Nearly 1 million skiers hit N.M. slopes

SANTA FE (KRQE) - Just in case the snowy mountains and smiling skiers hadn't already told the story, the New Mexico ski industry is reporting its best season since the winter of 2000-01.

The 11 downhill and cross-country areas that make up Ski New Mexico reported 964,793 skier visits over an average 125 days of skiing. That was a 23 percent increase from the previous season and the highest number in nine years, according to Ski New Mexico.

“We were hoping to hit one million,” Executive Director George Brooks of Ski New Mexico said in a statement released by the organization. “That would have been a great milestone given today’s economy.

""In fact, the economy actually helped our numbers, as we have always been a great drive market and lots of folks were driving this year.”

Ski New Mexico put the financial impact of the season at $541 million, up $61 million from 2008-09, with payments to the state of $40.6 million in gross-receipt taxes. Ski New Mexico members employed 2,500 people during the season.

Ski New Mexico downhill members are:

• Taos Ski Valley
• Red River Ski Area
• Angel Fire Resort
• Sandia Peak
• Ski Santa Fe
• Ski Pajarito
• Sipapu Ski & Summer Resort
• Ski Apache

Cross-country members are:

• Enchanted Forest
• Chama
• Valle Caldera Cross Country Ski Area