Angel Fire, NM – Angel Fire Resort, in northern New Mexico will add a new Nordic Center for cross-country skiing this winter at the resort’s $16 million Country Club and add over a dozen new features to its terrain parks.

“This is a killer combo. Great cross-country skiing, followed by gourmet food and drinks at the most beautiful clubhouse in northern New Mexico,” said Dave Dekema, director of marketing at Angel Fire Resort. “With a great trail network and quality grooming, easy access and state-of-the-art amenities — including fine dining, well-appointed locker rooms and an indoor swimming pool — we have the potential to create a top-quality Nordic destination in our state.”

The new cross-country loops will wind skiers along rolling, scenic canyons of native spruce, pine and aspen trees, starting at 8,400 feet of elevation. The terrain is varying, offering as light or as challenging a workout as any cross-country skier could ask for. The loops offer both skate and classic-style cross-country skiing. A single-day trail pass will cost $12. The new Nordic Center will provide equipment rentals, lessons, events, special training sessions for competitive athletes, and a full retail store carrying equipment, clothing and accessories. Sledding will now also be available to families, steps away from the clubhouse.

“We’ll be growing the Nordic Center over time, but our goal is to start out this season with 10 to 15 kilometers of groomed and maintained trails. It will be the perfect venue for cross-country skiers and teams to come to train at elevation,” Dekema states.

The Nordic Center is not the only upgrade in store for guests of Angel Fire Resort this winter. “We have spent over a million dollars in improvements to our Lodge – with renovations to the lobby and our guest rooms. Along with continuing improvements to our hotel and mountain, we have a simple philosophy; create a better skier experience every year. Without question we have done that.”

Following a season, which saw very few changes in Angel Fire’s terrain parks, the resort this winter is adding more than a dozen new freestyle rails and fun box features, including flat rails, rainbows, double-kinks, C-rails and a few surprises. The features are custom-built by Neptune Industries of Boise, Idaho.

In addition, Angel Fire’s terrain park staff is re-configuring the jumps, overall flow and transitions within the resort’s Liberation Freestyle park, adding new dirt features and a quarterpipe, as well as removing trees to expand the overall footprint of the park, and adding a small feature area for skill-building and practice.

Furthermore, Angel Fire Resort will expand and grow its Friday Night Lights park event series, adding more prizes and visibility to the nighttime competitions.

Angel Fire has also announced that the resort will not raise lift ticket or season pass prices this season.

Guests will soon be able to add zip-lining to their menu of activities at the resort. Starting July 2012, Angel Fire will offer a multi-station, mountaintop Zip-Line Adventure Tour. Starting at the 10,600-foot summit of the ski mountain, Angel Fire’s Zip Line Adventure Tour will be among the highest point-to-point Zip Line tours available anywhere.