Best Places to Ski or Snowboard Near Lubbock

Ski Apache is the first place I ever set my eyes on snow! While it is the closest resort to Lubbock, it's also one of the southernmost ski mountains. As such, the snow quality can be iffy -- certainly a check-the-snow-before-you-go kind of resort. You may have pow, and you may need to pull out the rock skis in expectation of grass and gravel.

But this is a great mountain for all levels of rider experience, and they even have the cool non-snow activity of a zip-line.

Sandia Peak, just east of Albuquerque, is the second closest resort to Lubbock. While the terrain is primarily beginner/novice, the ride up the tram is almost worth the visit for the incredible views of the city of Albuquerque and valley below.

Located about 90 minutes north of Sandia Peak, Ski Santa Fe is a good mountain for the entire family.

Much like Ski Apache, the terrain is varied from beginner to expert with slant toward expert. They boast one of the highest base elevations of any resort in the US, meaning a much better chance of quality snow and plenty of it.

Are you a BIG MOUNTAIN skier? If so, Taos is your place!

World renown for receiving over 300 inches of powder each year (!) and boasting an impressive percentage of expert terrain (51 percent), this is certainly not a mountain for the faint of heart or skill.

They've got 15 lifts and 3250 feet of vert. They've also just started lift service to the legendary Kachina Peak, an area formerly only accessible to those willing to take a grueling uphill hike.

The Kachina summit tops in at 12,450 feet, making it one of the highest chair lifts in America! For folks like me who take it to the extreme, this is a definite bucket list resort.