The Enchanted Forest
cross-country ski and snowshoe area in northern New
Mexico remains closed due to a lack of snow and the
operator is seeking financial donations to help stay afloat until next year.
“This is unprecedented, there’s just no snow and we weren’t
prepared for this,” says Ellen Miller-Goins of Red River ,
owner of the outdoor resort.
The 600-acre cross country ski and snowshoeing area is in
the Carson National
Forest near Bobcat
Pass between Red River
and Eagle Nest.
Snow pack across New Mexico
and southern Colorado is way down
this year due to drought this fall and early winter.
While many ski areas can make snow to stay open for
business, Miller-Goins can’t and remains closed.
To offset the loss of business income and help cover
expenses Miller-Goins is appealing to the public for help.
Those interested in donating can go online to her
fundraising campaign page on Indiegogo’s website at https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/save-enchanted-forest#/.
The campaign has raised almost $8,000 from more than 80
people so far while the goal is to reach $27,500.
Country music star, Michael Martin Murphy, who spends many
of his summers in Red River helped out with a benefit
concert last weekend at the Motherlode Saloon that raised almost $10,000.
“We had a good turnout and great time,” Miller-Goins. “It
was very intimate and wonderful concert.”
Miller-Goins says if enough snows falls in the coming months
she may be able to open but she isn’t counting on that happening.
Kerry Jones, meteorologist with the National Weather Service,
in Albuquerque says the outlook for
snow in the coming months is well below average.
“I don’t think anyone had any idea it was going to be this
brutal,” Jones says of the lack of statewide precipitation this fall and early
winter. “This time last year they had four to five feet of snow at Bobcat
Pass , there’s isn’t really anything
on the ground up there right now.” The agency regularly measures snowpack at a
site near Bobcat Pass.
The area’s so dry that Colfax County Fire
Marshal Larry Osborn has just imposed a fire ban in some areas of the county.
The Enchanted Forest
cross country ski area was created by Miller-Goins’ parents in the mid-1980s
and she has been running it since 2010.
When there’s snow on the ground the recreation area features
many miles of groomed trails, equipment rentals, lessons and heated yurts where
cross-country skiers and snowshoers can spend nights in the backcountry.
“I love this place and other people do too,” says
Miller-Goins. “And New Mexico
needs places like this for our tourism economy to thrive so I hope people can
help out.”
Miller-Goins also operates the Sangre de Cristo Chronicle,
an online newspaper at www.sangrechronicle.comthat covers the Angel Fire, Eagle Nest, Red River , Cimarron
and Taos area.
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