New Mexico Ski Resorts for Families
January 4, 2024 By: Daniel Gibson With localfreshies.com A young family takes to the slopes under the New Mexico sun. Photo courtesy Angel Fire Resort. This article may contain affiliate / compensated links. For full information, please see our disclaimer here. Love of skiing began for me at age six at Ski Santa Fe, back in… Read More
This Is New Mexico Skiing
By Kristen Lummis – Brave Ski Mom Driving to New Mexico to ski or snowboard can be a bit disorienting. Coming from almost any direction, the landscape is truly enchanting, a mosaic of high plateaus, desert canyons and rocky monoliths. And while mountains punctuate the horizon in every direction, it’s easy to ask yourself, “where’s… Read More
Tiny Museum—Big History
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… Read More
Absorb the magic and spiritual energy of Taos, New Mexico
Article by Nick Heil The first lift started spinning in the mountains outside of Taos way back in the 1950s, and since that time the name has become synonymous with the skiing. Even before I moved to New Mexico more than 20 years ago, I’d heard of the sun-soaked mountain oasis that delivers world-class skiing… Read More
History of Skiing in New Mexico
New Book Released on New Mexico’s Ski History in Photos New Mexico has one of the oldest ski cultures in the American West, going back to the miners ofthe late 19th century who used skis as practical tools for accessing snow-covered terrain, and forfun. Recreational skiing arose in the 1920s among students of the Los… Read More
A Day in The Life of a Sandia Peak Ski Patroller
Have you ever heard the maxim, “You should love your job so much you’d do it for free”? Well, that seems to apply to the ski patrollers at Sandia Peak Ski Resort, and it’s almost time to clock in. There are two kinds of ski patrollers — Pro patrollers are usually employed on a full-time… Read More
OLD CHAIRS, OLD MEMORIES
03/10/2021 Old Chairs, Old Memories | By Snowsports Journalist Daniel Gibson | A fun, new, short film I ran across online, the Solomon-produced 12-minute documentary titled “The Chairlift,” got me thinking about these mechanical devices that are so essential to downhill skiing as we know it. While self-powered backcountry skiing is growing by leaps and… Read More
Hike to Wheeler Peak – Elevation 13,161
There are two ways to reach the highest peak in New Mexico and we asked an expert to guide us through both assents. Our guide, Ray Honea, highly recommended that we start in Red River and arrange a shuttle to pick us up at the bottom of the Taos side. Plus the cold beer at the Bavarian… Read More
5 Reasons to Take A Private Lesson
If you’re planning your next trip to the mountains and trying to decide between a private or group lesson, here are some reasons you might go with the former. 1. Get individualized attention Nothing can replace the value of one-on-one attention from an expert trained to instruct you in skiing or snowboarding. When you take… Read More
Our First Family Vacation in Red River, NM
Red River, N.M., will always hold a special place in my family’s heart. It’s where I got my first snowboard lessons as an adult, it’s where I perfected my “falling leaf,” it’s where I waited out a snowstorm at the only hotel in town with a generator, and now, it’s where I took my children… Read More
MUST DO Family Activity
A highlight of my winter was taking my family on vacation to Red River, New Mexico. My husband and I were eager to snowboard, for our son to try skiing for the first time, and to have a little bonding with our one-year-old! One of our favorite parts of the entire trip was going tubing!… Read More
The Best Views in New Mexico
There are some views you can’t walk right up to or drive by on the highway. Some breathtaking wonders require getting off the beaten path and reaching new heights, especially in New Mexico. There are wonderful scenic routes throughout the state, but our top eight come from New Mexico ski area peaks. Angel Fire Resort… Read More
New Year’s Celebrations 2019
Step up your New Year’s Eve game this year and celebrate in the mountains! With events suitable for the entire family, enjoy good company, food, drinks and entertainment right by the lifts. Angel Fire Resort Bring in 2019 in Angel Fire with an NYE torchlight parade! Dress warmly and gather at the base of the… Read More
3 Reason We Love Angel Fire
I’m on a lift, fresh mountain air filling my lungs and nipping at my cheeks. My eyes are bright, watching the powder pass beneath me, itching to feel it slide under my feet. I’m getting ready to have the adventure of a lifetime at Angel Fire Resort. Here are three reasons you should too. Family… Read More
Green Chile and Cold Brews
Eating at ski resorts can often be expensive with rather generic food offerings. In New Mexico, you can get a large meal for under $15, or cheaper, with the state’s unique take on cuisine. Then, wash it down with a cold local craft brew and grab a Taos bar for your mid-ski snack. What… Read More
All Are Welcome: New Mexico’s Adaptive Sports Program
New Mexico has resources for all types of skiers including those with physical and cognitive impairments. Everybody is welcome to feel the joy of skiing New Mexico’s sunny slopes. Vests Vests. Orange Vests. Not hunter orange, but the subtle orange of a late autumn pumpkin. From 20 feet above the ground, I can see orange… Read More
It’s Different Up Here
We’re perched atop the summit of Pajarito Mountain, high above the sleepy, post-nuclear town of Los Alamos, when Dianne finally allows her disbelief to be suspended. This is my partner’s first visit to New Mexico, and while she’s attempting, perhaps in vain, to wrap her head around the place – I think it’s all beginning… Read More
Après Japanese-style in Santa Fe
If you ask ANYONE that has ever been skiing in Japan what their favorite aspect of the trip other than the skiing was, the odds are that “onsens” (hot springs / baths – typically used after day of skiing) would be included in their response, i.e.; how they were a quintessential part of the experience,… Read More
3 Reasons We Love RRSA
Red River Ski & Summer Area is a not-so hidden gem in the southern Rockies. Not only is Red River a great place to go skiing or snowboarding with 18 feet of snow each year and trails appropriate for all levels, but there are plenty of other things to love as well. Here are three… Read More
Snowboard Lesson at RRSA
“If you don’t do it this year, you’ll be one year older when you do.” – Warren Miller Where was Warren Miller when I was sitting at the top of a gentle slope trying to figure out how in the world to stand up with both feet strapped to a snowboard? See, this weekend at… Read More
5 Things to Know Before a Lesson
A lesson is a crucial part of learning to ski or snowboard and for the most effective lesson possible, it is important to be prepared. Remember going to school for the first time? You couldn’t just show up and expect it to go well. You had to bring your supplies, dress well, and most importantly,… Read More
Powder & Light – Skiing NM
New Mexico skiing means hitting the slopes with the same snow hitting other Rocky Mountain States, but with bright sunshine and less crowds. It Starts with a Rumor It starts with a rumor. The rumor grows to probability. Probability becomes hope. Calendars are checked. Schedules cleared. Meetings cancelled. Friends whisper through social media and across… Read More
White Christmas at Ski Santa Fe
Dispatch – Ski Santa Fe Xmas 2015 December 23rd – 12” December 24th – 18” December 25th – 17” I was all set to fly out at 6:00 am on Christmas Eve to visit my family back home in Tulsa Oklahoma, but the moisture that everyone had been eyeing out West was now with within 24 hours of… Read More
The Turning of Kachina Peak
Standing at 12,480 feet above sea level, I completely forget how to turn. My boots cement themselves against the 45-degree angle of Taos’ most famous mountain peak. Signs warn that ski patrol will not drag me down the run because I’m scared. The signs are also clear that this is advanced skiing. I should know… Read More
Compare And Save – Ski NM
I was born and raised in NM to a big skiing family. We love to ski and board. I’ve skied at every ski area in NM and enjoy them all; each resort is unique and has a little something different to offer. The best part of living in Albuquerque is that we can be on… Read More
A Season You Dream About
New Mexico Is Having ‘One Of Those Seasons You Dream About’ For the full article on Unofficial Networks click here Normally known for a desert climate that lacks precipitation, New Mexico’s mountains are an anomaly and with this year’s El Niño blowing storm after storm through the southwest, Taos Ski Valley is acting as 2016’s figurehead… Read More
NM Most Underrated Winter Destination. Here’s Proof.
BY NICK PACHELLI https://matadornetwork.com/trips/new-mexico-might-just-underrated-winter-destination-heres-proof/ There are 9 (yep, 9!) downhill ski areas in the state. New Mexico’s resorts cover more than 4,000 acres of snowy terrain. From the steeps of Taos Ski Valley in the north, to the views of the Rio Grande Valley from Sandia Peak Resort, to the easy southern access of Ski… Read More
Countdown To Splashdown: Get Ready For Pond Skimming!
It’s time to sink or skim as resorts around New Mexico celebrate the final days of the ski and snowboard season with a series of unforgettable pond skimming competitions. The rules are simple — get down the slope as quickly as you can and preferably in the wackiest costume you can find, then do your… Read More
Skiing In New Mexico – A Family Tradition
Skiing in New Mexico is all about connections. Connections to family, to friends, and to the special places that create such warm memories year after year. Whether you’re visiting from another state or live just a short drive away, there’s something truly magical about these unique winter destinations that keep people returning to rediscover the… Read More