Skiing New Mexico
 

Where is the best skiing in New Mexico? Taos, Red River, or Angel Fire? Does one location have a better selection of restaurants and shopping and hotels than the other?

What level skier are you?

Taos is the best in terms of variety of runs, it tends to be a more advanced level skier type of place. Angel Fire and Red River are more "family from TX weekend ski" places. Taos itself is nicer than other 2 towns, bigger, more variety of accomadations and restaurants. Taos is a real ski area, the others are more family fun kind of places.

Hey! There is nothing wrong with families from Texas coming to ski in New Mexico. Just ask the tourist trade.

Where do you want to stay? You can stay in Taos, the town, and have access to all three. And Taos the town is the only place with a decent selection of hotels and restos. It also has plenty of shops at or near the Plaza. If you're expecting a ski-town equivalent of the Magnificent Mile, you will be sorely disappointed.

Staying in Taos Ski Valley (20-25 min the town, at the dead end of the access road leading to it) means you're attached to it, and there's not that much there (Taos the town is tiny next to Breckenridge, TSV is miniscule). Red River is just a main street and about four or five blocks worth of low-level stores that meet the necessities of the skiers.

As for the skiing itself, TSV is about a half a level to full color change harder than the trails advertise - the "easiest" full-size green trail would be a blue at Red River. Red River labeling seems true to fit (dunno about the blacks, can't/won't do those). Angel Fire is reputedly easier than TSV or Red River (rode a lift with guys who said a black at AF would be a green at TSV).

Taos is better skiing and definitely more vertical than the other two you mention. It's not a beginners mountain in my opinion. But, if you are experienced you will enjoy it very much.

I noticed you left out Santa Fe Ski? I enjoy skiing there more than Angel Fire & Red River. Santa Fe ski area is only 20 minutes from town giving you a lot of choices for dinners and other entertainment. Ten Thousand Waves spa is a popular spot to stop on the way down from the ski area for a hot tub and massage.

Angel Fire & Red River are definitely family friendly as Debit mentioned and there are not a lot of choices for dinner or anything else. You'll want to bring your own entertainment.

It will just be my husband and I, and I would consider us intermediate in skill level. He snowboards and I ski. We usually don't tread over to any black runs, so advanced blues would be just about right.

We love shopping, trying different restaurants, spas, and sight seeing...so it looks like Taos and Santa Fe would be the best options for us! Thanks so much for the recos, all.

1 more for consideration is Durango in SW Colorado. Great mountain with more diverse blue than Taos. Bigger town, lots more choices for restaurants, hotels and après ski activities. It is a much younger clientele and prices are a bit less that Taos overall, particularly due to quantity.