Owned and operated by the Mescalero Apache Tribe, Ski Apache sits at 11,500 feet on the slopes of Sierra Blanca Peak and is one of the most southerly ski resorts in the continental United States. It gets surprisingly reliable snowfall — typically over 180 inches a season — and the views from the top down over the Tularosa Basin and the White Sands dunes far below are extraordinary. The mountain has 55 runs across a solid range of terrain, plus a gondola that runs in summer for sightseers. About 12 miles northwest of Ruidoso via NM-532.