Spring Means Abundant Sun and Awesome Events In Taos Ski Valley

Wet and Wild
"A Long Cold Winter" usually has a negative connotation, but in the ski industry, it often means there has been lots of wintry weather and that's a good thing. Taos Ski Valley experience, what seems to be the new-norm in the Southwest, which is big snow storms all winter long. Now is the time to shed the down parka's and expose a bit of skin, skier-style. One of Taos' marque events is the Bud Light Pond Skimming Championship held at the base of Strawberry Hill. It seems competitors look for any reason to shed their clothes (and in some cases, almost all of their clothes!) during this event. This year's event will be held April 4, 2010 at 2:30 PM. Competitors must skim across an 80 foot pond of icy cold water for slush supremacy. Entry is $10 and will be held at the administrative offices.

The Record is 28
Fallen local, Ben Myers, was crazy about his home mountain and was known for "living on the ridge" during powder days. When he succumbed to cancer, his friends decided the best way to honor his life was to raise money for cancer research and ski the ridge. Out of those two thoughts came the Ben Myers Ridge-a-thon. The idea is to hike the Highline Ridge, West Basin Ridge and Kachina Peak as many times as humanly possible in one day. What is amazing is the record is 28 hikes in one day! Consider that at 11,000 feet, you receive less than 50% of the oxygen you get at sea level and that once you have made your hike up to Taos' famed steep terrain, you have to ski down it as fast as you can (if you are going for a record). Don't worry. If you aren't going out to impress everyone and just want to raise money for a good cause, you can go at your own pace. Everyone is welcome to participate, but if you hear heavy breathing and fast foot steps behind you, you may want to step aside. More information can be found at http://www.taoscf.org/about_us/news.php?ID=58

Don't miss our spring deals to see these great events with packages from $71/person/night.

More Snow At Taos Ski Valley, Ready for Extreme Competition

The Storm
Whether it is global warming or El Nino or some other phenomena, Taos Ski Valley has benefited from it. Another 18 inches of snow fell yesterday in Taos and the conditions are epic. Everything is open and the ski area already recorded one of the snowiest February's on record. The big 40 inch storm that hit last week turned the mountain into a virtual powder playground. "Yahoooo's" and "Oh Yeah's" were heard all over the chutes and glades. And of course there were a bunch of snorkel sightings too. Kachina Peak, sitting at 12, 491 feet, was caked with snow and provided the perfect turns every skier remembers for the rest of their lives.

The Event
This storm comes at the perfect time as Taos Ski Valley is hosting the Salomon Extreme Freeride Championship March 11-13. Whenever there is this type of snow before the competition, spectators should keep an eyes out for the really big cliff jumps that the competitors seem to take on without a thought. The first day of the event takes place on the West Basin Ridge, home to 80 foot cliff drops and some of the steepest chutes in the country. Spectators should watch from the top of chair 8 in the viewing gallery. Day two is back at the West Basin Ridge where half of the competitors get cut. The final day of competition brings competitors to famed Kachina Peak where athletes must first make the hour-long trek to the peak before going all out for the glory of being crowned champion. The Salomon Extreme Freeride Championships at Taos has inked a partnership deal with the SCOTT Big Mountain Fieberbrunn / Pillerseetal event, Austria. As part of the relationship, the winners of the Fieberbrunn event will receive complimentary entry and accommodations to the Taos event, March 10 – 13. In addition, the event is a Freeride World Qualifier (FWQ) event, allowing athletes to gain entry to the FWT's four showcase events: The Nissan Russian Adventure (Sochi, Russia), Nissan Tram Face (Squaw Valley, USA), Nissan Freeride de Chamonix (Chamonix, France) and Nissan Xtreme (Verbier, Switzerland). Taos also joins an elite group of venues, from Italy and Norway to Austria and Slovakia as a FWQ venue. The Taos event is one of the great spectator events in ski country and we've put some super discounted packages with $14 Off Lift Tickets and 30% Off Lodging to get you hear.

Big Winter Storm System Hits Taos Ski Valley

A large storm system made its way into the Southern Rockies on Saturday, beginning one of the bigger storm systems to New Mexico for the 2009/10 ski season. So, far 18 inches has fallen as of 6 AM mountain standard time with no end in site. To add to that total, forecasters are calling for 16+ inches more before the storm is said and done.
The NOAA site said "...WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 AM MST TUESDAY...

A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11
AM MST TUESDAY.

* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS...NEW SNOWFALL THROUGH EARLY TUESDAY WILL
RANGE FROM 4 TO 8 INCHES BELOW 7500 FEET AND 8 TO 16 INCHES
ABOVE 7500 FEET. LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS WILL BE POSSIBLE OVER
THE HIGHEST PEAKS AND ALONG NORTH AND EAST FACING SLOPES."

Taos Ski Valley has already experienced an epic ski season with numerous days of pure powder runs for skiers. All the terrain is open, including Taos' famed Kachina Peak, however some delays in certain area openings are expected as avalanche control will be extensive. Southern Rockies Reservations very own powderhound report has kept tabs on the storm. Check back with Tito often!

True Democracy Taos Ski Valley

Come celebrate President's Day up at Taos Ski Valley with perfect ski conditions, plenty of snow, sun and beautifully groomed runs. Bask in the regal peaks, fit for kings and queens - like the view of Kachina here - but don't be fooled. This is true democracy here. Both beginners and experts share the glory of Taos Ski Valley. At TSV, you can be a happy beginner skier or boarder on your first day, or an expert traversing the thrill of our peak, open this weekend for the first time this winter.

If you need lessons, I personally vouch for the Ski School here. As a newbie skier and new employee to Southern Rockies Reservations this season, I recently completed my first "Ski Week". The patience, skill and good humor of the TSV Ernie Blake Ski instructors are unsurpassed. What seemed impossible became possible within a few short days. I hereby officially nominate the lovely lady in yellow, ski instructor Emily Watson, for sainthood. She only got kicked in the head a few times (working to get my skis back on!) to get me safely down the relative challenge of Honeysuckle to the leisurely Rubezahl runs along rolling Rio Hondo streams. The views from atop the mountain surpass your wildest dreams: a truly magical apex in the famed land of enchantment.

Beat the mid-winter blues and bring the whole family up soon to frolic beneath the New Mexico sunshine on the most awesome slopes in North America! Presidents Day, a February weekend, Spring Break, there's still plenty of time left this winter to ski or board the West. Check out skithewest.com for our specials.

- submitted by Laura Lynch

Snow Triple Plays Taos Ski Valley

"The skiing's heavenly," grinned Taos Skier Services foreman Dave Norman. "An 'El Nino' dump."

Indeed, three storms of increasing power have socked it to Taos Ski Valley over just four days, in El Nino fashion. A fourth storm lurks around the corner in stormy California. Triple-play for sure, maybe a homerun? Snow is most welcome here, after a dry start to 2010.

Some 18 inches have piled up already. Snow's forecast for all day Friday into Saturday. Winter storm warnings are in effect until 6 am Saturday, 1/23. Taos Ski Valley may expect around two feet of new snow from this storm alone, atop the fresh foot accumulated earlier this week.

Schools and services close shop while die-hard skiers and snowboarders flock in droves to play in the mountain powder. Another snowball just smacked into the Welcome Booth window here! Come play!

- submitted by Laura Lynch

Back to School - Taos Ski Valley Style!

New Year’s resolutions to ski more, improve your turns, try out snowboarding, master more of the mountain? Before many colleges and universities roll in the new semester later in January, check out Taos’ world famous Ernie Blake Ski School for the best ski instruction available anywhere.

A Taos Ski Week intensive will boost your skills, confidence, and fun on the mountain. For unbelievable value (just $99 or less during January!) you get up to six days of lessons with the same group of students and one teacher following your progress. It all adds up to real instruction, solid practice, measurable growth – at all levels: beginners, intermediate, and advanced.


No time is better than the post-holiday, January calm – to rise to challenge of skiing Taos. Now is when the real students return to the mountain and learn lessons here like no other. Be here, ski here now!

"Skip School" and "Ski School" are just a letter away!

Check out our packages here. http://taosskitrips.com/

- submitted by Laura Lynch

Hot Springs and Cooking Classes at Taos Ski Valley

Hot Springs
Have you been to the Taos Ski Valley hot springs yet? No? Neither has anyone else. That is because there aren't any hot springs right in Taos Ski Valley, but the resort is located just a short distance from some of the best hot springs in the West in Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs. Every Tuesday during the ski season, there are day trips planned to bring guests for a day of relaxation and soaking.

The excursions are designed so you can still get a morning of skiing and be back in time for an evening meal with the family. Shuttles depart from the Taos Ski Valley Guard Gate at 1 PM and return around 6 PM. On your way to Ojo Caliente, you will take a one hour scenic ride over the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge, one of the highest bridges in the country, and through the mesa for a spectacular Southwest tour.

Indulge yourself with the Ojo Experience package which includes transportation, pool pass (mineral springs), robe/locker and a treatment of choice (custom massage, Radiant Sea Salt Glow or Sundari Custom face treatment). The Ojo Experience costs $155. The other option is the Soak Away which includes transportation and pool pass for $67. A robe and locker are not included in this price, but are available for rental for $15.

Cooking Classes
Every Wednesday, throughout the ski season, cooking classes will be offered with nationally acclaimed and award winning Chef, Chris Maher. Chris heads Cooking Studio TAOS - a teaching and food consortium - where people are encouraged to play with their food! Cuisines taught will vary from New Mexican to Italian, Moroccan to East Indian and everything in between. Classes are 100% hands on participation and learning, lasting approximately three hours and ending with a beautiful, seated meal of the recipes you have all created together. Students have fun and walk away having learned recipes, technique and theory. Fees include recipes, food and beverages.

Some of the recent class topics include "Mediterranean Flavors", "Hearty Winter Soups" and "Elegant Food to serve on the Eve of the New Year". The cost of the cooking class is $115 per person.