New Mexico. Mention the name of our 47^th state (admitted on Jan. 6, 1912) and it conjures up pictures of cloudless, bright blue skies, warm inviting temperatures, beautiful landscapes and wonderful paintings by Georgia  O’Keeffe. But when the warm weather deserts the mountainous regions of the state and winter makes its appearance on the mountain tops it is all of the above---and more.

 

When winter arrives there is another attraction which beckons travelers to head for the hills. It is time to enjoy, as skiers have discovered, some of the very best snow and terrain in the country, just waiting to entertain the winter sports enthusiasts.

 

The state is home to eight ski areas with verticals ranging from 865 feet at Sipapu Ski Valley in Vadito to Taos Ski Valley just outside of Santa Fe which boasts of a whopping 2,612 foot vertical playground. (Please check www.whitebookski.com for additional information on the other resorts not listed here).

 

Listed here is information updating improvements to some of the states resorts:

 

TAOS SKI VALLEY: A $3.5 million renovation has converted The Inn at Snakedance to the Snakedance  Condominiums and Spa. All 33 condos will be in a nightly rental pool. There is also a new 70 seat fine dining restaurant, a more fully-featured grocery store. At the base of lift 3 the Edelweiss Lodge and Spa is a totally new and luxury version of the former hotel. It now features 1-2-3 beds among its condo units which are also in a rental pool for leisure guests. It is the first major new building project in Taos Ski Valley in the past 11 years. Additionally the Inn at Taos Valley opened this season with 12 new units. All of this is to be enjoyed in a relaxing atmosphere after a day on the slopes.

 

Now to the skiing. Despite its reputation as an expert mountain Taos provides more green and blue terrain than any other ski area in the state. There are beginner and intermediate runs from the top of every lift, four trail complexes on the mountain made up of almost all green or blue rated rails, a huge kids center, and a ski school catering to all levels of skiers. No ski resort can survive without offering diversified terrain to guarantee skiers with an enjoyable experience and Taos truly has it all. (I have skied there on a couple of occasions and know first hand than anyone, beginner to expert, can find terrain to make themselves look like an expert).

 

SANTA FE: A new Poma triple chair is in service this winter. It is the first new chair in the state in a number of years. The Millennium Lift, as it is called, will run to a new higher summit for the area at 12,075 feet on the top of Deception Peak. This added chair gives Ski Santa Fe more vertical drop (1,725 feet) for skiers and boarders. Six new trails, four expert and two intermediate, are served by the lift which loads just above the Tesuque Peak Lift mid-way up the mountain. The resort now boasts a trail count of 67 for this season.

 

ANGEL FIRE: The area has just put in the Lowrider Park, designed as a starter area filler with lower, smaller trails and jumps and less radical features to encourage skiers and boarders starting on their way to the more challenging but not difficult terrain. Located along Headin’ Home, the area’s longest trail, the Lowrider Park is a perfect introduction to terrain park skills. For the hot shots on skis and boards, Angel Fire offers Liberation Park and the states only halfpipe.

 

SIPAPU: Big things are taking place here thanks to new investors. The Sipapu Ski and Summer Resort is now owned by the Coleman family and has resulted in a host of improvements, After almost 50 years of sole ownership by the Bolander family the facility changed hands in 2003 and the Colemans are now in charge of daily operations but with the Bolanders still very much involved.

 

Under the new ownership a long-awaited expansion  has been completed including the raising of the summit, adding 17 new runs and two lifts. New customer-friendly ways have been created for guests to save on lift tickets and lodging. The season has been extended on both ends and is now the longest in the state and has resulted in the area being rewarded by three consecutive winters of record and near-record skier day numbers. New for this season is new terrain with the addition of two tree runs after putting in two kids trails at the end of last season—one for beginners and the other for intermediates.

 

New Mexico has gained a reputation as one of winters’ best travel deals. Its ski resorts are an easy drive from surrounding states or from the airport in Albuquerque. Lodging and lift tickets are value-priced compared with most every other Western U.S. ski area. The variety of Rocky Mountain terrain, diversity of areas and towns, and programs geared for families provides something for every winter sports enthusiast.

 

Skiers and snowboarders entertaining plans to visit the state will find all the information they need to plan a New Mexico winter get-away and a direct link to online booking at info@skinewmexico.com.