Taos Ski Valley Sold?!

[NMSKI]

http://skitaos.org/files/tsv/press.pdf

 

One of the last family owned major ski areas is family owned no longer. While the sale should allow for some much needed improvements, its basically a foregone conclusion that a lift will be going up on Kachina now. The new CEO was the existing COO who was vocal in his support of the Kachina peak lift (as well as other improvements that many agree with). The uniqueness and beauty that was Kachina peak will soon be nothing more than a big mogul field with Texans in blue jeans all over it.

 

I'm going back this March for a week or so, and it will be really sad to make what might be my last hike up there in its unspoiled state.

[toast21602]

at least the guy seems like he is big on conservation. hopefully that will help preserve the place so it doesn't end up looking like a zoo.

[NMSKI]

at least the guy seems like he is big on conservation. hopefully that will help preserve the place so it doesn't end up looking like a zoo.

That's true. This is much better than Vail Resorts or Intrawest, aquiring the mountain.

[fastfood]

how good is taos?

[NMSKI]

Is the terrain up there easy enough for herbs to ski?

"Main street" is easy enough for herbs to struggle down. Easy to get into some serious shit though if you zig where you are supposed to zag. This picture was taken coming down either Main Street or K5 to give an idea.

 

how good is taos?

As good as anywhere when the snow is good. Very steep. When the snow is not great it is limited at best. Edited December 12, 2013 by NMSKI

[moe ghoul]

One of the ski rags had a nice write up about some family owned resort in NM, is this the one? Can't recall the family name from the article, it was in Powder or Ski this season.

[Johnny Law]

One of the ski rags had a nice write up about some family owned resort in NM, is this the one? Can't recall the family name from the article, it was in Powder or Ski this season.

 

It was Taos.

 

Mother fucker.... Taos was a hold out from a different time. As a money thing it probably had to happen, they've had $$$ issues off an on for 40 years.

 

So fucking lame on the Kachina lift, it will probably be the Kachina lift presented by Amway or something equally as retarded.

 

Better than Vail turning it into Northstar at Tahoe South or DV 2 but the 80 year old man in me is unhappy.

[NMSKI]

Isn't Taos too far off the beaten path to be a major destination?

That's right. It's 2.5 hours from Albuquerque, which isn't exactly a major hub. Probably 6 hours from Denver but not sure why anyone would do that.

[NMSKI]

For the skier visits they do all this investment seems like a waste of money. Do they have much slope side lodging and other amenities at the base?

Lodging and amenities at the base are fairly limited. There's the snakedance and the St. Bernard for lodging, about 10 or 15 total shops and maybe 3 or 4 small restaurants/bars. I'd like to see the business model because I agree with you that the skier visits don't justify the cost.

[Johnny Law]

That's right. It's 2.5 hours from Albuquerque, which isn't exactly a major hub. Probably 6 hours from Denver but not sure why anyone would do that.

 

If your doing a 4 corners trip but most people don't do that.

 

Fly into Alb, hit Taos, then run into Southern CO, hit Silverton, Wolf, Durango and Telluride. Go home out of telluride-Denver or something similar.

[NMSKI]

http://www.taosnews.com/news/article_f416fa5e-62b8-11e3-9371-0019bb2963f4.html?mode=jqm

 

He almost had me then he made the "older legs" comment.

[Ski2Live Live2Ski]

Skies Taos once in 89. Beautiful place but the altitude there was even more breathtaking than the view - nearly knocked me out coming from sea level without much time to acclimate.

[NMSKI]

Wow base is 9200 feet..that's high.

Ski Santa Fe's base elevation is 10,350.

 

I've learned the hard way and figured out a good routine for avoiding altitude sickness when I'm out there.

[NMSKI]

What is the routine for avoiding altitude sickness?

The following:

- fill camelback with hot water (so it won't freeze) and drink water on every lift ride.

- stay somewhere at or below 7,500 feet if possible so the body can recover.

- first ski day take it a little easier than normal

- limit the beer and caffeine

- don't hike for turns first day (unless big storm then fuck it)

- try to sleep enough

 

Pretty basic but works for me. I only have to worry about it skiing where I'm someplace that gets above 11 or 12,000 feet, otherwise I would just go hard each day and drink lots of beer at night.

[Johnny Law]

What is the routine for avoiding altitude sickness?

Smoke....seriously it's the only positive of smoking, your brain adjusts your heart every time you light up so when you go somewhere high it's pretty much the same thing. Athletic young males get it the worst. Old people get it terrible, kids like everything else don't even seem to notice.

[Justo8484]

Smoke....seriously it's the only positive of smoking, your brain adjusts your heart every time you light up so when you go somewhere high it's pretty much the same thing. Athletic young males get it the worst.

[toast21602]

I'm an "athletic young male" and I've never had an issue. Even after hiking. I guess it really effects everybody in different ways.

[Johnny Law]

I'm an "athletic young male" and I've never had an issue. Even after hiking. I guess it really effects everybody in different ways.

 

Ut tops out pretty low and if your sleeping in SLC your even lower.

 

I've never had it but my sister picked it up a little in telluride and I've never seen her with issues before. She lives in FLA so that's like 10 feet to 9000k in 24 hours.

 

High enough everyone will have issues but it definitely seems you either get it or you don't.

[Ski2Live Live2Ski]

For me I had just gotten off a plane from New York the day before skiing and had stayed in Albequerque that night so I had no acclimation. About the only thing I was doing right seems to have been smoking (which I long ago quit).

 

I skied fine for about 5 hours, but then was persuaded to do "one last run" I wasn't feeling, and got knocked out so bad I had to be brought down on a ski patrol sled and spent about the next 18 hours recovering.

 

Learned my lesson. Would have been one of the best ski experiences I've ever had were it not for that one last run.

[toast21602]

if you were out all day and didn't feel anything until the last run, i wouldn't blame that on the altitude. sounds like you were dehydrated or some shit like that.

[Ski2Live Live2Ski]

Maybe. All I know is I never felt anything like it any other time, and I've never skied at that altitude any other time. Wasn't really doing anything different in any other way.

[Ski2Live Live2Ski]

I've skied out west many times, but the altitudes are lower at Alta, Snowbird, Solitude, Steamboat, Vail, Eldora, and Heavenly.

Expect to make it out to Mt. Hood this season.

[Ski2Live Live2Ski]

I was visiting someone that lived in Boulder before spending a few days at Vail, and we spend one day skiing Eldora together. Also took my only powder skiing lesson there - a skill I don't get to practice as often as I would like.

[toast21602]

http://unofficialnetworks.com/taos-announces-plans-chair-kachina-peak-127830/

[NMSKI]

http://unofficialnetworks.com/taos-announces-plans-chair-kachina-peak-127830/

Ugh. I hate to sound like an old curmudgeon, but look at that picture and imagine how the natural beauty will be ruined with a lift going right up the middle. I guess i gotta get into touring.