Taos Trip Report

[Jenny]

Some quick notes before dinner, so I don't forget.

After skiing a full day at Taos I still have no idea what the mountain looks like. To see what we saw today, go into your bathroom and turn the shower on long enough and hot enough to totally fog up the mirror. That's what we saw. Or dangle a single ply Kleenex in front of your eyes - pretty much the same thing. (@Skisailor , think Snowbird, day one.)

They got 17 inches of snow Saturday night and another 4-8 was predicted for last night, so there were no groomed slopes to be seen - just slopes full of white fluffy piles.

And I did GREAT! Thanks to my Wild Belles from @Skier31, the time @volklgirl spent with me at Crystal, my awesome lesson at Keystone last year, and the practice on finishing my short turns, it was fun! Now, these were soft piles, not what I mean when I say bumps, but it still really felt like an accomplishment to do them successfully. In fact, I think the lack of visibility helped, because why bother shopping for turns when you can't really see what's coming anyway?

Anyway, day one counts as a total success in my book.

 

[Skier31]

Sounds fabulous! Glad you like the skis.
Taos is magical.

 

[vickie]

Congratulations! What a great start to your ski week!

 

[mustski]

Awesome! I am totally jealous in SoCal!

 

[just jane]

Wow! I still haven't made a room reservation because a few days ago they were predicting rain for this Sunday when I'd be there, but I think I'll go for it!

 

[Jenny]

Wow! I still haven't made a room reservation because a few days ago they were predicting rain for this Sunday when I'd be there, but I think I'll go for it!

We had a great time - skied mostly blues, with a run or maybe two on the greens just to get a feel for things and figure out where to go. They didn't have chair four open today, which apparently would open up a bunch more runs to do, so we're hoping maybe tomorrow. But then we also heard on the radio maybe another several inches tonight, so who know? I think it wasn't running because they have to do avalanche control up above, but I really don't know.

I definitely like the atmosphere here.

 

[just jane]

I was in Taos years and years ago, when I was in high school. Not to ski though. I like the town, I've never skied the mountain. I'm looking forward to it, even if it's just a couple of half days.

 

[Jenny]

@bounceswoosh or @Jilly - will one of you change this thread title to just Taos trip report? I didn't really mean to put Day 1 - in the title, and figured maybe it's easier to just change the name of this one and then I can add Day 2.

 

[bounceswoosh]

@bounceswoosh or @Jilly - will one of you change this thread title to just Taos trip report? I didn't really mean to put Day 1 - in the title, and figured maybe it's easier to just change the name of this one and then I can add Day 2.

Done!

 

[Jenny]

Done!

Thanks!

So, on to day 2 -

Got to see what we were skiing today. Boy is it nice! The trees are still all covered with rime and are just beautiful. The sun was out for a good portion of the day, enough to get a mild sunburn, despite being almost completely covered up AND using sunscreen. I think the sunscreen might be past its prime, though.

There were some groomed slopes today, but even those had soft snow on top of the grooming. If the slope wasn't one that got groomed, then the soft piles were still there, so I got a lot more practice with those. My comment yesterday about shopping for turns was true, I caught myself doing it more often today and had to consciously remind myself to stop it already!

Chair four was open, so we got to ski more territory, and could also see all the people in the hike to terrain going down the chutes. Pretty impressive. The Kachina lift was still closed - if I had come here just for that it would be disappointing, but since I didn't, it's fine. There's only double blacks up there anyway.

Today's accomplishment - I deliberately went down a steep black pitch where the fluffy piles were not quite yet moguls, but on their way there. Took it one turn at a time, and then got brave and did back-to-back two turn passes. And all in sight of the lift line.

More fun on tap for tomorrow!

 

[Jenny]

Oh, I almost forgot. We were at the Phoenix Lodge on a break and EvieSnowCat started talking to the guy behind us about the service dog that was shamelessly drooling at my sandwich. None of us recognized him, but he seemed to want us to know who he was. Said he used to live with actress Charlotte Rampling, and was in his first movie with her. He was wearing a Breaking Bad hat, not that that means anything, but does anyone recognize the name John Dillon? Googling isn't getting me anywhere.

So, maybe a celebrity sighting, maybe not, who knows.

 

[Jenny]

Day 3 -

What crazy weather here! I can't find a forecast that's even close to reality, so far, even looking on the TSV website. So I was overdressed at first today. It turned out to be just like yesterday - mid 20s to 30 or so, mostly sunny, with blue skies and some clouds coming in later in the day. Little bit of snow expected overnight to freshen things up.

The athletes for the Salomon Extreme Freeride competition started arriving today. We won't be here for the finals on Sunday, but we'll get to see the practices/warm ups whatever the next couple of days anyway.

Big accomplishment of the day was DH's. He went up the new Kachina lift and successfully made it down. Said it was the steepest thing he's ever skied and his legs were absolutely burning by the time he was done, but he's quite proud of himself.

I'm thinking of a lesson tomorrow, as my right ski seems to have developed a mind of its own again, and my left turns are annoying me. I'm OK if the snow is consistently bumped up, or consistently smooth, but I'm getting kind of tossed around otherwise. Clearly I need a refresher.

 

[vickie]

You didn't do Kachina? Did eviesnowcat or her DH ski it?

I'd love to see it. Do they let you go round-trip on the lift?

 

[just jane]

Thanks for the updates, Jenny! I'm looking forward to this weekend... except I'm supposed to drive down tomorrow for my meeting and we're in the midst of a big front-range snowstorm here and my car isn't the best for driving in the stuff. I need it to stay on the mountains and off the highways. That's not too much to ask, is it???

 

[Jenny]

You didn't do Kachina? Did eviesnowcat or her DH ski it?

I'd love to see it. Do they let you go round-trip on the lift?

I absolutely did not. I have no business being up there, and have the sense to know it! And no sight-seeing, once you ride up, you have to ski down. EvieSnowCat and Mr. ESC also did not go up.

Mr. ESC took a couple of rather spectacular falls today, so he's taking tomorrow off. She has to work, too, so DH and I are on our own.

 

[Jenny]

I need it to stay on the mountains and off the highways. That's not too much to ask, is it???

I don't think so - sounds just about perfect, really.

 

[Jenny]

Soooo, today was an "OMG I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS DAY!"

I am no longer a tree virgin. Skied my first glade, with only one face plant, and didn't hit a single tree, either. According to the instructor it was the first day ever that this run was open, and we went down it pretty early in the morning, but others had already been there. BTW, did I mention that it was black diamond glade run?!

Also, the soft fluffy bumps no longer make me their bitch.

Today I took a group lesson - a group of one so, in reality, a private lesson for the ridiculous price of $60. It was amazing. Basically he told me that I do, in fact, know how to ski and am also, in fact, a strong skier.

It was a powder day, I had a lesson, I know how to ski, and OMG I liked it all - trees, fluffy piles, steep runs with soft fluffy piles, whatever it was, I was fine. No, not fine, awesome!

I believe I gained some confidence today, and would rate this as one of the best days ever!

Oh, and we're supposed to get another 8-10 inches tonight.

 

[vickie]

Wow! Congratulations! What a perfect ski day!

 

[Jenny]

Wow! Congratulations! What a perfect ski day!

It absolutely was.

Forgot to mention, it snowed all day long. So everything was constantly being freshened up.

And, so I don't forget his name the next time I'm here, the instructor was Tom Jackman.

 

[just jane]

Sounds amazing!