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New Mexico's Ski Areas Enjoy Banner Year
Ski New Mexico members experienced 4 percent increase in skier days over the recently-completed 2007-20008 ski season compared to the highly-successful 2006-07 season.
"Ski season in New Mexico was incredibly exciting," said Michael Cerletti, Secretary of the New Mexico Tourism Department. "High altitudes, coupled with New Mexico's light, fluffy snow and brilliant sunshine, created some of the finest ski conditions in the West. And with the snow storms that blanketed the high country, there was no reason for anyone to spend an extra fiveor six tiring hours in the car heading further north just to stand in long lift lines. They could already be on the slopes at one of New Mexico's incredible ski areas."
The number of skier visits to Ski New Mexico resort members (Taos Ski Valley, Red River Ski Area, Angel Fire Resort, Sandia Peak, Ski Santa Fe, Pajarito Mountain Ski Area, Sipapu Ski & Summer Resort and the Enchanted Forest Cross Country Ski Area) was up from 689,244 in 2006-07 to 716,477 in 2007-08. The resorts were blessed with great snow fall, ranging from 93 inches at Sandia Peak to 293 inches at the northern ski resorts. See below.
Ski NM and KOAT TV re-introduced the "Kids Learn to Ski/Ride" program, which was also extremely successful, according to George Brooks, Executive Director of Ski New Mexico. "More than 730 New Mexico children took up the sport over a three-weekend program. Developing new and younger skiers is a focus of Ski New Mexico. They are the future of the sport, and I want to thank Mary Lynn Roper and KOAT for their help with this program."
Ski New Mexico also announced its "Best of the Best" winners, a program which recognizes the best individual efforts of the state's ski industry employees:
Best Nordic Ski Instructor: James Hampton of the Enchanted Circle Ski School
Best Ski Patrol: Jack Dant of the Santa Fe Ski Resort Ski Patrol
Best Ski Racer: Tucker Van Ormer of the Junior Racers Red River Ski Team
Best Mountain Operations: Mike Green of the Pajarito Ski Area Best Customer Service: Ana Hayden of the Red River Ski Area
Best Skier of NM: Jeff Speck of Jade Enterprises in Albuquerque
"The 'Best of the Best' winners make the ski industry of New Mexico better for everyone involved," Brooks said "They make your ski day better, the sport more fun, and your experience of skiing better that anywhere else in the country. We salute these individuals for their outstanding efforts."
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