What To Do In Taos: Downhill Skiing

For all entries in the "What To Do" Series, my personal and professional bias as an Innkeeper is clearly going to show through.  Please use the links in each individual category to get more comprehensive information. 

Taos Ski Valley Photo by Michael Carter, Chef and Innkeeper at La Posada de Taos in 2010

Downhill Skiing 

Taos Ski Valley is the grand-daddy of all ski resorts in the entire State of New Mexico.  It is the only ski destination in the state that is routinely listed in rankings of the nation's top ski resorts.including rankings by skiers themselves in Ski Magazine.  There are two primary places to start for complete information: 

Taos Ski Valley
Taos Ski Valley Chamber of Commerce 

The ski season at TSV typically runs from Thanksgiving Day through the first weekend of April.  Although the opening day may be delayed due to snow conditions, the closing day is never beyond that first Sunday of April. 

La Posada de Taos offers various Ski Packages during the season for our guests -- all of them involve lifts or ski schools for Taos Ski Valley only.  For example, this year our Lifts and Lodging Package offers guests 3 nights in a premium room (king bed, whirlpool-style bathtub, and wood-burning fireplace) plus 2 each 2-day lift tickets to TSV for $240 per night, double occupancy.  We also will be participating in the final discounted ski week package promoted by TSV.  In that program, if you book six nights with us, you'll get six days (that's right, 6 days!) of ski lessons at TSV for FREE!  This last promotional package is only available during the last week of March 2011.

Taos Ski Valley is known as a "Skiers Mountain."  To me this means that the resort is focused solely on the skiing experience.  Although there are shops and clubs where you can enjoy apres ski activities, they are not the focus of what is offered.

Being a Skiers Mountain also means that the Ski and Snowboard Schools at TSV are among the best.  The Children's Learning Center is one of the largest buildings at TSV and the adult and teen schools are simply incredible.  If you bring your children to Taos to learn, they will be able to enjoy the sport anywhere in the world.  The schools really are that good!

However, being a Skiers Mountain does NOT mean that TSV isn't a great place to snowboard.  Since the resort allowed boarders for the first time just a few short years ago, the mountain has become home to many who love to shred.  All the hoopla about folks not getting along simply has not come to pass.  In fact, because the average age of the snowboard crowd continues to climb each year, the mountain tends to be populate with lots of 30-something boarders but even younger skiers. 

There is a myth that Taos is "too hard" to ski for the novice.  Not true.  I finally learned to ski at TSV in January.   The amount of beginner terrain that I haven't even seen yet is unbelievable.  There is a lot of terrain and the green (beginner) and blue (intermediate) runs are extensive.  The ski-able terrain is simply massive and the wonderful easier runs wind back and forth down the contours of the mountain.

The black (expert) and double-black (insane) runs at TSV are also extensive and are the reason why so many folks are intimidated by the resort.  It's true that the blacks and double-blacks at TSV are challenging, but that's what their rating implies.  These more difficult runs are really why Taos is famous in the Ski World.  Only Jackson Hole has more vertical drop than TSV.  It's where the hard-core skier can come and really test their mettle.

With an average of 305"  of powdery white snow each season, TSV will still get close to 200" in a "bad" year.  In other words, unless you're looking to jump off one of the double-blacks, there's always going to be lots and lots of greens, blues and blacks available to ski.

I realize that I've completely ignored the other ski destination in our area and I promise that I will try to get back to describing them next season.  Each has its own merits and each is a place you should look into for an easy-going Family Trip.  Here are the links.

Angel Fire
Red River
Sipapu
Ski Santa Fe
Pajarito (Los Alamos)

Angel Fire, Red River and Sipapu are all within 45 minutes of the Town of Taos.  Pajarito Ski Basin is above Los Alamos while Ski Santa Fe is 18 miles above Santa Fe proper, thus making it the farthest drive.