New Mexico
New Mexico ski season in full swing despite warm December
The sun is out and so are the skiers and snowboarders at Sandia Peak Ski Area. Man-made snow here and at other ski areas around the state is helping keep more runs open during this warmer than usual December.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The sun is out and so are the skiers and snowboarders at Sandia Peak Ski Area. Man-made snow here and at other ski areas around the state is helping keep more runs open during this warmer than usual December.
“It’s very fun. I like the weather. It’s very sunny today,” said Carlos Morales, a skier.
Morales and his family were out getting some practice runs in on the slopes Tuesday afternoon. He and several others were enjoying the snow and the sun.
“Pretty good. It was a little hot, for sure. I kind of like it because I’m not freezing. I was able to wear my sunglasses and not the goggles, just because it wasn’t too crazy cold today. But it was nice. It was perfect weather,” said Hector Salazar, a snowboarder.
Salazar says now that Sandia Peak Ski Area is open seven days a week, it’s the perfect time to practice your skills since these slopes are not too crowded.
Ski New Mexico Executive Director Christy Germscheid says things are expected to pick up over the holidays.
“I think we probably have had slightly slower numbers on weekends and things since Thanksgiving when a lot of the resorts opened now. But Christmas is always rocking up here. We have very loyal Christmas guests,” said Germscheid.
She says it’s too soon to tell how the season is doing compared to years past. But the early snow pack from November helped lay the groundwork for snow machines.
“Expanding terrain, opening new terrain, has taken longer, been a little more limited based on the snowfall or lack of natural snow. So we’re hoping that Mother Nature kicks in here real soon,” Germscheid said.
Germscheid says every ski area in the state has snow machines. Crews at Sandia Peak Ski Area say they’ve been able to make enough snow to get almost all the runs open.
Snowboarders and skiers don’t seem to mind where the snow comes from.
“It feels good. The man-made snow, you could definitely feel that it’s a little bit harsher, it’s a little bit firmer. So if you were to take a fall, maybe hurt a little bit more, but it felt pretty good the whole time,” said Salazar.
Everyone is hoping for Mother Nature to give more snow but if not crews are just waiting for the perfect conditions to make more.
The Bureau of Land Management will begin selling Christmas tree permits in New Mexico on Nov. 24.
Permits will be available at the Farmington, Taos, Socorro and Rio Puerco field offices, as well as at the New Mexico State Office, according to a community announcement. The permits must be purchased before Dec. 24 and cost $5 per tree.
Permits and maps can be obtained over the counter at local BLM offices or, for some locations, online at https://forestproducts.blm.gov. If purchasing online, buyers must have access to a printer to print the permit and map.
When transporting a tree taken from BLM public land, the haul tag provided with the permit must be attached to the tree.
The BLM has developed georeferenced maps compatible with any georeferenced map mobile application. Those with a smartphone can download a map before heading out to harvest a tree by visiting the BLM website.
Before visiting a local BLM office to obtain a permit, it is recommended to call the office to confirm services and staff availability. The locations where permits may be available include:
- Rio Puerco Field Office, 100 Sun Ave., NE, Suite 330, Albuquerque, NM 87109, (505) 761-8700
- Socorro Field Office, 901 S. Old U.S. Hwy 85, Socorro, NM 87801, (575) 835-0412
- New Mexico State Office, 301 Dinosaur Trail, Santa Fe, NM 87508, (505) 954-2000
- Farmington Field Office, 6251 College Blvd, Farmington, NM 87402, (505) 564-7600
- Taos Field Office, 1024 Paseo del Pueblo Sur, Taos, NM 87571-5983, (575) 758-8851
For more information about Christmas tree permits, contact the local BLM office or the BLM New Mexico State Office at 505-954-2222.
This story was created by reporter Andy Dossett, ADossett@usatodayco.com, with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct.
New Mexico football coach Jason Eck has agreed to a five-year contract extension that will keep him with the Lobos until 2030, the school announced Sunday.
In his first regular season as head coach, Eck took the Lobos to a 9-3 record — the program’s best mark since 1982 and only the fourth time they have won nine games since 1997.
Eck’s new deal includes an increase in average salary to $1.75 million from $1.25 million, sources told ESPN. A former Wisconsin offensive lineman, Eck spent three seasons as head coach at Idaho where he went 26-13 before being hired by the Lobos last December.
New Mexico’s nine-win season and 6-2 record in the Mountain West earned them a tie for first place in the conference. But the conference’s tiebreaker (based on a composite average of nationally recognized metrics: Connelly SP+, ESPN SOR, KPI and SportSource rankings) determined that Boise State and UNLV would face each other in the title game.
If Eck can lead the Lobos to a bowl win, however, it will be the first 10-win season the program has had in 43 years.
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