Ruidoso Gets Snow Time

The premier, southernmost ski resort in the lower Rockies, Ruidoso, NM, also has a thriving arts scene. Sashay down the slopes, which rise nearly 12,000 feet, in the shadow of Sierra Blanca and then give your aching muscles a rest by exploring the downtown museums and the performance hall. Fueling up for the next day’s run isn’t a problem—there’s all sorts of food, from Mexican and barbecue to Greek and Italian.

Hit the 55 groomed trails at Ski Apache, which encompasses 750 acres in the 12,000-foot-tall Sierra Blanca.

The museum is an impressive repository of art and memorabilia

At the tony Inn of the Mountain Gods, Wendell’s serves creatively prepared chops (including elk tenderloin) and seafood (like Australian rock lobster).

The Mescalero Apache tribe operates the most luxurious hotel in southern New Mexico many of whose expansive, contemporary rooms overlook Mescalero Lake and distant Sierra Blanca.