Taos 2018-19, conditions and more

[Gidget415]

Conditions were interesting today. About 9-14" overnight, and more while I was skiing. It was super busy but by late morning, lifts 1, 2 and 8 were open. The snow was heavy and wetter than normal for Taos, but it is getting colder through the weekend and more is coming. I'm heading back Sunday/Monday with the kids (I think) and I really hope it's not too crazy crowded.

 

[marzNC]

Conditions were interesting today. About 9-14" overnight, and more while I was skiing. It was super busy but by late morning, lifts 1, 2 and 8 were open. The snow was heavy and wetter than normal for Taos, but it is getting colder through the weekend and more is coming. I'm heading back Sunday/Monday with the kids (I think) and I really hope it's not too crazy crowded.

Hopefully they will be able to get the backside open by Sunday. It's possible that on Monday there will be some families with a longer drive will start heading home in the morning. That seemed to be what happened on MLK Day.

Did you ski your Stormrider 85s all week?

 

[marzNC]

Oh my! Snow predicted for Taos for a week, with cold temps. But apparently too much wind on Sat so the mountain wasn't open much.

 

[Kimmyt]

Whats everyone's favorite glades to hit? I like all kinds, from steep and technical (prefer not to have mandatory air) to mellow and flowy. Also, is kachina the only hike to terrain? Trying to suss out the layout of the moiuntain from the trail map and can't tell if there are more hikes. Snowing lightly right now, unless it picks up later it will likely be more on the 3" side of things than the 5" side of things, but crossing fingers (I'm recovering from the flu anyway so the husband gets tomorrow's powder anyway).

 

[marzNC]

s kachina the only hike to terrain? Trying to suss out the layout of the moiuntain from the trail map and can't tell if there are more hikes

The hike that starts at the top of Lift 2 accesses the Highline Ridge and the West Bowl. Note that there are several gates along the ridges. Wild West Glade at the very end of West Bowl is typically the first choice by instructors taking students who are hiking for the first time. What I've been told about the entries to the chutes in West Bowl is that they can be tricky. In some cases, the location of the trail sign is NOT the best entry point.

I only can explain how to reach some black tree runs. Upper Japanese Glades, Walkeries Glade, Blitz Trees, Rhonda's Trees are all fun. Staub's is a short tree run and is reached by a traverse from Lower Hunziker. The top of Tell Trees is tricky apparently, something about a small rock band and often thin coverage. The easier entry to Walkeries Glade is just next to Tower Ten of Lift 7. Easier to check it from the lift before figuring out how to get there.

In the mornings, keep an eye out for yellow jackets. Advanced Ski Week groups will end up in the trees.

Snowing lightly right now, unless it picks up later it will likely be more on the 3" side of things than the 5" side of things, but crossing fingers (I'm recovering from the flu anyway so the husband gets tomorrow's powder anyway).

Hope you feel better soon! Hopefully Lift 7 and Lift 4 will be open most of tomorrow.

 

[Kimmyt]

Thanks for the beta, thats very helpful! I'm well on the mend today and my husband wants me to ski this morning so I will check things out. Looks like with all the delayed openings there could be some goods to be found all around the mountain this week!

 

[Susan L]

I only can explain how to reach some black tree runs. Upper Japanese Glades, Walkeries Glade, Blitz Trees, Rhonda's Trees are all fun. Staub's is a short tree run and is reached by a traverse from Lower Hunziker. The top of Tell Trees is tricky apparently, something about a small rock band and often thin coverage. The easier entry to Walkeries Glade is just next to Tower Ten of Lift 7. Easier to check it from the lift before figuring out how to get there.

The entry to Walkeries Glade by Lift 7 was closed yesterday. I entered through Bob’s and there were deep powder there but my instructor said the area was actually closed so we did not return again. Tell Tree was fine, had some nice coverage and yes, you do need to know what line to take. Stay right and you will drop into middle of Whitefeather gully (which was soft and fluffy, definitely more than 7” there yesterday). Stay left and you will drop in towards bottom of Tell Glade/WFgully. Hunziker Bowl/High Noon/Staub/El Funko were all closed all morning yesterday. I left at 1pm so I am not sure if they opened up eventually. Looked like very good coverage. Blitz had very nice shin-deep powder, lower Castor and Reforma still have some exposed rocks. All lifts except Kachina was running. There was no wind, it was snowing lightly all morning and we got a peek of the sun for a little bit. Then all of a sudden the clouds moved in around noon and it got noticeably colder. I am not exactly into hiking so we stayed off the Ridge/West Basin. The plan is to move on to some double-blacks off the Ridge later this week - the less hiking the better to me
Have fun!!

 

[marzNC]

Another powder day at Taos.

 

[Kimmyt]

Sadly, we missed this storm. Had to drive out in it (do not recommend) and ended up driving the entire way home in a near white-out snow storm. But, glad the amount they forecasted actually materialized. We skied M-F and while we didn't get any big accumulations, had several inches here and there mostly throughout the day so that everything stayed nice and soft and fresh tracks were found. We hiked a lot, and I was very impressed with the coverage at Taos right now, I only hit one or two rocks and those were easily avoided if you paid attention. Overall, Taos is a great mountain and I really enjoyed the terrain there and look forward to going back. A few pics from some of the hike to terrain.

 

[marzNC]

Early March is going to be good at Taos! More snow. Hopefully not too many wind holds in the next week. With some warm temps, after there is sunshine it will be helpful to know where to find shaded areas if not skiing in the trees. Whatever softens during the day will be rock solid by morning.

 

[Susan L]

It is dumping at TSV now! On a hardpacked crusty day, first area to get morning sun will be everything around Chair 7. Areas by Chair 4 and Chair 8/front mountain will remain frozen until either the sun hits after 10:30 or until high traffic soften the snow by mid-morning.

 

[diymom]

I got an email with Taos pass info for next year. Their prices are really quite good. If anyone knows they will be doing a ski week next year, but doesn't want to buy an Ikon or MCP, buying a Taos pass at early prices would make sense. You could get a weekday pass and add a ticket for the Sunday from Liftopia and it wouldn't be much more than $400. 35 and under, 65 and up, military or 1st responder can get a full pass for less than $400. If it is the same as this year, pass holders doing a ski week at the same time are BOGO. And you get 3 days each at A-Basin and Copper and 50% off at MCP resorts.

 

[vickie]

Looks as if Taos is doing away with the Taos Card.

Advance purchase of lift tickets for 6 days in March is $334-528, depending on what your starting day is and how far in advance you purchase. With an IKON pass, a Ski Week seems pretty cheap. Without it, not so much.

 

[diymom]

Buy one of the Taos season passes now and do a ski week this year and another next year on the same pass Then you really get your money's worth.

 

[Susan L]

They actually took away one awesome perk for next season - 2 for 1 ski week

I don’t know how much lift tickets are regularly but Costco sells them for $120 for 2 adult all day. And you can return unused tickets (in pairs).

You can also find a season pass holder to use their buddy pass privileges to get 50% off lift tickets.

 

[marzNC]

Last season and this season, GetSkiTickets had discounted lift tickets. A couple friends did that since they weren't doing other ski trips for which Ikon or MCP made any sense.

Lift tickets at Taos are at the lower end for a destination resort. The cost of the Ski Week (6 consecutive morning lessons) is what's the real bargain in comparison to multi-day lesson programs at destination resorts.

 

[marzNC]

They actually took away one awesome perk for next season - 2 for 1 ski week

Given that TSV had to cancel private lessons for several days during the first week of Feb because there were so many travelers doing a Ski Week, guess there is a shift in the level of promotion for local season pass holders.

 

[santacruz skier]

Last season and this season, GetSkiTickets had discounted lift tickets. A couple friends did that since they weren't doing other ski trips for which Ikon or MCP made any sense.

Lift tickets at Taos are at the lower end for a destination resort. The cost of the Ski Week (6 consecutive morning lessons) is what's the real bargain in comparison to multi-day lesson programs at destination resorts.

I got my lift tickets for Taos last season through GetSkiTickets and got a really good price. Just looked it up and I paid $346 for 6/7 days (senior!) Then think paid another $80 for extra day...

 

[Susan L]

Given that TSV had to cancel private lessons for several days during the first week of Feb because there were so many travelers doing a Ski Week, guess there is a shift in the level of promotion for local season pass holders.

It was too good of a deal to give away! I only plan to do Race Week and private ski week next season, which does not have BOGO deal anyway, so I guess no change for me.

 

[marzNC]

The costs for people who do a ski club trip to Taos are quite reasonable. They usually stay at the Snakedance, which is one of the buildings right at the main base. Since transportation from ABQ airport is included, no need for a rental car. For someone who wants to check out a Ski Week and can work in a fixed week into their winter schedule, it's worth looking around to see what local ski clubs have to offer.

The two weeks I was at Taos (mid-Jan, early Feb), the big ski club groups were from the midwest. The folks who went in Jan seemed to be mostly first-timers to TSV. For early Feb, seemed as if many had done Ski Weeks before. I know the DC ski club does an annual week at TSV.