JimK wrote:
Never been to Sipapu. Have skied Taos, Red River and Ski Santa Fe. Did a business trip to Los Alamos Nat'l Lab about 30 years ago and added on ski days at Taos (tremendous) and Ski Santa Fe (very good). Regarding food, if all else fails look for a restaurant with good reviews on yelp that serves New Mexican cuisine. It's a little different than standard Tex-Mex and quite delicious.
I would have hit a few of those but I have some business to take care of back here. New Mexican cuisine is on the agenda!
I've driven by it, but never skied it. One day we decided to not take the main route between Taos and Santa Fe.
My recollection is that it is a fairy small family operation. It's an alternate way outta Taos and if memory serves, it's not really near anything.
Another option is Pajariito - near Los Alamos and run by a ski club - built by the mad scientists at the lab.
My opinion is that Pajarito is the second best ski area in NM - by terrain, and would be far superior to Sipapu..
wojo wrote:
Anyone been there? I have a work trip out that way and am stopping by. Recommendations on restaurants near Sipapu or Albuquerque appreciated. Solo traveler tacking on a ski day to a work trip. Thanks.
Been flying to ABQ to ski Taos for several years. I'm not a fan of red or green chili so don't have much of a list of favorite restaurants for NM. My favorite place near the airport is an Irish pub. ;-)
My ski buddy who lives in Albuquerque has taken me to the Church Street Cafe, which is in Old Town. Also went once to El Pinto, which is out of the city a bit. Best to make a reservation for El Pinto and/or get there early. Worth having extra time to walk around the place. Lots of pictures of celebrities who have dined there. Apparently a favorite of President Bush.
Have stopped by the base of Pajarito in mid-January on the way to Taos. Looks like great fun. Lots of history posted on the walls of the lodge. Definitely need AWD for the road. Keep in mind it's mainly open Thu-Sun. Has 280 skiable acres, compared to 215 for Sipapu.
When are you going?
In general, NM resorts are opening a bit early because of the massive dump in the past week. Pajarito got 3.5 feet in 5 days. Are you following OpenSnow?
marzNC wrote:
I have been following Sipapu weather, not following Pajarito too!! Decisions decisions! Thanks for the Albuquerque restaurant ideas. May have to report!
wojo wrote:
Anyone been there? I have a work trip out that way and am stopping by. Recommendations on restaurants near Sipapu or Albuquerque appreciated. Solo traveler tacking on a ski day to a work trip. Thanks.Been flying to ABQ to ski Taos for several years. I'm not a fan of red or green chili so don't have much of a list of favorite restaurants for NM. My favorite place near the airport is an Irish pub. ;-)
My ski buddy who lives in Albuquerque has taken me to the Church Street Cafe, which is in Old Town. Also went once to El Pinto, which is out of the city a bit. Best to make a reservation for El Pinto and/or get there early. Worth having extra time to walk around the place. Lots of pictures of celebrities who have dined there. Apparently a favorite of President Bush.
Have stopped by the base of Pajarito in mid-January on the way to Taos. Looks like great fun. Lots of history posted on the walls of the lodge. Definitely need AWD for the road. Keep in mind it's mainly open Thu-Sun. Has 280 skiable acres, compared to 215 for Sipapu.
When are you going?
In general, NM resorts are opening a bit early because of the massive dump in the past week. Pajarito got 3.5 feet in 5 days. Are you following OpenSnow?
As my name inplies, I grew up in skiing in northern NM...never hit sipapu. Partial to Pajarito, Taos (of course) and ski Santa Fe.
In ABQ, have to go to the Frontier - right across from UNM. The BEST breakfast burritos and green chile stew. It's an albuquerque institution.
El Pinto is very good as well. El Patio de Albuquerque is great near UNM as well. More low key.
Michaels Kitchen in Taos is the place to go before, or after, a ski day...
NMski wrote:
As my name inplies, I grew up in skiing in northern NM...never hit sipapu. Partial to Pajarito, Taos (of course) and ski Santa Fe.
In ABQ, have to go to the Frontier - right across from UNM. The BEST breakfast burritos and green chile stew. It's an albuquerque institution.
El Pinto is very good as well. El Patio de Albuquerque is great near UNM as well. More low key.
Michaels Kitchen in Taos is the place to go before, or after, a ski day...
Michaels Kitchen still serves great food and the bakery goods are out of this world. But these days they are only open Wed-Sun, 7am-2pm.
My friend who got her grad degree from UNM loves El Patio. We go there when in Albuquerque for a Taos Ski Week.
NMski wrote:
As my name inplies, I grew up in skiing in northern NM...never hit sipapu. Partial to Pajarito, Taos (of course) and ski Santa Fe.
In ABQ, have to go to the Frontier - right across from UNM. The BEST breakfast burritos and green chile stew. It's an albuquerque institution.
El Pinto is very good as well. El Patio de Albuquerque is great near UNM as well. More low key.
Michaels Kitchen in Taos is the place to go before, or after, a ski day...
NMski, I took your advice.
So I hit Parajito on Friday for a fantastic first day. I can understand being partial to the place. Resort was mostly empty and mostly open, hit the blues off of Aspen lift, avoided the blacks this time, very chunky looking/bumped up, not my cup of tea for a first day at 10,500 ft. Every time I stood up I got dizzy :-). Lots of character on the runs and in the lodge. My last run was East Road a winding green from the top and I was able to open it up and so a few Ollies and Nollies. Lots of fun on the drive back to Albuquerque going out to the west through some small towns. Cheap early season ticket did not hurt either. I highly recommend the place to experts and intermediates.
Lots of great suggestions for restaurants, but unfortunately I had to default to mild food as I was not feeling well the night before and after skiing. Bummer.
Cool ski day and taking advantage of exceptionally good early season NM conditions! Did you take any photos? First day at altitude can sometimes diminish my appetite.
wojo wrote:
NMski wrote:
As my name inplies, I grew up in skiing in northern NM...never hit sipapu. Partial to Pajarito, Taos (of course) and ski Santa Fe.
In ABQ, have to go to the Frontier - right across from UNM. The BEST breakfast burritos and green chile stew. It's an albuquerque institution.
El Pinto is very good as well. El Patio de Albuquerque is great near UNM as well. More low key.
Michaels Kitchen in Taos is the place to go before, or after, a ski day...
NMski, I took your advice.
So I hit Parajito on Friday for a fantastic first day. I can understand being partial to the place. Resort was mostly empty and mostly open, hit the blues off of Aspen lift, avoided the blacks this time, very chunky looking/bumped up, not my cup of tea for a first day at 10,500 ft. Every time I stood up I got dizzy :-). Lots of character on the runs and in the lodge. My last run was East Road a winding green from the top and I was able to open it up and so a few Ollies and Nollies. Lots of fun on the drive back to Albuquerque going out to the west through some small towns. Cheap early season ticket did not hurt either. I highly recommend the place to experts and intermediates.
Lots of great suggestions for restaurants, but unfortunately I had to default to mild food as I was not feeling well the night before and after skiing. Bummer.
Tried to take a few but I have only taken one ski pic ever that I liked (back into the Beavers from the top of A-Basin) and its my work desktop. From the party deck looking up the hill (green run) with some very nice blues above it. More trees than I thought would be there.
From the top of the hill looking out over to the east. There had been a fire and some of the terrain off piste had lots of debris.
Thanks for the trip report!
My friend who went to grad school at UNM was living in Los Alamos when the Cerro Grande fire burned out of control for quite a while. They had to evacuate at very short notice. Her husband is a physicist and his first job after finishing a Ph.D. was at Los Alamos. She didn't ski back then though. There have been other wildfires in the area in the past couple decades.
In January 2019, she and stopped by Pajarito on the way to Taos. There was fresh snow but we didn't have time to ski. What I enjoyed was the history posted on the walls of the lodge. Below is the first of three framed posters. There were also pictures of the mountain as lifts were installed.
It was good that Mountain Capital Partners took over Pajarito and Sipapu. Otherwise both might have become lost ski areas or backcountry only sooner or later.
