Who Says a Dog Can't Ski?

I heard through the bark-vine that dogs were allowed at Ski Apache in Ruidoso

www.discoverruidoso.com.....so of course being the Pet Travel Reporter that I-Travelin' Jack-am.....I headed right down to Ruidoso to see what I could learn....both for me and for my 4-footed cousins who love to travel with their people too!

 So......here I am at Ski Apache......this sure is a nice gondola....it's all enclosed for a safe trip up the mountain.

But being the absolutely must-be-doggone-right-on-all-my-details Pet Travel Reporter....I went right on over to the ticket counter to get the scoop.  So's I asked the nice folks at the Ski Apache Ticket Counter

"Can a Dog Ride the Gondola" 

And they told me "YES....dogs ARE allowed to ride their new state-of-the-art 8-passenger gondola up to the top of the mountain.

And here's the REAL kicker!  Dogs ride for FREE...your person just has to sign a waiver for you to ride. So I got my ticket.....but first I thought to myself..."HMMMMM....maybe I should check out the scene BEFORE I go to the top!" 

 So that is just ex-dog-actly what I did!  I checked out the skiers......and I thought to myself  "YUP-PUP.....I'm pretty doggone sure I can do that skiing thing".......
But first....maybe I should just sit here a bit and soak in the winter sun and have a nice little snack on the Deck of the Ski Apache Restaurant.....and YES....dogs are allowed here too!  And bark about a view!  Why I don't know what's more fun....watching the people action or eating.....NAAAAH....I know the answer to that one.  I'll just take a sec and chow down on these nachos, thank you very much! 

 After I was saved from starvation by those tasty nachos......why what do I see here?  Is this what they call that SNOWBOARD rider thing?  Hmmmmm......now THIS looks pretty interesting.  I think I'll take this blue one here....it matches my outfit! 

 OK....so I'm ready....got my snowboard....and I'm headed to the TOP of Ski Apache!  Pretty awesome view.....and boy we are goin' UP...UP....and even more UP!  All the way to the TOP!

And here I am.....getting off the gondola...ready to hit the slopes!  I'm gonna be a snow dude dog for sure! I don't think I need any lessons...bein' the cool snow dude dog that I am!

 WOAH! What?  Where did my snowboard go?  Where are my Legs?  Why am I slip-sliding away?  Hey! This is a lot doggone harder than it looks!  

Hmmm.  Maybe, just maybe I DO need lessons!  But that's another day....for now, I'll just relax up here at the TOP and watch how the People do it!  And maybe I'll just LEAVE skiing and snowboarding to the PEOPLE!  Yup.....that's what I am gonna do!  No more boarding for this dog..... 

                                         
 This is as close to skis as I wanna get...until I have a Ski Instructor handy to teach me the tricks!  Yep..that's the plan and I'm stickin' to it by dawg!

Instead, maybe I'll just make some new friends.......(I know how to pick the cute ones...don't I?).....and as this beautiful day at Ski Apache comes to an end.....I'm ready to head to my favorite RESORT....the Lodge at Sierra Blanca!
www.lodgeatsierrablanca.com
 LUV this place...can't wait to get there and relax by the fireplace in the lobby!  It's especially special because they treat BOTH people and their pets royally...from the moment you step through the door into the plush, luxurious, and cozy interior.  It gets a 5-PAW rating from this discriminating dog reporter!     

 'Course....first things first.  ya gotta check in....and they ALWAYS have a special treat for the visiting dogs!  I was greeted by the GM, Mr. Steve, himself!  He's my bud...even when he isn't welcoming me with a treat...but today he is my double dog bud....because he has this tasty treat bag just for me!  Thanks a dog-zillion!  All that skiing....er....snow play....makes a dog hungry ya know!

 And a little dog-tired too!  So....as soon as I spied this nice cozy setting in the Lounge....I jumped on it!  Dog-literally!  Right in front of that cozy fire.....just a great spot to warm the derriere, ya know!  And then....all of a sudden...I spied something else!  Their Lobby Bar............

 BEER TIME!  Yes...it's all okay...I'm over 21 (in people years)....they checked my ID to make sure....and they told me I had to share with Jill too!  OK.....I can live with those rules!  Beer is gone in a split-dog-second...and as I looked around a bit more...I realized it had turned to Dusk.....and what better way to end the day than....... 

 to go outside and toast my toes by the outdoor Fire Pit and watch the sun set.  Ahhhhhhh!  Now this is the Life!  And the place to get away to when you want both Action on the Slopes and a Cozy Place to Relax! The Lodge at Sierra Blanca is just PAWFECT! 

 Back inside by the fire....and I'm gettin' pretty drowsy.  It's been a good day.....I wonder what tomorrow will bring.....

But for now...I'm heading to my room where there is comfort and style surrounding me as I slip into doggy dream land.

And while I take this small break......and regenerate for tomorrow....here's what YOU can do!  Tune in....on Wednesday to KASA 2 Fox TV  for 2KASA Style.....and I'll be barking about this dog-fabulous trip!  Then...I'll blog about Day 2 after that!  So don't despair.....I'll be BARK.....I mean BACK!

DOGGY HUGS AND SLURPY KISSES!  zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzZZZZZ Goodnight!