It is part of a Special Use Permit Zone in the Sandia Ranger District of the Cibola National Forest.

The resort includes 35 ski runs and a terrain park, and also serves as a site for summer recreation.

One theory suggests that this name came from the appearance of the mountains from the Rio Grande Valley below: an inverted watermelon slice-shaped range with a ridge of green forest at the top (the "rind").

The following year, a second rope tow was installed to Panoramic Point, and a ski lodge, built with the help of members of the CCC , was constructed.

[5] In 1951, ownership of La Madera was transferred to the City of Albuquerque for the 1951-52 ski season, and subsequently lost money during the operation.

The following season, ownership was transferred back to the Albuquerque Ski Club, which then turned a profit of $2,500.

In 1958, Nordhaus and his business partner, balloonist Ben Abruzzo, who had helped turn Albuquerque into an international ballooning destination, purchased La Madera from the club.

It improved access to the resort dramatically, helping turn a trip of "several hours of potholes and mud to an easy 45 minute drive".

Nordhaus was inspired to build an aerial tramway from Albuquerque to the ski slope after seeing other trams during a trip to Europe.

[8] In 2017, the US Forest Service adopted plans outlined in the resort's 2016 master plan for a "Four Seasons Activity Area", including a food service yurt, two ziplines, and a mountain coaster (a type of tracked sled ride), which was to be built at the summit in the summer of 2022, but was placed on hold that year due to world events and public misconceptions of ecological impact.

A new chair or surface lift, Chairlift #6, will be built to serve the beginner area and tubing park.

[10] Sandia Peak Ski Area was sold to Mountain Capital Partners (MCP) in early 2024 and opened for about a month with Chair #3 operating.

The base lodge, Double Eagle II Day Lodge, contains a restaurant, gift shop, day rentals, a ski patrol station, and two ski instruction schools: Cubby corner, for children under 11; and the Snow Sports School, for students 10 and older.

Cubby Corner has an eponymous private ski run with a handle tow named "Mitey Mite".

Scrapyard Terrain Park, located near the lodge, offers ramps, rails, and other obstacles for skiers and snowboarders.

The visitor center of the Cibola National Forest is also located in the terminal, as well as a ski patrol station.

The area hosts hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, bird-watching, fine-dining, and scenic viewing in the summer months.

[9] The coaster, if built, will take riders in carts down a 2,825 foot (861 m) meandering track at speeds of up to 25–30 miles per hour (40–48 km/h).

1 aerial tramway 4 double chairlifts 1 surface lifts The named ski runs at the resort include: