When Mountain Capital Partners bought Sandia Peak Ski Area just east of Albuquerque in 2023, it breathed new life into a mountain that had been quiet for far too long. By the 2024 season, the Sandia Peak’s lifts were spinning again after years of closure. And this summer, MCP is doubling down. Investing heavily in this historic hill, it’s all to ensure that the 2025–26 New Mexico season is the best Sandia Peak has seen in decades. Here are some of the highlights you’ll see.
All Chairs Will Spin!
To prepare for the 2025-26 season, the company rebuilt Chair 4, the area’s primary beginner lift. They also added a magic carpet to the beginner area. Advanced skiers will be thrilled to hear that Chair 2, which serves the upper mountain, is finally being brought back to life and expected to run for the first time in years.
And, there’s also good news for Chair 3, the summit chair, which had mechanical problems last winter. “Our team has been working through standard maintenance on Lift 3 and expect it to be operating this season, pending weather and snow conditions,” notes Thaniel Cebulla, regional marketing coordinator for Sandia’s parent company, MCP.
MCP also operates Sipapu and Pajarito Mountain in New Mexico. Sipapu has seen major upgrades this year, making it an even better destination for skiers and riders. Pajarito Mountain is also undergoing significant improvements to enhance the experience on and off the slopes. Beyond New Mexico, MCP runs several resorts across the West as well as the massive Valle Nevado in Chile.
Snowmaking As Well
With relatively low elevation for a regional ski area (the summit is at 10,300 feet) lack of snow has plagued Sandia Peak in recent years. But that too is being addressed. “Snowmaking is a key part of our plan for this winter,” says Cebulla. “Our team has been getting the system dialed in and will be ready to run it as soon as temperatures line up.”
Long-range: A Chondola
Perhaps even more newsworthy is the area’s announcement that it intends to install a state-of-the-art “chondola” here. The hybrid lift, with both gondola cars and chairlifts, allow people who don’t ski to access the excellent summit restaurant/bar (named TEN 3 after its elevation). It will also serve non-skiers arriving to the summit directly from Albuquerque via the spectacular Sandia Peak Tramway to descend to the ski area’s base complex.
The chondola, an impressive 7,400 feet in length, will replace Chair 1, a Stadeli duo installed in 1980 and decommissioned in 2017. It will also effectively replace Chair 3, a Riblet two-seater. The upgrade jumps capacity from 566 to 2,400 skiers per hour and chops the ride time from 15 minutes to roughly half. A modern, ADA-compliant pedestrian bridge will also replace the existing summit walkway and stairs leading to the restaurant and bar.
Crews plan to begin work on the new game-changer lift in the spring of 2026. The team has not yet determined its operational date.
Historic Roots
Sandia Peak emerged from an earlier ski area on the site named La Madera, tracing back to 1937 as one of New Mexico’s earliest ski areas. With access via the contemporary Sandia Peak Tram, which lifts off from inside Albuquerque city limits, it is America’s fastest urban-to-ski area experience. The driving route from Albuquerque takes about 45 minutes.
Sandia is hoping to open on Dec. 12.
