Frequently Asked Questions for Winter

Answers to commonly asked questions about Red River Ski & Summer Area to help you plan your trip. Still searching for an answer? Submit a message with your question through our Contact Us form. 

General

We open for skiing and snowboarding the day before Thanksgiving every year. During the first two weeks of the season we operate on an abbreviated schedule. In early December we open daily and stay open through late March. You can find dates for this season here

Rug Rat, Lil Blue, Gold Chair, Platinum Chair, and Copper Chair are open from 9:00am to 4:00pm. Emerald Chair is open from 9:00am to 3:45pm. Silver Chair is open from 9:00am to 3:15pm.

Yes, products can be purchased in advance online or over the phone. Reservations completed over the phone that do not include a Lesson will be charged a $10 booking fee. Save the booking fee by purchasing online.

As a thank you and appreciation for their service, we are proud to offer discounts to Service Members and First Responders. Active Duty, Reserve, Retired Military, and First Responders, including legal direct dependents, receive discounts on select winter products. You can learn more about our Military & First Responder discount here

Yes, our parking lots are free as well as all public parking within the Town of Red River.

No, overnight parking and camping are not allowed in our parking lots. The Town of Red River has an ordinance which prohibits camping overnight within town limits except at established campgrounds. 

No, sales tax is not included in prices for all winter and summer products. 

No, due to potential hazards that can exist on the mountain from snowmaking, grooming, and ski patrol operations Red River Ski & Summer Area does not allow uphill traffic of any kind without prior authorization. Contact Walt Foley, Deputy GM at waltfoley@redriverskiarea.com to request permission. 

No, sledding is not permitted at any time on any of the ski slopes. 

Guests with reservations can receive a full refund, no questions asked, if canceled at least 14 days prior to arrival. Reservations that are cancelled 13 days or less prior to arrival will not be eligible for any refund or credit voucher.

No, the Kids Ski Free Stay Free program is no longer being offered.

Red Card

The all new Red Card is an RFID enabled card that is now utilized in lieu of the traditional ticket stock that is clipped to your outerwear and scanned manually. Our Lift Tickets, Winter Tubing Tickets, and Summer Activity Tickets and Passes will utilize the Red Card for access to chairlifts and activities. Remember to keep your Red Card. The Red Card can be reloaded and reused, allowing you to save money, both summer and winter.

Any guest who will be purchasing and using Lift Tickets, Winter Tubing Tickets, and Summer Activity Tickets and Passes will need their own Red Card. Your Red Card will be unique to you. 

When purchasing Lift Tickets, Winter Tubing Tickets, and Summer Activity Tickets and Passes for the first time, each participating guest will also be required to purchase a Red Card for $5. Each guest will receive a Red Card that is unique to them. Remember to keep your Red Card. The Red Card can be reloaded and reused, allowing you to save money, both summer and winter.

Place your Red Card inside a pocket by itself on the left side of your body between the knees and shoulders. Avoid having another RFID card, cell phone, food wrappers, keys, wallets, or other items near your Red Card that could interfere or block our gates reading your Red Card.

No, the Red Card is not transferable and cannot be resold. The Red Card card, which is used for chairlift and activity access, remains the property of Red River Ski Area and shall be surrendered upon demand for cause without refund or rebate.

Guest Services, located in the Main Chalet can replace your lost or damaged Red Card at a cost of $5. The lost or damaged Red Card will be deactivated and will no longer work for chairlift or activity access. 

No, do not punch a hole in your Red Card as this can damage the card. A replacement fee applies if damaged. 

Lift Tickets

Yes, we offer a half day option for the afternoon only. The Afternoon Lift Ticket is valid for use from 12:00pm to 4:00pm. 

Yes, all Lift Tickets are date specific and you must select the date(s) when purchasing Lift Tickets.  

Yes, multi-day Lift Tickets are date specific and must be used consecutively beginning on the first date selected at time of purchase. Refunds or credit vouchers will not be issued for unused days. 

The Walk Up rates for Lift Tickets apply if you are purchasing your Lift Ticket(s) in person regardless of the time frame prior to arrival. Save on Lift Tickets by purchasing Lift Tickets online.

The Online rates for Lift Tickets apply if you are purchasing your Lift Ticket(s) online regardless of the time frame prior to arrival. Yes, you can even save once you arrive by purchasing your Lift Tickets online in the parking lot. 

Yes, Thanksgiving Savings and Deal Days rates do have a Walk Up and Online difference as our other time periods do. Save on Lift Tickets by purchasing Lift Tickets online.

Red Pass

The all new Red Pass is an RFID enabled card that is now utilized in lieu of the traditional plastic pass stock that is clipped to your outerwear and scanned manually. Our Season Passes will utilize the Red Pass for access to chairlifts and activities. Remember to keep your Red Pass. The Red Pass can be reloaded and reused in future seasons, both summer and winter.

Any guest who will be purchasing and using a Season Pass will need their own Red Pass. Your Red Pass will be unique to you. 

Your initial Season Pass purchase includes the cost of your first Red Pass. A replacement fee applies if lost or damaged. Remember to keep your Red Pass. The Red Pass can be reloaded and reused in future seasons, both summer and winter.

Place your Red Pass inside a pocket by itself on the left side of your body between the knees and shoulders. Avoid having another RFID card, cell phone, food wrappers, keys, wallets, or other items near your Red Pass that could interfere or block our gates reading your Red Pass.

No, the Red Pass is not transferable and cannot be resold. Fraudulent use of a Red Pass may result in loss of chairlift access. The Red Pass, which is used for chairlift and activity access, remains the property of Red River Ski Area and shall be surrendered upon demand for cause without refund or rebate.

No, your Red Pass will not have your photo printed on it but we do require a photo to be taken to keep on file for verification by staff when your Red Pass is read and validated against your Season Pass at the RFID gates. 

Guest Services, located in the Main Chalet can replace your lost or damaged Red Pass at a cost of $20. The lost or damaged Red Pass will be deactivated and will no longer work for chairlift or activity access. 

No, do not punch a hole in your Red Pass as this can damage the card. A replacement fee applies if damaged. 

Red Passes with your Season Pass already loaded will be available for pick up beginning November 17th at Guest Services. 

No, REd Passes will not be mailed and must be picked up at Guest Services.

Upon arrival please visit Guest Services to redeem a Lift Ticket for that day. Each pass holder receives two Lift Tickets to use in lieu of your Red Pass. These Lift Tickets can only be redeemed if you forgot your Red Pass on the day you come skiing or riding. Upon receiving a Lift Ticket for that day, your Red Pass will be deactivated and cannot be used during the day for which you received the Lift Ticket. If you have forgotten your Red Pass and the two Lift Tickets were previously redeemed, you can choose to have your Red Pass reprinted at a cost of $20. The original Red Pass will be deactivated and will no longer work for chairlift or activity access. 

Season Passes

Red River Ski & Summer Area will not issue refunds under any circumstances for Season Passes. Season Passes are not transferable and not for resale. All sales are final. 

No, Season Pass quantities are not limited.

No, all pass holders will be able to use their Season Pass on days that it is valid without any restrictions or reservations.

You can purchase a Season Pass online, over the phone, or in person at Guest Services. 

RFID Technology

RFID is an acronym for radio frequency identification. Our Lift Tickets, Season Passes, Winter Tubing Tickets, and Summer Activity Tickets and Passes will utilize this technology for access to chairlifts and activities. Each RFID card contains a number that is unique to you and allows our system to access information about what products you have purchased. As you approach the gates at each chairlift or activity our system will read your RFID card and once validated, open the gate allowing you to pass through and load the chairlift or activity. It’s that fast and easy!

RFID gates are located at Lil Blue, Gold Chair, Platinum Chair, and Copper Chair. 

Our RFID cards do not store any personal information, beyond your name which is printed on the card. Each RFID card contains a randomly generated number that is associated with your account in our secure database.

No, every RFID card is unique to the specific ski resort or destination database where you received the RFID card and other RFID cards will not work at Red River Ski & Summer Area and vice-versa. 

No, our RFID cards will not not interfere with cell phones or other RFID products. You should keep your RFID card in a pocket by itself to prevent interference with our gates reading the RFID card. 

No, information is not stored magnetically. Use of a magnet or other erasing devices has no effect whatsoever on the RFID card.

No, our RFID cards cannot track you. Our RFID cards and gates only have a short read range of roughly 10 inches.

Rentals

Yes, multi-day Rentals are date specific and must be used consecutively beginning on the first date selected at time of purchase. Refunds or credit vouchers will not be issued for unused days. 

Type I: Ski or Snowboard Cautiously. Prefer slower speeds, cautious skiing or snowboarding on smooth slopes, entry level.

Type II: Ski or Snowboard Moderately. Prefer a variety of speeds, prefer to ski or snowboard on varied terrain.

Type III: Ski or Snowboard Aggressively. Prefer faster speeds and aggressive skiing or snowboarding on slopes of moderate to steep pitch.

Snowblades are available for guests who are 13 years of age or older and who have purchased ski rentals. When picking up rentals, you can ask for snowblades in lieu of skis. Please note that if you are taking a lesson, you cannot be taught on snowblades and you must have skis.

Lessons

Yes, a Lift Ticket is required to participate in a Lesson.

No, Lessons do not include a Lift Ticket which must be purchased separately for the number of days you want to ski or snowboard including the day of your Lesson.

No, Lessons do not include Rentals which must be purchased separately for the number of days you want to ski or snowboard including the day of your Lesson.

No, we do not include lunch with any of our Lessons. Children must be picked up during the lunch break. 

Guests who are 13 years of age or older are considered adults in our lessons. Our Adult Lessons are only for those who have never been on skis or snowboards before. If you are an adult who has skied or snowboarded previously, you can only take a Private Lesson.

No, you cannot participate in a Lesson on snowblades. You must have skis.

Winter Tubing

No, the only requirement is that Winter Tubing participants must be at least 42" tall.

Yes, Winter Tubing participants must be at least 42" tall.

No, only one rider per tube.

No tubes are not transferable and cannot be shared. Only the guest named on the Red Card and Tube Redemption Ticket can use that tube during the session. 

Yes, all guests participating in Winter Tubing are required to sign a waiver, no exceptions.

Military & First Responders Discount

You must be a member of specific military branches and communities to be eligible for the Military & First Responder discount offered at Red River Ski & Summer Area

Eligible Branches of the Military

  • Air Force
  • Army
  • Coast Guard
  • Marine Corps
  • Military Police
  • Navy
  • NOAA Corps
  • Space Force
  • US Public Health Service

Military Communities 

  • Active duty
  • Military family - Immediate family members
  • Military spouse
  • National Guard
  • Reserve
  • Retiree
  • Surviving spouse
  • Veteran

The following groups are ineligible:

  • Civilian employees
  • Veterans with less than honorable discharges
  • Service members serving in a non-U.S. military
  • Service members not listed above (e.g. Coast Guard Auxiliary)

You are eligible to verify as a First Responder if your occupation is any of the following:

Law Enforcement Officers

  • Animal control officers who are credentialed as an LEO
  • Assistant chief officer
  • Auxiliary & reserve sheriff deputy or police officers
  • Bridge and tunnel officers
  • Chief officer
  • Conservation officers
  • Correctional supply officers
  • Corrections officers (at either government-run or private/for-profit institutions)
    • Emergency response team (ERT)
    • Inmate recovery team (IRT)
    • Quick response strike team (QRST)
    • Special emergency response team (SERT)
  • Courthouse security
  • Detention officers (at either government-run or private/for-profit institutions)
  • Family court officers
  • Fire marshals who are certified law enforcement officers
  • Fleet reserve
  • Game warden
  • Investigator (state or local)
  • Jailer (at either government-run or private/for-profit institutions)
  • Juvenile institutional officers (peace officers)
  • Metro transit police
  • Park rangers (state)
  • Parole officers
  • Patrol officer
  • Patrol deputy
  • Police officers (federal, state, and local; campus police) - active & retired
  • Pretrial services officers (and officer assistants)
  • Probation officers (and officer assistants)
  • Railroad police officers
  • School resource officers
  • Sheriff's deputy
  • State troopers
  • State police inspector
  • Tribal police
  • Wildlife officer

Firefighters

  • Airport fire operations
  • Commissioner (Fire Dept.)
  • Engineer
  • Fire medical officer
  • Firefighter - career, volunteer, and retired (federal included)
  • Fire marshal
  • Helitack
  • Lieutenant
  • Past chief
  • Probationary
  • Supervisory forestry technician
  • Wildland firefighter/ prescribed fire burn manager

Emergency Medical Technicians

  • Emergency medical technician (EMT) - Basic, medium, or advanced
  • Flight nurse (Transport nurse)
  • Medical helicopter pilot
  • Mobile intensive care nurse
  • Paramedic
  • Pre-Hospital Registered Nurse

Federal Law Enforcement Officers and Agents

  • Alcohol Tobacco & Firearms (ATF) (All Employees)
  • Amtrak Police Department
  • Bureau of Prisons (BOP) (All Employees)
  • Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (All Employees)
  • Customs & Border Patrol (CBP)
  • Department of Corrections
  • Department of Defense (for example: Air Force Office of Special Investigations, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS), etc.)
  • Department of Fish and Game
  • Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
  • Air Marshals
  • Federal Flight Deck Officer (FFDO) 
  • Federal Protective Service
  • Transportation Security Administration Agent (with a red shield on their badge ONLY)
  • Department of Interior
  • US Park Police
  • US Park Rangers
  • Department of Justice (DOJ)
  • Department of Public Safety
  • Department of State
  • Department of the Treasury
  • District Attorney
  • Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) (All Employees)
  • Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) (All Employees)
  • Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
  • SSA Assistant Special Agent
  • US Marshals Service
  • US Postal Inspectors (Postal Inspectors & Criminal Investigators)
  • US Secret Service

ID.me does not verify the following occupational titles as First Responders:

  • Advocate coordinator
  • Ambulance driver (can qualify only if they can also document being an EMT or paramedic)
  • Animal control officer (not credentialed as a LEO)
  • Animal services officer
  • Assistant superintendent
  • CERT team member (Community Emergency Response Team)
  • Chaplain
  • Correctional food service supervisor
  • Civilian deputy
  • Civilian employee (staff, employees, secretaries, administrative assistants, etc.)
  • Classification officer
  • Code enforcement officer
  • Community outreach specialist
  • Community service aide
  • Coroner
  • Corrections staff (civilian employees)
  • Court bailiff
  • Court services officer
  • Crime lab analyst
  • Crime scene analyst/technician
  • Crisis intervention specialist
  • Custody specialist
  • Department of agriculture
  • Deputy clerk
  • Detention technician and communications officer
  • Emergency management volunteer
  • Emergency medical responder (EMR)
  • Emergency medical services (EMS)
  • FEMA
  • Fire Corps volunteer
  • Forensic services
  • Highway worker/road patrol
  • Laboratory/evidence tech
  • Medic
  • Medical examiner
  • Medical professional (doctor, nurse, pharmacy technician, etc.)
  • Ocean lifeguard
  • Parking enforcement officer
  • Police service technician
  • Peace Corps
  • Police badge (no name)
  • Police reserves (volunteer)
  • Police recruit
  • Recreation specialist
  • Sanitation worker
  • Search and rescue team member
  • Security officer
  • Ski patrol (unless licensed as an EMT)
  • Traffic officer
  • Transportation security officer for TSA
  • Trial court officer
  • Victims witness assistant