OPEN DAILY

9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.*

(*We stop selling passes at 3 p.m.)

January 19, 2023

Come Nordic ski and snowshoe
the winter sun!

The skiing is really good and the snowshoeing is even better as of the last few days! With the latest storm cycle we have added over seven inches of new snow! We’re regularly setting classic track on Powderpuff, March Hare, Jabberwocky, and Sherwood Forest and touching up some skate lanes almost every day. We are 100% open with a 9″ base,  there are still a few sections that are quite thin. Check back here or call  us at 575-754-6112 for the latest snow conditions.

It is with heavy hearts that we report founders John and Judy Miller both passed away Thanksgiving week. The entire Enchanted Forest community is saddened by their passing. They both skied and snowshoed as long as they could, and even visited the area in the last 2 years.

Windstorm update

All but a few lesser-used trails in the system are cleared! a large section of the Yuki-onna snowshoe trail will remain uncleared for the season. We need the logging crew to remove the heavy tree fall in that area in the spring. Also, one Dog Trail (Upper Kitty Corner) is still blocked.

The Midway Yurt is repaired and ready for those needing a break or a lunch spot this winter and the Little John Yurt is repaired and open again for overnight rentals year-’round.

Sadly, there is still work to do and financial obligations we must meet after this devastating windstorm. The lack of snow and cold temperatures for fall 2022 has made it that much harder to finish recovery.

Help rebuild Enchanted Forest

Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2021, brought 60-130 mph winds to the Red River area. As a result, 95% of the Enchanted Forests trails were impassable with downed trees and debris. Whole swathes of forest were flattened, and several buildings were destroyed or damaged. Mike Ritterhouse, our longtime general manager, estimated “200 acres of our permit zone are 98% flattened, another 200 acres are 60% flattened.”

If you would like to contribute to our rebuilding, please visit our GoFundMe page

Thank you so much to those who have already helped! Without you we could not have gotten to this point and may have closed forever.

Special thanks go out to several volunteers who went above and beyond – Ham, Corey, Nort, Andy Lang, Ron and Dina Burnham, Ed Hampton and the many volunteers from Faith Mountain Fellowship, Bill MacDonald, and Richard Holmes among many others. Also, the field leadership provided by our chief snowshoe guide, Shane Clawson and the coordination efforts of longtime staff member Bob Blair have been essential. Many of you know Larry McConnell who was able to come in the afternoons and early evenings to sharpen and maintain the chainsaws as well as our spirits.

Much of our food was provided at a significant discount and occasional donation from Old Tymers in Red River. Thanks to Carolyn Housley-Baños, Abbi, and all the crew at Old Tymers!

Donations through GoFundMe stand at $32,878 of our $100,000 goal. So far funds have gone toward buying forestry equipment and other supplies, chainsaw repairs, paying a core group of staff during our clearing efforts, buying lunch for volunteers, paying bills (such as our umbrella insurance and workers’ comp insurance, rental gear and other commitments made well before the disaster.)

Future funds will go toward trail improvements such as snow fencing to create wind breaks so we can hold the snow.