Thanks for all the replies on one of my earlier threads about getting kids to snow. We have settled on Cloudcroft the 2nd week of February. We are driving from New Braunfels. Maybe stop at Carlsbad on the way up. We plan to get a cabin on VRBO unless anyone has any other great lodging ideas. We have invided my sister and her family so we will have a party of 10. I see info online about the "tubing" hill at the ski mountain. We will probably take the 5 year old there for a couple hours but that is $20/person/2 hrs and could add up quick.

1.Any other driveable locations such as national parks or local parks that will have places we can get out and play in the snow, use some sled/discs with?

2.Any other things to do in Cloudcroft with two 5 year olds, a 3 year old, and a 2 year old?

3. Is White Sands National Monument worth the drive that time of year?

Thanks for all the help.

I went with my oldest when he was 3 (15 years ago). We went to ski apache and took the gondola to the top of the mountain where there is a lodge with hot chocolate etc. We played in the snow on the peak and had a great time.

Ski Apache is Ruiodoso, isn't it?

Yes

Great. Will add it to the list. Ruiodoso is a short drive.

We went to Ruidoso 2 years ago between Christmas and new years. Kids were 8, 6, and 3.

there is a tubing park (http://ruidosowinterpark.com/) at the turn off to Ski Apache. My kids enjoyed it. It is fake snow unless they have enough real snow.

It didn't look like there was much going on in cloudcroft when we went through there on our way back from white sands. I imagine you would be hanging around the cabin and cooking in.

The river is really beautiful in ruidoso and we got some great pictures of the kids along it in downtown.

You might want to do a google search to see how best to acclimate the New Braunfels kids relatively near sea level to the altitude. Took my daughter to Ski Apache when she was nine and she got pretty sick. Maybe spend the night in Ruidoso before going up to Ski Apache? Not sure where you could stay to get acclimated in Cloudcroft. I know coming from Alamogorda is a pretty substantial increase in elevation.

They could also get acclimated in the IMG parking lot while Mom and Dad had some adult fun inside!

And white sands is awesome with kids

Sgt. Hartman said:

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You might want to do a google search to see how best to acclimate the New Braunfels kids relatively near sea level to the altitude. Took my daughter to Ski Apache when she was nine and she got pretty sick. Maybe spend the night in Ruidoso before going up to Ski Apache? Not sure where you could stay to get acclimated in Cloudcroft. I know coming from Alamogorda is a pretty substantial increase in elevation.

They could also get acclimated in the IMG parking lot while Mom and Dad had some adult fun inside!

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You definitely need to spend a night in town before going to elevation.

Pooh Ah said:

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Sgt. Hartman said:

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You might want to do a google search to see how best to acclimate the New Braunfels kids relatively near sea level to the altitude. Took my daughter to Ski Apache when she was nine and she got pretty sick. Maybe spend the night in Ruidoso before going up to Ski Apache? Not sure where you could stay to get acclimated in Cloudcroft. I know coming from Alamogorda is a pretty substantial increase in elevation.

They could also get acclimated in the IMG parking lot while Mom and Dad had some adult fun inside!

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You definitely need to spend a night in town before going to elevation.

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This

Don't plan on playing the golf course.

Take the sleds / dics to white sands and sled down the sand dunes. My kids loved it.

Protip: the shop at white sands sells the discs for $10 and buys them back for $5. Catch folks in the parking lot returning with their discs and offer them $5 so they can skip the return line. When you are done you can sell them to the shop or to other tourists. Saved $30 over spring break this way.

Eat at Mad Jack's Mountaintop BBQ in Cloudcroft. Smoked with post oak from Central Texas.

There's a pretty decent space museum in Alamogordo, don't now how great it'd be for the little ones. Same goes for Carlsbad Caverns and one diversion not yet mentioned, Ft. Davis. All would be great in another 5 years or so. Same for a lot of other attractions in that area, Lincoln (Billy the Kid), Malpias lava flow, White Oaks ghost town, Ft. Stanton, Sun Spot observatory

The Lodge hotel always looked great from a distance, never stayed there, looks expensive. Not even that highly rated. There are a few old time cabin rentals in town, just check the web. We've also had a lot of luck with VRBO in a lot of places.

I am going to disagree a little on the acclimatizing to altitude. It takes weeks to do so. But, most problems are people getting gung-ho on day one. A rest day before hitting the slopes is a good call.

Hydration is important. I also take an aspirin every day for a week prior to a mountain trip, plus 1 every day of the trip.

From living in the mountains and working in a ski shop the kids are the last ones to get altitude sickness if they get it at all. People that fly in drink heavily then try and run ski or whatever at high altitude are the ones that get sick. Drink plenty of water the day before and stretch and you will be fine.

KnightAg said:

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From living in the mountains and working in a ski shop the kids are the last ones to get altitude sickness if they get it at all. People that fly in drink heavily then try and run ski or whatever at high altitude are the ones that get sick. Drink plenty of water the day before and stretch and you will be fine.

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This. LOTS OF WATER and some Advil and don't over do it. They'll be fine.

Ruidoso is where I'd take kids. Not a whole lot to do in Cloudcroft. the Lodge is neat and old but not for kids. The downtown area is nothing to write home about. Don't get me wrong, it's a neat little town but quiet.

RPM said:

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Ruidoso is where I'd take kids. Not a whole lot to do in Cloudcroft. the Lodge is neat and old but not for kids. The downtown area is nothing to write home about. Don't get me wrong, it's a neat little town but quiet.

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I agree with this. Our family has a cabin in Ruidoso and has spent every Christmas there since before I was born. Cloudcroft is a nice day excursion, but I would recommend staying in Ruidoso. We usually will only go over to Cloudcroft if there is a big enough snow to rent and go out on snowmobiles. Otherwise, there is not just a whole lot to do.

Don't think there is anywhere to stay in Ruidoso except in town...meaning Ski Apache doesn't have a place to stay.

Just FYI...the road up to Ski Apache can be pretty bad if they've had a lot of snow. 4x4 for sure. And be prepared to crawl up and down the hill if a storm hits.

Thanks for all the replies. We may still go Ruidoso but honestly our kids ages we don't need much "to do". I was just hoping that cloudcroft being higher elevation will have better snow, but that may not be the case. They will be entertained with the dirt and snow and each other. We don't need shops or anything else realky. Likely final location will depend on what VRBO looks best.

Aggieman06 said:

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Thanks for all the replies. We may still go Ruidoso but honestly our kids ages we don't need much "to do". I was just hoping that cloudcroft being higher elevation will have better snow, but that may not be the case. They will be entertained with the dirt and snow and each other. We don't need shops or anything else realky. Likely final location will depend on what VRBO looks best.

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Cloudcroft was (maybe still is) the southern most ski hill in the US. Snow will likely be better in Ruidoso...but still not good by many folks' standards. Cloudcroft is a neat town but pretty small even by southern/eastern NM standards. Last time I went (2 years ago) we stayed at some small houses/condos off of Swallow or Wren. Can't remember which one. Very reasonably priced.

I think Mt Lemmon in Arizonza is still the most southern, but there could be little private hills somewhere, but as far as lift line ski hill Ski Valley is the southern most that I know of. I like Cloudcroft for it's quaint style, more for it's fishing and snowmobiling. The hill has gone under a few renovations since I skied there, but it was a nice place.

Usually Ski Cloudcroft has some snow for tubing and skiing then. If not they manufacture snow for that purpose. We always do some trout fishing at Silver Lake which is by Cloudcroft. Also the Rio Penasco river runs through Mayhill and Cloudcroft and the State has open access areas that allow you access to also fish for trout. A lot of great trails and pretty mountain country to hike in the BLM and National Forest areas around Mayhill, Weed, Sunspot, Pinion, and Cloudcroft.

There are some cheap lodging options in Mayhill. Mayhill is not far from Cloudcroft and it still has some elevation to get accommodated. We stayed at the Mayhill Hotel and Cafe. They have cabins as well, the one we stayed at was called the New Cabin.

Ski Apache is fun as well if you head up to Ruidoso. Also a lot of spots to fish for trout as many streams and rivers run through and around Ruidoso. Rio Bonito, Rio Ruidoso, Carrizo Creek, Eagle Creek, and Grindstone Reservoir to name a few.


http://www.mayhillnewmexico.com/rooms_rates.html

Watch for elk. They are literally everywhere. I mean in the road. Stayed at the lodge there for a week. It's fun. Not much to do but it's beautiful. It snowed while we were there before Christmas. They said that was unusual.

The space center is fun. Seriously. The elk pile up in the roads at night. You'll hit one if you're not careful.

Bluff Springs Waterfall by Cloudcroft near Sunspot is nice little spot to see and walk the trail

Also Fresnal Canyon Wayerfall and Pool in the Lincoln National Forest near Cloudcroft and Alamogordo is majestic views.The Fresnal creek runs right through it and the waterfall is about 20 to 30 feet and the pool is about 10 to 20 feet deep. Also trout can be found in the Fresnal creek throughout the canyon