Mountain Review: Alex's Number 1

#1: Taos Ski Valley.

Rating: 5/5

Conditions: Over the 5 days, we had a little of everything from a few inches of fresh snow to slightly icy conditions from freeze thaw cycles. No major storms.

Pros: Unmatched steep terrain and tree skiing quality. Very concise mountain. The best mogul skiing around. A ski school above all others in quality as well as cost. No massive crowds. Free overnight parking for trucks/vans/campers. The best hike-to terrain in the country.

Cons: Only one high speed lift. Coverage can be sketchy until there is a good base. Not a massive amount of snowfall per year.

Comments: I don't even know where to start with this one. Taos is, and has been for the past 10 years, my favorite ski resort in the world. For starters, it is about the least busy ski resort I know of. Because of this, they can get away without having high speed lifts. The hiking terrain is unparalleled and often is a great excuse for some "pole whacking." Between west basin ridge, the highline ridge, and all of Kachina, it would take many years to ski every good line available to hike.

The tree skiing is world class tree skiing. Taos puts more effort than any other resort I've been to into their gladed skiing. The trees are the perfect distance apart such that large arcing turns around trees are common. There are also few little trees to hit and all trees are properly pruned to avoid skiers being stabbed by low hanging branches. My favorite tree run is North American but there are many great runs from Rhoda's Glades to Lorelei Trees to Tresckow on the Highline Ridge.

The Steep and Mogul Skiing is world class. Taos is home to some of the most technical ski slopes in the world. Most of the West Basin ridge consists of steep chutes with options for narrow chutes less wide than the length of ski (Staufenberg Trib, Tequila Chutes... etc). On the front side North American is 1800 vertical feet of 40-45 degree glades. Arguably there are more moguls at Taos than a person could ski in a day, or even a week. They span all ability levels from easy blue bumps of lonestar to the double blacks of Oster and Staugenberg. Of course there is the famed Al's Run which is 1800 vertical feet of black diamond moguls that runs under the entire length of Lift 1. Riding lift 1 is required of anyone in the main base area to access the rest of the mountain. This makes Al's run the perfect place to gain some GNAR points and let anyone on the lift know that you're "Such a better skier than them" and that you're "going to rip the shit out of this run." Please see G.N.A.R. the movie to appreciate any above quotes.

The "ski week" from the Ernie Blake Ski School is the best value and quality in the country. For $250, you can improve your skiing through six 2 hour lessons. Taking a ski week at Taos is a unique Taos tradition for made for all levels of skiers. Don't think you need a lesson(or 6)? Think you know how to ski moguls? You're dead wrong. But you will after a ski week. Taos has the number one ski school on the planet. I have taken 5 ski weeks in my life and become a better skier through every one of them. If you just cant handle the idea of taking a lesson, think of it as a guided tour. The instructors at Taos know and are connected to the mountain better than anyone. If there's fresh snow to be had, or 98% of the runs are icy, they will will know where that 2% is and exploit every bit of it. Plus if you come on the one or two busy weeks at taos (Texas Spring Break), you can skip all the lines.

I could go on and on about Taos but I will stop here. It is simply the best