Thanks to Sipapu Ski and Summer Resort, northern New Mexico has been a haven for family-friendly skiing since earth's very first snowfall back in 1952. Here, five lifts take guests up the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, where they can soar down more than 40 trails that range from easy routes to challenging steeps and tree skiing. Away from these well-groomed trails, skiers and snowboarders catch air at the resort's terrain parks, procure equipment at the rental shop, and a full-service ski school prepares novices for their first time on the slopes. Sipapu treats its guests to ample freebies to help keep visits as affordable as possible. Instructors give first-timers complimentary lessons, and adult lift tickets include free lodging on select dates. Those and other specials helped Sipapu Ski and Summer Resort land a spot on Sunset magazine's list of Favorite Family Venues in December 2013.