Latest Report Updated: Wednesday, January 20, 2021 9:16 AM

Everyone picking up a little more fresh snow out of this storm. And another round of snow could come in Thursday. New snow here is as of Wednesday morning and “storm” totals are since Monday night. Check out what you need to know to ski/ride this season at the bottom of this report. Remember to buy your tickets online in advance.

Highlights: Pajarito opens to passholders Friday and Saturday and opens to the public Sunday. Angel Fire opens 26 more runs.

Sandia Peak:

New: 2

Storm: 4

This Week: 4

Base: 11

Season: 24

Runs: 0/35

Lifts: 0/4

COVID Info: Winter Operations Plan

Ski area opening day TBD. Sandia Peak Tram and TEN 3 are now open Thursday thru Monday, 10:00am to 5:00pm and TEN 3 will be open Thursday thru Monday, 12 (noon) till 4pm for Cliffside To-Go. The Tram and TEN 3 will follow mandates set in the current State of New Mexico’s Public Health Order. To purchase tickets and view our COVID-Safe Practices please visit www.sandiapeak.com prior to visit. At this time, TEN 3 will remain closed due to the State Mandates for indoor dining.

-------------------------------

Santa Fe:

New: 3

Storm: 7

This Week: 7

Base: 28

Season: 58

Runs: 45/87 (16 groomed, limited runs on the upper mountain)

Lifts: 5/7 (Chipmunk is closed)

Terrain Park: Boneyard Terrain Park closed.

COVID Info: Winter Operations Plan| Online Ticket Purchase

Remember to buy tickets in advance. Tickets on sale now through Jan. 24 with capacity at 1050 per day. Operating hours are 8:30 – 4:15. The upper mountain is open with limited terrain and early season conditions. The Millennium Chair has access to intermediate and advanced terrain including Highline, Sunset, Alpine Bowl, Wizard, and Upper Lobo. The Tesuque Peak Triple Chair provides access to advanced terrain only including Roadrunner, Avalanche Bowl, Double Eagle V, Sunset and Wizard. Gayway and Parachute are not open yet. There is no easy way down off of either lift.

-------------------------------

Taos Ski Valley:

New: 3

Storm: 5

This Week: 5

Base: 36-47

Runs: 86/110

Lifts: 13/14 (Kachina Peak lift closed)

COVID Info: Winter Operations Plan| Online Ticket Purchase

The Kachina Basin chair (Lift 4) is open. Some select chutes are open on Highline Ridge and West Basin Ridge. If this is your first trip to TSV this season, note that there is a new drop off area, no shuttles. The resort is cashless; payment for all dining, rentals, ticketing, and retail will be via credit, debit, or prepaid card only.

-------------------------------

Pajarito:

New: 12

Storm: 12

This Week: 12

Base: 8

Season: 45

Runs: 0

Lifts: 0

COVID Info: Winter Operations Plan| Online Ticket Purchase

Opening this weekend. Will be open for two special passholder appreciation days January 22-23, and we will open to the public Sunday, January 24. Tickets to the public will go on sale later this week at Pajarito’s online store at www.pajarito.ski. Planning to have the Beginner Chair 3 and the Aspen Chair 4 running. The cafe will be open, but there will be no indoor seating available. Pajarito Café is now open Wednesdays-Saturdays with New Mexico specialties and Pajarito favorites like the green chile burger – plus NEW specials every day! They’ve added more healthy options to the menu, including a veggie burger and several more salads. The retail shop is also open featuring a variety of Pajarito merchandise, from beanies to fleeces and sweatshirts.

New for this season… the brand new Pajarito Card provides a contactless ticket, rental, and ski school experience, designed to deliver more time on the snow. You can add lift tickets, rental reservations, lessons and resort credits to one single, reloadable card that can be used again and again. The best news? It’s direct to lift! Can’t make it to the mountain on your selected date? This card has flexibility – you can use your resort credit towards another day.

-------------------------------

Angel Fire:

New: 2

Storm: 10

This Week: 10

Base: 26

Season: 92

Runs: 27/81 (75% of the mountain open now)

Lifts: 6/7

Terrain Parks: Liberation, open. Sweet Street, closed.

COVID Info: Winter Operations Plan|Online Ticket/Lessons/Rentals Purchase

Thanks to all the snow, 26 more runs just opened! This is the most so far this season. Liberation Park is open. If you are a season pass holder, a 4 or 6-pack holder, or member with skiing privileges, no reservation is needed for the duration of the ski season.If you are not a season pass holder, a 4 or 6-pack holder, or a member with skiing privileges, advanced online booking is required for the following holiday periods: Dec. 19-Jan. 6, Jan. 15-19, Feb. 12-15, Mar. 13-20.

-------------------------------

Sipapu:

New: 2

Storm: 8

This Week: 8

Base: 22

Season: 68

Runs: 26/43 (4 more runs have opened in the last few days)

Lifts: 4/6 (Lifts 3 and 4 closed)

Terrain Parks: Badger's Burrow (Easiest) open. Playground (Intermediate), Flight School (Intermediate), Don Diego (Advanced) all closed.

COVID Info: Winter Operations Plan| Online Ticket Purchase

Some things to know for the season: Go to Guest Services to pick up your ticket after checking in. You’ll be spending more time outside because inside areas have very limited capacity. Check the weather, and dress accordingly or have layers available for when you take a break. Wear a face covering and one that you’re comfortable with all day. Consider bringing along a backpack with drinks, snacks, a water bottle or a Camelbak to have handy refreshments on the mountain. Lift tickets, rentals, and lessons will now be loaded onto our new reusable, reloadable Sipapu Card. Tickets are changeable – if you change your mind, you can use your resort credits towards a different day on the mountain.

-------------------------------

Red River:

New: 2

Storm: 6

This Week: 6

Base: 30

Season: 62

Runs: 56/63 (25 runs groomed)

Lifts: 7/7 (Silver Chair now open)

Terrain Parks: Hollywood and Pot O’ Gold, open. Snowcross, closed.

COVID Info: Winter Operations Plan| Online Ticket Purchase

-------------------------------

Ski Apache:

New: 0

Storm: 0

This Week: 0

Base: 36

Season: 36

Runs: 4

Lifts: 3

COVID Info: Winter Operations Plan

Now open Thursdays through Sundays with the quad chair and 5 runs.

-------------------------------

Purgatory:

New: 5

Storm: 7

This Week: 7

Base: 33

Season: 76

Runs: 90/105 (80% open)

Lifts: 7/11 (Lifts 5 & 8 on the backside open)

Terrain Parks: Paradise, Angel's Tread, DC Terrain Park all open. (Pitchfork Terrain Park still closed.)

COVID Info: Winter Operations Plan| Online Ticket Purchase

45 runs groomed every day. DC Terrain Park is open. The 18th annual Ski Bike Rally is Saturday, Jan 23. This is the longest running ski bike festival in the country! Here is more info.

-------------------------------

Wolf Creek:

New: 2

Storm: 12

This Week: 12

Base: 72-77

This Season: 177

Lifts: 8

Runs: 100% of terrain including Waterfall area, Knife Ridge, Horseshoe Bowl

COVID Info: Winter Operations Plan| Online Ticket Purchase (Online ticket purchase can be done up to 2 days in advance and must be done by 8p the day before arrival. On some days, tickets can be purchased at the walkup window.)

The amenities offered to skiers and boarders are: lifts, restrooms, private lessons, rentals, Treasure and Noel Sports. The Upper Lodge and Prospector Grill are open with a limited menu; all seating is outdoors from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. daily. It is recommended that you bring your own water, lunch and snacks.

-------------------------------

Arizona Snowbowl (Flagstaff):

New: 4

Storm: 4

This Week: 4

Base: 18

Season: 35

Runs: 22/55

Lifts: 7/8

COVID Info: Winter Operations Plan| Online Ticket Purchase

The new lift, Arizona Gondola, is now open. To get capacity and other mountain updates on your phone, follow @AZSBUpdates on Twitter and turn on notifications.

-------------------------------

What To Know About Skiing/Riding This Season:

Ski areas in our region are operating with reduced capacity this season and are expected to stay open through the run of the season. In NM, the allowed capacity is 25% of the uphill capacity of the lifts running for that day. For example, at Santa Fe, if all lifts were running and all runs were available, the uphill capacity is 7683. The COVID uphill capacity is 1930. So that means only 1930 tickets could be sold for that day. When there is less terrain open and fewer chairs running, there are fewer tickets sold. All areas are selling tickets in advance, so plan to buy at least the day before if not several days or weeks in advance. It’s expected that weekend days will sell out quickly at some resorts.

Under each ski area in this report, there is a link to their COVID-19 plan, as each area’s processes are slightly different. There is also a link to purchase tickets online.

What to expect when you get to the mountain:

·Masks required in all common areas like in the base area.

·You will be asked to hold your lift/pass out away from your body as far as possible so it can be scanned.

·Only ride the lift with only people in your visiting party.

·If you are skiing or boarding alone, you should ride the lift alone.

·Lift lines will be spaced further apart than normal.

·Most areas will also do rentals and lesson purchases online.

·Dinning will mostly be outdoor with only 25% of capacity. Plan to dress and eat outdoors. Or bring your own lunch and eat in your vehicle.

-------------------------------

Cross Country Areas:

Here are the links to some other resorts of interest in New Mexico, Southern Colorado and Arizona. Click on the resort name to get all the details.

Enchanted Forest XC

Chama Cross Country

Valles Caldera National Preserve

-------------------------------

Report Legend:

Snowfall amounts are listed in inches. Surface conditions are noted as follows: P=Powder, PP=Packed Powder, TP=Tracked Powder, MG=Machine Groomed Snow, HP=Hard Packed, SP=Spring Conditions, VC=Variable Conditions, NR=No Report From Ski Area, N/A=Not Applicable, T=Trace.

-------------------------------

More Information:

Here are some links that you may find helpful:

Ski New Mexico

Colorado Ski Country

Ski Utah

New Mexico National Weather Service

Colorado National Weather Service

Colorado Mtn Weather & Avalanche Report

Detailed Ski Area Forecast From SnowForecast

Warren Miller Films & Info

National Forest Service (has fall color info and more)

Colorado Ski History Web Site (includes info on closed NM/CO areas)

New Mexico Road Conditions

Road Condition Phone Numbers:

New Mexico 800-432-4269, Colorado 303-639-1111, Utah 866-511-8824, Arizona 888-411-7623.

Podcasts