Our story…

The Los Alamos ski patrol was formed in February, 1949. This was ten years after the National Ski Patrol (NSP) was founded. In 1953 the Los Alamos Ski Patrol became affiliated with the National Ski Patrol and has been affiliated ever since. It was unique in New Mexico in being entirely voluntary and received no benefits such as lift tickets. The patrol had over 100 volunteers in it, which made the provision of 6-10 patrollers per day relatively easy. The Los Alamos Ski Club furnished the patrol leadership for Santa Fe Ski Basin in its first year of operation, 1949-1950. Los Alamos Ski Patrol members helped at the Santa Fe Ski Basin for several more years.

In 2005 the Ski patrol changed its name to the Pajarito Mountain Ski Patrol to better reflect their duties and the area they serve. In 2015 when Pajarito Mountain began operating 5 days a week the volunteer patrol could no longer cover days during the week when everyone was at their regular jobs. The patrol became a hybrid patrol with paid patrollers working on the mountain. Today there are approximately 70 volunteer patrollers who work on the mountain Friday-Sunday and about 10 paid patrollers who work Wednesday and Thursday. Everyone on the patrol trains and works together as a cohesive unit. All members of the patrol are trained to the National Ski Patrol’s Outdoor Emergency Care. Today members of the Patrol leadership positions in the Rocky Mountain Division of the NSP in programs such as Outdoor Emergency Transportation, Certified, Outdoor Emergency Care, and Avalanche Rescue.

We are proud to serve our customers at Pajarito Mountain.