New Mexico, 3/18 - 3/22/15

Was scheduled for Utah in mid-February as usual but cancelled due to poor snow coverage.  Rescheduled to NM after it starting dumping here (about 4 feet) in early March.  Coverage is incredible with both Taos and Ski Santa Fe at 100% coverage; SSF 100% trails and Taos was at 100% before it snowed 10" on Thursday night - will be 100% after all avalanche work is completed.

Ski Santa Fe - Often the bypassed and forgotten little brother.  After skiing there it's hard to see why.  Base elevation is at 10,350 ft. and top lift served of just over 12,000 ft; this is high altitude skiing and the snow sticks around for a long time.  Skied there on Wednesday and Sunday and conditions were superb; entire mountain ski-able with nice soft corn snow and hero moguls.  Started when the lifts opened at 9:30am and rode the last lift at 4:30pm - 18 runs total.  Haven't skied this much in one day since I was a teenager (that would be in the 70's lol)!  The terrain has everything from easy greens to hair raising cliff studded glades.  Glades all over the mountain and not too tight for most skiers.  No lift lines to speak of.  Plus, when there is deep coverage there are several out of boundary (but not out of bounds) areas that end back at the base area.

Taos - Arrived Friday morning to 10" of fresh powder.  Large crowd but not enough to ski the mountain off in the first 1/2 hour.  In fact, we hit Lorelei at 2pm and still had fresh tracks although it was fairly dense powder by then.  Due to avalanche danger Kachina peak was not opened - same with most of the Highline and West Basin chutes.  No matter, I can't ski those things anyway.  This mountain is big and steep - scary steep in my opinion but a lot of people go there for just this reason.  With the new snow the moguls were a blast although my legs were trashed by about 2:30pm.

Taos Base Area


Al's Run


Son coming through the trees


Gayway @ Ski Santa Fe


View from above peak lift


Rest day - With legs beat to hell we headed off to do some snowmobiling at Cumbres pass in CO.  Nice way to see the mountains without working too hard although after 4 hours on a sled we were pretty tired.


In summary, New Mexico is a great place to visit and ski especially if you have never been there.  Warm weather, great snow, friendly people and very affordable as well.  Insiders tip:  reserve a rental car off site (not at airport) and save about $250 for the week - plenty of cheap/free shuttles to get you there.

Thanks for the report..They look like real cool and interesting places..

Good to see that New Mexico has nice coverage given the comparative low-tide conditions in most of the west this season. In addition to Taos and Santa Fe (which is one of my Top Ten local's hills), the other ski areas in that neck of the woods -- Pajarito, Sipapu, and Angel Fire -- are fun one-day visits too.