Review Date
December 11, 2001

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Value Rating
 4 of 5

Used product for
2-5

Reviewed by: Brad , Intermediate

Price Paid: $0.00

Summary:
I skied Angel Fire for the first time last year. And went back to ski a total of 20 days throughout the season. Now, I do have a friend that owns a home there, so that is a definate attraction. However, AF is not an easy place to get to. Best way is to fly into ABQ and drive the 2 1/2 hours in. I always find the mountain to be pretty open, making 30 to 40 runs a day with no lift lines. I too took my family during spring break last year, and while we got there after the "Chili" quad was fixed, we had a great experience, including 3 first timers. While I'm an advanced intermediate skier, there is plenty of fun runs to rip up. It is true that last year was not a great snow year (unitl February/March), I found the same to be true at Breck and Key that I skied in January. My Solomon's cetainly lost some chunks at Taos and in CO as well, so I don't know that I can downgrade for that. I always found the rocks and roots well marked at AF. I find the locals to be some of the nicest anywhere, contrary to some reviews. Be sure to eat BBQ at the place on the way out of town - great! Plus - I buy a season pass for $199 with unlimited skiing!

Similar Products Used:
None

Review Date
May 30, 2001

Overall Rating
 1 of 5

Value Rating
 1 of 5

Used product for
Once

Reviewed by: John Detmar, Intermediate, from San Antonio, Tx, USA

Summary:
Over spring break this year, my family spent four full days and nights at the Angel Fire Resort Hotel. The main quad chair lift, the Chile Express, was inoperable most of that time due to electrical problems. When it was running, the lift line swelled to (we were told) two hours wait. The secondary lift at the base, Lift #2, was also experiencing mechanical problems and the operator was only loading every other chair. I waited fourty minutes for the #2 lift, which serves a very short beginner run that takes about three minutes to get down. The children's ski school classes were two to three times normal size with a dozen or so kids per instructor. It looked like mayhem in the morning. The inner tube run was so oversold that my two children had to wait fourty five minutes for each to make a fifteen second run down that hill. Everywhere we went we ran into long lines and huge crowds. It was the antithesis of the premier family vacation promised in the Angel Fire brochure. In four full days, I made two runs down the mountain. My wife, who finally joined a ski class, made three or four runs. My kids, in ski school for three days, made five or six runs. Some of these were the three minute runs from Lift #2. My letters and emails to the Angel Fire management have not been replied to after more than two months. My wife and I felt completely ripped off and ignored by the people who run this resort. We caution everyone to avoid this place, at least during major school vacations when overcrowding is to be expected. It's not worth the frustration, let alone the money.

Review Date
February 17, 2001

Overall Rating
 3 of 5

Value Rating
 3 of 5

Used product for
Once

Reviewed by: Bob White, Advanced, from CT

Summary:
Drove over from Taos for a day trip - there is no base lodge forday trippers - you have to put and store stuff outdside in pay lockers - luckily it was warm and sunny. Lots of stairs to climb from the parking area - us the drop off area!

Bottom part of mountain served by high spped quad. Excellent beginner trail form there - 2 miles long ("Headin Home") Narrow intermediate trails feed off this. The 3 blacks near the top of the quad were closed -not enough snow and no snowmaking. A local told me these rarely open.

Backside has two lifts serving mainly upper intermediate trails - kind of narrow and enjoyable. The hike in trails were closed.

In a good snow year, I'd probably make the trip from Taos again - not an easy drive. One day is enough.

Review Date
February 4, 2001

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 4 of 5

Used product for
2-5 times

Reviewed by: Brandon Hillson, Advanced, from Aspen

Summary:
Great place, friendy people, hotties, and nice snow, what more could you ask for.

Review Date
January 13, 2001

Overall Rating
 1 of 5

Value Rating
 1 of 5

Used product for
Once

Reviewed by: Eric, Advanced, from Durango, CO

Summary:
I went to Angel Fire to meet up with some friends and family from oklahoma and texas, because it was more convenient for them than the colorado resorts. The compromise in the quality of the skiing experience is by no means worth shaving a couple hundred miles off the trip. In January, a quarter of the mountain was still not open, and most of the terrain that was open was still speckeled with exposed dirt, rocks and vegetation; the mountain chewed the hell out of my skis. Angel Fire boasts about the quality of their snowmaking system, but they fail to mention that the shortage of water in new mexico keeps them from operating it at more than 30% of its capacity.

There is little variety of terrain, and to get anywhere on the mountain, you have to ski across crowded catwalks.

Local businesses are, generally speaking, unaccomodating and second-rate.

If you ski in this area, stick to Taos (about 40mi) for outstanding terrain, or Wolf Creek (about 100mi) for exceptional snow and terrain suited to all skill levels. It is unquestionably worth the extra little bit of driving.