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I’d appreciate any advice to a pretty serious/capable East Coast skier hitting Taos for first time. Magic is a frequented area and skied it today - Magician, Goniff, Greenline, etc. Visiting my brother who just moved to Bernalillo. He use to live in Denver where A-Basin was a favorite place to ski when I visited. Looks like big storm this weekend, maybe something next week too. Skiing Tuesday-Thursday. No issue with hiking.
Well, if you don't die then ICU will be the bright side.Quote:
Originally Posted by slatham
Ski Al's, Longhorn, Lorelei, Walkyries, Jeans Glade, Treskow, West Basin (Castor/Pollux, Oster/Fabian/Stauffenberg). Then hike Kachina.
If you see someone get out of a 240Z looking like they are stuck in the 70's if you keep them in site you will have a good day.
fyi/Locals will tell you to try awsome Green Chili in New Mexico; It Sucks...I'd skip it
Ummm...cant tell if serious??Quote:
Originally Posted by baron
Edit: nevermind. No idea what clili is
How are Thunderbird and Meatball looking?
These are all good suggestions, but note that you will not want to hike Kachina if the Kachina Chair is running. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Buster Highmen
cheers,
john
A few points (hopefully) worth considering:Quote:
Originally Posted by slatham
(1) If it snows a bit, Monday and Tuesday will be the best days to ski the West Basin past the gate (i.e. past St Bernard). There's a Junior Freeride comp going on now through Sunday outside of that, and a telemark freeride comp on Wednesday and Thursday. My prediction is that it'll take some snow to make it worthwhile over there even for M/Tu. If you go over there and find that it's too chewed up, try bailing to the Wild West glade run. It'll definitely have the best snow left.
(2) More generally, be aware that they always close both outer Ridge gates, Highline past Juarez and WB past St B, somewhere around 1:30 to 1:45pm. They also start shutting the gates to the Bambi Chutes, Walkryies, and What Chutes just a little bit later.
(3) We can all grumble together about the existence of the Kachina Chair, but I recommend skiing up there if the get it up and running while you're here. And, if you do, don't forget about the Hunziker side.
(4) There are a handful of pretty wicked choke points scattered about at TSV. You'll soon discover them, but pay attention.
(5) If you're thinking about having food, or a coffee (recommended), over at the Phoenix deck, they close pretty early over there. Oh, and take cash.
(6) The Bavarian is a good, if expensive, place to have beers; any food, beyond fries, has been known to underwhelm folks. Dirndls have been spotted previously, apparently. :)
Have fun!
cheers,
john
heresy!Quote:
Originally Posted by jrredho
No, downhill traffic.Quote:
Originally Posted by Buster Highmen
Good suggestions above. As a fellow eastern skier based on what you like at Magic then don't miss Ernie's Run and North American @ Taos. I regret missing those on my first few visits - they are sort of hiding in plain sight off Lift 1, and I would always head up toward higher lifts instead of checking them out.
Comparing Magic to Taos is like comparing Blue Hills to MRG.
What's Taos closing date this year?
4/5/20. Sometimes extended, which is great if you like mashed potatoes.Quote:
Originally Posted by Benny Profane
Mid April. They're hosting some WC ski race thingy that weekend, otherwise they'd close a week earlier, per the above post.
^ I hadn’t heard that.
April 12th.Quote:
Originally Posted by Benny Profane
Thank you, I appreciate the detail. You ever get to SoVT I’ve got some glades at Magic to show you.Quote:
Originally Posted by jrredho
As for the other comments, I have no plans to hike Katchina since there is a lift, and if the lift isn’t running, I’ll assume avalanche danger and go elsewhere.....
As for green chili, my brother has lived there long enough and visited enough to know what we should eat.
Well, I'm no Taos local (har har), but, if you want some pow on Kachina first day after a storm, you're going to have to hike for it. Last two times I've been there, that was the deal, it seemed.
"You're not from around here, are you, son?"Quote:
Originally Posted by jackstraw
g1.. I typo like mad..fucking eye is blurry from an abscess near my eye...man that CHILI was nasty in new mexicoQuote:
Originally Posted by Soups
Chow cart!
There's that, for sure. It's pretty much a full day trip back and forth from major markets in the east. Real pain to get to.Quote:
Originally Posted by jackstraw
But beds are a problem, too. There's no room up in that tight canyon to accommodate many more beds for the common man. They had to literally shoehorn that Blake hotel in there, and it's like, what, 3-400 a night? Otherwise, a long slog from places in town.
I think everyone who'd serious about skiing should stay at the St. Bernard at least a few nights and go for the whole package. Hell, go for a ski week there. I know, I know, I can't afford it either, but I'm happy I did. That place reeks of history and culture, and it's probably doomed to be something like the Blake when the owners die, so, get it while you can. Trust me, you'll remember your stay there long after you've forgotten all the other places you've slept at ski hills. Great people.Quote:
Originally Posted by Name Redacted