High winds, frigid winter weather delayed opening of Ski Apache — but not for long

Ski Apache was groomed and all set for its opening last Friday, but Mother Nature over delivered with dangerously high winds that delayed travel to the Mescalero Apache ski resort north of Ruidoso until Saturday, Nov. 30.

"Friday was bad on the road, but also up here," said Ken Marlatt, Ski Apache director of operations. "It wasn't just the highway (Ski Run Road), it was us too. We had high wind warnings from the state that precluded us from opening, because of the weather. We had rain, and rain for 36 hours prior to it, not snow. It was very difficult Friday."

But then the sun peeked out, the road cleared and skiers had a chance to enjoy the snow waiting on the lower part of the mountain.

"Saturday we opened at 10 a..m., We had the lower mountain chair 3 and  chair 5 going because we made all of that snow with our new snow making factory," Marlatt said. "That was the only way we got open. Four acres of coverage came from the snow factory.

"We had a great day Saturday. It was a beautiful day, lots of people here. I mean lots of people, well over a couple thousands, were up here."

Sunday, the crowds tapered off, "but that's the way Sundays are," he said. "Everyone comes Saturday."

For now, the schedule of operation will be Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Marlatt said.

"We take it week by week until we know whether we get snow and if finally, we get temperatures conducive to making snow," he said.

"A problem up here is inversion. For example, this morning it was in the low 30s in town and it was almost 40 degrees up here at 5 a.m. In the fall, we have a weather phenomenon called inversion. Many days are colder in town than up here. You push your hot air up. In most mountain regions, it is the opposite, the higher the elevation, the colder it gets."

Eventually the cold mass will push out all of the warmer air, he said.

"I went through the same problem last fall with the weather colder in town than up here,' Marlatt said.

"People need to keep checking the new (redesigned) website," he said Monday. "We update each morning at 6 a.m. and 7 a.m. and 8 a.m., just to make sure everyone is informed. We also have social media, and a new marketing managers handles all of that."

More:Safety improvements slated for Ski Run Road

Resort officials also text owners of businesses related to the activities at the resort at 6 a.m., he said.

"We text key local businesses such as ski shops that have given phone number as early as 6 a.m. to give them an update," he said.

Last year, some shop owners complained that they were not kept in the loop about resort conditions and decisions to modify hours of operation.

"We're working on that," Marlatt said.

Check out the resort website at https://www.skiapache.com/.

"The site is much more customer friendly," Marlatt said. "The homepage gives relevant information in timely manner."

More:Ski Apache to open Nov. 29

Dianne Stallings can be contacted at dstallings@ruidosonews.com.