Mike Smith
El Rito Media msmith@currentargus.com

The executive director of Ski New Mexico said skiers should not be scared by the lack of snow in some places.

“Get out and enjoy it,” said Christy Germscheid.

She said natural snow levels are behind 2023 at all of 10 New Mexico’s ski resorts.

“There’s no better marketing tool than Mother Nature and God given snow,” Germscheid said.

She said ski areas are equipped to provide man-made snow with snowmaking machines if Mother Nature falls behind.

Germscheid said water and frigid temperatures are the only limits for assisting the snowmaking process.

She lives in Angel Fire in northern New Mexico and said skiing conditions were “beautiful” along with the Santa Fe Ski Area.

Germscheid said ski season in New Mexico starts in November as some locations opened earlier than normal thanks to a storm that dumped nearly four feet of snow in parts of the state.

She said the Pajarito Ski Resort opened early for the first time in decades thanks to the early snowfall.

“That November storm made a difference laying a foundation,” Germscheid said.

She said more snow is needed to help open more slopes for skiing.

Germscheid said snow chances in parts of New Mexico could increase on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. She said snow fall varies in parts of the state.

As of Tuesday, she said snow had fallen for four days in northeastern areas of the state dropping three inches.

Germscheid said a positive attitude and outlook helps for an anticipation of more snow.

“There’s a lot of ski season left,” she said.

 Latest skiing conditions as of Tuesday

Information provided by Ski New Mexico

Angel Fire had a base depth of 21 inches with 53 of 86 trails open and 7 of 7 lifts open

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Pajarito Mountain had a base depth of 12 inches with 24 of 55 trails open. No lifts were open.

Red River Ski Area had a base depth of 24 inches with 28 of 64 trails open and 6 of 7 lifts open.

Sandia Peak Ski Area had a base depth of 6 inches with 3 of 55 trails open and 1 of 4 lifts open.

Sipapu Ski Area had a base depth of 16 inches with 11 of 44 trails open and 4 of 6 lifts open.

Ski Santa Fe had a base depth of 32 inches with 73 of 90 trails open and 6 of 7 lifts open.

Taos Ski Valley had a base depth of 29 inches with 41 of 120 trails open and 12 of 13 lifts open.

Angel Fire Nordic Center is closed waiting for more snow fall.

Enchanted Forest Cross Country is closed waiting for more snow.

Ski Apache reopened Thursday and remains from 9 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. through Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Mike Smith can be reached at 575-308-8734 or email at msmith@currentargus.com.

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