I do not have a lot of time to write this review, so I will get staight to the point. If accomodations are not important then this may be the place for you. I really do not understand the positive reviews this place received on Trip Advisor and other sights. Please read below...

Our first cabin/lodge was rustic and old, but it was visibly not cleaned very well and we saw a nice, healthy mouse in the kitchenette. There was also evidence of insects and just plain filth through out the cabin. We moved rooms to the "hotel" and it, too, had issues in addition to its lack of cleanliness. The bathtub drain was clogged and we ended up taking a shower in shin deep water that as it turn out was full of other people's hair and God only knows what else. We ended our family vacation a day early and our money was refunded for the entire length of our stay as well as the ski rentals.

As far as the skiing...I've been to several other ski resorts and this seemed like a decent place to bring our three kids that have never skied before. The lessons are not that good and two of the three instructors I would rate as below average as instructors. (Turning was emphasised, but stopping was never even addressed during the lessons.) The snow was great, but due to a lack of staffing lift #4 was not operating and lift #3 was broken. The Poma Lift, which is billed as the "kids/practice slope", is not kid friendly and the ski instructors did not even show our kids how to use either of the lifts. Consequently, they were frustrated and we spent most of our time away from the slopes sledding and playing in the national forest.

Go to another slope and lodge.

This is to update my earlier review. Just in case anyone is wondering whether there is any extreme terrain at Sipapu, take a look at Eric hucking off a rock on Indecision. The Wormwood area is great too!

I tried Sipapu after skiing all the other resorts in the area, Taos, Angel Fire, Red River, Pajarito and Ski Santa Fe. Sipapu is the smallest and has the poorest terrain of all. Although lift tickets are slightly less than the other resorts the ticket prices are not a bargain, and the terrain was not particularly well groomed. On the plus side there were no lift lines, and the lodge had an old world feel with a crackling log fire.

We visited in December of '06 with our 8 year old and 4 year old. Both loved their ski instructors(Amazing what a stranger can accomplish in 45min, that we couldn't in a day). Short lift lines more than made up for fewer runs. The staff & other guests were DOWN TO EARTH & friendly. Not fancy, but comfortable. If you don't want to style your hair and worry about what to wear to dinner, but enjoy good skiing and DELICIOUS food. This is the place. We'll be back this year. So worth the 13 hour drive.

It is a wonderfully Family friendly Ski Resort. Yes it may not be modern, have no cell phone service, but I like it that way. A true vacation. The family and staff of Sipapu provide great service at the lodge and on the trails.

We Love it both in the Winter for Skiing and the Summer for fishing and hiking.