When you think about ski resorts, Steven’s Pass in Washington or Saddleback Mountain in Maine might be the first ones that come to mind, but skiing isn’t totally isolated to the north. Head to the Southwest, and you might find that Colorado is also famous for its skiing.
That said, the commutes are long, the traffic is a nightmare, and you’ll be fighting to carve your place in the mountain. Fortunately, Colorado isn’t the only state with excellent skiing. In partnership with Tourism Santa Fe, I had the chance to fly down to New Mexico, of all places, to experience the powder firsthand. Ski Santa Fe has some of the best skiing in the Southwest, so here’s why Santa Fe might be a better pick for you next snow sports season.
What to know before visiting Ski Santa Fe
Ski Santa Fe is situated in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, with its base resting at 10,350 feet. This means that it’s one of the highest ski areas in the U.S., but the best part is that Santa Fe itself is just 16 miles away, so it’s just a quick 45-minute drive through a scenic and windy road up to the top.
I recommend coming in early on the weekends to make the most of your stay. Once 10 a.m. hits, you’re better off coming at 1 p.m. and skiing a half day. That said, there are a bunch of lesser-skied trails so there are ways to avoid the crowds if you want to. If you happen to come late, you may need to park at a lot that’s further away from the lodge. However, they do have a tram that comes by to pick up any stragglers.
Where to stay and eat
My husband and I stayed right in the heart of town at the La Fonda on the Plaza hotel, which is a beautiful over 100-year-old establishment that is chock-full of historical and original artwork and textile displays. This hotel was beautiful inside and out, and it had a delicious breakfast menu to boot.
If you’re planning on coming to the mountain early, the lodge has breakfast burritos and other munchies. For dinner, I recommend heading to one of the many fine dining locations in the area. Our top pick was Palace Santa Fe, and honestly this was the best food I’ve ever tasted. Led by Chef Angel Franco, who worked with renowned chef José Andrés, Palace Santa Fe totally blew our expectations out of the water with his creative menu. Hats off to you, sir!
Right across the street from Palace Santa Fe was our favorite bar in the area: Tumbleroot Pottery Pub, a cute little place where you can choose from a great selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, as well as purchase a pound of clay to make anything you want! All sculpting tools are provided.
Trails at Ski Santa Fe
During the week, the chair lifts at Ski Santa Fe are open every day from about 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. There are five chairlifts plus a magic carpet for beginners and the Chipmunk Corner for kids. The newest lift (Santa Fe Express High-Speed Quad) was just built this past summer, and it will get you to the top in just a couple minutes for a great mix of blacks, blues, and greens. Right next to it is Easy Street, a double chairlift that’s suitable for beginners. At the top of this lift, visitors can stop at Totemoff’s bar, which is a real crowd-pleaser with a robust menu and live music on from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the weekends. If you’re not skiing, there’s a trail you can hike up to get there. They also have a lodge with a cafeteria at the base of the mountain.
For the biggest views, you’ll want to board the Tesuque Peak lift, which is a triple that will take you to Gayway. From here, you’ll be able to see all the way into Colorado. While that route was stunning, my personal favorite lift was Millennium. On any given year, the blacks and double blacks on this side see heavy use. During my stay, the trails were a bit bony in places, but that didn’t stop me from enjoying the Sunset Trail, which is an easy slope that branches into a lot of the black trails. Right at the end of Sunset Trail is the prettiest view of the whole mountain. From there, the windy and tree-filled trails of Alpine and Lobo offered a quiet and enjoyable ride down, even during the weekend. Sprinkled throughout the mountain are several mogul trails and three freestyle terrain parks for those who want some air.
Trail conditions and webcams are all viewable at Ski Santa Fe, and there are many kinds of tickets and passes to suit the length of your stay and experience levels. Personally, I love that they offer a chance to donate to the local Forest Service whenever you buy your ticket.
Rentals at Ski Santa Fe
Rentals at Ski Santa Fe include boards, skis, boots, and helmets. Guests will sign a waiver upon entry, and then the super-friendly and helpful staff will get you all set up. Shoutout to Chad, who helped me find the perfect skis. When asked about his favorite trails, he recommended Wizard for some major thrills.
There are plenty of lockers around to stash your stuff, so we were ready to go after dropping everything off, but if you happen to have forgotten your goggles or need a warmer jacket, there’s a handy gift shop inside the main lodge with everything you need to make your ski trip the best one yet.
We skied for two days, and the guys at the skis counter were perfectly fine keeping my skis there overnight, so I didn’t have to haul them to Santa Fe and back. They simply tagged them for me, and I came to get them the next morning.
Returning our rentals was even simpler than getting them. We walked them right up to the counters, offered our paperwork, and they took care of the rest.
Ski lessons at Ski Santa Fe
My husband has gone cross-country skiing a couple times, but he never actually went downhill skiing before, so we hooked him up with some lessons. He’s an engineer, so the instructor actually went the extra mile to explain all of the ski concepts in engineering terms. While he still needs a lot of practice, he was able to go from Bambi mode to actually enjoying the beginner level Pine Flats carpet. He even took all of these amazing photos for me!
Overall, our experience at Ski Santa Fe was one for the books. From the small-town feel and close-knit community to the friendly staff, Ski Santa Fe stands out as one of the best ski mountains you’ve never heard of.
