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)!