Summer Update

So we must admit we've been a bit remiss at blogging. The sad truth is that children, meetings, events, and a power outage or two have forced their way to the front of the line and our poor little blog has gotten the short end of the stick. It only seems fitting that today, Columbus Day, the day after our last big summer hoorah, we finally find the time to tell you a little bit about what's been going on around here.

This was a good summer for Red River. After a terrible winter drought that led to a 23 day forest closure in July, we honestly didn't know what to expect. Luckily we never had time to worry about what would happen if nobody came, because everybody came anyway. Car after car full of families, honeymooners, retirees, and church groups made their way to Red River to escape hotter than average temperatures across the southwest. Everybody put on a happy face and found other ways to relax and enjoy the mountains besides using the forest roads (luckily the town ponds were still stocked for fishing, the BLM lands in Questa & Taos were still open for hiking, biking, and ATVs and the ski area was able to keep the Platinum Chair running). Before we knew it the forest was open again and life was back to normal.

After that the rest of the summer seemed to fly by. We saw a record number of new faces driving in to town, along with a record number of sad faces driving out of town. People really seemed to like the longer tracks of summer mountain tubing (longest in the country) and the horseback rides up the ski area, both new this year. We welcomed two new restaurants, a few business expansions, and some extremely friendly folks staffing the community house. The annual music festival and chili/green chile/BBQ cook-off in August was bigger than ever, and this weekend's Oktoberfest brought out hundreds who weathered 8" of snow and no electricity to have a good time (proving that Red River's guests are the best in the world).

Oddly enough we still have some green aspen leaves in Red River, though the colors in the Upper Valley and outside of town are just spectacular. Hopefully this is Mother Nature's way of extending her beauty. Flocks of people looking to see the foliage have been driving around town, taking advantage of our daily aspen tours and cooler fall temperatures (though nobody was prepared for the snow storm over the weekend). Red River's next big event will be the day before Thanksgiving when the ski area opens. Until then you'll probably catch a few answering machines and run into a few "closed for fall" signs. If you are coming to visit stop by the Visitor Center for a list of which restaurants and shops are open, and take advantage of the extreme peacefulness found in the mountains this season.

Hope to see you soon!

Is it Spring Yet?

Not that we're trying to rush through the winter... We guess the better question would be "Is it time for Spring Break yet?" Red River has been blessed with plenty of great snow this year. In fact, word on the street is that the mountain is in the best condition it's been in in years. Yep, even those narrow, steep, nearly hidden trails are open for daredevil skiers and snowboarders looking to get off the "beaten path." Each day we look up at the gorgeous, uncrowded trails and think about how lucky we are to live in such a great place. But we have to be honest... we're a little cold. The snow that keeps the mountain in such pristine condition is the same snow that requires plowing out of the driveway, so it's about this time each year we start thinking about spring conditions.

In the spring the sun comes out, windows are rolled down, and you can actually get away with shorts every once in a while. Locals congregate on the deck at the Lift House between runs, and you can hear the sounds of Bob Marley and other island-themed music resonating through the valley until the sun starts to dip behind the mountain. The days are longer, the snow is softer, and the people are happier.

Recently we've been asked (a lot), "Why Red River for Spring Break over Colorado?" Here's our response (verbose as it may be):

New Mexico’s dry climate translates into incredible spring skiing and snowboarding conditions. The mountains are still covered in powdery white snow while the roads remain clear and open for travel. Red River’s spring temperatures range from about 40 degrees during the day to the mid-twenties at night. These warm and sunny days are the perfect backdrop for “Beach Week,” a Red River tradition that mixes skis and snowboards with tank tops and hula skirts. The mountains of New Mexico offer all of the same terrain and experiences as those in Colorado. Want to hike a ridge or go back-country skiing? You can do that in Red River. Generally 100% of the Red River Ski Area is open in March, so you’ll find the same challenging terrain without battling all of the crowds. Something else Red River has to offer is the proximity of the ski area to the town. Two of the main chair lifts leave from the center of town and 70% of the lodging in Red River is within walking distance to the lift. This offers an attractive alternative to parking 2 miles away, loading all of your gear up, and being hauled on a cattle trailer to the office where you buy your lift tickets. Even better, skip the office altogether and buy your lift tickets at one of our fully automated kiosks at the base of each chair lift.

Something we're really looking forward to again this year is the end of season Pond Skimming on March 21st. Adventurous guys and gals ski or ride down the face of the mountain and try to skim across a home made pond that has been put in just for the occasion. Last year was the first time Red River tried such a thing, and BOY was it fun! If you've got the guts to try it plan on being at the base of the new chair lift around noon. If it sounds like something you'd rather enjoy from afar, meet everyone else at the Lift House for the best seats. Cameras and video cameras are a must have - none of your friends that stayed home will believe your stories without proof.

All this blogging about spring has served its purpose... we're starting to warm up just thinking about it! "Beach Week" starts in just 2 weeks, so pull out your Hawaiian shirts and ski pants and get ready for Spring Break. We'll see you on the slopes!

We LOVE Fresh Snow

It is currently snowing in Red River for the twenty-fourth consecutive hour (assuming it didn't stop while we were asleep). This may seem terrible for someone who is not as enthusiastic about fresh snow as we are (my grandmother, for one) but for those of us who are lucky to call Red River home we live for days like this. As of 10am this morning the ski area was 100% open with 9" of fresh snow. Eager skiers and snowboarders lined up to catch first chair, anxious to make fresh tracks on each of the 57 trails that are now open. We've gotten some incredible photos from the ski area, and also wanted to share this video with you. Looks like we're in our own little snow globe, doesn't it? Hope you get a chance to come ski with us soon...

Tooting our Horn

We walked into the office this morning to an incredibly pleasant surprise. There were quite a few people on Twitter congratulating Red River for being named one of Sunset Magazine's "Top 10 Ski Resorts in the West." Our first reaction (being the humble folks that we are) was to question if there were some sort of mistake. Us? Little ol' Red River? Top 10? We had to see this for ourselves. So with a little research and a few clicks, there we were... listed at number four, sandwiched between Kirkwood Mountain, CA and Deer Valley, UT, was Red River, NM:

For Western skiing the way it used to be, head to Red River, where, besides snowmaking and some newfangled modernizing, not much has changed. Lifts take off right from Main Street and are a short stroll from the town's rustic lodging and steakhouses. For the moment, you won't find any million-dollar condos, only a classic Rocky Mountain ski area with foot after foot of fluff―and not an ounce of pretension.

Wow! Red River is listed among the big guys from California, British Columbia, Montana, Idaho, and Colorado (Vail & Winter Park). Why us?

And then it started to sink in... why not? We may not be as big as some of the neighboring resorts, but we also don't have $15 cheeseburgers and $95 lift tickets. You won't find line after line of snooty skiers trying to push their way to the front of the chair lift. You won't find high dollar boutiques trying to sell you a $35 fur hat that's necessary to keep your toddler warm. You won't find valet parking at your lodge that costs $20 each night of your trip, nor will you find hidden resort fees at the end of your stay for the ski tuning you never used or the cashmere bathrobe hanging in your closet.


What you will find is a friendly face when you check in to your reasonably priced hotel room, a FREE trolley to take you up to the ski area if you're a little chilly, and smiling employees who are happy to get your inexpensive lift ticket and set you up with a professional and courteous ski or snowboard instructor. You'll find good food at good prices, a wide variety of shopping, and the cutest Main Street in America. Above that, you'll find yourself in a relaxed state of mind that would be considered priceless anywhere else in the world, and you'll find money in your wallet when you leave.

So thank you, Sunset Magazine, for helping us remember what we never should have questioned in the first place... We're # 1 (or at least in the Top Ten)!

Happy New Year!

Is it over already? Have the holidays already flown by? It seems like just a few days ago that we were decorating the park and all of the buildings in town, and now it's time to take everything down again! Where does the time go?
As quickly as it went, we did have a wonderful crowd here during Christmas and the weekend after New Year's Day. The ski area was able to show off their new chair lift, the ski school taught a near record number of students how to ski and snowboard, and the town is giddy with excitement over how many happy people made Red River their holiday home.
In addition to the many things to do while on vacation here (skiing, snowboarding, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, shopping, snowmobiling, etc) one particular holiday tradition is the Christmas Eve Torchlight Parade and fireworks show. Check out the video from this year's celebration:

You can catch a similar torchlight parade every Saturday night during the ski season, so mark your calendar when you head to Red River.

Time to go take down some Christmas lights...

Until next time!

Ski Area Update

Just a quick update: We're now into our second weekend at the ski area, with a perfect combination of fresh an man made snow. We had another storm this week that brought in a few inches, but the REAL accumulation began when temperatures dipped into the single digits and the snowmaking crew started converting millions of gallons of water into beautiful white snow all over the mountain. We are open all the way to the top, with another 1/2 Price Weekend December 11-13. We will be open full time December 18 - March 24. Come see us!

New Flight from DFW to Santa Fe

We're blogging from Dallas today while we're here for a big event to promote Red River (and to chase the snow Texas is getting back up into the mountains). Instead of doing the usual "drive to Dallas" or "drive to Albuquerque to fly to Dallas," we decided to try the new direct flight from Santa Fe. American Airlines has recently started flying out of SAF again, so the allure of a two-hour drive to the airport over a three-hour drive to the airport was too much to pass up. The three of us in our travel group made it to the airport without any hassles, and since it's still a relatively small airport the parking was cheap and the security lines small (seriously, we're talking 2 people). Currently there are two direct flights from DFW each day, so there were a few business travelers and a few vacation travelers. After a brief wait at the airport, we were all settled in our seats and ready to go! The plane is not your typical 737 (our flight was only about 1/2 full with roughly 20 people), but we were each comfortable during the flight (even the one of us that is afraid of flying). After a quick 1 and a half hour flight (and a couple of diet cokes) we were touching down at DFW and off to our event. The flight back was just as easy and hopefully will get used a lot this ski season! Want to know more about the flight and how to get to Red River from the Santa Fe airport? Check out the "Getting Here" page at redriver.org.