Pajarito Mountain Reviews

Anonymous - February 24th, 2008

No one has yet recommended this Resort Review.

Overall

5 of 5

Family Friendly

5 of 5

Downhill Terrain

5 of 5

Terrain Park

4 of 5

Apres Ski

4 of 5

This is a great family getaway location. The resort host and staff we really friendly and courteous. The local people were also really friendly and welcoming. The snow was great! If your are looking for a place to learn, this is defintly the place. We also had a great time at northridge inn. This place offers "the at home feeling" and is in the most convient location with regards to all that los almos has to offer.
We will be back as soon as possible. Thank you scott (resort staff) you rock!!!! Also, thank you to emma, you were a great ski instructor. My kids still call you their teacher.

Kern Borlin - January 12th, 2008

1 of 1 people found this Resort Review helpful.

Overall

5 of 5

Family Friendly

5 of 5

Downhill Terrain

5 of 5

Terrain Park

n/a

Apres Ski

n/a

Wow, We have been skiing since the late 1960's and Pajarito has got to be one of the best experience we have had. Well groomed runs. Challanging Blacks. NO LIFT LINES. Friendly people...employees and skiers. Absolutely no people cutting lift lines (I guess 'cause there are no lift lines). Everyone is helpful and friendly. Lift operators, like Lorance, that smile and greet you every time you get on. We really love this place.

We just got back into skiing after 7 years. This season we have been skiing Santa Fe and figured the rude lift operators and disrespectful snow boarders and crazy parking were just a sign of the times. Not true. Time after time, snowboarders, at Pajarito, went out of their way to be respectful and friendly. A snowboarder stopped in front of me and accidently blew snow all over me. He was so apologetic. We saw a snowboarder (young) go out of his way to pick up an empty plastic bottle on the run. And the lift operators were great. In fact, everyone was great.

We have not tried Sipapu, Taos, Angle Fire nor Red River, so we can't comment on them. But having skied Washington State, Idaho, British Columbia, New Mexico (Ski Apache) and Arizona, there have not been any that were better than Pajarito (although the Canadians are a very friendly group). So if you are a friendly person, love to ski and enjoy being at a ski resort that is fun and friendly...Pajarito is the place!

However, that being said....WE WOULD APPRECIATE IF YOU WOULD NOT GO TO PAJARITO.

wetteland - October 24th, 2007

1 of 1 people found this Resort Review helpful.

Overall

4 of 5

Family Friendly

5 of 5

Downhill Terrain

5 of 5

Terrain Park

3 of 5

Apres Ski

1 of 5

Pajarito is great fun, boasting a wide variety of slopes from beginner to expert. The lines are low, so I'm somewhat remise to help change that by advertising, but I want to see the hill prosper. So come check it out. For a smaller hill, the powder lasts throughout the day because it's not crowded. Also, the hill is only open on the weekends (execept for the holiday season) so the snow build up throughout the week is undisturbed untill friday, so a big week means a big weekend.

Bill Gentile - April 10th, 2007

1 of 1 people found this Resort Review helpful.

Overall

5 of 5

Family Friendly

5 of 5

Downhill Terrain

4 of 5

Terrain Park

3 of 5

Apres Ski

2 of 5

A half-day at Pajarito feels like a full day anywhere else.

No lines, even on a powder day. First tracks available on Fridays and Saturdays from storms the week before. Entire slopes to yourself. Pajarito delivers what most mountains do not.

A mountain that skis alot bigger than it looks from town has 5 chairlifts. The Townsight area is a great place to warm up or for intermediates (some good powder shots typically in the Confusion trails). The east (Spruce) area has several high speed blue run rippers. Mid mountain has entertaining single black runs like Moe's, Wildcat, and Porcupine Park. Bump runs that seem to refuse to end are on the Fab 4, a collection of four expert runs on the west side. Further west has nice groomers to zip down. For apres-ski, hit Trinity Beverage Company in LA.

Sure, it doesn't have the steeps of Taos, high speed lifts like Angel Fire, or nightlife like Durango. Its charm lies in the fun slopes, great snow, and lack of crowds. Come up and try to ski a full day. Chances are your legs will beg for mercy after a few hours of skiing right to the chair time and time again.

Dan Gibson - January 29th, 2007

2 of 2 people found this Resort Review helpful.

Overall

3 of 5

Family Friendly

4 of 5

Downhill Terrain

3 of 5

Terrain Park

n/a

Apres Ski

n/a

Pajarito: Little Bird Takes Flight

After suffering through a total bust of the 2005-06 season, Pajarito (Little Bird in Spanish) has stretched its wings and left its cage this winter. The little resort-that-could opened just before Christmas and has received decent snowfall since, keeping it in flight.

Pajarito is a little-known area, partly due to the fact that in its infancy, it was open only to residents of the “Atomic City,” Los Alamos, where the world’s first atom bombs were created in World War II. Set on National Forest Lands just outside the town, the area was forced by public outcry to eventually open its slopes to the general populace. Oddly, in a case of society moving in reverse, out-of-town visitors headed to ski this winter will once again have to pass through a security gate and screening, as Homeland Security has prompted the reactivation of the town’s long-dormant security perimeter. So far, checks are only running a few minutes on average…basically a look-see into vehicles. Trucks and RVs can expect a more thorough going-over.

What’s here when you arrive? The mountain has decent vertical—some 1400 feet—and some long bump runs, but in general, the pitch across the long single face does not vary widely, and there is nothing here that would approach a double black. Some of the old growth forest provides some nice tree skiing, when snow conditions permit. With a summit of only 10, 441 feet (low for the region), it only averages 135 inches. Mostly, this is a fine choice for intermediate skiers and boarders. The lifts are old and slow but the atmosphere and pace is relaxing. Combined with its rustic base lodge, you might feel you have stepped back a few decades.

Open only Fridays-Sundays (and federal holidays), it can dish up some tremendous powder on Fridays after a series of storms. And, as grooming and overall skier numbers are limited, pow can linger here for days—long after its been scrapped off at Santa Fe or Taos.

Anonymous - January 5th, 2007

0 of 1 people found this Resort Review helpful.

Overall

4 of 5

Family Friendly

4 of 5

Downhill Terrain

3 of 5

Terrain Park

n/a

Apres Ski

1 of 5

Unfortunately, as of January 8, 2007 it will be necessary to pass through a checkpoint for Los Alamos National Laboratory to get to this Ski Area. The NNSA (National Nuclear Security Agency) is claiming that they will only delay your vehicle for a few seconds while they look to see who is riding in your vehicle. But many people think that they will go back on their word, and start doing full searches. RVs and large trucks are already subject to searches. There is a bypass planned eventually, but this may still be several years in the future; as the Los Alamos County Government is trying to make the bypass funding dependant on approval of their other grandiose development plans.

It is still possible to avoid the checkpoints by taking the road past Bandelier National Monument; but this is a winding, slow road with few spots to pass slower vehicles. It is several miles further and 15 or 20 minutes longer to get to Parajito this way, from the Santa Fe area.

If you enjoy this ski area, write your senators and congressmen; and protest the blockade of this formerly public highway and major access route to this ski area and the Jemez Mountains.

Bill Enloe - December 29th, 2006

1 of 1 people found this Resort Review helpful.

Overall

5 of 5

Family Friendly

5 of 5

Downhill Terrain

4 of 5

Terrain Park

2 of 5

Apres Ski

3 of 5

Skiing at Parajito was a great expierence. The slopes have a wide variety of difficulty and groming. Is has something from the raw biginner to the expert skier. The lodge is warm and friendly with good food. It isn't fancy but clean and full of friendly people. The best part of the experience is the lack of crowds. I skied 16 runs by 2:00 pm and many of my runs were in virgin snow. It's just great.

DavePearson - December 28th, 2006

1 of 1 people found this Resort Review helpful.

Overall

4 of 5

Family Friendly

5 of 5

Downhill Terrain

4 of 5

Terrain Park

n/a

Apres Ski

1 of 5

Pajarito is a nice little local hill. I was there on the 2nd day of opening in 2006 (Christmas eve day) and enjoyed myself. They were a little light on snow, but it looks like they have pretty good tree sliing when they have more snow. There was enough steeps to make a good run. Their "drop" is about 1400 ft, about that which normal people ski at one time anyway, so ample. I enjoyed the slower lifts as it gave time to recuperate.

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