Sipapu Ski & Summer Resort

I went to Sipapu to snowboard for the first time and it was an amazing experience. Everyone who worked there was very helpful and friendly. Everything was easy to find and beautiful. The teachers for lessons were all very nice. I would definitely recommend this place, it’s great for your first time and you can quickly progress with the many different trail options. Not to mention the amazing deals that make it worth your time with a gift shop and food.

This review is strictly based on my ski (snowboarding) experience. It is low budget resort. The area is nice, and they seem to have some good runs, probably enough to get some fun a whole day, I wouldn't go more than once. This will probably be my last time there. The day we went, they had only about 30% of the trails open. I don't think they can realistically blame the weather, there was snow. It looks like they are just understaffed. We had lessons there, the instructor was good, but we were a group of 4, we booked "snowboard - adult intermediate" and they added a little kid to our group, so the instructor pretty much spent most of the time looking after this little kid. I got very little value from the class. We were just always waiting for the instructor who was rescuing this 8 yr old beginner that Sipapu decided to put in a class for intermediate adults. The rental equipment is quite beaten up. They are reasonably good, e.g. Burton, but they seem to have poor maintenance. The straps on my boots wouldn't close properly, I got them swapped, same thing. The following day I went to Taos, I got the exact same straps but these ones worked fine, it looks like Sipapu just doesn't maintain them properly.

Sipapu is an excellent place to ski, especially because it’s much more affordable than other resorts. However, the quality of the trails feels a bit lower in comparison. The runs are smaller, narrower, and shorter in length — if you go fast, you can finish an entire trail in about three minutes. The service is fantastic, though! I found the food ordering system quite interesting since it’s all done online. I also loved how the lift ticket process works — they write and save your name in the system, which adds a nice personal touch. I highly recommend Sipapu for beginners, but if you’re looking for something more advanced or challenging, there are other options worth considering.

My first time snowboarding was a great experience because of Sipapu New Mexico. Staff was super friendly and answered all my questions. I really appreciated Luca, she teached me really well and motivated to continue. I highly recommend Luca as a trainer for anyone staring out!

This is probably one of the cheapest options in the area. I wish they added the tubing. Because the resort is so-called great for beginners, which is not true, considering the trails we had to use. Unless you want to stay on the bunny trail for the whole time. It is great that they offer free lift for kids under 12! A big thank you. Now the so called easy trails or slow parts, are probably misunderstood by me. Cause they are super steep. We used the lift, which brought us pretty high. And the moment you jump off that thing you need to find a place for your slow po to take a breath, regroup, which is not easy, considering how tight is the place. Then you basically need to roll down two-three turn, getting to the middle, that is where you get your two flights of very nice practice place, and then head down roll over two more flight, to get to the bottom. One of my kids and myself got discouraged after our first day. If I would be younger, i would have probably managed the day two. Makes me think, i need to grow some muscle;) pretty fun for people knowing how to. And by the midday, the place gets icy, harder to stop. Cause people are starting to crowd the place. So if you want it quiet, come in the morning, midweek when it is high season.

I didn’t stay overnight but me & my finance went her for the day to ski. We are beginner skiers and this was our second time. Reasonably priced rental equipment & lift tickets! We also got a 2 hour ski lesson for $10 each w two instructors (incredible value!!!) our instructors Santana & Charley-Rose were so helpful knowledgeable & encouraging! By the end of the lesson we were fill sending it down the mountain! They have a long green run that we did 6 times & I would highly recommend Sipapu for beginner skiers. The trails weren’t too crowded. They also have blues & black runs for more advanced skiers. This mountain was laid back & had a lot of local skiers. We will definitely return to ski Sipapu 💖 Thank you!

The only upside to this place is the cost. The staff that could speak English were rude. I had a question about lessons and an employee brought me to the lessons manager. He didn’t even look up from his paper. He knew I was there and he was ignoring me. I told him this is our first time and I needed some advice. My kids had all done a lesson and they were struggling. They didn’t really learn much. They were stuck on the tiny baby 100ft flat baby slope. The next step up is a pretty big jump in skill level and the lesson didn’t prepare them for that. They were bummed and I felt bad as this is our Christmas vacation and presents and I was just wondering what my options were. He glared at me and said repeat the beginner lessons. I asked if there was maybe a private lesson and he said he did t have anymore. I was discourage about the idea of paying for the same crap that they learned nothing from the first time. Then I noticed there are still private coaching sessions available when I went to look online. The rentals were hectic, some people didn’t speak English and had to get the manager to ask a question about helmets? Well, Edward couldn’t be bothered and was rude. I’m just a mom trying to help my kids enjoy their Christmas vacation instead of being miserable. ☹️ Very disappointed after being told what a sweet family resort this was. If my kids were just going to ride the magic carpet 1 on the “slope” I would’ve just paid for a magic carpet ticket and not a full ticket. The whole thing is very disappointing. There were children coming down the lower Bambi trail out of control, flying through the barriers nearly hitting a tree and one almost landed in the half frozen river. Unreal! How is this not a liability? Their lessons should at least equip people to ride the one main beginner slope. I get it that some people are just not coordinated which could be the case for a couple of mine. But I have some kids who picked up very quickly and even the instructor said it was surprisingly quick compared to the rest of the group. They still couldn’t hack it. I definitely wouldn’t recommend this place for true beginners. Definitely not first timers.

The campground was great. Easy access and flat. It could use new gravel but this is a lean operating place. No issues with the power hookups and we brought our tanks full of water since the faucets are off in the winter. We stayed in a 31ft motorhome and were surprised at how easy the roads were to travel in. We had a great time and all the staff we encountered was very nice.

Got say, it's a great place to learn. First time visitor. Felt some odd vibes getting my ski lift ticket. Was told I've been there before, so they made me pay for another ticket. That sucked... Anything you do here is on your phone. Ordering food, getting your lift tickets, rentals.. it's kind of annoying. Lastly, it was at times really frustrating because all I saw several skiers and snowboarders in the middle of the terrain sitting. People should have decency to move off to the side.

5 stars for the price, very affordable...downright cheap. We stayed on the mountain 50 yards from the ski lift in a "modular home", nothing fantastic but nice. We stayed three nights and the only complaint was that the furnace went out the morning we left, we would have started a fire in the fireplace, but since we were leaving no big deal.

Ok not a fancy resort but it's the only reason I learnt skiing. Very affordable. The lines for rentals can be long, but once you get your own equipment and your own access card that you activate before you get there- it's a breeze. I owe my ability to ski to this simple but nice resort.

Great time ski'ing, but the process to do it was inconvenient, all the workers are moving around stations trying to help 3 ppl at once. Maybe stay PUT and the line will move.

It's a great experience. Beginner friendly I would recommend booking with Luis for lessons. But one young lady was extremely careless and irresponsible I was going down a slope when she came in on her ski bike and stopped right in front of and it hit me, while paying no regard to me or the other children using the slope. She didn't even apologize she just continued playing on the bike and left. I wasn't able to continuing snowboarding due to the pain I experienced from the crash. Another employee working the conveyer that was designated for the younger children was continuously cursing. I had a great time but I wish the staff was more kind and responsible. Luis was great though! Food was also great!

I ski at major ski resorts often, such as Breckenridge and Keystone as well as Taos and even own a place in Angel Fire, yet Sipapu is my absolute favorite place to ski and I recommend it to everyone I know. The prices are great and won't cost an Arm and Leg to buy and the staff is friendly and the trails are amazing. The black diamonds are so fun and lift lines are always short so you feel like you can ski over and over without waiting and the food is fantastic, the online ordering is a great feature. I've been here many times and will continue to come back

This is the perfect place for those wanting to learn the sport without spending a fortune to do so. My husband is a skilled snow boarder and still had fun while my daughter and I took lessons. We rented the adobe house and although it was very quirky, and not fully stocked like advertised, it served the purpose of a pace to spend our evenings after coming off the slopes. Kitchen had just a few pots and pans that were usable. Others had the non stick peeling off and were unusable. There were no mixing bowls, cutting boards, sheet or baking pans, paper towels. We brought our own crock pots which I would highly recommend centering your meals around since cooking with minimal supplies is difficult. Also the cafe at the ski lodge is the only place to get food or grocery items within 20 minutes, so planning meals is really helpful. The cave closes 5 and there is no other community space. There is no red carpet service at this resort. Like I said before, it serves its purpose but 70% of the staff has a chip on their shoulder. We needed to move a ski reservation and I was instructed to email them. It's been 6 days since I emailed them and still haven't had a response. I was told to ask someone in the ski instructor outfit if they could help but when I approached Edward he was so condescending and rude, telling me it was my fault and basically too bad. There was a lot more to our conversation of rude and belittling comments, but let's just leave it at that. He wasn't anyone who could help but just wanted to talk me in circles I guess to enjoy it. I just don't understand why people act that way. If it wasn't for tourism he wouldn't have a job. Just frustrates me when kindness goes a long way but people seek out being rude to have a power trip. This place seems like it was opened 20 years ago and forgotten if you know what I mean. There is no manager or head of staff. Very little help and no one seems to know what's going on. They would really benefit from better and present management. Overall I would say we would come back because we can ignore those things and appreciate the savings, the mountain and time with our family. But if money was not an object we would look elsewhere to step it up a notch. Just come prepared with your own stuff, bath soap and shampoo, hairdryer, the other kitchen stuff I mentioned, and a focus on the mountain and you will have a good time. 3 stars for mountain and lessons. 2 stars for everything else

This review is strictly of the alpine ski experience at Sipapu. We've never used the lodging at this resort, although I've read that they offer some killer deals for those seeking a bargain in lodging and don't mind a basic hostel-ish place to sleep. I'm also offering some grace when it comes to things Sipapu and every other seasonal business cannot control at the moment: a global pandemic, the great resignation, and the warmest year on record in the last 125 years. Now that the disclaimers are out of the way.... As a once-every-2-years kind of skier from Texas, I've tried just about every ski resort available in New Mexico, and almost always during the most crowded times of the year (Thanksgiving Break, Winter Break, and Spring Break) when the students in our family are out of school and able to travel. We want a variety of green slopes, fewer people, less obnoxious tourist behavior, and no dare-devils racing down the slopes. For our money, Sipapu offers all of this and at prices that are much less than the other Enchanted Circle resorts (Angel Fire, Red River, and Taos). No one comes to Sipapu to show off, they come to have a family-friendly, "no frills" ski or snowboarding experience. In the 2021-22 season, kids 5th grade and younger ride the lifts for free. FREE. Our kid has aged out of that deal, but we were able to ski over Christmas this year for 2 full days with full equipment rental (including helmets, unlimited lift rides, and rental insurance) for $86/day per person. That is unheard of for non-locals over major holidays in our 20+ years of skiing experience. Be sure to reserve and purchase online https://store.sipapu.ski/ in advance for the best prices. The distance from Taos is not too bad, about 24 scenic miles out on Highway 518. It can be a bit hairy during heavy snow and ice, so plan for the right vehicle and cautious driving. We prefer staying in Taos in a comfy VRBO or AirBnB walkable to the Plaza, then doing the drive out to Sipapu for our ski days. We choose Sipapu over Taos Ski Valley for the more relaxed, beginner-level atmosphere. I'd classify our family as "experienced beginners" in that we know how to use our equipment, get on and off a lift, recover from a fall, and abide by the safety rules of the trail. We've been skiing for decades, but we don't get a chance to do it very often. So, we usually spend our first day of a ski trip just getting used to how everything works, acclimating to altitude, and gaining confidence on our skis. The second day is for tons of fun skiing greens until we are too tired to go again. If we can afford a 3rd day, some of our more fearless family members may start taking blue runs. By day 4, it's usually time to get on the road to go home. The 41 runs over 215 skiable acres at Sipapu are perfect for us, with plenty of green and blue slopes to keep us entertained and a decent separation of the few black diamond trails so that the speed demons are less likely to run us over. The season at Sipapu is said to be the longest in New Mexico, from November to April on a "normal" year. Unfortunately, increasing annual average temperatures and drought conditions mean that we can't count on that stretch any more. In the last 2 weeks of December 2021, only 2 of the 6 lifts were running and most snow was man-made on the 3 green runs available. Thanks, global warming! We still had a great time, but it would have been amazing with natural snow and more terrain to cover. Next time, we'll plan for a February or March trip to be on the safe side. Other good to knows: Arrive early if you are renting equipment; the shop opens 1 hour before the lifts. Go to the kiosk nearest parking to activate your party's lift passes and then proceed to the equipment pickup line. You'll have 3 stops: boots and helmet fitting, ski pickup, and poles pickup (if you're using those). Ask for your poles in the first stop and you won't have to go back. It gets kind of chaotic in there, so stay focused but be kind to the harried staff for the best experience. Lockers for your belongings are outside the exit of the ski fitting area. Bring quarters for those. We managed to fit 3 sets of adult snow boots in one 50¢ locker but YMMV. Of course, you can always put your stuff back into your car, as parking isn't far away. Food and drinks (typical fast food) must be ordered online https://food.sipapu.ski/ during COVID. Someone will have to go upstairs to pickup the order, and stairs in ski boots with full hands is... an adventure, lol. Save some dough by packing a picnic cooler in your car, but don't skip the hot cocoa - it's so good on a cold day. I don't recommend bringing a brand new 1st time skier here to learn. Lessons and service levels are likely better at one of the larger resorts during the holiday season crowds. Come back to Sipapu when your group is ready for some independent skiing on more challenging greens.

We LOVE Sipapu Ski. We have season passes and our own gear, so that helps speed up the process. However anytime I have had to rent or communicate with ticketing, they were efficient and always very kind! Also, guys, this mountain is way too affordable. We don't deserve to be able to ski a fun homey mountain for such great prices. I am extremely thankful for this little mountain! Just be kind and understanding of the folks working there, treat them with respect and they will absolutely return the love. On the subject of lodging - I have not ever stayed there. We stay in Santa Fe and drive up the mountain. Santa Fe has fantastic food and shopping and the drive up has always been very doable. Love you Sipapu!

I would give it ZERO star if allowed. We went with our 6 years old for her first ski experience, so we signed her up with two days of ski lesson. Her coach was Jose, and all we saw was the guy just put both hands in the pocket watching the little ones struggle. Towards the middle, he said he would take a 10min break then he disappeared for over 35 minutes. His manager, Edward, apparently didn't appreciate we complaining to him regarding Jose's MIA, and blamed us for being unreasonable. My wife even overheard he telling Jose "They (the customers) don't appreciate the fact they can't find a cheaper place in the US" This is the MOST irresponsible, asinine insult to any customers I've experienced. Some minor complaints are (1) Rental process is slow and inefficient, and the staff, especially the one at the boot rental was rude. (2) Web site design is horrible, very confusing; Should have checked yelp review before the trip. Will never go back.

I haven't been back to Sipapu since 2018 so I figured I would take an intermediate lesson to feel comfortable again. My instructors name was Kevin and I would highly recommend him to anyone. He was patient and listened to what I wanted to improve on. He was also just very personable which calmed the nerves a little. He is a sweet soul you won't be disappointed.

This concerns the rental process. Very inefficient. Expect 2 hours if skiing missed if you decide to rent here. IDK about the mountain.

I accompanied my pals who've been coming here since the 70's. Unfortunately the water pipes froze in the first 2 casitas they booked us in but they sorted us out within minutes! Greg the handyman was exceptional and Megan in the customer service cabin was a real gem. I was laid up in bed Mon-Wed of our 5day stay. Life happens. C'est la vie!!!

never coming back to this place 5 employees we encountered are all rude and disrespectful not one was professional waste of time after 1:30 ride one way no one cared to try help up in any way whatsoever

A good ski/snowboard resort for beginners! It's cheaper than other resorts (know you get what you pay for in that it's much smaller and if you're more advanced you will go through all the runs quickly). FYI purchase online for cheaper lift tickets. As others have said, set expectations that this resort is on the smaller side. They did run out of the boot size we needed the first day and lunch lines were very long. But if you can overlook these for the lower price then it is worth the trip for sure. I think it's the perfect spot for first timers since you probably won't be going down the more advanced runs at a bigger resort. Pro tip: going up the longer lift and going down the green route (Sassafras?) is the best practice route imo. It's long enough to get some practice without having to go up the lift again and you can do short blues to shortcut the green if you wanna push yourself. In short: it's cheap with no frills. Worth a first visit and then you can decide if you wanna come back.

Stayed 2 nights here for a wedding and we probably won't stay at the "resort" again. We rented a suite for 2 nights and what was advertised online versus what we stayed in were completely different. Talking to other wedding guests, our room seemed to be "nicer". Other guests said their beds were unmade, mouse droppings in the sheets and dirty floors. A staff member said they are short staffed and I completely understand the difficulties that may bring, but for the price that they charge a night ( which was $490 for the 2 nights) guests expect a clean room.

My husband and I are in NM for our honeymoon and after a day skiing at Ski Santa Fe, we decided to try somewhere smaller. We got lessons at Sipapu, as it was our second time skiing (I skied as a kid, but I don't think that counts) the instructors were patient, helpful, and encouraging! The lessons were worth the money, and private lessons here are still much less than group lessons anywhere close. The only complaint I have is that the difference between the bunny hill and the next easiest green is too large for our midwestern skill set. I think it has to do with the fact that we might be hill skiers not mountain skiers. Lol. We loved the rental process (and returns are easy) the staff is helpful, friendly, and they seem like they love their jobs! After building up our skills at milder courses (back in the Midwest) we will return!

First, I grew up skiing here and we return every few years because of family tradition. We love the affordability, small crowds and friendly nature of the resort. It is a wonderful place. HOWEVER in 2022 the management company has made everything an ORDER-BY-PHONE nightmare! Everything must be done in advance using their website - not even an app. LARGE signage needs to be put up outside the rental entrance and restaurant pertaining to the crappy NON-CASH nature of the resort. The singular exception is the gift store. Many many lower income visitors (which Sipapu caters to) do not have or want a credit card and save their cash specifically to go on vacation. Additionally, kiosks need to be set up in front of the rental area so people know to register online and can do so without punching their phones. The repeated effort of entering a credit card would be eased by an app that saves the credit card number for a 7 day period. Give the cash holders another option such as a refillable gift card that also functions as a lift pass. Why don't the barcodes on both sides of the liftpass work when scanned? The restaurant was an absolute train wreck. The machines for ordering kept crashing and are insanely slow because people don't know how to use them and can't find what they want! There wasn't even an overhead menu to help a family figure out what they wanted before they got to the machine. The ordering machines are setup so the line of people blocks all condements and the trash. I was impressed that the order-ready text function actually worked, but a queue screen would be much more helpful so you know your order hasn't been lost and how many orders are in front of you. Bars are all about impulse purchase and helping people relax - this ordering system is killing the most profitable resort component. HIRE SOME TRUSTWORTHY EMPLOYEES THAT YOU CAN TRUST WITH CASH!!

I have never skied before. My instructor was Pat and he was extremely knowledgeable and patient. I was feeling comfortable by the end of 2 hours. I highly recommend him!

For the money - Sipapu is a great option. For someone who needs to the space to learn how to ski, it's not a great place. The "bunny" slope for learners barely has a grade to it, and isn't large enough to learn on due to the congestion (Spring Break Week). Moving on to the larger "'bunny slope" -- that grade it too steep for learners, and then you have to watch for experience skiers coming off the blue routes that feed right into the bunny slope. For inexperienced skiers, watching their speed is frightening -- and causes them to fall. My niece was too nervous to learn there because of this. I cannot recommend Sipapu for teaching beginners. However the facility and staff there are lovely.

I was charged for tickets and rentals twice an hour apart. I showed the cashier and he was very nice and gave me the email to get a refund. He confirmed that I was charged twice. When I emailed guest services they informed me that they will not be able to refund me. I will be disputing this with my bank. Just a warning that they will steal from you. They stole $117.78 from me.

Charged twice to ski on slushy grass. Not only were the conditions horrible but I was charged twice due to a lapse in cell coverage. The employees gave me a website and said there should be no problems getting my refund since I was erroneously charged. Then the website and management refused my refund. This ski "hill" is mismanaged and won't take any accountability only your money , steer clear of this tourist trap.

Inaccurate website description on lessons and unhelpful customer service refused to refund lesson fee that it was unable to honor. Poor/unorganized service with long lines at counter and rental services (no fitting help, ran around to ask where to get poles and helmet). Smoking attendant at bunny hill magic carpet that made every customer who ride the magic carpet smell second hand smoke, unavoidable!!! Website listed that it offered lessons on every levels on every terrain. I had called in advance to understand the lessons level. Even upon booking online, it has selection of ski levels: beginner, intermediate (comfortable on all green terrains), expert (exploring black terrains). I had selected intermediate lesson. However, on the day of lesson, when lesson was about to start, I was informed they don't offer intermediate lessons. Gone back to long line at counter, waited for over an hour to get straighten out. Finally I was told they will refund me, and asked me to write an email to get refund. Half a day gone by, wasted at the ski resort. Response to email for refund was rejected.

This place is very beautiful, right by the river, and a great price! We usually camp in the summer in a forest campground so I was a little worried with how staying here would compare but I was pleasantly surprised. Lots of tall trees and very convenient to get to. Plus it was great to have the store and restaurant so close!

Ignore all the negative reviews! Sipapu was great for our kids to learn to ski. The cabins are like tiny houses. Seem pretty new, had all appliances and things needed. Yes there was no hair dryer but you are essentially camping in a cabin. Staff was amazing, very accommodating and friendly. Josie and Nicole took care of us when the computer made an error. Greg and JP worked hard to make sure we could have the best ski experience and filled my tire up with air. Nila, Lisa and Carlos were very patient helping our kids learn to ski and snowboard. Paradise Grill was tasty, a little expensive but huge portions. This was our first of many trips to Sipapu.

Worth the price for sure. Staff is super friendly . My primary issue is that this new online side of things. Buying tickets online makes sense but then you cannot get a rental or even food without ordering online. Feels like a hassle to both customers and staff. Takes up more time for sure.

We booked for Thanksgiving 2020 and were so excited to go snow skiing. Sipapu sends us an email four days before leaving saying the Ski Resort is postponed till December 1, 2020. No refund but you can rebook but they have blackout dates and basically all the dates your kids are out of school are blackout dates. You only have 48 hours to rebook or you get nothing. As adults, we have jobs that we have to get permission to be gone from work, kids in school, pet sitting arrangements, etc. How do you make arrangements in 48 hours? WE DID NOT CANCEL OUR TRIP SIPAPU DID AND THEY DON'T WANT TO MAKE IT EASY TO GET MONEY BACK OR REBOOK. I would say I would NOT ever recommend this place to another guest. This was going to be our first visit there and to say the least, we did not get to experience what we paid for. They did not answer their phones. We were calling for five days.

Our family loves Sipapu. We have a family tradition now of going every year for my youngest daughter's birthday. We love that it's simple, affordable, small, and kind of quirky. We are low maintenance people who can't afford the flashy ski resorts. This year we decided to splurge and rent a casita so we could ski two days. We booked months in advance. We were so excited and packed lots of food to cook our daughter a birthday meal in the casita. We brought her cake. We worked all day Friday and then hurried to the ski rental place in albuquerque and packed everything up. If you are a working parent you know how hard it is to get on the road for a weekend trip after a long week. After driving the 2- hour drive we arrived to find no one staffing the check in desk. Instead, our key was taped to a door with a note. The note said our casita was not available. There was no explanation except for, 'we tried to call you.' My husband checked his phone and a call, NO VOICE MAIL, was indeed made at 5:30 PM. (Check in is 4 PM) There was no message left explaining what was going on. The note said to find hotel room 409 in another building. We did so and it was filled with the bottles and cans from the previous guests, the beds were dirty, the towels were dirty. The room had not been cleaned. We walked around that resort in the dark for an hour looking for someone to help us. We were exhausted and mad and there was noone to talk to. We called the only number we could find maybe 10 times. No one answered. We asked other guests if they knew where we could find an employee so we could just go to bed. No one said they knew where any employees were. No one called me back. So, we did the only thing we could do at that point (not wanting to ruin my daughter's birthday by going home) and slept in a dirty room on top of the covers. We woke up and didn't have food for our kids because we'd brought eggs to cook in the casita. There was no coffee in the room because it had not been cleaned/replenished. I NEED COFFEE. When we finally were able to talk to an employee she was very nice and gave us coffee and cocoa for my little one and assured us this would be made right. It's been 5 days and we have heard nothing. Apparently there was a gas leak issue in the casita. That still doesn't explain why Sipapu didn't let us know earlier so we could have changed our food plans. I asked if we could have a voucher or something to get food at the lodge because we didn't have the means to buy it and were planning on making our own food. That never happened. We ate bag salad and almonds from the shop for my daughter's birthday. We skied and loved it. We just felt really sad and disappointed at the way we were treated and are still being treated. After having to sleep in a dirty hotel room that we didn't even book should have meant an on the spot refund for the entire stay. Food alternatives should have been provided to my family. We will not be back. Super sad because it's all we can afford.

Update 2019: We stayed in Mobile Home 17 and really enjoyed it. It has a washer and dryer and 4 bedrooms. The bedrooms are split with two on either side of the home. I added pics to my review since we could only find one on their site. We never stood in a line for lifts and enjoyed having 100% of the runs open. The staff was friendly. The boot and ski fitting staff were especially nice. They were always kind and happy to help. The only issue we had was a lack of broom in the mobile home. We went to the front desk and asked for one and they said they didn't have one. We did have a string mop. I would also suggest a tote box check-out system for the kitchen needs. Each of the 3 kitchens that we've had at Sipapu had different pots and pans available and I'd rather not have to guess and overpack stuff from home. If they put a specific set of items in a storage tote with the list available online and let guests check it out, it would reduce things disappearing and be a lot more helpful to guests when they are packing and then using the kitchen. They say it's a fully stocked kitchen but there's no mixing bowls, measuring cups, hand mixer, 9x13, etc. Overall, it was another amazing year at Sipapu. We're already booked for next year!

I really loved coming here, but there are some things you need to know before you go. Rooms: 1.) Do NOT come here with your dog. They will put you in the nasty 'hotel' rooms. When I say nasty, I mean disgusting. Our bathroom overwhelmingly smelled like dog crap. 2.) They don't really clean the rooms very well between customers- they especially don't mop. Just bring some flip flops to walk around in, and some cleaning spray, and paper towels- you'll be good. 3.) Again, do NOT stay in the hotel rooms. The heater will blast you out. We slept with our window open in 8 degree weather with no comforter on. At midnight and 4 am the snow machines are running and they will wake you up since the window will be open. Also, the internet is nonexistent. You can send a text, but not watch a movie or play a game on your phone. 4.) Stay in the 'Suites' - these are a million trillion times better. We switched to these and it was SO much better. They have a kitchenette, wood burning fireplace, dining room table and chairs, couch, 2 bunk beds, and a king size bed. All for an extra $20. No brainer. The internet is great too. 5.) Bring a DVD player and some dvds or a Roku/ Amazon stick. They have a tv in the living room, but no cable. I don't understand why they do this but they do. We had to drive into Taos to get one. The first two nights we played cards to pass the time, but day 3 we were ready to veg in front of the tv. On that note- bring firewood too because they don't sell it here. Food: 1.) Meals average $12-15 per person + drink. On one hand it's nice to not have to worry about lugging all the groceries, utensils, paper plates, etc with you and hoping your fridge works (ours didn't in the hotel and trying to keep everything cool was a nightmare). On the other hand it can get expensive. We decided to have a late breakfast and then dinner at the cafe. We filled in the gaps with non refrigerated snacks. Worked for us. If you're in the Suites you'll have a full size fridge and range (no microwave). Skiing/ Snowboarding: 1.) I brought 2 kids that never skied/ snowboarded before. My advise as a parent is if you've never snowboarded and your kid wants to- spend the $60 and pay for a private lesson. They'll need it. (I highly recommend Hannah for snow board lessons- she is so encouraging and patient) 2.) There is a big difference between the learning hill (almost completely flat) and the 'practice hill' which is long and steep. They desperately need something in between. Your kid will spend the day walking up the medium hill that has no magic carpet and it gets really tiring, really quick. 3.) As a parent- grab one of the picnic tables next to the learning hill if your kids are beginners-you'll thank me. All the employees were very nice, but just know that there is a 'just roll with it' kind of vibe here. Don't come here with high expectations- you get what you pay for. But all in all we had a fantastic time. The snow was great, other skiers were friendly and personable (no snobs), and the scenery was great.

I hate to add to the bad reviews of this place. It's a great little mountain with the potential to be "the go to mountain" for people with kids!! Both my kids took a snowboarding lesson and they loved their instructor. However, that was where the great customer service began and ended! The rest of the visit was a series of interactions with Sipapu staff that left a bad taste in my mouth, over and over again. On our second day, when I knew my daughter was ready for something beyond the bunny hill, I took my daughter to the high speed quad lifted (ALL signage says to take beginners there before going on the other three person lift) and when getting off the lift (for her first time ever) she had some trouble (don't we all have trouble getting off the lift the first time) and the lift operator started in rudely lecturing her on all that she did wrong! He never bothered to find out how many times she'd done it. Then on our second time up, he did the same thing!! Absolutely crushed my daughter's confidence. In addition, there were good and bad interactions throughout the weekend. Just crappy, unkind, "I don't give a shit" attitudes. This mountain has not discovered that customer service is what brings people back.

Been coming here for 11 years. Sadly, it's changed for the worse. Lost is that family friendly feel. And at the upstairs cafe we spent 35.00 on 2 plates of food. We asked for fries instead of a baked potato and was told we couldn't substitute anything but could buy fries on the side. The baked potato was cold in spots and wouldn't even melt butter. It was good while it lasted.

DO NOT go to Sipapu if you have to rent skis. Period. The wait time was about 6 hours. We got there at 9:30 and didn't hit the mountain until 1:30. The equipment was also faulty. The stem on one of the mountain bike rentals could not be adjusted and no replacement. Lastly, customer service refused to give us even a partial return or even free passes. Skip it until they can fix their process.

I drove four hours from Colorado Springs to use the groupon I purchased for half off of lift tickets and rentals. When we arrived, there was a long line of people waiting to get lift tickets and rentals, but the employees stated that they were at a "halt" They apparently ran out of equipment to rent or to people. We waited for almost two hours for gear. The drive was not worth it. The staff was very rude. The manager was no better than his employees. They need to be retrained and re organized. I recommend arriving before they open or right when they open. Even then, there's no promises that they will have any equipment for you. The staff are a bunch of inconsiderate, disrespectful and unaccomodating people.

Military get free lift tickets except on blackout days! I had a free lift ticket for signing up for their e-mail list at Ski Swap NM a couple of months ago, so I decided to use the free pass this weekend. If you sign up for their e-mail list, they have some pretty good deals (I.e. free lodging with a purchase of a $44 lift ticket). Although NM hasn't gotten much snow yet, Sipapu had their snow machines working hard to make sure they had enough to re-open this past Saturday. They only had one lift open, but it split into a blue and green. The blue run had two parts that were pretty steep for blues. The green had a really long catwalk towards the end and you have to do a lot of weaving past people stuck on the catwalk. They had a small park with a box and small jump for people just starting out, nothing too crazy. Conditions were pretty good but it got icy after 2pm. No lines, but short runs. Make sure to bring a leash for your boards, they'll make you go to the shop and buy one before you can get on the lift! They sell lunch upstairs, which is a little pricey for what you get, but the food itself is decent. They also serve beer upstairs, which is pretty nice. If you end up going to Sipapu, definitely join their e-mail list to get the best offers for a cheaper trip!

Awesome small resort situated in a due north shadowed valley that keeps the snow all season long! I've came here 3-times. Rentals at the base are quick and efficient; especially for Groupons. Great size for a couple of days. A few challenging blacks, great unobstructed blues, greens available all the way down. Not crowded and well maintained. Can easily see the mountain in the day.

Ran out of rentals at noon, this is a horrible place for beginners...their green runs would be blue at most places and the magic carpet beginner area is so flat you can hardly learn anything on it....it was insanely busy, food lines were over an hour wait. If you are an intermediate or advanced skier with your own gear, I think it's much better suited, BUT just push your way inside and say you need lift tickets only otherwise you have to wait in line with rental and lift purchases.

They ran out of rentals at 11am. They should just tell you to not bother coming in for a half day of skiing, they are just way too understaffed and underresourced to handle any amount of decent business. Especially if people are going to travel upwards of 2 hours to get here.

This is a great place to ski if you don't want to wait in line. The runs are good. It's a small hill, so you won't lose your group. Ring your own equipment, or rent in Taos- they ran out and the equipment was old. The lodging was DREADFUL. We stayed in Casita #2. It does NOT LOOK LIKE THE PICTURES!! We expected rustic and simple. It was run down and gross. We immediately noticed broken blinds when we pulled up. The porch light was broken. Upon walking in, our eyes immediately went to the sofa, which was peeling flakes of faux leather. We didn't even consider making it into a sleeper once we looked under the cushions. Stained and gross. We covered it with sheets and blankets. Fortunately, we had brought sheets and blankets for the couch, because there was none. Nor was there toilet paper, paper towels, garbage bags, or dish scrubbers. The dishes were sticky and mismatched, so we used paper the whole time. Floors were filthy, there was not even a broom. The coffee pot leaked, the stove only worked partially, there was trash under the sink from the previous guests. We went into Taos the next day to buy new pillows and bedding because the pillows were lumpy, flat, and stained. The heater made weird sounds non-stop. The floor was peeling up and the bathroom was moldy. It's a shame, because for a little investment from the owners this could be a great place. I messaged the staff our first night but never got a reply.

Seems like lots of folks have issues with the lodging there at Sipapu. By basing my operations out of Santa Fe I solve that problem! As far as renting gear, I saw a lot of complaints about that too. Just realize this is a fairy small place so if they get slammed with snow and thus more people, yeah, they're gonna run out. But as such I can only speak to the mountain itself. Is it the biggest ski area around? No. Is the the most advanced? Nah. But is it fun and affordable for a day on the snow? You bet. And the biggest plus is that it's almost always a free lift ticket for active duty military, which I highly appreciate them doing. I also recommend the Diablo Chicken sandwich at the restaurant!

Only paid $30 for ski rentals and a full day of skiing! Beautiful and small mountain- not crowded at all. Staff was very kind and helpful.

Worst place ever. Very unorganized workers. Come for ski and boarding lesson however, after going thru 30mins of waiting in line and filling out paperwork they told me they don't have gears for my kids. They hire kids where they have no sense of customer service. I got my boots and was putting it on. He didn't tell me thar I needed to give one shoes to get fitting for the boards. They should inform all customers since this is my first time doing these kind of activities with my kids. They should never assume all customers are regulars especially I'm from out of town and visiting. I'm wouldn't give his place a star if there was an option. My kids were sad and disappointed after renting a car and driving for 2 hours to get here. Again...worst place ever !!!!

When we arrived they stated our reservation was for another day and another unit. I had to pull up my confirmation to show them I was correct. Unfortunately they had booked the unit and could not honor the reservation. There is no other place to stay at their resort so we had to completely alter our plans and locate lodging and ski another mountain which was not easy! The next day the manager called me and once again tried to say it was my error even though I had sent the reservation email back to them as proof! They finally agreed to refund the lodging but refused to refund the lift tickets and rentals even though I could not stay on their mountain. Today I was refunded via CC dispute which I had fully documented. The customer service is atrocious and I would not stay here if you are traveling from out of town. I will double down if you have kids because they advertised lessons they did not have. They kept telling me it would be posted closer to my stay (after the refund period had elapsed).

Well, the best way to describe our stay was disappointing. I am not one that likes to post negative reviews; however, if you are considering a stay here, you need to know what you are signing up for. Our room was very filthy, linens that were not clean, dirty walls, a door that was punched through, a bathroom with a shower that did not drain, black mold everywhere, broken sink and no hot water. All this for over $200. I would suggest that you look for a different mountain summer/ski resort to visit. With these poor conditions and lack of management I believe that this place won't be in business much longer. This place is definitely on its way to the bottom, if it is not already there.

Real fun place to ski or board, All the people that I encountered were very friendly and upbeat. Very affordable if on a budget. Flew down from Seattle to snowboard in the land of enchantment, had a blast!

Bring your own gear and your own lunch and you'll be just fine. My daughters had taken a snowboarding lesson at Red River and I didn't really want to pay full winter boat for a single open trail so they could practice their skills. So, we headed to the family owned Sipapu Ski Resort. My family had held reunions here in the 70's and 90's and thought it was a cool place. They were running an early season discount of $15 lift tickets for teens and $20 for adults. Couple this with the $25 gear rental plus $8 for a helmet and this looked like a deal. The downhill run started at gear rental. Sure, the gal behind the counter was nice enough but this other staff guy kept butting in about "the weather is bringing our numbers up." Sure, it was snowing but I want to get my girls to the slopes not wait around while you hold a conversation about the business of skiing. Totally blows my illusion of vacation. It took us at least four pair of boots to fit one of the girls and a couple of the pair were in horrible condition with holes in the toes and the exterior "leather" peeling away with the insulation coming out. Another pair had rope (yeah, like you buy at Walmart) for laces. Every pair was a different brand so we could not consistently determine a size. The boards were in serviceable condition but they store them without the bindings so it took quite a while to get the boards checked out. The techs only waxed two of three boards. Maybe Red River was a mistake, but I guess brand new boots and boards in good condition set a bad precedent. After an hour of gear rental frustration, we were off to the teaching slope. The lift operator was very helpful with the platter lift. After a couple runs, we decide it was time for lunch. BIG MISTAKE! The only seats that were available were in a room labeled "Midway". After ordering at the counter, we shed our gear and sat down. After 10 minutes or so, the bartender comes out from behind the bar and says "I believe some of your party are under 21." Yeah, so what? "They can't be in here, it's a bar. State law." I didn't see a sign posted. "It's not my problem." Family friendly, HA! Tourist friendly, NO! Post a sign for those of us from out of state with our kids at this "family friendly resort". We pack up our stuff to move to the full dining room as our order number is called. We all ordered hamburgers and they were all really rare. Mine was even RAW! I very rarely send food back but this was ridiculous. It was as if they took a frozen patty, threw it on a super hot griddle to just brown it. The gal at the counter took the burger back and asked the kitchen for a burger, well done. The new burger was a solid medium. At least I didn't get sick, yet, We enjoyed the rest of the afternoon on the slopes and will not be going back unless we have our own gear and lunch. BTW, I'd have checked in and thrown down a quick tip but apparently their WiFi blocks Yelp.

The room was horrible. No air conditioning, broken mini blinds, one window was missing a screen, one lamp for the whole room and no outlet to move it bedside, no telephone, the wifi felt like it cut off at 11 pm and the bathroom tile was cheap linoleum that was peeling off. If you are desperate, that's fine, but know you are being way way overcharged.

Taught my family how to ski here while I became a somewhat traveling legend on these slopes. Check the specials and ask the staff to work with you. Everyone is accommodating. Try Lift 3 and Lift 4 and get away from the crowd. Well not much of a crowd ever. Tree runs off of lift 4 are great powder usually. Dont get to uppity and you will have a great time at this place for the price. Dont plan on your phone working much here.

This is a great little resort. I am a ski instructor at Ski Santa Fe and my boyfriend and I often will come play here before we open to get our ski legs. At present, it is a small resort tucked away in an idyllic setting. New Mexico is a rural state. You are not coming to Beaver Creek. Your whole vacation is also about the cost of half a day there. Plan accordingly. If you want to spend time on a little larger mountain Taos and Ski Santa Fe are both close and have great dining and fantastic culture. Santa Fe has the third largest art market in the US. All three resorts are reasonably priced. The thing to do is plan your budget before you leave and choose your activities and lodging accordingly and you won't be disappointed. For this year though, it's best to stay home unless you are a New Mexico resident, or things change with the pandemic. Hospital beds are limited here and travelers have already brought in too much Covid to a vulnerable population that we truly love, so we want you, as long as you obey our quarantine.