end your day at Pajarito, head over to Los Alamos to the only NHL regulation outdoor ice rink in New Mexico. The rink offers public skating, hockey and skating lessons from mid-November through February.

RED RIVER
For kids over 42” tall, Red River Ski Resort offers 1-hr tubing sessions through mid-March. And every Saturday, you can come for the skiing and stay for the torch light and fireworks show. Watching the Red River team members serpentine with torches down the frosty mountain in beautiful unison is just the beginning of a spectacular evening. Bundling up and sipping hot chocolate while you watch the skies light up with brilliant fireworks is sure to be a highlight of your vacation.

ALBUQUERQUE
There are two ways to get to Sandia Peak—You can drive around the east side of the mountain and take the lift up from the bottom for your first run, or you can take the tram up on the west side, and it’s all downhill from there. But even when the resort isn’t open, there are several ways to enjoy the snow and the views from the top. If there is snow, break out your snow shoes and hike north along the rim to the “Kiwanis Cabin” and then a little farther to the Sandia Crest House gift shop and snack bar. Thursday through Sunday, enjoy a breathtaking dining experience at the brand new Ten 3 restaurant right at the top of the tram.

SIPAPU
At Sipapu, the weekend of February 26-28 was designed for kids! Bring the whole family up for the FREE February Fun Fest that includes a giant snow castle, a mountain-wide scavenger hunt, a costume contest and more fun than you can shake a ski pole at. And as always, kids under 12 ski for free, so load ‘em up.

RUIDOSO
To mix things up at Ski Apache, head over to Ruidoso Winter Park where kids over 46” tall can take a Magic Carpet conveyor belt ride up the hill with their tubes and race their friends down! There’s a Kidz Korral for smaller kiddos and hot chocolate and snacks for all at the VIP Igloo.

SANTA FE
For an off-mountain experience unlike any other, enter a fantastic realm of stories and exploration at Meow Wolf, House of Eternal Return. Show the kids a one-of-a-kind universe, and go on a journey through multiple dimensions through magical portals, secret passageways, and a pure expression of human imagination. You might want to put a tracking device on them, or you may never get them out!

TAOS
There is a place in Taos where the mountain towers more than 9,000 feet above you, and the Rio Grand flows 800 feet below you. After a half day of skiing, take a short drive to the Rio Grand Gorge Bridge (the second highest on the U.S. Highway System) for spectacular views and maybe even a glimpse of bighorn sheep. Proceed across the bridge for another 1.5 miles, and you will encounter the Earthship Biotecture, a fascinating community of off-the-grid and self-sufficient homes made out of primarily natural and recycled materials like earth-rammed tires, cans, and bottles. Your little junk collector’s eyes will pop right out of his head!

Activities aside, however, the best part about a ski vacation with your kids is the time you get to spend together. Have meaningful conversations on a long lift ride, teach them how to roast the perfect marshmallow over the firepit, and recap everyone’s favorite moment of the day as you drive down the mountain…Those are the moments they’ll remember forever.

Warm Wishes for a Cool Holiday Season

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If you are heading to New Mexico for the holidays, prepare to be dazzled. Oh sure there’s the sparkling fluffy snow against the bisbee blue skies during the days. But it’s the brilliantly illuminated evenings that put the winter version of the word “enchantment” into our state’s nickname.

No matter which town or resort you visit, and whether or not you’ll be skiing, bask in our glow of holiday lights and events:

IN SANTA FE
Christmas on the historic Santa Fe Plaza
Nothing short of magical, the downtown plaza of “The City Different” is aglow in lights and farolitos from Thanksgiving to New Years Day, as are the Guadalupe and Railyard Districts nearby. The Santa Fe Botanic Garden on Museum Hill is another luminary destination. If you’re looking for a church on Christmas Eve, Midnight Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi on the Plaza is an experience to behold.

Christmas Eve Canyon Road Farolito Walk
Dec. 24, 2021 | 5:00-9:00 pm
Join the tens of thousands of people who turn out for this slow promenade in the heart of Santa Fe. Enjoy farolitos and carolers. Many of the galleries and restaurants are open; some serve hot drinks and offer a warm, welcome shelter from the cold.

IN ALBUQUERQUE
56th Annual Luminaria Tour
Dec. 24, 2021
Take a self-guided tour or join an ABQRIDE tour through the Old Town plaza and several surrounding neighborhoods to view the city’s most impressive light and luminaria displays. (You can also stroll through Old Town any night of the month of December to see the picturesque white lights, but without the luminarias.)

River of Lights
Through Dec. 30, 2021 | 6:00 – 9:30 (Closed Dec. 24 & 25)
ABQ BioPark Botanic Garden hosts New Mexico’s largest walk-through light show featuring millions of twinkling lights.

There’s plenty of holiday cheer for the whole family at and around the ski areas as well. From Santa to fireworks, there’s something for everyone. Several ski areas host traditional torchlight parades. These breathtaking displays on the slopes of the mountains are celebrations put on by the host ski area and skiing community and are considered a gift to the visitors who attend.

SKI APACHE
Christmas at the Flying J Ranch
Saturday, Dec. 25, 2021 | 5:30-9:00 pm
Celebrate Christmas at the Flying J Ranch with a Christmas show, holiday lights, a delicious cowboy supper and a winter hayride, New Mexico-style.

Christmas Eve Luminarias at Lincoln Historic Site
Friday, Dec. 24, 2021 | 4:00-8:00 pm
The town will be adorned with luminarias. Santa Claus arrives on a longhorn steer. Hot chocolate will be served.

ANGEL FIRE
Ski and Snowboard with Santa
Dec. 24 & 25, 2021 | 10:00 am-3:00 pm
Come ski and snowboard with Santa and Mrs. Claus on the mountain. Don’t forget a camera; this is one photo op you don’t want to miss. You can get a picture with Mr. and Mrs. Claus following this event in the Lodge Lobby too!

Christmas Eve Torchlight Parade & Fireworks
Dec. 24, 2021 | 6:00-7:00 pm
Bundle up the family and join us at the base of the ski mountain for our annual Christmas Eve Torchlight Parade & Fireworks.

TAOS SKI VALLEY
New Year’s Eve Fireworks and Torchlight Parade
Dec. 31, 2021 | 6:00-7:00 pm
Ring in the 2022 New Year in style with our torchlight parade and fireworks display. Watch as skiers make their way down the mountain in the dark with flares as their only means of light. Following the torchlight don’t miss the spectacular fireworks display by Gemini Fireworks. Torchlight Parade will begin around 6pm and fireworks will follow.

RED RIVER
Christmas Luminaria Ski & Snowshoe
Dec. 25, 2021 | 6:30-9:30 pm at the Enchanted Forest Cross Country Ski Area
Enjoy Enchanted Forest Cross Country Ski & Snowshoe Area under the warm glow of candlelight. Luminarias are placed along a one-way three-kilometer loop for a self-guided nighttime tour. This is, quite possibly, the most beautiful cross-country ski (or snowshoe) experience in North America. There is plenty of light to see the trails and if it begins to snow, the effect is just incredible. It truly is like skiing in a dream. Join us inside for complimentary food and (non-alcoholic) drinks!

Christmas Eve’s Eve Fireworks and Torchlight Parade
Dec. 23, 2021 | 7:00 pm
See Red River ski area’s instructors, patrol, and local residents ski and snowboard down the mountain carrying flares. This beautiful show is a 45-plus year tradition and is accompanied by fireworks. You don’t have to be on the slopes to enjoy this—it can be seen from almost anywhere in town. If you miss it, come back any Saturday night during ski season for the same spectacle.

IN LOS ALAMOS
Christmas Eve at Ashley Pond
Dec. 24, 2021 | 4:45-5:30pm
Experience a Christmas in Los Alamos that is so unique and special for the entire family and hosted by Freedom Church.

Early Season Ski Deals!

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It pays to be the early bird on the mountain! Several of our New Mexico resorts are featuring hot deals and cool packages for skiers who are ready to roll.

Is learning to ski or snowboard on your bucket list? At Taos Ski Valley, everything is more fun with a friend. So grab your sidekick and book a two-for-one 2-day Beginner Adult Lesson. Build confidence, create memories, and enjoy the mountain all while learning how to ski or ride with your BFF.

Also at Taos Ski Valley, start your kids off right, and set them on the path to a lifelong love of skiing with a 2-day child lesson. The bonus here is that you’ll receive a 2-day Adult Lift Ticket on us, because parents deserve a vacation, too. You’re welcome.

And when you take your last run of the day, you won’t have far to go if you book 2 nights at The Blake Hotel, just steps away from the slopes. This deal comes with up to 4 free lift tickets…Happy Holidays to you! Book any or all three of these Taos Ski Valley deals until December 13, and ski/stay between December 2-16. You must book three days in advance, so shake a leg!

At Red River, they don’t call ‘em “Deal Days” for nothing, and they’re coming right up. During the first two weekends in December, Adults can ski a full day for $66, and kids are discounted to $56. If you’re just warming up with half days, ski for $49/$42. If you’re a college student just waking up after fall semester finals week, there’s an early week for you, too. From December 13-20, ski a full day for $62, and add on a ski or snowboard rental package for just $28. Get the deets on these deals here.

It’s great to be a kid at Sipapu, because kids 12 and under receive a FREE Power Kid’s season pass that’s good every day at Sipapu, plus Pajarito Mountain, Purgatory Resort, Snowbowl, and Hesperus during the 2021/2022 winter season. So pack your van with all the neighborhood kids, and you’ll be the most popular parent on the block! Check here often, because new deals pop up all the time.

With all the money you’re gonna save by beating the rush to the slopes, you might just treat yourself to some of the local amenities (did someone say “Spa Day”?) and make this the best ski season ever!

Snowmaking Is Both An Art & A Science

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With cool temperatures and low humidity, New Mexico is home to some of the best natural snow in America. But when Mother Nature needs a helping hand, skiers and snowboarders throughout the Land of Enchantment benefit from the state’s modern snow making systems which provide much of the idyllic trail surfaces they enjoy throughout the day.

Snow making dates back to the early 1950s with the invention of the first snow cannon and gained widespread popularity at resorts throughout America in the 1970s. Today, it allows winter sports enthusiasts to hit their favorite slopes earlier in the winter and later into spring.

The artificial snow not only creates a base for early season skiing, but also provides an excellent foundation that allows natural snowfall to stick sooner. As springtime approaches, the more dense man-made snow is better able to endure through the freeze-thaw cycle created by the warmer days and cold nights, extending the season beyond what would be possible naturally.

Snow makers use every forecasting tool possible to monitor the weather and make their winter plans. That includes meteorologist discussion boards, on-site weather stations, current trends in the oceans and historical weather data. Snow making is always a balance of production, timing, year-to year-forecast and goals.

At Ski Santa Fe, Operations Manager Tommy Long likes to start making snow on November 1. That date has both to do with the water rights as well as low enough temperatures.

“We are set up to put a lot of water on the hill relatively quickly if temps are right. The colder the temps, the more water you can effectively turn into snow. Humidity plays a role in this as well, but cold is king,” says Long.

Snow makers look for a wet bulb temperature of 28 degrees and below, which factors in the ambient temperature and the humidity. The colder and dryer it is, the more snow you can create, which makes New Mexico one of the best places in the world for simulating perfect snow.

In a good year, skiers contribute more than $400 million to New Mexico’s tourism economy, so it’s critical to keep up with the latest technology to provide the stellar snow experience New Mexico is known for. As the snow making industry moves heavily into automation, Ski Santa Fe is embracing the newest tech with open arms.

“We have the ability to run our guns in automatic so they take into account changes in temperature, humidity, and the desired product you are looking for, like lighter, dryer snow or wetter, heavier snow. With the current climate demands and the need to maximize efficiency, snow making is becoming smarter, faster and more dynamic,” says Long.

After the snow is created, there’s still work to be done as crews use snowcats to create a consistent, groomed surface. Finally, tillers are used to pack down the new snow and craft that perfect corduroy surface every skier and snowboarder loves.

The skilled craftsmen are already hard at work making snow at your favorite New Mexico ski area. It’s not too soon to make plans to come see for yourself how smooth a ride it is. Ski Santa Fe, Red River Ski & Summer Area, Taos Ski Valley and Sipapu will all be open this week and have been blowing snow to get ready for the Holiday weekend!

Gearing up for the 2021-22 New Mexico Ski Season!

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Blustery winds, swirling leaves and pumpkin spice everything means pretty much one thing to skiers…snow is on the way! The good news is that the trusty Farmer’s Almanac time-tested weather formula predicts above-average amounts of snow from coast to coast this winter. But better layer up because Janice Stillman, the editor of the Old Farmer’s Almanac, says, “This coming winter could well be one of the longest and coldest we’ve seen in years.” Brrr…

We say, BRING IT ON!

To start, here is a a list of the opening dates for our New Mexico resorts, all in one handy spot:

Angel Fire Resort: Dec. 17
Pajarito Mountain: TBA
Red River Ski Area: Nov. 24
Sandia Peak: Dec. 18, pending snowfall
Sipapu: Nov. 19
Ski Apache: TBA
Ski Santa Fe: Nov. 27
Taos Ski Valley: Nov. 25

A few notable updates:

Pajarito has undertaken a $250,000 investment to re-line its water retention pond. The 9 million gallon pond collects runoff and rainwater, and also acts as a fire mitigation source for the area. For skiers who love the breathtaking views, the best bump skiing in the state, and the laid-back atmosphere of one of New Mexico’s “Best Secret Ski Towns” (as named by National Geopgraphic last winter), this improved consistency in snowmaking gives you one more thing to love about Pajarito.

Red River Ski & Summer Area is always looking at ways to improve their guests’ experience. They have added seven new snow making guns and upgraded water lines to further expand their already robust snowmaking system. The new contactless Axess RFID system revolutionizes the lift ticket experience from easy online booking to being scanned right through your pocket at the access gate—no more fumbling with clumsy gloves and zippers to find your pass! We can’t wait to see you at Red River Ski & Summer Area this winter.

Sipapu is New Mexico’s family friendly, family fun ski resort in the heart of the mountains. They kick off the season by being the first to open, and they offer the most affordable ski vacation around with dynamic ticket pricing starting at just $9 for lift ticket! Check out their new online calendar for purchasing lift tickets where you can easily plan your visit around the best deals in the state.

Ski Santa Fe has increased their snowmaking capabilities and installed more snow guns. This will allow them to cover more terrain in the early season, getting more runs open early and laying a solid foundation for the entire winter. Don’t forget to take a load off and check out the new updates to the mid-mountain Totemoff’s Bar and Grill and the Terrace Grill at the base.

Also operating on the conviction that you can never have too much snow, Taos Ski Valley has added a new state of the art snowcat, 13 new snow guns, and an enhanced snow-making pipe. In addition, the instructors at their Ernie Blake Snowsports School are stoked to offer new guided experiences, as well as a Ski Strong Gold Medalist program this season. And if you don’t wear yourself out on the mountain, treat yourselves to the new dinner sleigh ride to the Bavarian, and save some energy for the brand new ice skating rink on the Lower Plaza!

So, gear out, gear up, and we’ll see you soon!