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Atlas · Southwest · NM

Ski Apache

11,500′ summit · 1,900′ vert · 750 acres · avg 54″/yr

Long shot — Feb 1–15

Delivered 24″+ in 2 of the last 10 seasons

Over 20 winters: 2 of 20 · typical 6", most land 1"–10"

Before you book

This bet missed 8 of the last 10.

4 of the last 10 came in under 8″ — a bust, under a third of the bet.

Odds count natural snowfall only. At snowmaking-dependent resorts, early-season cover can be fine in a low-natural-snow year.

The season, window by window

The bet: 12″ of new snow per week, scaled to each window. Counted from real seasons — how our odds work.

Ski Apache · the shape of a typical winter

Typical new snow, window by window

The middle season — median new snow per window, counted from the last 20 winters. A picture of timing, not a forecast. Snow is streaky; hover any window for the usual range.

0 5 10 15" NovDecJanFebMarApr
Window Bet Delivered Verdict Typical Biggest Leanest
Nov 1–15 24″+ 0 of 10 · 9 busts Long shot 0" 20" 2024 0" 2025 · 15 of 20
Nov 16–30 24″+ 0 of 10 · 7 busts Long shot 2" 21" 2019 0" 2017 · 3 of 20
Dec 1–15 24″+ 0 of 10 · 10 busts Long shot 3" 11" 2009 0" 2010 · 2 of 20
Dec 16–31 30″+ 0 of 10 · 7 busts Long shot 5" 22" 2018 0" 2025
Jan 1–15 24″+ 0 of 10 · 4 busts Long shot 5" 21" 2017 0" 2014 · 2 of 20
Jan 16–31 30″+ 0 of 10 · 4 busts Long shot 5" 27" 2026 0" 2014 · 2 of 20
Feb 1–15 24″+ 2 of 10 · 4 busts Long shot 6" 25" 2024 1" 2026 · 2 of 20
Feb 16–28/29 24″+ 0 of 10 · 7 busts Long shot 3" 17" 2018 0" 2009
Mar 1–15 24″+ 0 of 10 · 7 busts Long shot 3" 13" 2019 0" 2017 · 2 of 20
Mar 16–31 30″+ 0 of 10 · 7 busts Long shot 2" 17" 2022 0" 2026 · 6 of 20
Apr 1–15 24″+ 0 of 10 · 9 busts Long shot 1" 10" 2024 0" 2021 · 8 of 20
Apr 16–30 24″+ 0 of 10 · 9 busts Long shot 0" 16" 2021 0" 2026 · 11 of 20

Biggest and leanest are the two ends of the same 20 winters Typical is counted from — the year is when it happened, most recent first where more than one season ties.

At the snow sensor

Reading the snow sensor…

Field notes

A southern-latitude gondola resort on the flank of Sierra Blanca, with surprisingly legit steeps off the top and long intermediate flow below. Snowfall is the honest constraint here — the odds tables below tell that story plainly — but elevation keeps what does fall skiable.

Wind holds on the gondola are common. Texas school-holiday weeks bring the only real crowds; otherwise it's quiet, and Ruidoso makes a comfortable base town.

Watch this window

We'll email you when Ski Apache's odds move on the Feb 1–15 window — and the quote gets recorded as it stands today, so we can be graded on it later.

Planning a whole season? See the season outlook.

These are historical odds from the last 20 winters — not a forecast. Inside 16 days of a trip, a forecast is the better instrument; beyond that, counting real seasons is the honest play. Every number on this page is quoted under methodology v1.2.0, the same math we grade ourselves against in public.