"One of only two major ski areas in the nation owned and operated by an American Indian Tribe, in this case the Mescalero Apache Tribe, this under-the-radar resort has surprisingly fine skiing in a descent winter despite its southernly latitude. In fact, it’s situated on the flank’s of the nation’s southernmost peak approaching 12,000 feet (Sierra Blanca at 11,981 feet), which allows you to ski while looking down more than 7,000 vertical feet onto White Sands National Park at the mountain’s foot. Most Ski Apache skiers hail from nearby El Paso or west Texas, mostly concentrating on the groomers and intermediate runs, allowing experts to delight in the largely untouched powder and steeper terrain. Though only offering 1,900 vertical foot drop, the state’s only gondola whisks you to the summit in minutes to ensure you’ll get more than enough vertical over the course of a day. Because of its southern location, it gets lots of sun, which has proven a challenge in recent years; best snow coverage is generally from mid-January through mid-March."
