New Mexico Ski Firm Measures Success in Life-style, Not Scale

Published January twenty eighth, 2026 at 12:00 am

One of New Mexico’s solely homegrown ski and snowboard corporations builds 100 pairs a 12 months. Designed for the punishing terrain of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and completed with artwork from native artists, co-owner Ted Wolff plans to maintain it that means.

Approaching its tenth 12 months, Just Point It (JPI) occupies a uncommon area within the business: Each ski is constructed to deal with a number of the Southwest’s steepest runs whereas doubling as limited-edition artwork rooted in New Mexican tradition. Wolff, a painter by commerce, began the corporate along with his brother after breaking dozens of pairs of skis on New Mexico’s jagged terrain. Wolff’s model operates on a lifestyle-first mannequin, releasing small runs that includes native artists and turning skis right into a canvas for regional id.

As the model expands into tribute boards and youngsters’s skis, Wolff goals to guard a slower-paced, community-driven ski tradition in an business more and more targeted on scale.

“I want to try to keep the original vibe … of what it was,” Wolff mentioned. “I’d like people to try to keep it that way for our kids, because the world’s just changing so quickly … I’d like it to stay kind of slower paced, and that’s why we like New Mexico.”

Born From Danger and Broken Equipment

The firm’s identify got here from what Wolff and his brothers shouted on Taos Ski Valley’s steepest chutes.

“We’d be jumping on top of these lines and looking down, and all you see is the top of trees. You can’t really see the exit,” Wolff mentioned. “You tell your buddy, ‘What’s up, man, how’s it look? Just point it.’ That was the term we’d use to tell each other to get out of the danger zone and get to the bottom.”

The phrase wasn’t a slogan. It was a survival name, a reminder to decide to the road and ski out of hassle.

Between Ted and his brother Nick, they broke about 30 pairs testing their limits on terrain at Taos and Santa Fe Ski Basin. Major manufacturers like Rossignol couldn’t take the punishment. Then they discovered Never Summer, a Denver producer whose skis held up.

“They call them bombproof because they’re just durable, and they can take the rocks that we have in New Mexico,” Wolff mentioned.

While competing in excessive freeride occasions, the brothers began making T-shirts and stickers round 2010. They didn’t launch precise skis till 2016.

Built for Taos

Just Point It skis and snowboards are constructed for powerful terrain that calls for sturdy tools.

“Taos is very known for its steep and rocky terrain. It needs to be a certain build so it can take a little bit more abuse,” Wolff mentioned.

The firm makes three fashions — all-mountain, powder and park — every with conventional camber, wooden cores and rubber dampening as a substitute of metallic. It’s old-school expertise, however Wolff mentioned it really works: In 9 years, he’s had solely a handful of returns.

The skis are constructed at Never Summer’s Denver manufacturing unit. “I can’t design things better than what they’ve been doing for 25 years, so I’m stoked to just be using their technology,” he mentioned.

Canvas for Local Artists

What units JPI aside is its annual collaboration with New Mexico artists. Each season incorporates a restricted run of 100 pairs, showcasing work by native creatives and turning the skis into shifting reveals of New Mexican iconography.

This 12 months’s Green Chile Ski, designed by graphic designer Jesse Sandoval, bought out instantly. Previous editions included the Kung Fu Wolf by an area Taos police officer/artist and designs by Toby Morfin.

“We try to get a local artist every year to be represented on our skis,” Wolff mentioned.

The collaborations transcend aesthetics. This 12 months, Wolff is planning a tribute snowboard for Roland Garcia, who labored at Santa Fe Ski Basin and died final 12 months

“He was a big pillar in that whole ski industry, and definitely in the Santa Fe ski area,” Wolff mentioned.

The Zia image grew to become a turning level for the model, serving to Just Point It develop from a distinct segment operation into one thing locals took satisfaction in.

The Anti-Growth Model

In an business obsessive about scale, JPI makes about 100 pairs of skis a 12 months, sells out virtually each season and has no plans to develop.

“We only make 100 pairs a year with boards, and we kind of just want to sell out,” Wolff mentioned. “We want to make them limited — if you don’t get them, you don’t get them, and then you have to wait till next year to get the next design.”

Wolff nonetheless runs Just Paint It, his home portray enterprise, working by means of summers whereas managing ski pre-orders.

“Success would be just enjoying what we’re doing, to be able to go skiing and to be able to enjoy the lifestyle,” he mentioned. “I really like the fact that I can go out and ski on my own skis, and other people enjoy them as much as I do. That’s just fulfilling to me. If I get rich, all right, cool. But if I don’t, it still gets me outside every day.”

He assessments his personal merchandise, and his two daughters could mannequin a children’ line he’s contemplating. These days, he sees strangers driving his skis — at first unusual, now validating.

“At a certain point, it’s really cool to see other people enjoying them, not just the buddies or the family,” he mentioned.

Choosing New Mexico

Wolff might have moved to Colorado. He selected to remain.

“I just like the mountains and the people better,” he mentioned. “The culture is cooler. There’s something about New Mexico that just has a special place for me. I go to Colorado, I feel like everything’s the same.”

As co-owner of one of many state’s solely homegrown ski corporations nearing its tenth 12 months, Wolff feels a duty to symbolize New Mexico’s ski tradition — family-owned mountains, loyal locals and a slower tempo that resists company sameness.

“I feel like we gotta keep representing for our hometown,” he mentioned.

He’s exploring a state ambassador program geared toward selling New Mexico snowboarding and exhibiting guests what the state presents past its better-known neighbors.

Preserving the Old School

When Wolff appears forward, he talks about preservation — of mountains, neighborhood and a lifestyle.

“We’re trying to build something around the mountains and around our community that was trying to keep it how it was,” he mentioned. “I really like the old school guys in Taos. I’d like people to try to keep it that way for our kids, because the world’s just changing so quickly. I’d like it to stay kind of slower paced, and that’s why we like New Mexico.”

Whether portray a homeless shelter or constructing the following ski run, Wolff chooses way of life over scale.

So far, 100 pairs a 12 months is strictly sufficient.

Related