Sandia Peak Ski Area

“We went up scenic byway.536 to the top for sunset and watch the city lights come on. Magical”

“Very cool experience! 10,300 ft overlooking Albuquerque and surrounding areas. We purchased tickets a head of time. They sell out fast! Had to wait 45-60 minutes past our time as it was the same weekend as the International Balloon Fiesta so there were many more people than normal, which was fine. The sun was shining and a small band playing which kept everyone entertained. The main facility and gift shop at the base is pretty cool. Beautiful views from the tram ride up to the top of the peak with 47ish of your closest strangers! The employees were very knowledgeable and shared many facts on the way up and down the peak. Once atop the peak, you are able to hike around the area at your leisure. There is a restaurant called ten3. Reservations are highly recommended for the main restaurant, be prepared to wait for bar seating and service, drinks and food are a bit pricey for some ($18 for specialty drinks, sandwiches $12-18, but at that moment, well, does it matter?) Be sure to hydrate before going up and bring water with you while there. The elevation change affects many so be prepared. And it’s windy and cold at the top so dress accordingly!!! Enjoy!!!”

“When the peak is actually open, skiing the Sandias is incredible. You can take the lift all the way to the peak in about 16 minutes and there are plenty of runs. If the peak is not open, there are good places to learn but an experienced skier might get bored as the lower portion is pretty mild.”

“We were visiting the Albuquerque area and decided to ride the tram and hike the top area of the ski resort. They have 100 miles of trails, it was a fantastic time. I think the summer hiking experience may be better than the winter ski experience as there are only 28 ski trails and the lifts looked liked they are slow and old. Although the tree skiing seemed like it would be great assuming this resort gets enough snow to jump in them. In any event I definitely recommend the hiking here, it's awesome up at the top of Sandia!”

“After a few years of Sandia Peak being closed down, it is back open for business. I recommend getting tickets online as the first day was a bit slow at the window. Runs were beautiful, snow was great, not too crowded, and a ton of fun to be had by all. TIP: Make sure you have chains for your tires, as it is being enforced/required. There was a bad head on collision that caused a 3 hour wait in getting down the mountain. Drive slow on the turns and let downhill traffic pass you first! We crawled at less than 5 mph down the turns in my AWD subie but many cars.were not so lucky. We watched a lot of vehicles slip and slide especially trucks. Make sure you weigh down the rear end of your truck. Bring water, snacks, a flashlight, and a sleeping bag. Always come up on a full tank of gas too. You never know how long it might take.”