Ski resorts hope for help from Mother Nature

Mike Smith
El Rito Media
msmith@currentargus.com
Frigid temperatures across parts of New Mexico last week have ski resorts remaining hopeful for more natural snow, according to the executive director of Ski New Mexico.
Christy Germscheid lives in Angel Fire, home to one of New Mexico’s popular ski resorts.
She said temperatures last week in some places in northern New Mexico were below zero in the morning and warmed into the teens during the afternoon.
Germscheid said manmade snow helps when nature does not come through.
“(Colder temperatures) are excellent for snowmaking as it funnels into most ski areas during the day,” she said.
Germscheid was hopeful a winter storm expected to drop 10 inches of snow into the northern mountains above 8,000 feet and up to a foot along some of the higher peaks from Tuesday into Thursday would provide fresh natural snow.
She said New Mexico ski resorts were holding up well with manufactured snow augmenting nature.
Michael Hawkins, marketing director at Angel Fire, said underground wells, a pond and a stock tank help the snowmaking process.
“Our snowmakers work overnight, and they want temperatures to be about 25 degrees or lower to get the best snow quality and then the machines use a mixture of compressed air to blow the water out and that turns into nice snow,” he said.
“Our guys are constantly monitoring the air-to-water ratio while we blow snow to make sure we get the best quality product that we can.”
Germscheid said synthetic snow is good in a pinch but natural snow could allow other ski resorts to open at full capacity instead of partial capacity as some have been doing.
“As we move into winter we could use some more natural snow as a marketing tool,” she said.
Germscheid said ski season in New Mexico traditionally ends in March.
Depending on snow depth, she said, some stay open into April.
Latest skiing conditions as of Monday, Jan. 27
(Information provided by Ski New Mexico)
Angel Fire had a base depth of 21 inches with 57 of 86 trails open and 7 of 7 lifts open.
Pajarito Mountain had a base of 14 inches with 40 of 53 trails open.
Red River Ski Area had a base depth of 24 inches with 40 of 64 trails open and 7 of 7 lifts open.
Sandia Peak Ski Area had a base depth of 6 inches with 1 trail open.
Sipapu Ski Area had a base depth of 16 inches with 13 of 44 trails open.
Ski Apache had a base depth of 3 inches with 9 of 55 trails open.
Ski Santa Fe had a base depth of 32 inches with 80 of 90 trails open.
Taos Ski Valley had a base depth of 24 inches with 57 of 120 trails open.
Ski Cloudcroft had a base depth of 12 inches with the Bunny Slope and Tubing Hill both open.
Note: Snow conditions can change after this report is compiled.
Mike Smith can be reached at 575-308-8734 or email at msmith@currentargus.com.