The first "ski area" in Red River was developed before World War II. A ski course was built and a horse-drawn tow was opened in December of 1941-December 7, 1941. "The Day That Will Live in Infamy" brought the daring adventure to a halt, closing the ski area on the same day it opened.
The end of WWII saw renewed interest in winter recreation and the ski area was revived. It was located where "The Bump" currently occupies the hill in front of Red River Ski Area Chalet.
The 1950s saw a surge of growth in Red River with many new lodges and restaurants springing up. After visiting the Santa Fe Ski Area, Oklahoma businessman Stokes E. Bolton and his wife, Billie, decided that Red River was a great summer resort town but needed a winter attraction. The RRSA was born.
With surplus steel from oil derricks for lift towers, the Red River Ski Area opened in December, 1959. Bolton hired Buzz Bainbridge, who had been managing the Santa Fe Ski Area, and lured German-born skiing ace Tony Woerndle away from Aspen, Colorado, to head up the first Red River Ski School.
Bolton soon sold his ski area to J.B. Veale. Meanwhile, other skiing standouts were lured to the new resort. Sigi Klein, who hailed from the European resort of Garmish, site of the 1936 Winter Olympics, came to Red River and was able to convince the legendary Erich Windisch, also from Garmish, to leave A Basin in Colorado. The tiny ski area was gaining a reputation in the industry, as well as creating thousands of new winter sport enthusiasts.
The 1980s saw a new group of owners, among them a young skier from Massachusetts who first came to New Mexico as a college student in the mid-70s. Today, Drew Judycki still owns and operates the Red River Ski Area, pursuing a methodical expansion and upgrade of the facility, with a strong emphasis on snowmaking capability. The Red River Ski Area today retains the small resort charm that was its trademark when the doors opened over 40 years ago.