Hall of Famers

For the Chronicle

ALBUQUERQUE — Ski New Mexico? Only a few geographically-challenged folks from other parts of the country ask that question. The rest line up in gratitude to ski some of the best terrain around. Those opportunities result from the hard work of dedicated pioneers and “ski bums,” and it’s those folks who will be honored during a special awards ceremony Saturday, Nov. 1, at the Hyatt Hotel Albuquerque. Red River’s Judy and John Miller and the late Drew Judycki are among those who will be inducted into the New Mexico Ski Hall of Fame.

Andrew “Drew” D. Judycki was the owner and general manager of Red River Ski Area until his death in May following a short illness. He was 60. A resident of Athol, Mass., Drew had grown up skiing. He was in ski patrol in Athol, and after graduating from high school in 1966 turned down football scholarships to attend New Mexico Highlands University in Las Vegas. During his first year in college Drew worked ski patrol for Sipapu, and then went to work as a ski instructor for Red River Ski Area. After graduating from college, Drew worked for Red River Ski Area as a ski school supervisor for two years, and then was a ski school director one year at Angel Fire Resort before coming back to Red River for good.
Built in 1959 by Oklahoman Stokes Bolton, Red River Ski Area was owned by J.B. Veale from 1962 to 1984 when Judycki bought it with a group of investors that included George Blanchard. The other partners eventually dropped out until Blanchard and Drew were co-owners. In 1998, Judycki became sole owner, president, and general manager.
In a 1996 interview, Drew said, “This is the only thing I ever wanted to do — and I’m real fortunate to be able to do it.”
Drew was a longtime member of Ski New Mexico and served as president more than once, most recently in 1998, and on its board of directors. He also hosted local schools’ ski programs year after year, and was an avid supporter of the Red River Junior Racing Team (having served as its coach at one time) and the University of New Mexico Ski Team. Drew also contributed to the growth and success of the Town of Red River by serving on the board of directors of the Red River Chamber of Commerce, on several town committees, including the Economic Development Committee, and as a town councilor 1974-78.

John and Judy Miller
John and Judy Miller have owned and operated Enchanted Forest Cross Country Ski & Snowshoe Area for 23 years, but their New Mexico skiing history goes back to their Feb. 2, 1957 wedding. They honeymooned in New Mexico, skiing up to the Upper Red River Valley for a few days of roughing it in John’s family cabin. “It wasn’t winterized so we had no running water and only an outhouse,” said John, to which Judy adds, “It was just beautiful. The weather was lovely.”
They moved to Red River in 1963 with three children in tow and one on the way, and John went to work as an assistant manager at Red River Ski Area. He left after a couple of years to work for the Molybdenum Mine down the road, then in 1970, with partners Gary and Fran Starbuck, the Millers bought Powder Puff Mountain, a small beginner’s ski area which they owned and operated until 1979.
During the Powder Puff years, John bought a fleet of used wooden cross-country skis from another rental shop in town and began teaching cross-country skiing in Red River’s backcountry, so when the area sold, it seemed natural to make that a full-time business.
In spring 1985, following a trip to the Cross-Country Ski Areas Association convention, John was inspired to build a groomed ski area on a plateau atop Bobcat Pass. Enchanted Forest opened with about 10-kilometers of trails in winter 1985-86. Today, the area features 33 kilometers of ski trails and 15 kilometers of snowshoe trails.
Said Judy, “I really hope I’ll just keep on doing this!”

Others to be inducted into the Hall of Fame include Jean Mayer and Bruce Gavett.
Jean Mayer is the longtime owner/operator of the St. Bernard Hotel at Taos Ski Valley. Mayer has been technical director for the ski school since his arrival in 1957 (he introduced the ski week concept at Taos) and has been instrumental in making it one of the top-rated ski schools in the nation year after year. He has been named one of the Top 100 Ski Instructors of the U.S., and in 2002 he was named “Best Ski Guide” by Harper’s magazine in Europe.
Bruce Gavett was the general manager of Pajarito Ski Club in Los Alamos for almost 20 years, but said he first learned to ski in the late 1940s at the now-defunct Pioneer Ski Area in Almont, Colorado near Crested Butte. He managed Pajarito Mountain, a club-owned facility, from 1980 to “2001 or 2002” and oversaw lodge expansion, lift improvements and additions and many other improvements at the ski area including the “exciting addition” of indoor toilets and running water.

About the Hall of Fame
The New Mexico Ski Hall of Fame was founded in 2003 “to preserve and protect the history and traditions of the sport of snow skiing in New Mexico by … inducting into the Hall of Fame worthy pioneers, builders, innovators and athletes who have made major contributions to the sport.” Past inductees are Ernie Blake, Lloyd and Olive Bolander, Buzz and Jean Bainbridge, Pete Totemoff, George Brooks and the 2004 University of New Mexico Ski Team, Harvey and Reserl Chalker, Allen Church, Roy Parker, Kingsbury Pitcher and honorary member Rhoda Blake. The non-profit group unveiled the New Mexico Ski Museum at the base of Sandia Peak Tramway on Aug. 7 this year.
The event kicks off at 6 p.m. with a no host bar. Dinner follows at 7. Tickets are $50 per person. RSVP by calling 505-235-2239 or emailing jessicaspeck@skinewmexico.com.

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