Travel quote by George Bernard Shaw

Posted by Staff in Travel Quotes

I dislike feeling at home when I am abroad. 

~George Bernard Shaw

Redrum skiing

Posted by Staff in Budget Thursdays, New Mexico

There is so much that goes into a ski trip…clothing, equipment, lift tickets, accommodations…it is no wonder that you are broke by the time the trip is over. Although areas like Vail have given the sport notoriety for being only for the wealthy…there are still places that make the sport accessible to the masses…one such place is Red River, just 36 miles from Taos.  

When you first arrive in this miniscule town, you will feel as though you walked on the set of a John Wayne film.  The whole town has a western feel and up until recently the center of town featured a hitching post, left over from when the town boomed due to the gold rush.

Accommodations in this town hover around basic, at best…but for the price you can’t really complain. I ended up at The Lodge at Red River…at first it was a little too mountain rustic for me…built in the 1940s, this old lodge invoked images of Jack Nicholson’s face busting through the door and screaming “redrum, redrum”…but in the end the place turned out to be quite fabulous for only $69 a night. The Lodge is set in the center of town and is home to the most popular restaurant in Red River, Texas Reds Steakhouse.  Once the image of Jack Nicholson’s face wore away I had the most comfortable nights sleep I had in a long time in the remarkably comfortable bed.

Now on to the mountain…visiting Red River Ski Area is like going back in time.  This mountain has old-school style lifts and even a mining town replica on a beginner slope to entertain the kiddies.  The mountain has 57 runs and is almost equally divided between expert, intermediate and beginner terrain…so as is the case with Ski Santa Fe, there is something for everyone…and with multi day lift tickets costing $51 per day, you get a lot of mountain for the low price.

Stay tuned….

Posted by Staff in HipCompass Escapes

We are working on re-vamping the HipCompass blog and re-launching the magazine…

CLICK HERE to preview our last issue

Luxury on the slopes

Posted by Staff in Luxury Monday, Wyoming

Amangani, the first Amanresort in North America, located high above the Wyoming town of Jackson Hole, invites guests to join the most exceptional “ski club” in the West.  The only requirement for membership in the Amangani Ski Club is a stay of four nights or more at the sprawling resort, which is known for its exceptional décor, views and service. But the privileges are inviting, particularly for skiers: access to the Amangani Ski Lounge, two adult ski passes for three days of skiing, daily Continental breakfast and complimentary airport transfers.

Situated at the heart of the alpine Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, just steps from the Bridger Gondola and tram which provides access to some of North America’s most exciting ski terrain, the Ski Lounge provides ski-in/ski-out facilities as well as a ski concierge, storage for ski equipment, boot dryers…and of course, an après-ski hot toddy or hot chocolate.

For a break from skiing, guests can set aside a day for a Winter Wildlife Safari and discover the National Elk Refuge on cross-country skis or snowshoes.  Or spot wildlife during snowcat rides, dog-sledding, snowmobiling or sleigh rides.

For more information visit www.amanresorts.com