TR Taos Ski Valley, Feb 5-22, Ski Week Feb 9-14, 2025

[marzNC]

After skipping Taos Ski Valley (TSV) during the 2023-24 season, I decided to spend more than a week skiing TSV in 2024-25. The relatively low cost of a TSV Senior Value Pass (65+) when skiing more than 7 days was a factor. This season I did not get Ikon or Mountain Collective, instead I have senior season passes to more than one mountain where I’ll ski over 7 days, plus the Indy Pass. I skied TSV for a couple days in December after skiing at Wolf Creek before driving back to the southeast. I’m in the midst of my second stay to ski TSV, after flying to ABQ on Wed, Feb. 5 and will fly out on Sat, Feb. 22.

It’s an oddball season for TSV because a warm spell melted a lot of snow in the past couple weeks. More snow is coming this week. Read on for my comments about travel, the differences at TSV between 2023 and 2025, and thoughts about the value of a Taos Ski Week for anyone interested in improving their skiing in the long run regardless of age or current ability level.

The pictures are from my first ski day, Thursday, February 6.

Kachina Peak


Ridge trails above Honeysuckle


Maxi's bumps from Lift 7

 

[marzNC]

Lodging for this trip is a mixed bag on purpose. I stayed in the town of Taos the first four nights to help with altitude adjustment, moved to Alpine Village Suites for Sun-Fri during the Ski Week, and will be in town for the last period when I’m free skiing. @liquidfeet joined me for the first part of the trip, through Fri, Feb. 14. My last night will be at an airport motel, per usual, before flying out on Sat morning, Feb. 22.

One of the factors that makes TSV harder to reach is that the drive from Albuquerque is about 3 hours. It’s easy driving but there are not airport shuttles that run every hour or so, as is the case for airports like SLC or Denver. It's hard to plan flights from the east that don't require an overnight stay near the ABQ airport. Sante Fe can be an option, but I fly Southwest for ski trips so I stick with ABQ. I prefer to have a car in any case, so renting a car is not an issue.

I decided to give Turo a try for the first time. I found a late model RAV4 AWD months ago once my dates were set. While it’s possible to get an AWD SUV at the ABQ airport, sometimes it’s tricky because the supply is limited. I own a RAV4 so it was nice to not have to figure out a different type of SUV. I don’t really feel the need for AWD just for the drive between Taos and TSV even if there is some snow on the road, but for Pres. Day weekend, I’m driving to South Fork to ski at Wolf Creek Ski Area (WCSA). When I was planning the trip, I expected there to be snow on the road up to WCSA from South Fork.

Overall, Turo has worked out. The car was exactly as expected. It was parked in the parking garage a short walk from the ABQ terminal so there was no need to ride the shuttle bus to the Car Rental Center. Since I had a travelmate who could wait with the luggage while I got the car, that meant a quicker process for leaving the airport for the afternoon drive to Taos.

The town of Taos is at about 7000 ft, which is more than 2000 ft lower than TSV. I prefer to stay lower for at least a couple nights before moving to slopeside lodging at over 9000 ft. Lodging in town is significantly cheaper than at TSV. There are plenty of options including chain motel rooms, independent lodges, and VRBO/AirBnb lodging to suit any size group.

Cute historic casita (cottage) in El Prado
El Prado is located closer to TSV than then center of the town of Taos, which makes the drive easier. There is major road construction in the middle of town that is making it more congested than usual.

 

[Ermit]

Thank you for posting these pictures and the report - I hope you have a wonderful trip. My 18-year-old son and I are doing a ski week next week (so we're arriving on Saturday the 15th). We did the same last year and had a fantastic time.

 

[BReeves215]

Thank you for posting these pictures and the report - I hope you have a wonderful trip. My 18-year-old son and I are doing a ski week next week (so we're arriving on Saturday the 15th). We did the same last year and had a fantastic time.

I’m arriving from Atlanta on the 15th for my first Ski Week. Staying in town that night then heading up Sunday morning. I’m at Alpine Village Suites during the week. It would be nice to connect with another Diva!

 

[marzNC]

Thank you for posting these pictures and the report - I hope you have a wonderful trip. My 18-year-old son and I are doing a ski week next week (so we're arriving on Saturday the 15th). We did the same last year and had a fantastic time.

I’m arriving from Atlanta on the 15th for my first Ski Week. Staying in town that night then heading up Sunday morning. I’m at Alpine Village Suites during the week. It would be nice to connect with another Diva!

Note that @TNtoTaos and Rita are in town all month.

I'm sure we can figure out a way to get together for a Diva dinner that week. I'll start a MOTH thread for next week later this week. TNtoTaos and the other Divas here this week are doing a Ski Week, so that doesn't leave as much time for other stuff. Although I'm pretty acclimated by now, I'm eating dinner very early and asleep well before 10pm local time.

 

[Ermit]

I’m arriving from Atlanta on the 15th for my first Ski Week. Staying in town that night then heading up Sunday morning. I’m at Alpine Village Suites during the week. It would be nice to connect with another Diva!

I'm sure we can figure out a way to get together for a Diva dinner that week.

That would be fantastic. BReeves, we're also staying at Alpine Village Suites.

 

[pamplemoose]

Thanks for the pictures and the report. Can't wait to get some snow in NM!!

 

[marzNC]

Snow started at the upper elevations around 11 this morning. Here's the only picture I took today.

Our Ski Week group took at break at the Whistlestop about 11:30. It was snowing lightly when we went in and there was a burst of heavy snow by the time we left a little while later. It was clearly colder today than yesterday. All of us were wearing warmer stuff and were still on the cold side.

In the afternoon, there was wind on the front side, no wind on the backside, and the snow started up again up top around 2:00. The groomers and low pitch off-piste terrain felt noticeably different . . . meaning better . . . than yesterday afternoon.

 

[marzNC]

Looking good for the next week. Winter is definitely back! People coming to TSV for Pres. Day weekend should be very happy.

As an aside . . . lodging rates for Thursday night, Feb. 13, are just as high as for the usual "weekend" nights (Fri, Sat, Sun) for this holiday weekend.

 

[marzNC]

This week, Feb. 9-14, I’m doing a Private Ski Week arranged by @TNtoTaos working with Stephanie Stynes. There are two other women in the group who have also worked with Stephanie before. I’ve done a couple Ski Weeks with Stephanie, the last being a Private Ski Week in Feb 2020 (pre-pandemic) that included hiking the Ridge to ski Corner Chute.

Given the low snow conditions, we are very unlikely to hike the Ridge this week. That's fine with me. I don't like taking the time for the hike during a lesson morning. One reason I changed instructors for the Private Ski Weeks I set up after 2020 was to create a group of advanced skiers who didn't want to hike the Ridge during the Ski Week lesson time.

A Private Ski Week with 4 people is not much more per student than the cost of a regular Ski Week. As long as the people involved have similar goals and interests for their skiing, it's okay if the ability level is not quite the same. Since I've done quite a few semi-private lessons and Private Ski Weeks with people with different ski ability levels, I know how much I can learn even when I'm the more experienced skier. One of the regular Ski Weeks I did was very useful for learning where to practice a few turns on steep terrain right next to a green/blue trail. I also find that when an instructor is going over fundamentals with other skiers who haven't done a drill I've done in the past, my understanding of the value of the drill increases. Also helps to learn where to practice a drill while free skiing in the afternoons or any other time. YMMV

Learning tactics for tree skiing, Mid Patton during low snow conditions, Monday, Feb. 10

 

[marzNC]

For those people who know TSV, here's the status for trails on the Backside for Wed, Feb. 12.

The instructors have been finding small bumps to work with on the Backside. I saw an instructor take a few kids, maybe ages 6-7, into Japanese Glades. I paid attention to the line the kids took. They had clearly been in there relatively recently. Had watched a couple young men drop in a few days before. The one who led told me afterwards (when I asked) it wasn't worth it. The kids took a much more gentle line where there was more snow. I gave it a shot yesterday afternoon, and it was fun.

Officially there was 2 inches of fresh snow in the last 24 hours. Fair to say that there is only a dusting on the parking lot, which I can see from the window of my room at Alpine Village Suites. When I drove into town yesterday afternoon, the snow stopped around the Columbine and Austing Haus. (Bought as employee housing a few years ago.) Coming back after dinner there was no snow on the road and only a dusting on the parking lot reserved for overnight guests at a few of the slopeside lodges that don't have garage parking.

From TSV website, early morning, Wed, Feb. 12:

 

[marzNC]

While there was a little fresh snow to ski on yesterday, it was a disappointment for our Ski Week instructor who was hoping for a "powder day." It was a good thing we went over to the Backside from the start. By mid-morning Lift 1 was on wind hold and it never re-opened. Lift 4 ran all day. On top of the wind hold, it was frigid, meaning wind chill was in the minus territory.

After a couple of runs, our Ski Week lesson essentially moved indoors inside the Phoenix. Turned out to provide Aha Moments.

There was no wind at all at the top of Lift 4 in the early afternoon. @TNtoTaos and I opted to drive up and park next to the Phoenix to get in a little more skiing. The snow was good in small sections of bumps since there were so few people skiing yesterday morning.

Getting ready to work on technique indoors at Phoenix (top floor)


Ski patrol tracks off Kachina Peak


Bumps on Upper Shalako, just below the base of the Kachina lift
There were a few small rocks peaking out near the top. Skiers near the bottom are on the bump section that can be accessed from the groomed trail.


Signs at base of Lift 7, Wed afternoon, Feb. 12
FRONTSIDE ON WIND HOLD
STAY SKIING ON BACKSIDE
Chairs #1, #2, #8 Closed (white paper sign)

 

[marzNC]

While there was a little fresh snow to ski on yesterday, it was a disappointment for our Ski Week instructor who was hoping for a "powder day." It was a good thing we went over to the Backside from the start. By mid-morning Lift 1 was on wind hold and it never re-opened. Lift 4 ran all day. On top of the wind hold, it was frigid, meaning wind chill was in the minus territory.

Turns out that Lift 1 closed at 9:45 on Wed, Feb. 12. Rode up this morning with a woman who got a late start yesterday morning. So she didn't end up skiing on Wednesday.

 

[marzNC]

Based on past experience, after moving to Alpine Village Suites (AVS) in the “village” of Taos Ski Valley on Sunday, I took a little time to find out which days places to buy meals are closed. The room I booked at AVS for two people has a kitchenette with a convection microwave and a 2-burner stove, but I’m not interested in cooking dinner every night. We bought groceries in Taos that would cover breakfasts and a few dinners.

The Hondo (ground floor of the Snakedance Condos) is closed Mondays and Tuesdays, as is Der Garten (across from AVS). The Blake restaurant and bar, called 192, is open 7 days a week with a brunch menu all day and a dinner menu starting at 5pm.

I enjoyed the Bucatini for dinner at 192 on Monday. Since I’m still on ET, I opted to go when they opened for dinner at 5pm. Had a small table by the window near the lounge area by the fireplace. There was a man at another small table having a pizza. He had a jacket with an Alta logo . . . my favorite resort out west.

The Ale House is a bar that serves drinks, pizza, burgers from 11:00am to 9pm. Place is pretty loud.

Haven't ever tried the Blond Bear inside Edelweiss. Have heard mixed reviews.

We went to Der Garten for the Aprés menu yesterday, which is served 2:00-4:30. The sandwiches are large and come with salad or chips. Plenty of food for an early supper. Dinner is a different menu. The place is small so reservations are a good idea.

Had lunch at Hondo today. It was an opportunity to thank our Ski Week instructor that fit in the schedule better than waiting until Friday. Need to keep in mind that everyone from a group must be present before getting a table. As I remember, getting take out from Hondo for dinner can work out well.

 

[marzNC]

Day 5 of the Ski Week was a mix of working on fundamentals on groomers and doing basics on short sections of bumps. Since there wasn't a lot of wind on the Frontside, we did Poco Gusto a couple of times. On the Backside, we did the bumps on Upper Shalako that start close to the base of the Kachina lift. Snow there was pretty nice and only a few small rocks peaking out at the top.

I skied a full afternoon, starting on the Frontside and ending on the Backside. At this time of the year, it's flat light by 3:00 almost everywhere as the sun goes down below the ridge. All the groomers were pretty slick even by lunch time.

While it's clear there were people who arrived today for the holiday weekend, there were very few people skiing after lunch. The locker room was busier than the last couple days, presumably because more travelers were skiing today.

 

[marzNC]

Was snowing a bit at Alpine Village Suites by midnight last night. Not that much by 7am. The parking lot was in good shape near where the open shuttles drop off/pick up by then. (Could see from a hall window at AVS.) Clouds are much denser up on the mountain. Can hear avalanche mitigation work happening.

Turo RAV4 in AVS overnight parking, about 7:30am, Feb. 14


AVS outdoor hot tub at 8am

 

[marzNC]

The options for hot food at lunch seems to have improved in the last couple years. There is a mix of resort food and independent sources.

We usually gather for lunch at Katie’s (the cafeteria), or on the upstairs outside porch when it’s warm and not windy. What’s relatively new is that the pizza at Katie’s is NY Style thin crust and under $5. It's a good quick lunch at a reasonable price, compared to the previous thick crust rectangular piece that was too much food and closer to $10.

Rhoda’s Bar (next to Katie’s) has tacos, burgers, burritos, bowls. You order at the cashier and get a number, then the food is brought to a table or you can wait near the cashier and pick it up to eat elsewhere.

Bumps Market (Snakedance building) has a Burrito Bar 8:30am-2:00pm. Have heard they are good but huge. When Bumps is busy, apparently can be a bit of a wait since there is only space for one person to prep the burritos.

Cid’s Mountain Market has hot food starting with breakfast at 7:30am until early afternoon. Also has Grab & Go cold sandwiches and such. I got a deal early in the week for a sandwich that was half-price and large enough for two lunches. Since Cid’s is close to AVS, it was easy to put the second half of the sandwich in the room’s mini-fridge.

The Whistlestop (near the base of Lift 2) menu is more interesting than before, with lunch food available 11:00am-2:30pm. It’s closed Wed and Thu. Ski Week instructors can get a free small hot chocolate for their students, which is very nice on cold mornings.

It’s possible to eat lunch near the base of Lift 4. The Bavarian opens at 11:00am and is open 7 days a week. There was quite a line to be seated at 11:30 on Saturday when it was spring-like weather. The Phoenix Grill on the backside is open Fri-Sun. There is a sign at the top of Lift 2 when the Phoenix is open. There is a daily vegetarian soup.

Had the lentil soup today since it seemed worthwhile to stay on the Backside after the last Ski Week lesson in case Lift 1 was put on wind hold.

Bumps Burrito

Cid's Mountain Market (pic taken late afternoon, hence CLOSED banner)


WhistleStop menu, no food service Wed & Thu


Breakfast is available from a few places, including at 192 (inside Blake). The most popular place to get coffee is right next to Lift 1 at Black Diamond Expresso (at Lift 1, near Ski School office)

 

[marzNC]

Well, the snowstorm was good . . . and bad. The dense snow that started up overnight was more than enough to make for much more fun skiing by mid-morning. Bumps were filled in and no longer slick. Even a steep groomer like Baby Bear was all fresh snow with no touching bottom. Quite a difference compared to the slick, New England style, hardback yesterday. However, shortly after 11:00 Lifts 7 and 7A went on wind hold. Initially for 30 minutes but probably never opened up again. Lifts 1 and 2 were running until lunch time. By 1:30 or so Lift 1 was put on wind hold. Presumably Lifts 8 and 2 went on wind hold before that.

Lift 4 continued to operate. However, the wind gusts at the base when @TNtoTaos and I finished lunch at Phoenix were very strong. She opted to take the road option to get back via Rubezahl. I rode up Lift 4. Discovered that once out of the base, there was relatively little wind. Of course, it was snowing hard and visibility was limited. Could see 2-3 towers looking ahead on the lift.

I started my last run down the Upper Shalako tree tops and bumps, which were filling in nicely. The route through Japanese Glad with less pitch was fun too. Helps to have wandered in there before the snowstorm to have an idea of which spots to avoid. The snow was blowing hard enough on Rubezahl on the way back to the main base that it hurt on any exposed skin.

Had I been staying another night at Alpine Village Suites, I probably wouldn't taken another run or two off Lift 4. But since I was driving to South Fork, I opted to quit early. Left time for some ice cream from Taos Cow in Arroyo Seco before heading to Colorado.

Adventure run on Lower Hunzinker, we entered via the tree traverse


Snowing hard at 1pm, Lift 4


Updates for Lift 1 about every 20-30 minutes, pic taken at 1:40pm, at 2:10 the time was changed to 2:30
By 2:30 most people were giving up for the day

 

[marzNC]

On Friday, Feb. 14, I had the last lesson of a Ski Week and then drove to South Fork, CO for a weekend of skiing at Wolf Creek. The snow made it slightly more complicated in the morning. The plan was to check out of Alpine Village Suites first thing in the morning, then to ski until 2 or 3pm. Originally I was thinking of loading the car before going skiing. But with the snow in the parking lot, it wasn't worth moving the car twice.

I planned ahead for clearing snow off the rented RAV4. AVS will help dig out a guest's car if necessary. In this case, there was no need. When I went out to check the car at 7:00am, it didn't take long to get snow off. I used a ski pole for a little added reach since I didn't have a snow scraper. The overnight parking lot had not been plowed since there was only a couple inches. That meant there wasn't a pushed up pile of snow behind parked cars. When I left in the afternoon, there wasn't much new snow to clear off.

I put groceries from the fridge in the car figuring it was plenty cold for a few hours. The other luggage was stored in a room near the AVS front desk. After I was done skiing, I drove the car to the front of AVS. For rooms in the front building, that's the best place to load/unload luggage. It's nice to be able to use a luggage cart since that building has an elevator. All the loft rooms are in the back building, which doesn't have an elevator. It's easier to bring luggage to that building from the walkway that leads to the Loading Zone for AVS next to a small pay parking area.

Rental RAV4, Feb. 14, 2:30pm


View from Rio Grande Gorge bridge near Taos, looking towards Taos Ski Valley with storm clouds

 

[marzNC]

Here's what TSV sent out via email on Feb. 15 about the snowstorm Feb. 13-14, 2025: