There's something available for every ability level at Ski Santa Fe, about 16 miles northeast of Santa Fe via Hyde Park (Ski Basin) Road. Lots of locals ski here, particularly on weekends; if you can, go on weekdays. It's a good family area and fairly small, so it's easy to split off from and later reconnect with your party. Built on the upper reaches of 12,000-foot Tesuque Peak, the area has an average annual snowfall of 225 inches and a vertical drop of 1,703 feet. Seven lifts, including a 5,000-foot triple chair and a new quad chair, serve 67 runs and 660 acres of terrain, with a total capacity of 7,800 riders an hour. Base facilities, at 10,350 feet, center around La Casa Mall, with a cafeteria, lounge, ski shop, and boutique. A restaurant, Totemoff's, has a mid-mountain patio.
The ski area is open daily from 9am to 4pm; the season often runs from Thanksgiving to early April, depending on snow conditions. Rates for all lifts are $51 for adults, $41 for teens (13-20 years), $37 for children and seniors; half-day a.m. or p.m. tickets run $37. Tickets are free for kids less than 46 inches tall (in their ski boots), and for seniors 72 and older. For more information, contact Ski Santa Fe, 2209 Brothers Rd., Suite 220 (tel. 505/982-4429; www.skisantafe.com). For 24-hour reports on snow conditions, call tel. 505/983-9155. Ski New Mexico (tel. 505/982-5300) gives statewide reports. Ski packages are available through Santa Fe Hotels.com (tel. 800/745-9910).
Cross-country skiers find seemingly endless miles of snow to track in the Santa Fe National Forest (tel. 505/438-7840). A favorite place to start is at the Black Canyon campground, about 9 miles from downtown en route to the Santa Fe Ski Area. In the same area are the Borrego Trail (high intermediate), Aspen Vista Trail, and the Norski Trail, all en route to Santa Fe Ski Area as well. Other popular activities at the ski area in winter include snowshoeing, snowboarding, sledding, and inner tubing. Ski, snowboard, and snowshoe rentals are available at a number of downtown shops and the ski area.
