Taos Mini-Gathering 2020 - Jan. 25th - Feb. 1st

[KingGrump]

Below is a map of the Highline Ridge.
It is pre-lift. You can figure out the K chutes by the rock out crops.
Main Street is the wide open area on skier's right of the lift.
Not to mess with you. Along the ridge on top there is usually a sign for K6. Not on the map.

Which side of the lift were you guys skiing? Skier's right or left?

 

[mdf]

Skier's left.
Oops, got the numbers backwards. I forgot they number from downhill (i.e, hike-in order). I still can't match up the photo to the map.
I think we might have been in the notch I circled. Can't really be sure.

 

[KingGrump]

The rock bands skis very differently depending on how much snow is up there. We usually hunt around for the best line. Mostly by memory. Lots of dead ends through that set of rocks.
The area in red would be K4.
K3 & K4 are pretty nice. A little tight here and there. K5 is pretty much a open straight shot.
K1 & K2 are sponsered by Taos Ski & Boot. Don't forget to take the 10% discount coupon for base repair on the way down.
My favorite is K6. Which is under the lift. Usually the best snow on the peak. The real challenge there is death from embarrassment if you screw up. Everyone in the valley will know your face.
The lower lift line and Nastar chute on the left of the lift line are my usual way back onto the lift.

Word of advice. Stay off Main Street. God awful bumps. Probably the worst bumps at TSV.

Hunziker chute and Hunziker Dog Leg in the area past Main Street provide some decent skiing if the snow is good.

 

[James]

Word of advice. Stay off Main Street. God awful bumps. Probably the worst bumps at TSV.

Why was that lift a good idea again?

 

[Tony S]

Yeah, JR. He is pretty good.

It's all relative.

KG, you are so discriminating ... And yet here you are.

 

[Tony S]

Yes, looking forward to skiing Kachina, finally. Perhaps not with @mdf guiding.

 

[KingGrump]

KG, you are so discriminating ... And yet here you are.

I enjoy wading through the shallow end of the gene pool.

 

[SkiDB]

I'm sad I won't be able to make it to the Taos mini-gathering this year, the dates just didn't work out. Hopefully I can make it next year. See you all at Jackson for the Gathering!

 

[KingGrump]

Why was that lift a good idea again?

Very often things have to be taken in context. The lift was discussed ad nauseam by the locals and regulars. We even had a long discussion about it with Gordon Briner when they were laying the electrical cable for it. Most agreeed it was the right decision.

It was in Ernie’s original vision of the place. I know, Ernie who?

From a more practical perspective. The lift was required to keep the resort viable. The resort needed to get about 300K skier days for long term survival. The clientele was aging out. They needed new blood. New vacationing tourists.
Most vacationing tourists plan their vacation with stats. I called them the 3’s. 3K+ vertical. 3K+ acres. Any resorts not having the 3’s need not apply. They needed them for the bragging rights.

From a skier’s perspective. Well, at least mine. The skiing is not worth the hour plus hike. There are much better terrains off the West basin and Highline Ridge for lot less work. First few times is OK. It gets old fast. This is inbound skiing after all. If you are still into the romance of hiking to earn your turns, there are still plenty up there. Then there is back country.

 

[Scruffy]

It was in Ernie’s original vision of the place. I know, Ernie who?

.

Blake. Great guy and visionary.

The last time I skied Taos was a few years ago, maybe three. A big snow year early season ( Dec.) , and then a snow drought, but the high desert affect usually keeps the snow good regardless, except for Kachina that year, which was an east coast style icy mogul field. That first day, I headed out early while the rest of my posse languished behind. I headed right for Kachina and being from the east, I loved the icy conditions and skied all the chutes. I skied all the Ks and a few of them to skiers left of the Ks. I remember, that there was no one else skiing the Ks past K4 that day. The rest of my posse never made it to Kachina that day and the very next day, they closed all the chutes to skiers left of K4. Too icy patrol said. The very next week after we left Taos they closed Kachina entirely, due to icy conditions; apparently a few skiers lost control and slid into rocks. If I remember correctly there were some PUGs there that week and helped with the carnage. Maybe SEB or NurseSki was involved? I don't remember since I had just left the week before.

The tree line to skiers right of Main Street is nice too. I like the west basin ridge. Is the dummy still under lift 2 ?

[Mod Note, fixed "Kachina" spelling....]

 

[KingGrump]

The very next week after we left Taos they closed Katrina entirely, due to icy conditions; apparently a few skiers lost control and slid into rocks. If I remember correctly there were some PUGs there that week and helped with the carnage. Maybe SEB or NurseSki was involved? I don't remember since I had just left the week before.

https://www.pugski.com/threads/taos...-whos-going-to-be-there.486/page-4#post-28416

They didn't close it due to icy conditions. It wasn't icy. I skied it on that day. They closed it to give themselves time to figure out how to keep the Darwin rejects from getting up there.

 

[Scruffy]

https://www.pugski.com/threads/taos...-whos-going-to-be-there.486/page-4#post-28416

They didn't close it due to icy conditions. It wasn't icy. I skied it on that day. They closed it to give themselves time to figure out how to keep the Darwin rejects from getting up there.

What did they end up doing? To limit those Darwinites.

 

[KingGrump]

What did they end up doing? To limit those Darwinites.

They graded the exit from chair #4 so skiers have to hike up a few steps to get into the Kachina lift corral.

 

[Scruffy]

They graded the exit from chair #4 so skiers have to hike up a few steps to get into the Kachina lift corral.

Ah, yes...genius. The old, "I'm not skiing anything I have to hike to" trick. Apropo, since Kachina was hike to before the lift. Never underestimate the laziness of people.

 

[KingGrump]

since Kachina was hike to before the lift.

Saying Kachina is hike to is like saying Mao went out for an evening stroll in 1934.

 

[mdf]

Word of advice. Stay off Main Street. God awful bumps. Probably the worst bumps at TSV.

Hmpff. I'm pretty sure when I complained about the ugly bumps on Main Street you told me to play the hand I'm dealt.

 

[KingGrump]

Hmpff. I'm pretty sure when I complained about the ugly bumps on Main Street you told me to play the hand I'm dealt.

Was I there with you?

 

[mdf]

Was I there with you?

It may have been over drinks later....

 

[KingGrump]

School of hard knocks.

Some of us are bright enough to learn from our mistakes. Some aren't.

 

[pais alto]

The skiing is not worth the hour plus hike.

Yeah that’s what I always used to tell people that asked.