Many of the New Mexico Ski Resorts saw a significant spike in skier visits over President’s Weekend with numbers surpassing previous record days. This comes on the heels of consistent, early season snowfall throughout the state. Julien Ross, New Mexico Forecaster for OpenSnow.com, reports the southern and northern Sangre de Cristo mountains at 125% of average snowfall for mid-February.
“It’s been a great season to date, but President’s Weekend definitely created an unprecedented holiday celebration as we set a new record in single day visits on Saturday,” said Greg Ralph, Director of Marketing for Angel Fire Resort. “In addition to great snow conditions, we were able to showcase to our guests the meaning behind Ski New Mexico’s slogan, “Ski and Ride the Winter Sun,” with nothing but pure, bluebird skies throughout the weekend.”
El Nino years tend to work in New Mexico’s favor as the winter storm cycles hit the Southwest Region. This year has been no exception. According to OpenSnow’s Julien Ross, for the first time in four years all NM ski resorts are at or above normal snowpack at the same time.
While some NM ski areas saw record visitation over the holiday weekend, all have experienced an uptick in skier visits this season. Jessica Fox, Marketing Manager for Ski Santa Fe and the Sandia Peak Tram, commented, “This season has been exceptional with abundant snow and unwavering support for the winter sports community. Visitor numbers are up, and we're thrilled to provide all our visitors with a memorable experience.”
In 2022-23, the ski areas welcomed over 850,000 skier visits, a 12% increase from the year prior. Ski New Mexico is hopeful this upward trend will continue throughout this winter season. With plenty of skiing days left, they are urging snow enthusiasts to check out New Mexico mountains where the snow is bountiful, lift tickets are affordable, lift lines are short to non-existent during off peak timeframes, commute is easy, and the customer service is exceptional.