Nuvak’china Delivers Big Snow to New Mexico
Just like the Norse have Ullr, the Hopi people of the Southwest have Nuvak’china (the Snow Katsina) who has brought the snow. Over a two-stage storm, from November 3-7, an unusually long-lasting and widespread winter storm blasted into the “Land of Enchantment” and dropped snow from the Mexico border to Colorado. Snowfalls in the northern portion of the state hit almost four feet. This allowed a pair of ski areas—Sandia Peak near Albuquerque (photo in intro) and Pajarito Mountain near Los Alamos—to open more than a month ahead of the most optimistic projected start date. Plus, Sipapu is set to open Nov. 15, and Ski Santa Fe on Nov. 23.
Still Other Areas are Looking to Move Up Opening Day
In recent years, New Mexico ski areas were lucky to open at Thanksgiving and mostly on manmade snow. “We’re so excited to start the season this early,” Jasen Bellomy, Pajarito’s go-getter manager, told me. “It’s been forty years since Pajarito has opened so soon. It’s great for the community and the state to launch with the most terrain open in the country. We’re looking forward to an amazing winter here at Pajarito.”
Pajarito Mountain
Pajarito (Little Bird) picked up 41 inches, and like the snow generally across the state, it was quite wet. But this sets up the perfect season-long base. Future snowfalls will bond like cement to this base layer and reduce slides and avalanches that can take the snowpack down to the ground if the first snow falls in cold temps on dry ground.
What’s Open
Two of six lifts are operating, including the Aspen Chair running to the summit, providing skiing on 46 of the area’s 55 runs. Rentals and lessons were not available opening weekend but will be ramped up as the weeks pass. Food service is a go. The mountain is expected to be open Fridays-Sundays until Dec. 22 when it will open for daily operations. Look for an improved fleet of rentals this season and some tweaks to snowmaking capabilities.
Sandia Peak
Sandia Peak received almost 3 feet of snow. It was not set to open until Dec. 13. This is the earliest opening there in a decade or more. It opened with just intermediate and advanced terrain available off Chair 3.No rentals, lessons or food services were available on opening day but will be added as the season progresses.
“Holy smokes,” Sandia’s marketing director Kyle Sawatzka told KRQE television. “The team is waist deep in snow, shoveling.” Sandia is expected to be open on weekends only until conditions allow for full access. But a warm-up could prompt a colure, so check status before heading out!
Over the summer, another of this “old school” area’s chairlifts, Lift 4, was refurbished after a 3-year hiatus, providing access to additional beginner and intermediate terrain this season.
Status of Other Areas
Ski Santa Fe
As mentioned, Ski Santa Fe will open Saturday, Nov. 23. They hope to have top to bottom terrain available but certainly to mid-mountain. A full terrain report will be issued on Nov. 20. They picked up 27 inches in the storm cycle, and as this is written, report a 22-inch base.
Spinning on opening day will be their first high-speed detachable quad chair, replacing the old fixed-grip triple at the base. The new chair will cut the ride up to four minutes and improve base congestion. All services will be available on day one.
Taos
Taos picked up 24 inches and has seen 30 inches fall so far this late fall, setting them up for a promising season. They expect to open on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 28.
Taos is back on the Ikon Pass this season and will introduce Teen Weeks, designed specifically for young rippers training on its world-class steeps and deeps. The area also just released its new master plan, which includes a proposal for a gondola to move people from the main base to the Kachina Basin. Public comments are now being accepted.
Sipapu
Sipapu is usually the first to open in New Mexico. But its lower base elevation led to it being leap frogged this year by its sister areas, Pajarito and Sandia Peak—all part of the growing mini-empire of Mountain Capital Partners. It will open this Friday, Nov. 15, and operate on Saturday and Sunday, beginning daily operations on Nov. 22. It reports a 26-inch base. They also worked on improved snowmaking and grooming capacities this summer and undertook upgrades to rooms and cabins.
Red River
Red River is planning to open Nov. 27. Big news here is the replacement of the old, fixed triple Copper Chair with a new quad. Not as sexy but still important was also replacing the haul cable on the Silver Chair.
Angel Fire
Angel Fire is shooting for a Dec. 13 opening. It reports having seen 46 inches of snow this season so far, and a base of 26 inches. It could move its opening forward if the goods continue to fall.
Wolf Creek
And while not in New Mexico, Wolf Creek is just across the Colorado border and gets a lot of skiers from its southern neighbor. Its slogan, “The Most Snow in Colorado” lived up to its name this season, as it opened on October 22. It has received 66 inches so far, with a base of 31 inches at mid-mountain. All lifts are running with some 95 percent of its terrain open, including the Horseshoe Bowl snowcat shuttle sector. And all services are functioning as well.
All in all, it’s a terrific start to what has been billed as a “La Nina” season, which tends to favor the Pacific Northwest, versus the El Nino and the Southwest. And while one storm cycle does not a winter make, it’s a very encouraging beginning!
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