Taos Ski Valley (TSV) is an old-school ski area, just the
kind we Laskins like. So old in fact that
it feels a bit like skiing in New England – the same kind of bare-bones
cafeteria and cold restrooms with wet floors covered in sludgy little islands
of tissues – until you look up, that is.
Then the Sangre de Cristo mountains tower right up above you to fierce
ridges that protect high steep bowls full of snow and bumps. And above that is the bluest sky you’ve ever
seen.
You have to drive about 35 minutes to get there from our
house, which means plenty of time for the Long Run.
Once at the ski area, there’s the requisite faux-Alpine
gestalt that accompanies any ski resort founded by members of the 1938 Austro-Germanic-Swiss
Ski Instructor Exodus.[1] Taos’ Ernie Blake – born Ernst Hermann Bloch
in Frankfurt (!) – spotted the valley while flying between instructor gigs at
Santa Fe Ski Basin and Glenwood Springs in the early 1950s. How old school is Taos? They didn’t permit snowboarding until 2010! The Blake family owned the place until 2013
and now a hedge-fund billionaire named Tom Bacon owns it, which is good,
because they’re adding upgrades and spiffing things up just a little.
To wit, while we are here, we learn that the TSV corp. has
received the much-coveted B certification from the B Lab, demonstrating their
commitment to “deliberate and thoughtful social, economic, and environmental
actions.”[2] This is the first ski resort in the world to
achieve this, joining other such socially responsibly organizations as
Patagonia and Ben and Jerry’s. I think
it is great, and am particularly enamored of their sustainability
campaign: Taos VERDE, which features a
jaunty green chile. Things really are
better with Bacon!
Still, other changes move at a more deliberate pace. At the base area there is an old sign that
says “DON’T PANIC you are only looking at 1/30th of the ski area.” This is because pretty much the only run you
can see from the bottom is a very steep bumper called Al’s Run, and indeed, it
is not for the faint of heart. But once
you ride Lift 1, you get to all kinds of nice terrain for everyone. This sign has been here for at least 25
years, and now is probably more for photo opps than anything else.
But TSV is actually full of warnings. On Lift 7, the instructions tell you to
“actually wait at the board that says wait” and then remind you to move out
smartly at the liftie’s command because “hesitation=devastation!” At the Kachina Peak chair, there are dire
warnings that you must stop yourself before you can’t because (skull-and-crossbones)
“YOU COULD DIE” (skull-and-crossbones).
But our favorite warning is at the top of Lift 2, where a surprisingly
life-like dummy lies spread-eagled on the snow, near a sign that states “SLIM
SLIDELL SAYS: KNOW HOW TO SELF-ARREST!”
and then gives instructions on how to do so.
Slim is wearing a blue ski suit, helmet, boots, gloves, which are all
duct-taped together. He looks more
alarming when partially covered by snow, because he brings to mind images of Mallory’s
body on Everest.[3]
Apparently Slim came out just a few days before we arrived. He is a mountain fixture from mid-season on,
as they move into icy mornings that produce slippery conditions on the steeps.
First day ski conditions found a touch of ice, and crappy
visibility due to some clouds and graupel[4] but
we all manage to find our way around.
Izzy even got to Hunziker Bowl with her class! Now, a word on Izzy and ski school. She is a real connoisseur of alpine ski
school instructors, having had many in her short 11½ years. Two have even entered her fiery pantheon of instructors: Spencer from Telluride (he even has a lovey
named after him, the bear known as Jelly Spencer Mooshie) and Parker from Sun
Valley (who handed out pins and introduced everyone to avi dogs). So you know, give us your best, Taos, because
this bar is set sky-high. Clinton, on
day 1, does not disappoint, although he has yet to really distinguish
himself. Still, he charmed me by asking
if this was my wonderful daughter when I picked her up, and telling me what a
great skier she is.
Clinton could go into my fiery pantheon of ski instructors
but I think he has a man bun under that helmet and that is a non-starter.
[1] See “Our Sun Valley Serenade” from February, 2016 for
historical background on the development of American ski resorts in the mid-20th
c.
[2] TSV Press release, 2.22.17. http://www.skitaos.com/bcorp/
[4] That is the official name for that weird, pellet-like
spring snow that looks like crumbled-styrofoam.
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