New Mexico

Swaddled by the 1.2 million-acre Lincoln National Forest (where the original Smokey the Bear cub was found) in south central New Mexico, the sleepy village of Cloudcroft, population 850 people with another 1,200 people in the surrounding area, started out as a planned tourist retreat at the turn of the 20th-century.   It was accessible by rail, and its famous Lodge, built by the Alamogordo and Sacramento Mountain Railway and once managed by hotel magnate Conrad Hilton, hosted such notables as Clark Cable, Judy Garland and Pancho Villa.   Today, Cloudcroft still draws visitors in search of mountain air, blue skies, high country solitude and inspiration.    The cost of living meets the national average, and the median home price is $175,000 (most homes, which are often cabins, are tucked in the forest).  There is little crime, and 45% of residents, most of whom are conservative, are age 45 or better.  Despite being a tiny, New Mexican mountain town, Cloudcroft's average household income meet the national average, and it has an excellent public school system (just three schools).
	Accessible these days via two-lane Highway 82, Cloudcroft is rustic, low key and a little bit touristy.  It sits in the Sacramento Mountains at an elevation of 9,000 feet, and its heart and soul is still the luxurious Lodge Resort and Spa, an inviting but imposing structure that some claim is haunted (its elegant restaurant is named Rebecca's, after the resident ghost). Not a lot goes on in this mountain hamlet, which may be why people seem to enjoy it so much.   It does have some festivals, including the Memorial Day May Fair and Octoberfest in the fall, and residents enjoy playing golf at the Lodge, which has one of the highest elevation golf courses in the country.  Other recreational amenities, including casino gambling and horse racing, are within 50 miles (and camping, hiking and backpacking are unlimited)..  Shopping basics can be found in town, primarily along cute, toruisty Burro Street, but Alamogordo (population 35,000), 20 miles west, has more retailers and eateries.
Cloudcroft does not have a hospital, but Gerald Champion Regional Medical Center in Alamogordo has 99 beds and is accredited by the Joint Commission.  It accepts military patients from nearby Holloman Air Force Base as well as civilian patients and hosts an annual, free health fair.  Unfortunately, the hospital also just filed for bankruptcy protection in August of this year, thanks to a number of unresolved lawsuits that have been filed against it.  Hospital board members are confident that GCRMC will emerge from bankruptcy stronger and better able to serve the community, but only 50% of patients would recommend the facility to a friend.  Medicaid and Medicare patients are accepted.  The next nearest hospital is 75 miles away.
The Michael Nivison Public Library is small and open during limited hours.  Wireless internet has come to Cloudcroft but not so much to the library. Sacramento Mountains Senior Services provides a number of services, as the name would indicate, to the senior population.  Included are recreation activities, insurance assistance, health screenings and nutrition classes at the Cloudcroft Center, as well as home delivered meals.  Cloudcroft does not have a public transportation system, but SMSS offers van transportation ($5 donation requested).
The climate is what brings many people to Cloudcroft.  The air is dry, and summer temperatures rarely reach above 80 degrees.  Winters can get chilly, with temperatures dipping into the teens and 20s.   The town receives an inch or two of precipitation a month (more in July and August) and about a foot of snow each winter month.   On the comfort index, Cloudcroft comes in well above the national average, and the sun shines almost 300 days a year.   The water quality is slightly below the national average, but the air quality is well above the national average. It is worth noting that Cloudcroft has had some water scarcity issues, and many homes keep back-up water tanks.  The downtown also suffered a fire in 2010, and two building were destroyed.

Recommended as a Retirement Spot? Yes, but... Have a town in mind for retirement?  Write to us and we will review it in a weekly issue!

Situated in beautiful mountain scenery, Cloudcroft is cute, safe, rejuvenative and reasonably priced.  It is remote but attracts enough tourists to feel connected to the rest of the world.  The hospital situation, though, is worrisome.  People thinking of retirement in Cloudcroft should carefully weigh the facility's financial state and overall quality.

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