SAM Magazine--Santa Fe, New Mexico, February 20, 2007--What a difference a year makes. New Mexico is enjoying great ski conditions with more than 15 feet of snow so far this year. Thanks to strong El Nino storms, New Mexico has seen a 60 percent increase in ski visits over last season, which was a season the region would rather forget. A storm last week added a fresh foot of powder in the mountains, making President's Day Weekend ideal for skiers and boarders.

"All of the resorts in the state broke attendance records this weekend, making it the busiest weekend we've seen at the ski areas all season," explains, Gordon Briner, board member of Ski New Mexico.   "We have the best snow in the country right now.  With two solid months of the season left, we have already had twice the number of skier visits as we did for our entire season last year."

Along with the high attendance records, New Mexico ski areas have also set several snowfall records, with over 180 inches of snow so far this season, compared to just 30 inches of snow for the entire winter season last year.

With the best snowfall that New Mexico has seen in 13 years, many of the resorts have had little reason to make snow, saving them the high costs that accompany snowmaking production. The conditions have given a much needed financial boost to some of the smaller resorts, like Pajarito Mountain Ski Area near Los Alamos, which rely solely on natural snow.

"We weren't able to open at all last season and now we have a 56-inch base ," states Tom Long, general manager of Pajarito Mountain Ski Area and board member of Ski New Mexico.