New Mexico ski resorts stay optimistic about season

SIPAPU, N.M.—When you rely on mother nature for a living, ski resort leaders know they need to be flexible.

"Every day it’s dry, we’re one day closer to it being wet,” said John Paul Bradley, the general manager of Sipapu ski area. "I live for snow, I love snow. Winter is never long enough for me."

After more than thirty years in the business, he has learned to take the good days, with the bad ones.

"We live in the desert southwest we see amazing years and we see dry years and we’ve learned how to navigate through that,” said Bradley.

He and other leaders across the state say it’s been a slow start this year, but the season is far from over.

"We’ve still got a lot of season left,” said Greg Ralph, the director of marketing at Angel Fire Resort. “Now is when the out of state visitors sort of go home and we get the New Mexican locals back. So we’re getting a good snow just in time for the locals."

Ralph knows the snow that falls now, also goes a long way later.

"The snow pack that we receive now helps get us through the next ten months,” said Ralph. “We need that snow pack for agricultural uses for our own consumption and then for recreation– get the lakes full, get the streams flowing."

The ski industry in New Mexico is a $500 million business. Leaders know people will take advantage of every flake that falls.

"I’ll keep my fingers crossed,” said John Paul Bradley. “I have to be optimistic– I’m in the ski industry."

Leaders encourage people to “know before you go” this ski season when it comes to both ski conditions, and COVID restrictions in place at areas across the state.