Angel Fire Visitors Guide Summer/Fall 2023

AMAZING VIEWS OF EAGLE NEST LAKE!

$475,000

56 Windy Hill Rd, Angel Fire NM - MLS 110126

Private and secluded area with plenty of space.This very well-maintained manufactured home on permanent foundation has 3 bedrooms and 2 baths plus an extra ofce space. In addition, there is a detached 2 car garage with storage space available, a tuff shed, and a 16 x 8 Greenhouse. Only 15 minutes from Angel Fire ski area and other resort amenities. Also just minutes from great shing on picturesque Eagle Nest Lake.

SPECTACULAR VIEWS!

$879,000

24 Vail Overlook, Angel Fire NM

This incredibly large home is a great nd. Home is conveniently located at the end of a cul-de-sac very close to the ski area. Enjoy massive views of Wheeler Peak from the living room or large deck space! This home has extra rooms that can be used for additional bunking plus an ofce space and a second apartment sized kitchen. Granite countertops and stainless-steel appliances highlight the main kitchen. This property would be the perfect vacation rental for multiple families.

IMMACULATE WITH PLENTY OF NATURAL LIGHT!

$789,000

63 Armijo Dr, Angel Fire NM MLS 109085

The living room features beautiful tile oors and a great wall of windows looking out to the forest frequented by wildlife. High-Vaulted ceilings and an open oor-plan make for plenty of space and the efcient rock wall replace provides the perfect warm & cozy feeling in the winter. Located just a few minutes to the ski area this would make a great rental property and would be great for multiple families.

DEPARTMENTS 10 MAYOR’S WELCOME 42 DINING DIRECTORY 42 CALENDER OF EVENTS CONTENTS 19

THE TEAM

Robin Martin, Owner

Chris Baker, Publisher

John Miller, Editor

Virginia Clark, Managing Editor

Karin Eberhardt, Art Director

Michael Tashji, Copy Editor

Chris Wood, Advertising Director

Cindy Boisvert, Sales Manager

Mary Chavez, Business Manager

Paul Gutches, Creative Director

Jason Rodriguez, Production Manager

Zoe Urban, Graphic Designer

Heather Owen, Digital Editor

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Jo Mixon, Jacqui Binford-Bell, Ellen Miller-Goins, Virginia L. Clark, Christine Smith, Chris Sorensen, Page Steed

PHOTOGRAPHY

Courtesy Angel Fire Resort

Courtesy Village of Angel Fire

Courtesy Moreno Valley Trekkers

Courtesy Music From Angel Fire

Courtesy Shuter Library

Jacqui Binford-Bell, Page Steed

ON THE COVER

226 Albright Street, Taos, NM 87571 575-758-2241; taosnews.com AMAZING ADVENTURE 12 WETLANDS 14 GOLF 16 MOUNTAIN BIKING 17 FISHING, ZIPLINING 18 MORENO VALLEY TREKKERS 19 HIKING LEGENDS 20 DON WILLINGHAM 24 FROM RANCH LAND TO RESORT 28 SAM AND CAROLYN MACIAS FAMILY FRIENDLY 32 SHUTER LIBRARY OF ANGEL FIRE 34 JULY FESTIVITIES 36 BALLOONS OVER ANGEL FIRE 36 MIMOSAS ON MAINSTREET 38 ANGEL FIRE STUDIO TOUR 2023 40 MUSIC FROM ANGEL FIRE

Hit the trails on half-day and full-day rides starting in June. Riders of every level see La Lama Hills, Sangre de Cristos, Gold Hill or Cebolla Mesa, along Rio Grande and even up to Wheeler Peak! See angelfirenm. gov/258/Horseback-Riding

Buying or Selling — Go with RE/MAX Mountain Realty

We’ve been one of the top real estate teams in Angel Fire for years. We live here. We love it here. And we know the market with a combined 150+ years of real estate experience. If you’re ready to list your home, we’re the team to choose. If you’re looking to buy, check out some of our listings below and reach out — we’ll help you get here!

SEPTEMBER 23&24 10AM–5PM

Because You Care About Moreno Valley

We know that every dollar invested in a community represents a donor’s legacy and dream for positive change.

The expanding footprint of charitable efforts will support the needs of Moreno Valley for years to come

There are currently charitable funds dedicated to the Moreno Valley:

For more information on how your family or business can partner, contact the Taos Community Foundation. taoscf.org

Shuter Library of Angel Fire Fund

Loving Family Memorial Fund

Inspire Angel Fire Youth Together Fund

Taylor-Shuter Library of Angel Fire Fund

Welcome to Angel Fire

Angel Fire is a cozy little village in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of Northern New Mexico.

With a year-round population of 1,200 full-time residents, we are a mosaic of small family-owned businesses rooted in their talents, dedication and hard work. Visit their shops, food carts, galleries and restaurants. We are all excited to welcome thousands of visitors each year. I am never surprised when I am told, “I came to Angel Fire and it was love at first sight.” But it does make me smile!

Summer in Angel Fire brings warm, but not hot, leisurely days for you to experience a refreshing break from the hustle and bustle of city life. The ideal place for picnics, family reunions, hiking, biking, walking the dog or watching wildlife.

We offer many activities and events: Balloons Over Angel Fire, Mimosas on Mainstreet, golf tournaments, a Skateboard Festival, Trash to Treasures, Music from Angel Fire, Parade of Homes, Free Friday Night Concerts in the Park, every Sunday Markets, the Angel Fire Studio Art Tour and much more. You can zipline thru the

mountain, go for horseback rides in the forest or paddle boat on the lake.

Fall in Angel Fire provides cooler weather with a crispness in the air.

The spectacular fall foliage must be seen to describe its beauty! In either season, maybe just sitting on the deck with a cup of coffee or glass of wine, listening to the wind dance through the aspens or enjoying the aroma of an afternoon mountain rain shower, will become your favorite experience. Let me warn you, you may never want to leave!

Jo Mixon Mayor, Village of Angel Fire

It is my sincere pleasure to welcome you to our mountain paradise.

ANGEL FIRE WETLAND CONSERVATION COMMITTEE

(AFWCC) is a group of individuals committed to finding ways to conserve water in the wetland, preserve the habitat, and enhance the recreational value that increased water provides. To receive their quarterly newsletters, simply send a request by email to gdawnprice@gmail.com. You can also learn more about AFWCC on Facebook under “Angel Fire Wetland Conservation Committee.”

the jewel of angel fire

Moreno Valley Wetlands

THE COMMUNITY OF ANGEL FIRE IS FORTUNATE TO HAVE WITHIN ITS borders a rare, high-alpine riparian wetland which is part of the much larger Moreno Valley wetland watershed system. This dynamic, constantly changing wetland, created along the waterflow of Cieneguilla Creek, is a fascinating and beautiful ecosystem which creates habitat for a great number of birds, amphibians, insects and mammals. Many will agree that this wetland is the jewel of Angel Fire Village.

Spring and summer are when the wetland is at its peak, serving as host to many keystone and mutualistic species (when two or more species in an ecosystem interact for each other’s benefit, they are called mutualists). Well over 50 species of birds, most of which are migratory waterfowl, have been identified and photographed in the Angel Fire wetland!

Some of the keystone species (the glue that holds a habitat together) include red willow, prairie dogs, cattails, hummingbirds, beavers (when they are around) and muskrats.

Are you a bird watcher? Then you’re in for a treat with the wide

variety of woodpeckers, red-winged blackbirds, coots, geese, various species of nuthatch, finches, sparrows, grosbeaks, cormorants, owls, mergansers, warblers, raptors such as hawks and eagles, and a plethora of ducks and waterfowl such as mallards, pintails, teals, egrets, great blue herons, and even a rookery of black-crowned night herons. And you may even catch a glimpse of mule deer, elk, coyotes, and black bear!

Consider taking a leisurely stroll along the wetland trail while you are visiting Angel Fire. A kiosk just off North Angel Fire Road is available with maps and brochures to tell you more about this incredible and beautiful community resource. Bring your binoculars! — PageSTeed

Spectacular high-country, high-flyin’ golf

layout has teeing options designed to accommodate any level of playing ability. According to the resort’s website, the front nine features a longer-playing layout that meanders through two wooded canyons, and the back nine “offers links-style play with smaller greens and plenty of bunkers.”

Willingham says, “Any given day on a few days out of the year, we’ll see over 200 people playing. This club is unique. We have members, we have resort guests, and we have public play. We’re open mid-May to the end of October.”

PLAYING A ROUND OF GOLF

at Angel Fire Resort offers special challenges — you’ll feel your pulse pounding a little more since the par 72, 6,670yard, 18-hole golf course at 8,600plus feet above sea level gives the ball an extra boost. Golfers love to see how far their shots will go!

The views are a perk too, as “Stefon” from Oklahoma effused on Yelp: “Co-designed by the gods themselves, you will feel

like you stepped into the Chronicles of Narnia …”

“It’s a well-reviewed golf course,” notes Angel Fire Resort’s Class A PGA professional, Don Willingham, who added the resort is known for its amazing views and pleasant weather.

“Everything else in New Mexico is high desert. Here, at 8,600 elevation, it’s 10-12-degrees cooler. It rarely gets over 80 degrees.”

The course’s mountain

Special events include “Dog Days,” which offers players a chance to bring their best friends and receive Angel Fire “pup swag,” Golf Clinics, Ladies Clinics, Cocktail Clinics, Junior Golf Programs, and more, all summer long.

The course is open daily for public play (check the website for details). Practice at the putting green and driving range; rent clubs or carts at the Pro shop or sign up for lessons with one of the Resort’s club pros. To schedule a lesson or book a tee time, call the golf shop at 575-3774488. —

EllenMiller-Goins

Angel Fire Resort

Wheelin’ and Dealin’ Angel Fire Bike Park ‘Best in the Southwest!’

Skinnies, jump lines, manicured flow and super chuck trails, you’ll find a mountain bike adventure for every level of skill

– all at Angel Fire Bike Park – the largest bike park in the Rockies. Voted Best in the Southwest by MTBparks’ riders for almost a decade now (mtbparks. com/New-Mexico/245-AngelFire-Bike-Park/View-details. html)!

The chair lift offers 2,000+ feet of vertical

descent, 60+ miles of single track and purpose-built trails — some featuring wooden ramps, manicured berms, dialed jump lines, and old-school rock gardens.

Bikers love the resort’s long-term commitment to building one of the best bike parks in North America. Staff are always improving easier runs and infusing the trail system with new flow features.

Angel Fire offers stunning views out over neighboring peaks, so even if you aren’t a biker, ride the chair up to the summit and then hike or ride back down. Gorgeous aspens lighting up Angel Fire spring thru fall are a breathtaking sight to behold. No wonder this is one of bikers-in-the-know favorite mountain bike destinations.

Just FYI to bike newbies, Angel Fire trails ride with very little pedaling as you flow downhill for the vast majority of the trails. When Angel Fire riders reach the bottom of a trail, the bike is placed back on the Chile Express chairlift and they ride the lift back up to the summit.

Running mid-May through late October, Angel Fire Bike Park has one of the longest and most stunning seasons in the West.

10 Miller Lane, Angel Fire angelfireresort.com 575-377-1290

BIKE PARK SEASON

May through October

Bike park hours

9 a.m. – 4 p.m., 5 p.m. some weekends

Miles of trail 60+ miles singletrack

Elevation 8,600 - 10,677 ft.

Vertical drop 2,077 ft.

Lifts

1 high-speed quad, the Chile Express takes 10-12 minutes to reach the top.

ANGEL FIRE RESORT

FULL-SERVICE BIKE SHOP

Right at the base of Chile Express lift, the bike shop offers mountain bike rentals and repairs. Choose from Specialized, Santa Cruz, Trek, Commencal, and Giant as well as a selection of body armor and protective gear. Advanced reservations are highly recommended. 575-377-4290

TICKETS & SEASON

PASSES

Lift tickets can be purchased in person at the ticket window or online in advance.

Discounts

Kids under 15 years old, military personnel (active or retired), and seniors.

Discounted 4-pack pass No sharing, but good for the whole season.

Gravity Pass

Entire season full access to bike park and hiking trails plus four 50%off Buddy Passes for BFFs. Special pricing if bought before opening day

HIGH Flying Zipline Tours

Have you ever watched birds riding the thermals high overhead and wished you had their ‘birds’-eye-view?’

Angel Fire Resort’s Zipline Adventure

Tours at the summit of Angel Fire’s ski mountain goes a long way toward fulfilling that dream.

These guided tours are offered by reservation every hour on the hour, 8 a.m. to noon, May 19 – Oct. 29. (A walk-up-only 1 p.m. tour is completely weather dependent.) Guides take up to six guests on a 2- to 3-hour tour to ziplines that vary from 120- to 1,600feet long.

First time zipliners should be in good physical

The lure of Nature

shape (to endure 10- to 15-minute hikes between zipline platforms; plus high speeds and abrupt stops). Be prepared for cool temperatures, and wear sturdy, closed-toe shoes. All participants must sign a waiver before participating.

We know the tour is not a good idea for those with acrophobia, but all others should just enjoy the views … and the thrills.

“Our family had a fantastic first time on Zipline Tour Adventures at Angel Fire,” enthused one TripAdvisor reviewer.

“Our knowledgeable experienced guides were good and patient at explaining how to do it and made us feel comfortable. We will do

At dusk, sunlight glitters on the water like so many jewels. A few nocturnal animals amble out for supper after their long day’s sleep.

it again!”

The resort’s website has helpful tips and information on restrictions and its refund policy. A big “need-toknow” is the 90 to 240 pounds weight restriction. (Resort staff “discreetly weigh” everyone, and there are no refunds if you are over or under.) Similarly, it pays to watch the weather: If a tour is cancelled because of lightning or high wind, in lieu of a refund, you will receive a voucher for a future tour that is valid for up to one year.

If you have questions about the weather, or to purchase tickets, call the Ticket Office at 575-3774383.

— EllenMiller-Goins

>A fresh hatch of bugs swarm over the water, occasionally getting nabbed by a hungry trout arching out of the water and then flopping back leaving shimmering rings. Fishing, it’s more than a way to provide tonight’s dinner. This is food for the soul. And whether you catch for food, or catch and release, try the following:

Within the Angel Fire Resort, Monte Verde Lake is stocked with trout in summer. Permits range from $10 to $35. Guests can rent everything from poles to boats. The small, stocked pond at Olympic Park is free for children, seniors and those who are physically challenged.

Coyote Creek State Park, 17 miles south of Angel Fire, is ideal for fly fishing, as is Cimarron Canyon State Park, 22 miles northeast. Sections of Cimarron Creek are “special waters” and limited to barbless, artificial flies and lures.

Eagle Nest Lake, 12 miles north, is a primo fishing spot for kokanee salmon, rainbow and cutthroat trout. Shore fishing is an option but it’s worth it to hire a guide. The lake features a deep channel near the center, which is ideal for salmon trolling. Visitors must pay a State Park use fee and have a valid New Mexico fishing license.

The spectacular Valle Vidal Unit from Cimarron to Costilla north of Questa offers myriad options but, be aware that, at 70 miles to the entrance via Cimarron and 90 miles via Costilla, the Valle Vidal is not a short outing. Fish species in Costilla Creek include rainbow trout, brown trout and cutthroat trout. Once you enter the Valle Vidal Unit it's catch-and-release. The Valle Vidal is closed May 1 - June 30 during elk-calving season.

— EllenMiller-Goins

Friends, Fun and Adventure 32-Year Tradition Continues for Moreno Valley Trekkers

THE MORENO VALLEY

Trekkers Club was founded in 1991 by Kathy and Herb Kalen to promote hiking in the Enchanted Circle area. Herb said it was rewarding for older people to participate in arduous

hikes. “A lot of those people who go on the hikes never would have dreamed … of what they could do,” he said. “Kathy and I are proud that we could get them up there.”

Today, the Trekkers welcome

a wide range of hiking abilities and have grown to almost 100 members of different ages, not just retired folks.

About one to two hikes per week are organized and led by Trekkers from May through October. They range in difficulty from easy mountain wildflower hikes to hiking the Angel Fire Enlightenment Trail.

November through April hikes include snowshoeing and

moonlight treks when conditions permit. All hikes are graded according to their degree of difficulty and most descriptions can be found on popular hiking apps. No matter how strenuous the hike is, fun times are had by all.

ANGEL FIRE FELT LIKE HOME ONCE

CHRISTINE SMITH, MORENO VALLEY TREKKER PRESIDENT

New member Allison Tesar Woodall humorously shares advice, “If you stop suddenly to sightsee, don’t forget brake lights or the person following may plow into you!”

Longtime Trekker Terry Maxwell recalls a trekking adventure where “we all got our rain gear on and started singing Christmas carols, because there was so much hail on the trail it looked like snow.”

Headquartered in Angel Fire, the Trekkers are also active

I FOUND THE TREKKERS. THE GROUP WAS KEY TO MEETING NEW FRIENDS WHO VALUED OUTDOOR ADVENTURES.

in trail maintenance, working in conjunc tion with government and private outdoor recreational organiza tions. Recently, we have installed benches at the top of Cougar and Oeste Vista Trails in Angel Fire, and replaced signage at the Elliot Barker trailhead off US 64.

We combine community outreach with fun and fellowship. Monthly potluck socials are scheduled throughout the summer on the last Tuesday of every month from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. We have guest speakers to educate members on hiking topics like safety, geography and fire prevention. The Trekker leadership team monitors fire status alerts and updates our membership through e-mail announcements.

“We take the ‘leave no trace’ principles to heart,” says Smith.  If you are interested in membership, inquire through our e-mail. Cost is $10 per person per year. Visiting friends and family are also welcome on our hikes.

Christine SmithandChrisSorensen

stroling with the wildflowers

I am headed from Angel Fire’s Coyote Greenbelt Trail onto the Bear Trail — an open meadow with a meandering creek with myriad wildflowers and views of Angel Fire ski slopes and, again, I am grateful.

Who knew one could park off NM Highway 434 and find such beauty?

Angel Fire Resort “greenbelt” spaces have become favorite hikes for residents and visitors. Benches and picnic tables offer greenbelt trekkers a welcome place to take in the scenery or picnic. First-time users can find great info on interpretive kiosks at greenbelt trail entrances. The Resort also features a guide on its website’s hiking page that neatly groups trails into Easy (Green), Intermediate (Blue) and Advanced (Black), along with maps.

Looking for a relatively short gentle stroll with your fur baby? You can’t go wrong

Hiking the trails

with the Deer, Elk, Bear, or the popular Lady Slipper Trail. For a more challenging loop, Deer, Elk, Bear are all linked by the Coyote Trail, which also connects to the scenic, switch-backed Sage Trail.

The “blue” Oeste Vista Trail, across from the entrance to the Country Club, features gorgeous views of the Moreno Valley, Wheeler Peak and Monte Verde Lake.

For a day-long outing, visitors can opt to ride Angel Fire’s Chile Express to access the Overlook Loop at the Summit, followed by — if they’re up for it — a strenuous descent down the Enlightenment Trail. Ambitious? Do it in reverse! But be warned: Enlightenment climbs over 2,000 vertical feet in 4.55 miles.

— EllenMiller-Goins

LOOKING TO EXPLORE MORE OPTIONS?

The Enchanted Circle has too many options to list here, but consider the nearby Elliot Barker Trail, Touch-Me-Not Peak outside Eagle Nest, Tolby Meadows or Clear Creek in Cimarron Canyon, South Boundary Trail in Taos Canyon, and Wheeler Peak – at 13,161feet, the highest point in New Mexico.

Don Willingham Creating life-long golfers

ByEllenMiller-Goins

IT’S A GORGEOUS SPRING DAY, COOL BUT WITH A CRISP BLUE SKY AGAINST THE STARK WHITE OF WHEELER PEAK, WHICH CAN BE SEEN RIGHT OUT THE GOLF SHOP DOOR. INSIDE, STAFF ARE BUSY UNPACKING BOXES, PRICING MERCHANDISE AND GETTING READY FOR THEIR BUSY SUMMER SEASON. DON WILLINGHAM, A PGA PROFESSIONAL WHO HAS WORKED AS DIRECTOR OF GOLF AT ANGEL FIRE RESORT AND COUNTRY CLUB SINCE 2012, OFFERS A WARM GREETING BEFORE SITTING DOWN TO CHAT IN THE PAR & GRILL, A CASUAL-DINING SPOT OFFERING PLAYERS BREAKFAST AND LUNCH IN THE LOWER LEVEL OF THE COUNTRY CLUB.

Willingham is tall and lanky with the confident athleticism one would expect from a dedicated professional. Spend time visiting with Don and it quickly becomes clear this is his avocation, not his vocation. He loves golf, and he loves sharing golf. Unlike some who come to the game as soon as they’re old enough to swing, Willingham says, “I started when I was 13, which is late in life for pro golfers. I didn’t get real serious until I was 15. I started working for a golf professional at a local golf course.”

It didn’t take long for Willingham to pursue golf as a profession.

“I think most golf pros start out wanting to play, but the competition’s pretty tough out there.”

While pursuing that goal, Willingham was an associate in Dallas. His first full-pro position was at a club in San Angelo, Texas. He worked at a few Texas clubs before chance led him to Angel Fire. A friend who knew the Angel Fire golf pro invited him to help with a clinic at the mountain resort.

“Coming from Texas, I thought 100-degree weather was pretty good for playing golf,” he says with a smile. “It’s quite the perfect climate we have up here.”

made a lot of changes. We’re constantly trying to evolve and make the golf course better.”

Recently, they have expanded the putting green to over 5,000 square feet. “We had room to make it three times as big.”

Here, Willingham explains to a golf neophyte how professional players and club professionals differ. PGA Members begin as registered associates, then work to complete the PGA Professional Golf Management (PGA PGM) Program.

“To become a PGA Class-A member it’s like going through college,” Willingham explains. “It takes a minimum of 3 ½ years with business courses, teaching, tournaments, golf pro shop management and merchandising, managing a fleet of carts, some food and beverage. They touch on every piece in the golf industry.”

“Graduation” involves a “written test and a playing-ability test.”

As Angel Fire’s golf pro, Willingham supervises staff that includes mentoring associate pros, assistant golf professionals Ally Weber and Greg Ward. The duo teach and help in many ways, but Willingham notes, “I still teach on a regular basis. Most golf pros enjoy that part, helping people play better and then see the light at the end of the tunnel. That’s pretty satisfying for me, whether they’re just starting in the game or whether they’re hoping to break par.”

In his “down time,” Willingham loves fly fishing, hiking and, along with wife Judy, socializing with friends. “I love golf, obviously. Golf is my profession and my hobby.”

He loves playing, and he loves finding ways to make his home course better. “We’ve

One of his proudest accomplishments is adding Junior Camps that have segued into competition for many of their young charges. The resort hosts a Junior League Golf Team; and Moreno Valley High School’s Golf Team practices at the course.

“The future of the game is helping kids learn to enjoy golf,” Willingham says.

“We’re not trying

to make PGA tour players; we’re trying to make golfers for life. Golf is something you can play into your 90s. It’s the greatest sport. It’s like life. You get bad breaks you have to overcome. You have different obstacles, and you have to overcome them. Golf teaches you how to deal with adversity.”

Golf teaches you how to deal with adversity.

DON WILLINGHAM, ANGEL FIRE PGA PROFESSIONAL

From ranch land to resort in (more than) a few easy steps

ByEllenMiller-Goins

IN 1954, WHEN BROTHERS ROY AND G.F. LEBUS OF WICHITA FALLS, TEXAS, BOUGHT THE 10,000-ACRE MONTE VERDE RANCH AND, TWO YEARS LATER, THE 15,000 CIENEGUILLA RANCH, THEY ENVISIONED A SUMMER RETREAT, ALONG WITH THE ADDED BONUS OF RANCHING INCOME.

“They had cattle, they were logging, and they also had a pole-treating plant for telephone poles and fence posts,” Roy’s daughter, Sally Lebus, recalls. “There were several years we raised quarter horses. We had a famous stud.”

“Mom and dad moved up there year-round in ’62,” Sally says, adding she was, by then, raising two children in Wichita Falls. “I wish you could have talked to my brothers. They were there from the start!”

The LeBus extended family frequently went to Taos Ski Valley and Red River to ski, but Vail, Colo., changed the course of history for the southern end of the Moreno Valley

In a narrative provided by Angel Fire Resort to coloradoskihistory.com, one night during Sunday dinner, Sally’s brotherGeorge said they should put a tow rope on their ranch so they wouldn’t have to drive so far to ski. His father replied he was thinking on a slightly larger scale, left the table, and came back with detailed plans for a fullscale resort.

Despairing of the economic sustainability of ranching and envisioning his own Vail, the elder LeBus had already paid for blueprints. “George

thought, ‘Oh my God, what has our dad done!’” Sally says with a laugh. “’Cause he just wanted a rope tow.”

Once their dad unveiled his vision, though, George, his siblings and their children were all involved in the creation of Angel Fire, which, in the early days included a ski mountain, a small country club with a nine-hole golf course (now the back nine, which Roy designed), the 40-acre Monte Verde Lake, and a dirt airstrip.

At George’s suggestion, they called the new development “Angel Fire.”

In 1965, George and Sandia Tramway creator Jim Woods of Albuquerque walked the mountain and laid out trails. “Jim helped with the engineering of three ski lifts, including one on Exhibition and a second in the back basin. “Dad wanted

a gondola (where the Chile Express is now) but that never transpired,” Sally says. The family reportedly sought advice from Don Carmichael of Red River Ski Area and Ernie Blake of Taos Ski Valley, who, it is rumored, suggested they prop the mountain up about 1,000 feet! The family was undaunted however and developed the ski mountain, which opened for skiing in winter 1966.

Bill Burgess, who was their first ski school and marketing director, once recalled, “We didn’t even open for the Christmas holidays as planned that season. But we had skiers, so we put benches in the back of a Thiokol Sprite and hauled them up. We had fewer than 1,000 skiers that first year. I think lift fees were $6 for adults.”

Worse, Blake’s suggestion turned out to be

good advice, as sporadic snow conspired against the family’s dream. “It was such a struggle,” Sally noted in an earlier interview. “My folks would say they ‘poor boy’d it.’ The winter they opened, it didn’t snow, and it didn’t snow much the following year either. And that was long before snowmaking equipment. It was just such a gamble. You never knew whether you were going to have good snow or not.”

COURTESY OF ROBIN MAY

Lebus family fun. Sally and nephew Andy Lebus on Lift 2.

Jeannine Neal, a former base lodge operator who did “everything from A to Z” recalled that, while working with Burgess, “we never had enough money to buy stamps, which were $8 for 100 then, so we would sell patches and when we got enough money, we’d run to the post office to buy stamps. We never dated our letters ’cause we never knew when we were going to mail it.”

In summer, Burgess helped with cowhand chores like castrating bull calves and, according to longtime friend and current Ski School Director Robin May,

“Bill had a card made up that, I think, said, ‘Director of Marketing, Chief Bingo Caller, Assistant Plumber.’ Bill created the first logos [for Angel Fire], helped erect the first lifts and laid out some of our iconic runs. When the LeBus family got him to set up the first satellite Post Office, he took Drawer A – the Resort got Drawer B!” Angel Fire Resort was primarily funded by the family’s cattle ranching business, but, perhaps because of their rocky beginnings, the family soon realized the project needed capital. They sold to

investors, “the Glenn Miller et al group” Sally notes. Then, because Miller’s group still owned the LeBuses, they all sold the development in 1972 to Arizona-Colorado Land and Cattle Company, parent company to the Baca Grande Angel Fire Corporation. That group was followed by several owners from 1983 to 1995, when a group headed by Texans Tim and Greg Allen bought the resort out of bankruptcy.

In 2018, the New Mexico Ski Hall of Fame inducted Roy LeBus and his wife LaVena.

“Sadly, I wasn’t able to

attend that, but there were two tables of LeBuses there,” Sally says. “From what I saw of the induction video, it was quite a tribute to mom and dad. It was wonderful to have all the grandkids there. They were just elated and so was I. They were all a part of helping mom and dad build Angel Fire.”

Note: Roy, LaVena, George, George’s brothers Tommy and Roy, Jr and son Andy LeBus, Bill Burgess, Jeannine Neal, Jim Woods, Ernie Blake, Don Carmichael, Glenn Miller and Tim Allen have all since passed away.

From left: Father and sons, Roy H., Roy T, George, and Tommy Lebus. COURTESY OF ROBIN MAY

Zebs’ Sam and Carolyn Macias Angel Fire angels

Byvirginial.clark

VERYBODY LOVES ZEBS — MOST DEFINITELY BECAUSE OWNERS SAM AND CAROLYN MACIAS HAVE MADE IT THE PLACE TO EAT AND SOCIALIZE IN ANGEL FIRE SINCE THEY BOUGHT IT IN 2010.

Originally known as Zebadiah’s in the late ’80s to all us Colfax and Taos County residents, Sam said they bought it from Rocky Thompson et al, owners of K-Bobs spots in Texas, Colorado and New Mexico – in Clovis, Hobbs, Farmington and Angel Fire.

Sam said he was Zebadiah’s General Manager since late 1991 when he was brought to Angel Fire from Farmington to “turn a bar with food into a restaurant with a bar” – basically shutting down what was a biker bar known for booze, gangs and violence.

Longtime locals remember well the heavy patrolling by New Mexico State Police and sheriffs to quash now infamous Memorial Day biker bashes around the Enchanted Circle. Originally called

Ethe Hitching Post Saloon & Dance Hall in 1984 and ’85, the Maciases halted all that at Zebadiah’s when they took over in ’91.

“We shut down the dances and music,”

Sam said. “We shut it all down and turned it from a biker bar to a family restaurant.” Now they have music like Jimmy Stadler evenings, New Year’s Eve, a Toy Run and host numerous Chamber of Commerce events.

Named after a Thompson relation, when they bought it the Maciases formally changed the name to Zebs “which everyone called it anyway” Sam said with a smile.

Sam shows up daily to check the menu, do the books, some ordering and check on staffing; but they have three managers: one each for the front of the house, the bar and the kitchen. Though semi-retired, the couple have a huge fan base built from decades of downhome service to the community.

Lisa Sutton, a 29-year Angel Fire resident and Coldwell Banker owner in Angel Fire, Taos and Santa Fe, just can’t say enough good things about Sam and Carolyn Macias.

“Sam and Carolyn have been many things to me over the years,” Sutton said. “As I first arrived in Angel Fire they were my first job. I waited tables at Zebs which gives you some idea of how long Zebs has been an established restaurant in the Valley. Years later they hosted a benefit for Casting for Recovery at Zebs that raised thousands for a cause

dear to my heart. They are a backbone family of this community. Their family has many businesses that keep this community alive and they are always working to better our town. Carolyn is also the Christmas decorator extraordinaire. If you walk into Zebs in the month of December you will find a Christmas wonderland. I am always amazed at the length Carolyn goes to decorate and always appreciative that our out-of-town visitors get to see a business going out of their way to make it feel like a ski town. Truly a great family and so happy they chose the Valley to put their roots down!”

“Everybody knows me but I don’t know everybody else,” Sam remarked humorously about the couple’s popularity in town. In the beginning he was so busy making food he couldn’t sit down and get to know people. “Carolyn was out in the dining room. She met everyone who came in and served meals now and then.”

Mary Harms, an Angel Fire local with three different businesses since the ’70s, said Carolyn created a meeting place for the whole town at their movie house rental space. “We’d all stand around and talk. She’d have all kinds of snacks. She just has a sweet way of pulling you in. Sam and Carolyn are awesome. Sam is so accommodating. He knows everyone who have businesses in the village. That environment is totally carried into Zebs. It makes you feel at home.”

Equally heartwarming is commentary by Keith Boggs, now Angel Fire Village Clerk. He’s worked for the Village of Angel Fire for about two years. Originally in the finance department, he just became clerk six months ago. Boggs first moved from Virginia Beach to Angel Fire because his sister told him how beautiful it was here and wanted family close by. He said he dropped everything and moved out here and fell in love with the place.

“I have known Sam and Carolyn going on six years. I first met them in 2017 when I moved to New Mexico from the East Coast. I already had a job at Zebs before I even made it to New Mexico. Sam and Carolyn hired me without even knowing me. This, of course, was because my sister already worked for them at the time and they adored her. When I did finally meet them, they welcomed me with kindness and warmth. Zebs is one of the greatest places I’ve ever worked because of them. They treated me and my sister like family and even to this day they still do. Over the years, I have worked on and off at Zebs. I know that I always have a job there. From time to time I still go and help out because that’s what family does.”

Zebs Restaurant & Bar, 3431 Mountain View Blvd, hours daily 11 a.m-9 p.m.; the bar open til 2 a.m. 575-377-6358

See our Paintings at Wilder Nightingale Fine Arts (Taos), Legacy (Santa Fe), Manitou Galleries (Santa Fe) and Squash Blossom (Colorado Springs)

“The Green Comet Tracing The Rocky Mountain Skies” 24x48 o/c

“Peace Over the Valley” 24x48 o/c

See our Paintings at Wilder Nightingale Fine Arts (Taos), Legacy (Santa Fe), Manitou Galleries (Santa Fe) and Squash Blossom (Colorado Springs)

A space to create and learn

bands, and string. It wasn’t a quiet activity, and nobody shushed anyone as they shared their successes and failures and refined the basic design. It began with reading plans and following the directions; and evolved into design tests runs and giggles. The Shuter Library is not stacks of books only. It has open spaces to twirl with your music-maker to see if it works.

STEAM activities are specially planned for elementary school-aged children. However, siblings and caregivers are always welcome.

LIBRARIES IN THE TIME

of Alexander The Great (356-323 BCE) were repositories of knowledge – and in the era of enlightenment, vaults to keep knowledge safe. But in the modern-age, libraries are a collection of materials, books or media that are accessible for use and not just for display. A library provides physical (hard copies) or digital access (soft copies). There are computers, of course. And new this year, an activity center.

The Angel Fire Shuter Library, under the direction of Melody Costa, is a hub of the community. She takes seriously her duty to attract

people to read and develop the habits of a lifetime for reading and learning. Her innovative activity programs to increase thrust for reading and learning begin early and attract the young of all ages – and their adults.

STEAM Tuesdays for children and families are interactive sessions in the library’s newly-opened and totally stocked activity center. Steam stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math. Participants make musical instruments, create unique artwork, make paper rockets, and recently, noise makers of cards, rubber

Shuter Children & Families Programs

STEAM Tuesdays  10:30 - 11:30 a.m.  June 6, 13, 20, 27, July 11, 18, 25

Specially planned for elementary school-aged kids, siblings and caregivers.

Angel Fire Littles  Wednesdays 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. June 7, 14, 21, 28, July 5, 12, 19, 26

Specially for children, birth through age 4 , siblings and caregivers.

Adult and Teen Programs

Various Thursdays 5 - 6:30 p.m. and various Saturdays

1 - 2:30 p.m. Dates TBA. Adults and teens.

Angel Fire Littles, another program, is an interactive story time which includes books, music and crafts for children up to age 4 and their caregivers.

Summer Reading Program Plan. The summer reading kickoff began May 27 with activities for all ages. There will be tasks to complete and prizes to be won.

Adult and teen programs this summer will include sewing machines, Lego Robotics, artwork, design and building 3D-printed pieces.

Not the library of my childhood. — j.binford-bell

Shuter Library of Angel Fire

11 N Angel Fire Road, Angel Fire; 575-377-6755 shuterlibrary.net

Shuter Library Director Melody Costa (left) makes reading and learning programs so appealing, to attract youth of all ages.

July festivities

Angel Fire parade, first-ever skate festival, drone light show

Parading bikes, babes, trucks and horses, plus two new events – the Angel Fire Summer Skate Festival and the July 4th nonpyrotechnic drone light show, take place this first week of July.

JULY 3-4 Skate festival

The Overground Project is a nonprofit that will bring in mobile skate ramps for demos and practice, as well as have professional skateboarders doing demos, having competitions and giving classes for local and visiting children to learn at the skate festival.

Angel Fire Mayor Jo Mixon said the festival “is a precursor to get people excited about skateboarding.” Mixon heard that the skating event is so nice, the Village hopes to make it an annual event that brings more visitors each year.

According to Overground online, the mobile ramp has been “used for events and demonstrations around the U.S. for clients such as Thrasher Magazine, the San Francisco Giants, Fort Hood Army post and many other city and private events.”

The skate festival will be located where a new dog park is going in (the actual location still to be announced).

July 4

Parade

Last year’s parade was a huge success so get ready for the second annual July 4th parade, starting at 11 a.m.on Bill Burgess Blvd (AKA North Angel Fire Road). Every vehicle imaginable – from twoand four-leggeds, to bikes, trikes, trucks, trailers and automobiles were on board with the red, white and blue.

Participate in the parade or bring your lawn chairs to watch! Info at 575-3776555 or angelfirenm.org.

July 4

Drone lightworks at dusk

Drone light shows are the fireworks of the future, is what Mayor Mixon implies, in response to residents’ current reactions to fireworks proposals. Given the devastation of the Hermits Peak–Calf Canyon prescribed burns last year, the Village of Angel Fire and Angel Fire Resort coordinated to present this first-ever drone show celebration.

Drone light shows are computer programmed to make desired formations, and reportedly, pretty much any image or effect can be imitated. Light show drones have a bright LED light that can change colors and create lighting effects, like flashing or fading.

Drone light shows are also kind to nature, and both domestic and wild animals. Whereas fireworks are known to create terrifying noise, smoke and even wild fires.

But, the weather has to be right. Big wind or slight rain shuts them down. So hope for the best weather possible folks, for a show that promises joy and independence for all.

Info at 575-377-6555 or angelfirenm.org. — staffreport

40th Anniversary

August 17 through August 31

ANGEL FIRE CONCERTS AND EVENTS

FREE OPEN REHEARSAL

Angel Fire Community Center, Friday, August 18, 11 a.m.

VULNERABILITY AND PASSION OF YOUTH

Angel Fire Community Center, Saturday, August 19, 6 p.m.

FREE MUSIC 101 WITH JONATHAN COOPERSMITH

United Church of Angel Fire, Monday, August 21, 1:30 p.m.

TRAGIC LOVE

United Church of Angel Fire, Wednesday, August 23, 6 p.m.

FREE MEET THE COMPOSER WITH ANDY AKIHO

United Church of Angel Fire, Friday, August 25, 1:30 p.m.

FIESTA 40!

Food, fun, and music when you join the musicians, their friends, and yours for dinner.

Angel Fire Community Center, Friday, August 25, 6 p.m., $35

IDA AND STEVE RETURN

Angel Fire Community Center, Saturday, August 26, 6 p.m.

SALON CONCERT

Angel Fire Community Center, Sunday, August 27, 2 p.m.

FREE MUSIC 102 WITH JONATHAN COOPERSMITH

United Church of Angel Fire, Monday, August 28, 1:30 p.m.

SORROW AND JOY

Angel Fire Baptist Church, Wednesday, August 30, 6 p.m.

FINALE

Angel Fire Community Center, Thursday, August 31, 6 p.m.

TAOS CONCERTS

VOICES FROM THE HEART

Taos Community Auditorium, Thursday, August 17, 6 p.m.

LYRICISM AND SINCERITY

Taos Community Auditorium, Thursday, August 24, 6 p.m.

RATON CONCERT

FREE YOUNG GENIUS Schuler Theater, Raton, Sunday, August 20, 3 p.m.

Call (575) 377-3233 with questions.

Tickets available online at www.musicfromangelfire.org/tickets beginning July 1, 2023. Tickets available at office beginning July 17; ticket prices increase August 1, 2023. Call 575-377-3233 with questions. Office address: 3382 Mountain View Blvd, Suite C, Angel Fire, NM 87710.

hot air flight Balloons Over Angel Fire

Balloons Over Angel Fire is a literally elevating community event.

Every year on Father’s Day weekend in June, just as the high country trees burst into spring greens and golds, even more color is added to the vista as more than two dozen brightly colored hot air balloons lift off from Angel Fire Airpost into clear, cold Moreno Valley skies.

Smaller than many such events, Balloons Over Angel Fire typically hosts 30, and up to 50 balloons and crews each year. Primarily because it is smaller and more intimate than big rallies in Albuquerque and Santa Fe – Angel Fire has become a popular stop for balloon pilots, families and crews, locals and visitors alike.

Parents and kids get “up-close and personal”

Mimosas on Mainstreet

The third annual Mimosas on Mainstreet is Saturday (June 17), 9 a.m.-4 p.m., where all of North Angel Fire Drive will be closed to accommodate art, food and musicians all day.

This year the Village of Angel Fire is expecting even more vendors as this event is a great way to spend the day after early morning visits with balloon pilots. Mikuna Grill will be open and mimosas flowing just like the last two years of the big bash.

Located along the closed boulevard, Mikuna Grill is the only one that serves Peruvian - Southwest fusion cuisine and has proven itself to be an Angel Fire staple for years now.

Owner Jazmin M. famously notes: “My love for my family and the recipes that bring me back to my childhood have continued to push me to share these same experiences with my community.” — staffreport

with the balloonists every morning as the crews prepare for launch. The three‐day event includes mass ascensions at 7 a.m..

More than 30 hot-air balloons inflate and float gracefully up into the cool skies of the Moreno Valley every Father’s Day weekend (this year Friday, Saturday and Sunday, June 16-18). Balloons Over Angel Fire is one of the few high-mountain hot-air balloon events in the country. Learn how the balloons work, talk to the pilots, take lots of pictures and spend Father's Day weekend enjoying the laid-back pace of Angel Fire.

Weekend festivities include three days of mass ascensions, and Saturday’s Mimosas on Mainstreet fiesta of food, music and fun on Bill Burgess Blvd. Mimosas hosts a variety of art and food vendors, as well as live music. Various pilot competitions are often scheduled as well as art and music events happening throughout Angel Fire and the Enchanted Circle over the weekend.

Ever been part of a chase crew?

Friday, June 16

7 a.m. Mass Ascension, Angel Fire Airport

5-7:30 p.m.

Cool Summer Nights Concerts in the Park Fridays 5-7 p.m. Free live music in Frontier Park.

Music lineup at 575-377-3055

Saturday, June 17

7 a.m. Mass Ascension, Angel Fire Airport

9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Mimosas on Mainstreet

North Angel Fire Road/AKA Bill Burgess Blvd. Arts and crafts, music stage, kids zone, food and mimosas!

Information at 575-377-3232.

Sunday, June 18

7 a.m. Mass Ascension, Angel Fire Airport

10 a.m.-1 p.m. Angel Fire Resort Farmers & Artisan Market, Frontier Park, 3367 Mountain View Blvd./AKA NM 434, Angel Fire; 575-3774337

Balloon pilots always seek exta help for inflating, chasing and deflating the balloons each day. Be at the launch field any or all of the mornings of Mass Balloon Ascensions no later than 6:30 a.m. to volunteer assisting a pilot. In return, most pilots offer a free ride for your help! This is a great way to find out more about the sport of hot-air ballooning and have a fun time doing it. — staffreport

Mikuna Grill is located at 48 N Angel Fire Road, Angel Fire. Info on Facebook.

Angel Fire Airport, NM 434, 575-377-3232

Art Up!

Angel Fire Studio Tour 2023

NEW MEXICO IS WELL-KNOWN

for its artists, art fairs and studio tours. The studio tours are becoming more popular, and tourists come for specific tours year after year. They are a great way to explore New Mexico’s backroads and small artistic communities. Provided with a studio brochure and map the visitor can see a variety of new and traditional art, meet the artists, and sample the culinary fare offered at each studio.

This year’s Angel Fire Studio Tour 2023 will be Sept. 30 and Oct. 1, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.

On a studio tour the artists are not limited by what category they were juried in at a fair, or the gallery’s limitations on the work to be hung. Most artists do not limit themselves to one style or medium or art form. Artist Jacqui BinfordBell at her studio in Black Lake displays her illusionary paintings on canvas, creative photographic impressions of the New Mexico landscape, painted furniture, and her fanciful textile creations. Her studio is a work of art.

Art Up! artist Gail Tate loves how the event opens the Enchanted Circle to newcomers. “The visitor gets to see the uniqueness of each studio and how it reflects the artist’s personality. Customers get an opportunity to experience the areas of Angel Fire, Taos Canyon and Moreno Valley. And step inside the beautiful homes and studios they did not know existed.”

Artists at fairs are limited by the size of the booth and what can fit in the van and all the work is finished. At a studio you often see work in various stages of completion – their newest work and also early work in

the same space. Artists do have favorites and keep them at home. You get to see those works too large to put into a booth as well as the ones that don’t quite fit the booth display.

“Visiting the artists’ studios gives visitors a chance to see where the artist works; meet the artists and purchase something directly from them,” says Laurie Phelps, a Taos Canyon artist (see #1 on the tour. map).

Laurie’s studio looks out over US 64 and Palo Flechado River and the hills and cottonwoods that surround it. Frequently her watercolors are of that view and the weather on a given day.

Studio tours are a cooperative effort between the artists and the community. Artists work to prepare the map and brochure and distributing the finished product around to businesses, friends and other towns. The studio tour reflects the community. And the other customers are often as interesting and fun to meet as the artist. Visitors on studio tours love the events.

“I’ve always loved going to studio tours. Not only to experience the area and meet the artists, but to experience the ambiance of the community. Now I love being an artist in our wonderful tour – meeting lovely art lovers,” says Johnese Turri, whose Whimsical Creations will be on view during the studio tour.

Spend this two-day, selfguided tour of the amazing artists and artisans of Angel Fire, Black Lake, Taos Canyon and Valle Escondido amid the glorious fall of Northern New Mexico. For maps and more, see artup-nnm.org and angelfirestudiotour.org. — staffreport

From top: ‘Road Rage’, J Binford-Bell; ‘Guardians of the Dawn’, Laurie Hill Phelps

IT’S NICE TO BE ABLE TO SEE THE STARS YOU DANCE UNDER.

We proudly celebrate the same small town charm people have loved for more than a century. Come see what all the fuss is about.

Celebrate 40 years of beauty, creativity

Music From Angel Fire

TARA O’CONNOR AND DANIEL Phillips are a team, so it came as no surprise that this married duo took the reins four years ago as Music From Angel Fire’s Artistic Directors (as so many events were that year, the 2020 festival was cancelled). It should also be no surprise that, rather than one-on-one interviews, they collaborated to answer several questions about the 2023 season, the 40th Anniversary of this amazing chamber music festival.

Asked what they are most excited about this season, O’Connor/Phillips replied, “That we are celebrating the 40th anniversary of Music from Angel Fire! We managed to convince our friend and Metropolitan Opera star, (mezzo soprano) Jennifer Johnson Cano, to be with us for the whole season. Many classical music lovers don’t really know the vocal chamber music repertoire. They will be

in for something special when they hear and see her interact with the instrumentalists just as our gang does all the time.”

“Gang” is an appropriate description here, as so many performers have been with the festival for decades. When renowned violinist Ida Kavafian stepped into the role as artistic director in 1984, she brought husband Steven Tenenbom, Teddy Arm, and Toby Appel with her and, through the years, created a “family” of worldclass musicians.

“Ida made a tradition of having a certain continuity of many of the musicians, making it feel like a family reunion each year” Phillips said. “Tara and I haven’t missed a season for the last 20-some years, since before we were married.”

Along with all the familiar faces returning this year, O’Connor/Phillips effused, “Besides Jennifer, the young, brilliant pianist Michael Stephen Brown will be joining. We have worked with Michael often over the last several years, and always find him a source of natural musical insight and stunning ability. We have loaded him up with plenty to do, since he will be our only pianist. There will be a completely new group of Young Artists: two string quartets, ‘The Dolphins’ from Juilliard, and The Shumsky Quartet from Curtis.”

As with every season, this

year’s season will feature works from great composers of the past, while also embracing an exciting future. This year’s Composer-in-Residence (a program that began in 1988) is one of the most-sought-after composers and musicians, Grammy nominated, steel pannist Andy Akiho, who will again be joined by his musical collaborator, Ian Rosenbaum on marimba. Both played during O’Connor/Phillips’ first season as Artistic Directors in 2021.

Music From Angel Fire Board President Lillian Aldridge commented the festival was fortunate to secure Akiho’s commitment before his fame exploded. “I don’t think that when he committed to us two years ago, he had any idea. He’s famous now.”

O’Connor/Phillips added, “Andy is an original. It is pretty unheard of the steel pan being used in classical music, let alone the complex rhythmic world he lives in. The rhythm in his music is fascinating, brimming with life. He has an imagination for atmosphere and can hypnotize his audiences as they marvel at the skill and the beauty of his playing.”

On a sadder note, O’Connor/ Phillips noted, "The theme of the festival this year is ‘Voices from the Heart’ and is dedicated to the beloved memory of Robyn Atkinson who passed away on June 20, 2022. Robyn had a long and close association with Music from Angel Fire right from the first year, discovering the rich experience of the immersion in the glorious music, and serving as volunteer and various positions as an officer on the board of directors.” — EllenMiller-Goins

From left, Composer-in-Residence, Grammy nominated steel pannist Andy Akiho, with musical collaborator Ian Rosenbaum on marimba.

DIRECTORY + CALENDAR

Dining Guide

1810 Grill –Brunch & Lunch Truck

Alpine Lumber Parking Lot, 3433 Mountain View Blvd. 505-376-0406

Angel Fired Pizza

3375 Mountain View Blvd. 575-377-2774

Arías Taqueria Mexican Food Truck Mountain Supply parking lot, 3429 Mountain View 505-692-9511

J&A’s Fun Bakery & Café

3453 Mountain View Blvd. 575-224-2802

The Bakery & Café 3420 Mountain View Blvd. 575-377-3992

The Bump Coffee Shop 3375 Mountain View Blvd. 575-377-2842

Elements AF Resort Country Club, upper level 575-377-3055

El Jefé Opposite the Chile Express Lift 575-377-4410

Enchanted Circle Brewery 20 Sage Lane 505-216-5973

Jeanette’s Specialty Foods & Catering Frontier Park, 3367 Mountain View Blvd. 505-504-1871

Thai Angel Frontier Park thaiangel.com

The Lift Cafe Angel Fire Resort Hotel 10 Miller Lane 575-377-4234

Mi Cocina Mexicana Cove Art Center, 12 Crestview Drive 575-377-7796 Mikuna Grill 48 N Angel Fire Rd. 575-377-7009

Morning Star 3377 Mountain View Blvd. 575-377-7019

Par & Grill 100 Country Club Drive 575-377-4486

Pizza Stop 52 N Angel Fire Road 575-377-6340

Pub ’N’ Grub 52 N Angel Fire Road, above Pizza Stop 575-377-7770

Subway Lowe’s Market 3400 Mountain View Blvd. 575-377-2354

Summit Haus Mountain top 575-377-6401

Taty Coffee, Sandwiches, Catering 3394 Mountain View Blvd. 575-240-6084

Zebs Restaurant & Bar 3431 Mountain View Blvd. 575-377-6358

Ongoing

May – Oct. 2023

Business After Hours

See Angel Fire Chamber of Commerce Calendar for dates and locations, call 575-377-6353 or 1-800-446-8117; or visit angelfirechamber.org

Monte Verde Lake

Lake House open daily 7 a.m.-8 p.m.; boat rentals

9 a.m.-7 p.m. Fishing, pedal boating etc. thru Sept. 4; then daily Sept. 5-30, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., boat rentals 9 a.m.-4 p.m.; then Fri.-Sun. (Oct. 1-29) 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Boat rentals

9 a.m.-4 p.m. Lakeview Drive, Angel Fire. Info at 575-377-3055 or angelfireresort.com.

Angel Fire Golf Course

100 Country Club Drive, Angel Fire. Get back in the groove of summer. Open seven days a week through Oct. 29, weather permitting. To book tee time, call the golf shop 7 a.m.-6 p.m. for tickets and info, 575-377-4488 or angelfireresort.com

Angel Fire Bike Park

Open daily through Sept. 4; then Fri.-Sun. (Sept. 8-Oct. 29); 10 Miller Lane, Angel Fire. Tickets and info 575-377-4290 or angelfireresort.com

Angel Fire Tennis Courts

Open daily. 100 Country Club Drive, Angel Fire. For pass or info call 575-3773055 or angelfireresort. com

Angel Fire Zipline

Hourly guided tours 8 a.m.-noon, through Oct. 29. Angel Fire Resort Chairlift, 10 Miller Lane, Angel Fire. Ticket and weather info at 575-3774383.

Scenic Chairlift Rides

Open daily, (thru Sept. 4); then Fri.-Sun (Sept. 11-Oct 29); closed Sept. 8-10 for maintenance. Angel Fire Resort Chairlift, 10 Miller

Lane, Angel Fire. Ticket and weather info at 575377-4383.

June 2023

JUNE 8-OCT. 29

Elements Bar Live music Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, 100 Country Club Drive, Angel Fire. For times, call 575-377-3055 or angelfireresort.com

JUNE 11-SEPT. 3

Farmers & Artisan Markets Sundays 10 a.m.-2 p.m. through Sept. 3. Lots of live music while you shop in clean mountain air. Enjoy fresh produce, eggs, local meats and dairy, fresh roasted-onsite Hatch chiles, artisanal breads, baked goods and more. Art and entertainment for the whole family. Frontier Park, 3367 Mountain View Blvd/ AKA NM 434, Angel Fire; 575-377-4337.

JUNE 14

Flag Retirement Flag Day services provided by Vietnam Veterans Memorial staff at 2 p.m., starting with a 10-minute ceremony by staff and final burning of retired flags; with Moreno Valley Fire Department in attendance. David Westphall Veterans Foundation, at Veterans Memorial, 334 Country Club Road, Angel Fire. 575-377-2293.

JUNE 16-18

Balloons Over Angel Fire 2023 7 a.m. daily, hot air balloon Mass Ascension daily at Angel Fire Airport, NM 434. Info at 575-377-6555 or angelfirenm.gov

JUNE 17

Mimosas on Mainstreet. 9 a.m-4 p.m. Head to the street fair at Bill Burgess Blvd./AKA North Angel Fire Road, after the mass ascension of over 30 hot air balloons at Balloons Over Angel Fire. Find food, fun, arts, crafts and more! Info at 575377-6353 or angelfirechamber.org.

JUNE 16-SEPT. 8

Cool Summer Nights Concerts in the Park Fridays 5-7 p.m. Free live music in Frontier Park. Bring a lawn chair, some friends and your dancing shoes so you can kick off the weekend right! Music lineup at 575-377-3055.

July 2023

JULY 1-2

Trash to Treasures

Shuter Library Fundraiser 8 a.m.-5 p.m. – the largest 2-day flea market on the Circle, at Angel Fire Community Center, 15 CS Ranch Road. Info at 575-377-6755, info@ shuterlibrary.net or shuterlibrary.net

JULY 3-4

Mobile Skate Festival

Mobile Skateboard Park with mobile ramps, pro demos and competitions. Free skate classes for local and visiting kids. Details at angelfirenm.gov

JULY 4

Pancake Breakfast by The Rotary Club of Angel Fire, at the Olympic Park pavilion, from 8- 11 a.m.

2nd Annual 4th of July Parade 11 a.m.on Bill Burgess Blvd./AKA North Angel Fire Road. Participate in the parade or bring your lawn chairs to watch! Info at 575-3776555 or angelfirenm.gov

Drone Show Display at Dusk First-ever firework drone show in coordination with Angel Fire Resort and Village of Angel Fire. Info at angelfirenm.gov.

JULY 27-29

36th Annual Angel Fire Invitational 8 a.m-7 p.m., Angel Fire Golf Course, 100 Country Club Drive, Angel Fire, benefiting New Mexico Hispanic youth. Info at 575-377-4488.

JULY 28-30

38th Annual High Country Arts & Crafts Festival/Eagle Nest.

A juried show open to qualified artisans, is a a proud tradition and a proven success for the many participants, bringing area and out-of-state talent to the Moreno Valley since 1982. At 42 Marina Lane; benefiting the Eagle Nest Chamber of Commerce. Info at 575-224-2720 or info@ taosartscouncil.org.

August 2023

AUG. 17-AUG. 31

40th Music From Angel Fire A two week, two weekend festival of concerts celebrating great music in the beauty of Northern New Mexico. Theme and concerts TBA, musicfromangelfire.org or call 575-377-3233.

September 2023

SEPT. 2

Vietnam Veterans Walkway Brick Installation 9 a.m.-noon David Westphall Veterans Foundation, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, 34 Country Club Road, Angel Fire. Info at 575-377-6900.

31st Eagle Nest Fish Fest TBA

SEPT. 30-OCT. 1

Art Up Northern New Mexico 9a.m.-5 p.m. a self-guided 2-day Angel Fire Studio Art Tour that includes the skilled artists and artisans in Angel Fire, Black Lake, Taos Canyon and Valle Escondido. For maps and more see angelfirestudiotour.org.

October 2023

Angel Fire Fall Foliage

Closing Day Oct. 29 Angel Fire Bike Park, Angel Fire Golf Course Fall Harvest Festival

Trunk or Treat Eagle Nest Elementary/Middle School, various locations, TBA