Awesome photos! I love NM - it's not called "The Land of Enchantment" for nothing!
Will you be joining the Taos trip in Feb?
Just FYI... We actually (affectionately) call it (NM): "The Land of Entrapment" and/or "The Land of Mañana." Regarding "Entrapment"... I guess because it's hard to leave NM and even if you do physically, it won't take long to miss good green chile and REAL New Mexican food that no one comes close to matching, the deepest sapphire blue skys ever, a NM sunset, & REAL mountains (as opposed to these big hills they call "mountains" in New England)! We call it "Mañana" because NM truly is very laid back! We're rarely in a big, huge rush to get everything done all at once as if it were a race like they do back east! We like to just play it by ear so to speak and if we don't get to whatever else (example: the laundry)... Well, no biggie... We'll do it tomorrow! It's a way of life in NM!
I was borned & raised in NM. I left to join military but returned after serving 7 yrs and receiving an honorable discharge. I was back (in NM) for about 12 yrs & completed college, bought a house, all those things "responsible adults" are "supposed" to do. But then I realized just exactly how much I missed the water (ocean) & being able to go to beach that's right down the street (as opposed to a 16 hr straight through drive Albuq. To LA). I left NM & went to the Gulf Coast of FL. I lived right on the beach... About 100 yards from the sand. I got a job as a mgr. at a large beachfront resort hotel where I wore shorts to work everyday, met people from all over the world, & could take my shoes off and walk the hotel property including in the super soft sand on the beach. But, some of the funniest (as in truly hilarious!) things I have ever heard a person say occurred when I worked at that job! It was amazing the questions we'd get asked by hotel guests at times! I think a lot of people brought luggage but left common sense at home! Anyway... After a couple years, I basically had a job offer applicable to my degree in NH from an old friend whom I had served with in the military. So decided to get serious, stop being a "beach bum", & that it was time "to get a real job." I left FL and came to NH and have been here since... For almost 20 yrs now. I did always like NH & came up here often to ski when I was in military. I spent my entire 7 yrs in the military in the Boston area however, I was "transferred" twice... Once across a parking lot to my new "duty station" and 2nd time... About 1 mile down the street to another new "duty station." Both were "no cost (to the Gov't)" transfers! LOL!
Bottom line... NM will ALWAYS be "home"!! I do really miss it & have planned on going to visit for almost 3 yrs but then came Covid... I can tell you this much... I really have a burning desire to go eat a huge (double order at this point) green chile relleno plate with beans, rice, & several sopapillas!! Also, gotta have a huge, messy, really good green chile cheeseburger!!
I learned to ski in NM back in the day when I was 3 yrs old. I still remember that day at Ski Santa Fe ski area. I was only 3 but Hell bent to make it down that bunny slope! My mother taught me how to turn and stop & all the basics (she was an awesome skier!). So, mom was essentially with me but let me do it by myself & I made it all the way down that bunny slope by myself & without falling! Needless to say... Here I am over 50 yrs later and still putting 2 boards on my feet & going down snow covered mtns on those boards! LOL!
Seriously... I think skiing in NM is one of the best kept secrets out there! NM has some of the best snow I have ever skied! Northern NM mtns ARE The Rockies! There are numerous awesome areas in NM including: Ski Santa Fe, Angel Fire, Taos, Red River, and Pajarito. All very affordable compared to CO, usually not near as crowded as CO areas, and all come complete with the laid back way of life that we love in NM! Besides... Where else can you ski a 1/2 day in fresh powder (Santa Fe) then go back to Albuq in less than 1 hour drive time, change clothes, grab clubs & go play 9 holes of golf in the afternoon?? #NMTrue