A high desert sking
The unique allure of Taos Ski Valley
Montreal Gazette, Nov. 27, 2007
Not many ski resorts are reached following a route through a high desert landscape of sagebrush, red earth and adobe houses. But then, Taos Ski Valley is like no other resort. Located 19-miles north of the town of Taos, New Mexico - famous for its bohemian art scene, Pueblo architecture and southwestern cuisine - a mere 20 minute drive can transport you from a classic southwest landscape to one of snow-covered mountains, chalets and a world-class skiing.
I had not associated New Mexico with skiing until I found myself making this unique voyage from red desert to winter wonderland. Taos Ski Valley is a bit like a New Mexican Alpine village. The air still has that dry desert crispness but it seems just a bit thinner at 2805m. The spectacular Sangre de Cristo Mountains soar about a ski village comprised of classic and updated Alpine chalets and hotels with names like “Edelweiss Lodge” and the “St. Bernard.” There are not chain hotels or Starbucks to be seen and long before I hit the slopes I knew this was not your average ski resort.
One of the few family-run resorts in the US, the village and the ski hill have been developed slowly over the past 50 years. This reflects the philosophy of the Valley’s founder Ernie Blake (born Bloch), a German sportsman who fled the Nazis and ended up helping to found some of America’s top ski resorts: Vail, Aspen and Taos. While the first two have gone jet set, Taos has kept its small hill feel, despite its world-class runs. After founding the ski hill in 1955, Blake and his wife Rhonda set up their home in the valley, put in the first lift a year later and never looked back. Ernie died in 1989, but today the Blake’s are local legends and their children and grandchildren still run the hill, continuing to focus on quality skiing without the glitz of the bigger resorts.
The atmosphere is laid back and friendly and you are more likely to share a lift with a person wearing mismatched gortex than a designer ski outfit. However that same person will most likely zip pass you in perfect Olympic form on a double diamond run; for as almost anyone in Taos Ski Valley will tell you - “here, it is all about the skiing.”
Reaching up to 3804m (Kachina Peak), these are serious mountains and I soon understood why Taos Ski Valley enjoys a reputation as a skier’s ski resort. With an average snowfall of 305 inches, 300 plus days of sunshine and some of the most challenging, unspoiled ski terrain in the US, Taos attracts serious skiers. The Taos ridge, a double-black-diamond area accessible only by foot (skiers take the lift to the highest point - 3602m - then hike up with their skis on their backs) is mythic among experts. But Taos is not just for practiced skiers; with 110 trails (24% beginner, 25% intermediate; 51% expert) there are many routes for every level.
I think part of its allure is that it is refreshingly low-tech and feels a bit like an earlier, purer skiing age. Standing in the lift line (which was rarely long), I read about snow conditions and meeting points on a large chalkboard set up next to the lift. I took my time on the runs the first day as I was still getting acclimatized to the altitude, which gave me time to appreciate the fabulous views – on a clear day you can see the Colorado Rockies in the distance. I heard lots of Spanish spoken on the hill as it is a popular destination for Mexican skiers. There were also groups and individuals, from toddlers to seniors, taking lessons from the Ernie Blake Ski School. Known for its first-rate instructors and popular “learn to ski better” weeks, it is considered one of the best schools in the US.
I also didn’t see one snowboarder on the slopes, as Taos is one of the few snowboard free resorts in the US. As an intermediate skier who has been knocked over more than once by an out-of-control boarder, I thought this was a great, and many skiers who come to the Valley say that the no snowboard policy is part of the resort’s attraction. However the rule has ruffled some feathers and I saw several “Free Taos” bumper stickers in the region, referring to a movement that wants to be able to snowboard at Taos.
There have also been calls to put in a lift to the Taos Ridge. Almost 30% of the most difficult runs require some sort of hiking or traversing – Taos is definitely not for the lazy skier. “But this is part of the Valley’s appeal,” explained Chris Staggs, part of the extended Blake clan and vice-president of Taos Ski Valley marketing, over an après-ski margarita at the Edelweiss Lodge Bistro Bar. “We don’t want to be like every other resort; our skiers don’t want to be coddled. We provide them with great conditions and they do the rest.” The result is something old-fashioned and rather romantic – skiing here you feel a bit closer to nature and just a bit more adventurous. And I must admit that at the top of the Kachina Lift, I watched with envy as better skiers than I pulled off their skis and headed up on foot to the pristine powder and spectacular views of the Ridge.
But for all the talk of no frills, there are still plenty of plush, comfortable accommodations in the Valley and after a day on the slopes, skiers gather for a bit of serious après-ski bonhomie at a variety of bars and restaurants. For dinner, hungry skiers can dig into everything from burritos to Swiss fondue to French home cooking.
And for any non-skiers or those who would just enjoy an afternoon off the slopes, the nearby historic town of Taos offers plenty of diversions. There are art galleries, craft boutiques and numerous excellent museums in and around the town, such as the Harwood Museum featuring New Mexican artists and the renowned Millicent Rogers Museum of Spanish colonial and Native American art. The Taos Pueblo, a remarkable multistoried adobe structure dating to the 1440 and still inhabited by the Taos Pueblo Tribe is well worth a visit. Plus there is the region’s natural beauty: red earth dotted with ponderosa pines and juniper trees sandwiched between the Sangre de Cristos Mountains and the majestic Rio Grande River.
However, few who arrive to ski, end up spending too much time away from the hill. Relaxed, multi-cultural, welcoming and with terrain to please both the gold-medalist and the novice, there are few such unique ski destinations as Taos Ski Valley.
How to get there:
Air Canada flies from Montreal to Albuquerque (via Denver) from around $600 return. From there it a 135-mile drive north to Taos Ski Valley.
Skiing:
Daily lift pass: US$59 (adult), discounts for children, teens and seniors; open from November 23 to April 8.
Ernie Blake Ski School: offers private and group lessons as well as popular “Learn to ski better weeks” (6 days of lessons - US$210); contact sstsv@skitaos.org; 866.968.7386 ext. 1355.
For more information contact Taos Ski Valley: www.skitaos.org; tel: 866.250.7619; Address: PO Box 90, Taos Ski Valley, New Mexico 87525.
Where to Stay and Eat:
There are numerous accommodations in Taos Ski Valley, some right on the ski hill.
- Edelweiss Lodge and Spa: The 40-year old Edelweiss burnt down a few years ago and was rebuilt in an updated, Alpine style and offers a spa and well-decorated rooms and condos at the base of the hill. They also have a popular bistro serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. Apartments begin around US$430 a night during high season (early January to late March). Tel: 800-458-8754; www.edelweisslodgeandspa.com
- Hotel St. Bernard: Rustic (i.e. no telephones or televisions in rooms) alpine-style hotel on the hill, run by Frenchman Jean Mayer, who came to the Valley in 1958 and is the technical director of the ski school. Offers 7 nights accommodation, three meals a day, a 6-day lift pass and daily lessons from US$1966 per adult. Tel: 505.776.2251;www.stbernardtaos.com.
There are also many hotels in the town of Taos. One of the most romantic is the B&B Hacienda del Sol, a 200-year-old adobe house where the DH Lawrence, Georgia O’Keefe and Ansel Adams have stayed. Doubles from US$180; they also offer multi-day ski specials; tel: 505-758-0287; www.taoshaciendadelsol.com.
Montreal Gazette, Nov. 27, 2007
Not many ski resorts are reached following a route through a high desert landscape of sagebrush, red earth and adobe houses. But then, Taos Ski Valley is like no other resort. Located 19-miles north of the town of Taos, New Mexico - famous for its bohemian art scene, Pueblo architecture and southwestern cuisine - a mere 20 minute drive can transport you from a classic southwest landscape to one of snow-covered mountains, chalets and a world-class skiing.
I had not associated New Mexico with skiing until I found myself making this unique voyage from red desert to winter wonderland. Taos Ski Valley is a bit like a New Mexican Alpine village. The air still has that dry desert crispness but it seems just a bit thinner at 2805m. The spectacular Sangre de Cristo Mountains soar about a ski village comprised of classic and updated Alpine chalets and hotels with names like “Edelweiss Lodge” and the “St. Bernard.” There are not chain hotels or Starbucks to be seen and long before I hit the slopes I knew this was not your average ski resort.
One of the few family-run resorts in the US, the village and the ski hill have been developed slowly over the past 50 years. This reflects the philosophy of the Valley’s founder Ernie Blake (born Bloch), a German sportsman who fled the Nazis and ended up helping to found some of America’s top ski resorts: Vail, Aspen and Taos. While the first two have gone jet set, Taos has kept its small hill feel, despite its world-class runs. After founding the ski hill in 1955, Blake and his wife Rhonda set up their home in the valley, put in the first lift a year later and never looked back. Ernie died in 1989, but today the Blake’s are local legends and their children and grandchildren still run the hill, continuing to focus on quality skiing without the glitz of the bigger resorts.
The atmosphere is laid back and friendly and you are more likely to share a lift with a person wearing mismatched gortex than a designer ski outfit. However that same person will most likely zip pass you in perfect Olympic form on a double diamond run; for as almost anyone in Taos Ski Valley will tell you - “here, it is all about the skiing.”
Reaching up to 3804m (Kachina Peak), these are serious mountains and I soon understood why Taos Ski Valley enjoys a reputation as a skier’s ski resort. With an average snowfall of 305 inches, 300 plus days of sunshine and some of the most challenging, unspoiled ski terrain in the US, Taos attracts serious skiers. The Taos ridge, a double-black-diamond area accessible only by foot (skiers take the lift to the highest point - 3602m - then hike up with their skis on their backs) is mythic among experts. But Taos is not just for practiced skiers; with 110 trails (24% beginner, 25% intermediate; 51% expert) there are many routes for every level.
I think part of its allure is that it is refreshingly low-tech and feels a bit like an earlier, purer skiing age. Standing in the lift line (which was rarely long), I read about snow conditions and meeting points on a large chalkboard set up next to the lift. I took my time on the runs the first day as I was still getting acclimatized to the altitude, which gave me time to appreciate the fabulous views – on a clear day you can see the Colorado Rockies in the distance. I heard lots of Spanish spoken on the hill as it is a popular destination for Mexican skiers. There were also groups and individuals, from toddlers to seniors, taking lessons from the Ernie Blake Ski School. Known for its first-rate instructors and popular “learn to ski better” weeks, it is considered one of the best schools in the US.
I also didn’t see one snowboarder on the slopes, as Taos is one of the few snowboard free resorts in the US. As an intermediate skier who has been knocked over more than once by an out-of-control boarder, I thought this was a great, and many skiers who come to the Valley say that the no snowboard policy is part of the resort’s attraction. However the rule has ruffled some feathers and I saw several “Free Taos” bumper stickers in the region, referring to a movement that wants to be able to snowboard at Taos.
There have also been calls to put in a lift to the Taos Ridge. Almost 30% of the most difficult runs require some sort of hiking or traversing – Taos is definitely not for the lazy skier. “But this is part of the Valley’s appeal,” explained Chris Staggs, part of the extended Blake clan and vice-president of Taos Ski Valley marketing, over an après-ski margarita at the Edelweiss Lodge Bistro Bar. “We don’t want to be like every other resort; our skiers don’t want to be coddled. We provide them with great conditions and they do the rest.” The result is something old-fashioned and rather romantic – skiing here you feel a bit closer to nature and just a bit more adventurous. And I must admit that at the top of the Kachina Lift, I watched with envy as better skiers than I pulled off their skis and headed up on foot to the pristine powder and spectacular views of the Ridge.
But for all the talk of no frills, there are still plenty of plush, comfortable accommodations in the Valley and after a day on the slopes, skiers gather for a bit of serious après-ski bonhomie at a variety of bars and restaurants. For dinner, hungry skiers can dig into everything from burritos to Swiss fondue to French home cooking.
And for any non-skiers or those who would just enjoy an afternoon off the slopes, the nearby historic town of Taos offers plenty of diversions. There are art galleries, craft boutiques and numerous excellent museums in and around the town, such as the Harwood Museum featuring New Mexican artists and the renowned Millicent Rogers Museum of Spanish colonial and Native American art. The Taos Pueblo, a remarkable multistoried adobe structure dating to the 1440 and still inhabited by the Taos Pueblo Tribe is well worth a visit. Plus there is the region’s natural beauty: red earth dotted with ponderosa pines and juniper trees sandwiched between the Sangre de Cristos Mountains and the majestic Rio Grande River.
However, few who arrive to ski, end up spending too much time away from the hill. Relaxed, multi-cultural, welcoming and with terrain to please both the gold-medalist and the novice, there are few such unique ski destinations as Taos Ski Valley.
How to get there:
Air Canada flies from Montreal to Albuquerque (via Denver) from around $600 return. From there it a 135-mile drive north to Taos Ski Valley.
Skiing:
Daily lift pass: US$59 (adult), discounts for children, teens and seniors; open from November 23 to April 8.
Ernie Blake Ski School: offers private and group lessons as well as popular “Learn to ski better weeks” (6 days of lessons - US$210); contact sstsv@skitaos.org; 866.968.7386 ext. 1355.
For more information contact Taos Ski Valley: www.skitaos.org; tel: 866.250.7619; Address: PO Box 90, Taos Ski Valley, New Mexico 87525.
Where to Stay and Eat:
There are numerous accommodations in Taos Ski Valley, some right on the ski hill.
- Edelweiss Lodge and Spa: The 40-year old Edelweiss burnt down a few years ago and was rebuilt in an updated, Alpine style and offers a spa and well-decorated rooms and condos at the base of the hill. They also have a popular bistro serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. Apartments begin around US$430 a night during high season (early January to late March). Tel: 800-458-8754; www.edelweisslodgeandspa.com
- Hotel St. Bernard: Rustic (i.e. no telephones or televisions in rooms) alpine-style hotel on the hill, run by Frenchman Jean Mayer, who came to the Valley in 1958 and is the technical director of the ski school. Offers 7 nights accommodation, three meals a day, a 6-day lift pass and daily lessons from US$1966 per adult. Tel: 505.776.2251;www.stbernardtaos.com.
There are also many hotels in the town of Taos. One of the most romantic is the B&B Hacienda del Sol, a 200-year-old adobe house where the DH Lawrence, Georgia O’Keefe and Ansel Adams have stayed. Doubles from US$180; they also offer multi-day ski specials; tel: 505-758-0287; www.taoshaciendadelsol.com.
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