heading to Ruidoso in December - snow chances

[swimmer]

For the NM residents.  My family is thinking about getting together in Ruidoso sometime around xmas.  Of course I’d like to ride there from Tucson as opposed to driving if at all possible.  For anybody familiar with the area what do you think the chances are of encountering snow that time of year there?  Does this place see a lot of snow?  I now nothing about the place.  I’ve driven through southern AZ up to Santa Fe (along I25) several times during that time of year and its only when I’ve gotten to the Santa Fe area has there ever been any white stuff on the road.
Thanks

[BigHoss]

You will be good to go until you head up to Ruidoso from the lowlands. Ruidoso can get some good snowfall and it does get damn cold. It kinda sets in a valley between some mountain peaks. I'd watch the weather and decide yeah or neh. NM weather can be fickle.

This is Cloudcroft, just south of Ruidoso, December...

[Rabidsnipe]

Where in Cloudcroft was that first picture taken (what is it?) I don't remember seeing it in April.

[BigHoss]

It's The Lodge in Cloudcroft. Haunted they say...never bothered us.

[Rabidsnipe]

Is it actually in the city, or further up a mountain or something?

[Orson]

It's a roll of the dice.

I've ridden in 70 degree weather in West Texas in January...but it could just as easily be 30 degrees and snowing.

Ruidoso is a ski resort so chances are fairly good there will be snow at that altitude and probably won't see 70 degrees, let alone 60.

weather forecasts are reasonably accurate up to 48 hours so take a look the day before you leave and then decide.

If it were me, I'd take the car.

but that's just me  

[swimmer]

thanks for the input.  I haven't had much off time this year and since I get the week off for xmas I was really hoping to be able to ride but it looks like that is not a sure thing.  Guess I'll just have to play it by ear.