Arizona/New Mexico 2024 Taos Mini-Gathering Report and Pics

[Dean]

a guy named "Cliff"

While on the chair, heard one bro call out to another below "just call me Cliff Huckstable" - didn't see the drop (giving him the benefit of the doubt). Got a good chuckle in any event.

 

[DebbieSue]

There was a different "Cliff" in my ski week group. Maybe Taos attracts them, calls to them like a Siren.

You mean “like a Lorelei.”

 

[dbostedo]

You mean “like a Lorelei.”

Ah! Didn't know what that was... had to look it up.

 

[mdf]

You mean “like a Lorelei.”

Luring you onto the rocks. Hmmmm....

 

[DebbieSue]

Ah! Didn't know what that was... had to look it up.

Guess you weren’t paying attention. Rick B. explained when we stopped mid-run, on Lorelei, a bit after the refrozen South facing bumps. We reached a point among trees where you look into a roped off shallow bowl and the cliff below is obscured. Ernie Blake named that run accordingly. I love the feeling in there. Awareness of the rest of the mountain slips away.

 

[dbostedo]

Awareness of the rest of the mountain slips away.

And retention of what your instructor is telling you apparently slips away too.

 

[VickiK]

Got the impression the ABQ airport was surprised by the wet snow yesterday afternoon. Lots of flight changes - I was re-routed through Vegas; amazingly my bags made it!

 

[dbostedo]

Got the impression the ABQ airport was surprised by the wet snow yesterday afternoon. Lots of flight changes - I was re-routed through Vegas; amazingly my bags made it!

I spent about three extra hours in the airport, and had to change my connection in Dallas to a later flight getting home about midnight... but I too got my bags!

ABQ doesn't often get heavy snow like that. I saw one accident happen (a big SUV spin out on the on-ramp to the highway and hit the wall), and two other recent ones I drove just by, as I drove to the airport.

Then turning up the small hill into the rental car center, I was following a pick-up plow truck that was spreading cinders - and promptly couldn't make it up the hill and slid into the curb. I guess it was either 2-wheel drive or had crappy tires? My rental Jeep went around it no problem at all.

 

[Jerez]

I was exhausted just reading that @Dean !

 

[Wendy]

Looks like a great week! You picked a good one for snow!

Had to get some boot issues and ski anxiety issues ironed out this season, but plan to join you guys at Taos next year.

 

[Jerez]

I want to do it next year too. Maybe we can carpool and share lodging.

 

[dbostedo]

My trip report, with a bunch of pics:

Arizona/New Mexico - Taos 2024, A lot of gravity!

I always love seeing this sign driving into the resort... and all the fresh snow made it look perfect @KingGrump is fond of saying that some resorts "have a lot of gravity", as a way of saying they're steep. And that certainly seemed true for me this year at Taos. This was my sixth trip to...

www.skitalk.com

 

[mdf]

My extended Gathering is over; I'm on the plane headed home.

21 skiing days in a row with no injuries and only minimal base damage. My only regret is that for some reason I didn't get my tree-skiing mojo back till the last 3 days.

What a glorious time! I had so much fun skiing with old friends and new. I love these things! Thank you to one and all.

 

[SKI-3PO]

21 skiing days in a row with no injuries

 

[David Chaus]

And it’s not like he skis a half day, ever. Nope, 21 days of being ready when the lift starts and skiing until last chair.

 

[Tony S]

IN THIRTY-YEAR-OLD BOOTS

 

[David Chaus]

IN THIRTY-YEAR-OLD BOOTS

Well, they’re kind of brand-new 30 year old boots. He’s been hoarding.

 

[dbostedo]

And it’s not like he skis a half day, ever. Nope, 21 days of being ready when the lift starts and skiing until last chair.

To be fair, last Wednesday when only the bunny hill lift was open, I couldn't get him to go to last chair. We stopped at 3:30 when the chair closed at 4:00. So he took an ENTIRE half-hour off... slacker.

 

[mdf]

So he took and ENTIRE half-hour off... slacker.

i lost 8 pounds during the trip. If only I hadn't skipped that half hour, maybe it could have been 10!

 

[SBrown]

IN THIRTY-YEAR-OLD BOOTS

I mean, I think that's actually the reason, not an obstacle. I can't even wear modern boots a full day anymore, much less ski all day in them. Bring back the rear entry!