Ski New Mexico Welcomes Families to Winter Activities

by Jo Ann Holt

Santa Fe and Taos have long been favorite travel destinations of mine, but always in the spring or summer.  When invited by Ski New Mexico to join some other travel writers on a winter ski and snowboard trip, I demurred, explaining that while I loved to water ski, snow skiing had not ever appealed to me—heard too many scary stories from friends and family who had broken various limbs in their attempts.  It was my feeling that people who live in southern climes like Texas were not meant to ski down mountain slopes.

However, the folks from Ski New Mexico were persistent, explaining that several other “never evers” would be on the trip.  With fond memories of green chili stew dancing in my head, I was soon off to Santa Fe…a trip of only a few hours thanks to the new American Airlines/American Eagle direct flights from DFW.

My small group consisted of myself and one other writer, accompanied by a young lady from the agency who had learned the year before to ski and was now learning to snowboard.  We stayed two nights at the historic and luxurious La Fonda on the Plaza, located on one of the oldest hotel corners in the U.S.  There has been an inn or “fonda” here for more than 400 years.  It is said Billy the Kid washed dishes in the hotel’s kitchen, and a young JFK once stayed there.  La  Fonda has continued to add such luxuries as the fitness center and spa, a beautiful La Plazuela dining room and the La Terraza banquet room and 14 luxury rooms and suites on the third level.  We were privileged to stay in the La Terraza suites, and they were divine…fireplaces, balconies, and our own concierge.  Santa Fe was definitely living up to my memories!

We enjoyed a reception Monday night at another classy Santa Fe landmark, the Hotel Eldorado, whose chef had gone to great lengths to prepare all the wonderful dishes that insure Santa Fe’s reputation as a culinary destination.  The following night, we enjoyed another marvelous meal at La Plazuela, where we watched our waiter prepare a lovely guacamole salad to our specifications.  

Meanwhile, we were learning, or trying to learn, to ski at Ski Santa Fe.  Our first instructor, Tom Shearon, was great; experienced and extremely patient, he was perfect for beginners.  After spending the morning with him, I almost felt like I could ski.  That afternoon, thanks to a bout of altitude sickness, I started to have doubts.  The other ladies, however, were beginning to look like they knew what they were doing.

Wednesday we headed for Taos Ski Valley, where the people couldn’t have been nicer but where my altitude sickness continued to plague me, causing me to miss most of the day on the slopes.  I was able to ski down a very small slope several times that morning, but only with the help of the instructor, also named Tom. I did love the history of the Taos Ski Valley, though, and greatly enjoyed reading “Ski Pioneers,” a book about Ernie Blake, the founder of Taos Ski Valley, and his friends (who included members of European royalty as well as U. S. Presidents like Jimmy Carter).  His grandchildren still run the family-owned Taos Ski Valley, which employs over 600 people.   We stayed at the Kandahar Lodge, where folks who could actually ski were able to ski in and out of their condo, since it was right on the mountain.  One of the most interesting things I learned on this trip was how quickly and easily even very young children, 4 or 5 years old, took to skiing and snowboarding.  Of course, they didn’t have quite as far to fall as the rest of us, I felt like a tall oak tree once I started wobbling toward the ground.  Happily, I only fell once!

After leaving the Taos Ski Valley, we learned that we were taking the Enchanted Circle tour, encompassing Taos, Questa, Red River, Eagle Nest, and Angel Fire.  An 84-mile route, the National Forest Scenic Byway circles Wheeler Peak, the highest in New Mexico at 13,161 feet.  This is a drive that is really popular in the summer, and I’m hoping to bring my favorite car writer/driver/husband back to experience this beautiful drive with me later this year. 

Wednesday night we dined at The Timbers in Red River, a quaint little town that I quickly fell in love with, starting with our rustic cabins at Rio Colorado.  While I still felt dizzy-headed from a combination of sinus problems and the altitude, I was able to explore much of the town (and found some great shops) while the rest of my group swooshed down the slopes.  Red River has year-round sports including hiking, cycling, fishing and jeep touring in the spring, summer and fall, with skiing, tubing, snowboarding in the winter, and some very affordable places for families to stay.

Thursday found us at Angel Fire Resort, a lovely place where we enjoyed terrific hospitality and where they also have a lot to offer families.  While my fellow travelers had become expert skiers, I spent most of my time snow tubing (a mindless activity that anyone can enjoy, no lessons needed) at the resort.  We also enjoyed some great meals including dinner that night at The Roasted Clove.  Chef Tom (one of New Mexico’s Hot Chefs) even sent us home with some of his best-selling sauces.  Friday night we dined at the Angel Fire Resort Country Club in a private wine room, where we were treated to an incredibly sumptuous meal, which included lamb, pork tenderloin, and antelope.  A country music concert had attracted a large crowd to the club that night, to hear Steve Holy sing some of his hits including “Good Morning Beautiful” and new release, “Love Don’t Run.”  The music was so infectious that some of our party (especially the younger women) kept running out to cheer on the band.

 It was a great finish to a fabulous week of making new friends, learning a few new things, and gaining at least five pounds.  Admittedly, most of my adventures were more après ski than during the day.  If I were younger, (and had time to get acclimated to the higher altitude before heading for slopes) I really believe I would love to ski.  I know I can tube with the best of them, and I’m also thinking of trying snow-shoeing, which is basically just walking with snow shoes on, and great exercise.    To spend a week in New Mexico, with all that irresistible food beckoning from every corner, you have to stay active!

When planning a trip to Northern New Mexico, here are some websites to check for schedules/prices. 

www.skinewmexico.com; www.skisantafe.com; www.lafondasantafe.com; www.EldoradoHotel.com; www.skitaos.org; www.redriver.org; www.angelfireresort.com; www.kandahar-taos.com; and www.roastedclove.com.