
Pajarito Mountain
750 acres, 45 runs near Los Alamos. Founded by Manhattan Project scientists, Power Pass access.
Pajarito Mountain's summit reaches 10,440 feet, dropping 1,441 vertical feet to a base at 8,999 feet across 45 runs spread over 750 acres near Los Alamos, New Mexico. Terrain splits 50 per cent intermediate, 30 per cent advanced and 20 per cent beginner, with no expert-rated runs, and average annual snowfall of roughly 165 inches. The resort offers Power Pass access. Five lifts, including three double chairs and one quad chair, serve the mountain alongside one surface lift.
Pajarito carries an unusual scientific pedigree: the ski area traces directly back to the Manhattan Project scientists and soldiers stationed at nearby Los Alamos during the Second World War. This origin gives the resort a distinctive place in ski history among New Mexico's mountains, alongside its more conventional identity today as a community-run, volunteer-supported ski area. Its terrain mix, weighted toward intermediate and advanced skiing, suits a broad range of visitors.
In 1943, Los Alamos scientists and soldiers, many of whom had grown up skiing in the Alps, formed the Los Alamos Ski Club, with early members including Nobel laureates Enrico Fermi and Emilio Segrè, along with J. Robert Oppenheimer. The club first opened a modest ski hill at Sawyers Hill in December 1944, charging 7.50 US dollars a person for access to a single tow rope. As snow on Sawyers Hill grew unreliable, the club identified Pajarito Mountain as offering steeper runs, more terrain and more consistent snow.
On 23 November 1957, the volunteer-built Pajarito Mountain ski area opened with two tows, double the vertical drop of Sawyers Hill, a beginner's slope and a narrow upper trail. Investor James Coleman acquired the ski area in 2014 in partnership with Los Alamos County, and the resort joined Mountain Capital Partners in 2018, combining continued volunteer involvement with professional management. Adult daily tickets run from 45 to 65 US dollars, with the Power Pass from 399 dollars.
Pajarito Mountain rises above Los Alamos in the Jemez Mountains and covers 750 acres (304 hectares) with 45 runs. The summit reaches 10,440 feet (3,182 m) and the vertical is 1,440 feet (439 m), starting from a base at 9,000 feet. Half the terrain is intermediate, 30% advanced and 20% beginner, so the balance tilts harder than most small hills. Three double chairs, one quad and a surface lift do the work, and snowfall averages about 165 inches a year. This is a community-run local mountain rather than a destination resort, and it is best judged on those terms.
The best-known terrain is the Fab Four, a string of double black diamond mogul runs that gives the mountain its edge. For gentler laps, the blue runs Why Not and One More Time offer steady cruising, and the Aspen run has had a T-bar since the 1962-63 season. Beyond those names the mountain is compact, so expect repeat laps rather than a long tour. Pajarito suits intermediate and advanced skiers from Los Alamos and northern New Mexico, and visitors based in Santa Fe who want a day on snow without a long drive to a bigger resort.
The 2025-26 season at Pajarito Mountain ran from 14 December 2025 to 8 March 2026, one of the shorter seasons among New Mexico's ski areas at roughly twelve weeks. Average annual snowfall of around 165 inches supports this window, though the resort's season length can vary more than higher-snowfall New Mexico peers depending on annual conditions. Season dates can shift depending on early and late-season weather.
Midwinter, from January through February, typically offers the most reliable natural conditions across the resort's intermediate and advanced terrain. Given Pajarito's scientific-community origins and continued volunteer involvement, the resort retains a distinctly local character relative to New Mexico's more commercially oriented mountains. Weekend crowds draw primarily from the Los Alamos and broader northern New Mexico area.
As a Power Pass resort under Mountain Capital Partners since 2018, Pajarito draws some visiting skiers holding that multi-resort pass in addition to its core Los Alamos community base. School holiday periods bring increased family visitation given the resort's intermediate and beginner-weighted terrain. The resort's origins within the Los Alamos Ski Club continue to shape its community-oriented programming.
Specific event programming beyond standard lift operations is not confirmed in available resort information. The blend of volunteer involvement and Mountain Capital Partners' professional management, in place since 2018, continues to define how the resort operates each season. Pajarito's identity as a mountain built by scientists and volunteers remains a distinctive part of its seasonal character.
Pajarito Mountain sits near Los Alamos in northern New Mexico, with a base elevation of 8,999 feet and a summit at 10,440 feet across a 1,441-foot vertical drop over 750 acres. The resort sits within the Jemez Mountains, a volcanic range distinct from the Sangre de Cristo Mountains that host Santa Fe and Taos further east.
Los Alamos itself is the nearest town, a small city built around the Los Alamos National Laboratory with a history directly tied to the ski area's founding by Manhattan Project scientists. Santa Fe, New Mexico's state capital, lies roughly 35 miles to the southeast, providing more extensive lodging and dining options for visitors. The surrounding Jemez Mountains offer additional outdoor recreation beyond skiing.
New Mexico State Route 501 and local roads connect Los Alamos to Pajarito Mountain, with the resort a short drive from the town centre. Winter driving conditions on the approach can include snow and ice at elevation, though the route is well used given the resort's role as the community's local mountain. There is no direct public transport service to the ski area.
Santa Fe Regional Airport, roughly 45 minutes away, is the nearest airport with commercial service, while Albuquerque International Sunport offers more extensive flight options a further drive to the south. Most Pajarito visitors are Los Alamos and northern New Mexico locals rather than fly-in destination travellers, consistent with the resort's community-rooted identity.
Hotels and lodges near Pajarito Mountain, powered by Stay22.

Europe’s ski season is open, technically. After a record-warm summer, glaciers in Austria, Switzerland and Italy are running a few pistes apiece, Sölden, Stubai and Kitzsteinhorn started late, Titlis has pushed back to 24 October, and Zermatt reopens a few lifts on 14 October after more than two months shut. Finland’s Levi and Ruka are skiing on stored snow. Here is what is open, and what you actually get at each.

Zermatt is having another crack at a World Cup downhill, and this time nobody has to cross a border. Around 13 million Swiss francs is going into rebuilding the Gornergrat piste, including a jump fed by a roughly 300-metre in-run across the roof of the Gornergrat Railway gallery, with the Matterhorn lined up behind it for the TV cameras. First men’s race is pencilled in for March 2028, pending FIS homologation.

Lake Tahoe’s highest base elevation is paying off early: Mt. Rose has started making snow for 2026-27 after the first flurries and a cold snap. The Nevada resort is backing it with nearly US$2 million in upgrades, including a replacement snowmaking main line, a new PistenBully groomer and restraint bars on every lift. Opening day is yet to be confirmed, though Heavenly and Northstar are already eyeing 20 November.

Utah is still building flat out. For 2026-27, Powder Mountain opens a steep new Skytrac chair into more than 1,000 acres of advanced terrain, Deer Valley adds 200 acres on Hail Peak, Sundance gets a new quad and Park City adds a gondola from its new parking structure. Snowmaking is expanding almost everywhere, Eagle Point stays closed after the Cottonwood Fire, and the 2034 Games are setting the pace. Here’s what’s new, resort by resort.

Mt Hutt is getting busier, and its base lodge is about to catch up. NZ$12 million goes into a heated sun deck roughly three times the current size (430 m² to 1,300 m²), plus a new toilet block, heated steps down to snow level, extra storage and a new food and beverage outlet. Building starts after the 2026 season, with everything due for winter 2027.

Vermont's season is slow to take shape. Stratton is tentatively targeting 18 November and Sugarbush 21 November, while Pico has Friday 11 December on the calendar. Killington never sets a date and opens when the snowmaking allows, and Vail Resorts has yet to name days for Stowe, Okemo and Mount Snow. The forecasts disagree about snow, and the main El Niño worry for the Green Mountains is warmth.

Less than four months out from the Crans-Montana 2027 World Championships, the man running the organising committee has stepped down. Claude-Alain Schmidhalter resigned as Swiss-Ski vice president and OC president after being indicted over a business dispute unrelated to skiing. He denies the allegations and faces court on October 27. Interim leaders are in place for the February 1-14 event.

Kelly Canyon had a rough 2025-26, and the Idaho resort has spent the summer making sure it doesn’t repeat. Snowmaking now reaches the top of Goldrush, the terrain park is doubling in size with a stereo system, lights and a snack shack, and the car park is getting bigger. Grooming is stepping up too. Target opening is December 4, conditions permitting.
Live open status isn’t available right now.
Scroll for the full outlook · Open-Meteo
Days 1–7
0.0"
Days 8–14
0.1"
Live snow from the resort feed; forecast from Open-Meteo, via Supabase.
Our snow reports measure snowfall in centimeters over multiple time windows — last 24 hours, last 7 days, and the season total. Base depth reflects accumulation at the 2743m base area, while summit depth captures conditions 439m higher at 3182m, where snow typically stays colder and lingers longer. Imperial conversions are shown alongside for convenience.
Wind and temperature swings matter as much as fresh snowfall. Cold, calm conditions hold snow quality well, while wind-loading or a warm-up can change things quickly — especially given the elevation spread between Pajarito Mountain's base and summit.
We pull Pajarito Mountain's conditions from on-the-ground mountain reporting, then layer in forecast data so you get a fuller picture than either source alone. The mountain is served by 5 lifts, including a quad chairlift.
Snow reports are typically updated early morning and late afternoon. For the most current conditions, check back regularly, especially if a winter storm is approaching.