Taos Ski Week, a 6-morning lesson program, 2022-23 notes

[TNtoTaos]

The first season Deb worked with TSV Ski School, she was part of the Women's Ski Week. She spent some time with each group. I sat in the back of the room when she was reviewing video for an intermediate group since they didn't close of the room (in the same building as the main cafeteria). At one point she got up on a table to demonstrate something.

 

[liquidfeet]

Deb is a live wire. She never stops moving emphatically. Very energetic.

 

[marzNC]

Yeah this one is amazing in that you get Deb with your group the whole time. I wonder how they ensure that everyone meshes well into one group ability/goals/expectation wise.

From what I've seen of Alta multi-day clinics where the people stay at Alta Lodge and eat meals together, in addition to a full day of lessons, plus option evening talks, everyone is cooperative enough to make it work for 2-3 days. I haven't done one of those clinics because I prefer half-day lesson but have overlapped with the Alta Lodge clinics several times in recent years. I know the students are all in bed pretty early to rest up for the next day of skiing.

 

[marzNC]

Last season there was a Beginner Ski Week package that was quite reasonable. TSV is trying something different for 2022-23. The 2-day package for adult beginners is quite a deal, especially if two friends want to do it together. The price is $370. The bonus is that a friend can join in for free. If the friends (or family) split the cost, that's less than $100 per day per person for a lift ticket, gear rental, and full-day lesson.

"Book a 2-day Adult Beginner Lesson Package and bring a friend for free! Build confidence, create memories, and enjoy the mountain while learning to ski safely in our Beginner Experience Two Day Program. This two-day, 10-hour program runs from 9:30am to 3:30pm with a one-hour lunch break each day. Full day novice lift tickets and full day rentals are included."

Adult beginners use a different slope and lift than beginner kids in the Children's Program.

View from near the top of the Pioneer lift for beginners, Feb 2022


Lower section of the easiest green, Pioneer on the left, magic carpets on the right

 

[TNtoTaos]

This is a great deal!

 

[marzNC]

Recently there have been questions about the Women's Ski Week since the Diva West gathering will be at Taos during that week this season. Unlike regular Ski Weeks, which happen from mid-Dec through the end of the season, there is only one week for Women's Ski Week. The dates for 2022-23 are Feb. 26 thru March 3.

The price is the same as a regular Ski Week, $360, plus tip. There are usually special perks such as small discounts at local ski shops. In the past free demos from the TSV resort ski shop were available.

The students who are interested in Women's Ski Week must be women. The goal is to have all female instructors. However, if there are not enough available the advanced groups may have a male instructor. No special pre-registration is required. Always helpful for the ski school when people sign up in advance.

In Feb 2020, several Divas did the Women's Ski Week. There are some relevant posts in this trip report.

TR Taos Feb. 1-7, 2020

I'm back at Taos Ski Valley, fourth season in a row. Here with Bill and @Olesya Chornoguz per usual, plus several other Divas and friends. Everyone is going to do a Ski Week. Some Divas are doing the Women's Ski Week, I'm doing a Request Ski Week with the instructor I worked with last year...

www.theskidiva.com

 

[marzNC]

In Feb 2020, several Divas did the Women's Ski Week. There are some relevant posts in this trip report.

TR Taos Feb. 1-7, 2020

I'm back at Taos Ski Valley, fourth season in a row. Here with Bill and @Olesya Chornoguz per usual, plus several other Divas and friends. Everyone is going to do a Ski Week. Some Divas are doing the Women's Ski Week, I'm doing a Request Ski Week with the instructor I worked with last year...

www.theskidiva.com

Note that in 2020, Deb Armstrong was part of Women's Week. She opted to created her SkiStrong 3-day clinics after that experiment.

 

[marzNC]

For people who don't have Ikon or MCP, buying tickets in advance online can be the best approach. The price vary quite a bit between Mon-Thu and Fri-Sun. Senior rates start at age 65.

Very often people on ski club trips only get lift tickets for 5 days. They travel on Saturdays and ski Sun, Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri. There is no discount for skipping a Ski Week lesson but it's not a problem as far as the instructor is concerned. They are used to people starting on Monday, or even Tuesday, or skiing a day after starting on Sunday.

 

[marzNC]

Very often people on ski club trips only get lift tickets for 5 days. They travel on Saturdays and ski Sun, Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri. There is no discount for skipping a Ski Week lesson but it's not a problem as far as the instructor is concerned. They are used to people starting on Monday, or even Tuesday, or skiing a day after starting on Sunday.

Ack! Meant "skipping a day after starting on Sunday."

 

[marzNC]

Here are a few pictures of bumps at Taos from recent seasons.

The trip in January 2019 was during MLK week, so relatively early in the season. There were several intermediates doing Ski Weeks that week. I did a regular Ski Week with my ski buddy, Jason. I was the most experienced skier on bumps in the group. For that week I wanted to focus on technique on more mellow terrain. The instructor was really good at showing me how to practice on short shots off green and blue trails. Sometimes that meant 4-5 quick turns. When I was following directly behind him, he would go full speed. Took some effort to keep up!

Tell Glade (had trees long ago) under Lift 8, black, bumps all the way across, Feb 2018


Practice bumps on the side of a blue groomer, Jan 2019


Lower Lorelie, a long black, Jan 2019

 

[marzNC]

A lot has changed for skiers at Taos since 1985. Ski gear and clothing is certainly different. Of course back then skis were "straight skis" so technique was different. Something that hasn't changed is the dedication of Ski Week instructors who want to help their students have a good week of skiing that is both fun and makes a difference in their skiing even after they leave TSV.

Here's how a woman who was a beginner from the midwest spent a week learning to ski at TSV over 35 years ago. Her husband was from New England and had been a ski patroller at some point. He loved TSV.

November 1985

A LIFELONG AVERSION CONQUERED ON THE SLOPES OF TAOS VALLEY

Whether it was suddenly staying up on a bike or roller skates in childhood, or taking those first self-sufficient swimming strokes, or surpassing the pain/distance barrier in jogging, each of us ca…

www.chicagotribune.com

 

[Covie]

This is one of my fav pics from my 2014 ski week:

Our instructor Rick was a beauty! At the top of (I think) Stauffenburg, he insisted we switch poles, insisting my poles were too short. Here he is at the bottom, still holding my poles and his body language is priceless! He really put us all at ease that week. I learned so much from Rick, shoot I really need to replace those poles before I go back!

 

[TNtoTaos]

A lot has changed for skiers at Taos since 1985. Ski gear and clothing is certainly different. Of course back then skis were "straight skis" so technique was different. Something that hasn't changed is the dedication of Ski Week instructors who want to help their students have a good week of skiing that is both fun and makes a difference in their skiing even after they leave TSV.

Here's how a woman who was a beginner from the midwest spent a week learning to ski at TSV over 35 years ago. Her husband was from New England and had been a ski patroller at some point. He loved TSV.

November 1985

A LIFELONG AVERSION CONQUERED ON THE SLOPES OF TAOS VALLEY

Whether it was suddenly staying up on a bike or roller skates in childhood, or taking those first self-sufficient swimming strokes, or surpassing the pain/distance barrier in jogging, each of us ca…

www.chicagotribune.com

Interesting article about early days at TSV!

 

[marzNC]

Interesting article about early days at TSV!

I completely forgot about it. Was in a trip report I re-read recently.

With Ernie Blake and both Mayer brothers gone, the era when midwest skiers took the train from Chicago for a Ski Week staying at the St. Bernard is fully in the past. It's very lucky that Louis Bacon was willing to take over as an owner with the financial resources to move TSV into the 2020's as not just a fun mountain for locals and people willing to hike the ridge, but also a 4-season resort that will be a sustainable business. The relatively small number of people who stay in the luxury resort lodging all year long won't make a difference on the slopes, but must be good for the bottom line.

Looking forward to when the construction for the new St. Bernard is completed. They are going to great pains to preserve the feel of the old building on the ground floor. Jean Mayer and Louis Bacon had an agreement about the future of the St. B. before Jean died in 2020, age 85.

TSV didn't join the MCP until the 2016-17 season. That was a few years after the Blake family sold to Bacon. Ikon entered the picture in 2018-19. By then TSV was more than ready to host people who had never been before. That was the first season that Lift 1 was a detachable quad instead of a fixed-speed quad. While TSV hadn't had issues with a lift line, and still doesn't most days, having a faster lift as the only way to get out of the main base is much better.

Jean created the Ski Week to help make TSV successful. It's still important when it comes to why people make the trek to New Mexico for a week of big mountain skiing.

 

[marzNC]

Here are introductions to a few of the well known instructors who have been teaching at Taos for decades. A few Divas have had the good fortune to do a Ski Week with Derek in recent years. Max isn't teaching anymore (age 88) but his wife, Mary (73), is still an instructor who has worked with a few Divas.

My impression is that while Stuart and Derek aren't likely to retire as long as they are healthy, they are at an age where they are mostly teaching the lower level Ski Week groups. Stuart is in his 80s and Derek is mid-70s. The advanced groups often want to hike the Ridge and expect to ski double blacks during their Ski Week. For my Private Ski Week with Derek last season, it was clear he was very interested in teaching a group of older skiers who wanted to work on technique on blue or black bumps, instead of skiing more challenging terrain.

February 2022

January 2022

February 2016

Learning from the best at Taos Ski Valley

It was a humbling experience, but in the end, quite helpful.

www.santafenewmexican.com

 

[marzNC]

Taos Ski Weeks start mid-December and run through March. The closing date has been in early April in the last decade, although there have been bonus days for locals and season pass holders a few times.

The Ski Week info is under Things To Do/Snowsports Programs from the main menu bar of the TSV website. For 2022-23, only lessons for skiers are being offered as regular Ski Weeks. There were seasons when it was possible to do a "Ski Week" on a snowboard. I remember one of midwest women the year I did the Women's Ski Week was an intermediate boarder. She got a solo Ski Week. It's still possible to book a Private Ski Week for snowboarding.

Race Week and Women's Ski Week are for skiers only. Diva West is during Women's Ski Week this season.

Ski & Snowboard Lessons | Ski Camps | Taos Ski Valley

Get the most out of your trip to TAOS with expert coaches at the Ernie Blake Snowsports School. Search lesson types and reserve yours today.

www.skitaos.com

 

[TNtoTaos]

For 2022-23, only lessons for skiers are being offered as regular Ski Weeks. There were seasons when it was possible to do a "Ski Week" on a snowboard. I remember one of midwest women the year I did the Women's Ski Week was an intermediate boarder. She got a solo Ski Week. It's still possible to book a Private Ski Week for snowboarding.

View attachment 19652

Interesting to note that they're not offering snowboard Ski Wks this yr; probably because those who spend the $$ on Ski Wks tend to be older, er, less likely to be 'boarders, and they were having trouble filling the classes.

 

[marzNC]

Interesting to note that they're not offering snowboard Ski Wks this yr; probably because those who spend the $$ on Ski Wks tend to be older, er, less likely to be 'boarders, and they were having trouble filling the classes.

Most of the boarders I've seen have been under 20 at Taos. Learning to ski bumps well on a board is a long process. Same for skiing tight trees.

Most annoying view of boarding was a couple of tween boys going down essentially all of Al's Run under Lift 1 just on their board sideways . . . pushing snow all the way down and messing up the shape of bumps on the side of the run. That might have been during trip I did during MLK week.

I think there are plenty of snowboard instructors for the Children's Snowsports School. At least there were pre-pandemic. Fair to say the ones I saw were all under age 30. In contrast to the Ski Week instructors who seem to have an average age of about 50.

 

[TNtoTaos]

Most annoying view of boarding was a couple of tween boys going down essentially all of Al's Run under Lift 1 just on their board sideways . . . pushing snow all the way down and messing up the shape of bumps on the side of the run.

"Carpet riding" -- the mark of a beginning 'boarder. Truly annoying. I wish they would stick to the groomers until they learn how to properly slide. One thing I used to love about TSV (and love about Alta) was the no snowboarding rule (sorry, Diva 'boarders); but I have noticed that those at Taos seem to be more skilled than many I've seen elsewhere, probably d/t the difficulty of the mountain, and the amount of bumps, which as someone pointed out, are more difficult to master on snowboards.

 

[marzNC]

From the recent thread about Deb Armstrong, I learned why she has a connection to Taos and NM in general. She went to college UMN after deciding it was time to move on from competitive racing. She's pushing 60.

34 years after striking gold, Seattle’s Debbie Armstrong embraces her place in history

Armstrong has always seemed to thrive in big moments and has proved to be quite the fighter, whether it was defeating a life-threatening illness and more recently, coming to grips and learning how to cope with traumatic brain injury.

www.seattletimes.com