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

[dbostedo]

Crazily enough, my group skied Stauffenberg from off the ridge today. It was pretty amazing... STEEP up top, and huge piles of knee deep stuff... tiring but I'm glad I did it. Quite a way to end a ski week!

Pics to come.

 

[Tony S]

Class is over. Most people are leaving tomorrow morning. Time for a few last runs with friends.

Here's @DebbieSue (and a smidgen of @dbostedo ) in the Shaliko bumps. The recent snow reset them, so they are fairly small.

This is great. I miss you guys.

[puts on Tony hat]
I've never found the Shalako bumps particularly flowy or attractive. Intellectually I guess I understand why classes get taken there so often but my skier's heart doesn't get it. Lonestar was much better in that regard. I wish they'd reinstate those moguls.

 

[Tony S]

Crazily enough, my group skied Stauffenberg from off the ridge today. It was pretty amazing... STEEP up top, and huge piles of knee deep stuff... tiring but I'm glad I did it. Quite a way to end a ski week!

Pics to come.

Wow. Nice work. @DebbieSue what did you think?

Edit: I've fantasized about skiing that in super soft conditions but never had the opportunity. You are lucky ducks.

 

[dbostedo]

I've never found the Shalako bumps particularly flowy or attractive.

They were good today... not huge/troughy and mostly soft.

 

[SBrown]

Last day of the ski week - went by fast.
From the clearing at the bottom of the Bambis.
View attachment 224688

@mdf
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@David Chaus
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Nick
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@A Grump View attachment 224693

I had to leave earlier than planned and didn't see any of you again, but I found my own tree last night!

 

[DebbieSue]

How the mighty have risen!

The mighty @dbostedo rose up to the top of Stauffenberg today! And then he skied down linking his turns in fine form. We had a great group with a great instructor, Rick B. And conditions were just right. We took Blitz from the top, and then a run thru the rabbit hole to Oster, just before and I guess we passed, so to the West Ridge we went. No straps, no problem! As the week progressed and new snow fell midweek, I became less afraid of the fall line in the steeps so after the first couple of turns I wasn’t worried.

Here are views looking up, then down from just below the choke point. (Fortunately, I wasn’t told it was called that til after we all descended.) There’s @dbostedo at the bottom watching the rest of us making our descents.
The sun came out as we started the hike. It was altogether a magical experience.

 

[dbostedo]

The mighty @dbostedo rose up to the top of Stauffenberg today! And then he skied down linking his turns in fine form. We had a great group with a great instructor, Rick B. And conditions were just right. We took Blitz from the top, and then a run thru the rabbit hole to Oster, just before and I guess we passed, so to the West Ridge we went. No straps, no problem! As the week progressed and new snow fell midweek, I became less afraid of the fall line in the steeps so after the first couple of turns I wasn’t worried.

Here are views looking up, then down from just below the choke point. (Fortunately, I wasn’t told it was called that til after we all descended.) There’s @dbostedo at the bottom watching the rest of us making our descents.
The sun came out as we started the hike. It was altogether a magical experience.
View attachment 224721 View attachment 224722

@fundad77 (Sean) was with us too! Doesn't post much, but great fun to ski with!

 

[VickiK]

Great photos. Great week. “I’ll be baahk”.

 

[aveski]

The mighty @dbostedo rose up to the top of Stauffenberg today! And then he skied down linking his turns in fine form. We had a great group with a great instructor, Rick B. And conditions were just right. We took Blitz from the top, and then a run thru the rabbit hole to Oster, just before and I guess we passed, so to the West Ridge we went. No straps, no problem! As the week progressed and new snow fell midweek, I became less afraid of the fall line in the steeps so after the first couple of turns I wasn’t worried.

Here are views looking up, then down from just below the choke point. (Fortunately, I wasn’t told it was called that til after we all descended.) There’s @dbostedo at the bottom watching the rest of us making our descents.
The sun came out as we started the hike. It was altogether a magical experience.
View attachment 224721 View attachment 224722

Rick B! Looks like your group was sucking at a very high level. Wish I had been there. I'll see some of you at the National Gathering in three weeks. Hoping for more snow.

 

[Neurodrive]

What an amazing ski week! The conditions just kept getting better each day. It was great meeting so many Skitalkers for the first time. I had a blast skiing with @mdf @Dean @dbostedo @David Chaus and the @KingGrump family. I'll definitely be adding some additional posts once I get home and edit the gopro videos.

View attachment IMG_3542.mov

 

[Tex]

You guys picked a great time to ski Taos, looks like they have got more snow than most other ski areas. I have booked for Copper president day week, wish I could change it I would hit Taos. I may try and squeeze in a few days in Taos before I head to Copper.

 

[mdf]

Joy! The hat I forgot to put in my bag yesterday morning was in lost and found.

You know what the young woman working lost and found said? "ooh, my dad always wore a Tilley hat!"

I guess I am old.

 

[dbostedo]

Heaviest snow I've seen all week in ABQ right now.

Anyone traveling today, take extra time and stay safe! (And I hope everyone's flight makes it out.)

 

[dusty]

I made it home right before the storm hit last night. Just finished shoveling a semi heavy 8 inches at the house and walking the dog. Great skiing with everyone including Mike, Dean, David, Nick, Andrew, Eric and everyone else. Really a wonderful week. I’ll be back in Taos late Feb and most of March. Travel safe everyone.
- the other Nick.

 

[David Chaus]

My drive to ABQ in the late afternoon yesterday (Friday) was uneventful, and I stopped in Santa Fe and had a nice early dinner at a Mexican restaurant in the Historic District on the way. The flight was on schedule, and arrived in Seattle ahead of schedule.

Then things get interesting. SeaTac is a busy airport and with some construction going on it was really tight around the oversize baggage area for Alaska. Also it wasn’t immediate clear where the correct oversized baggage claim was, since there are several spread around the baggage claim level. Shamora picked me up, and as usual there was a big back-up for her just getting to the passenger pick up level, then finding an open space to pull up. Fortunately, no traffic driving home.

Wake up this morning, amazing how much greenery there is compared to NM. Like I already know this, but seeing the contrast in the same day is really something.

 

[Lvovsky /Pasha/Pavel]

If anyone wants to share what they’ve learned, post it here:

What you learned at Taos ski week (or any other recent lessons)?

Taos ski week was a cool experience. It was a blend of lessons and mountain guide. We spend the first three days playing with race type turns chasing Tod the instructor. Following him in a single file was definitely fun and educational. As Tod said: follow me and the turn will teach you...

www.skitalk.com

 

[Dean]

- the other Nick

Now I get it!
(I'm slow - not just when skiing)

 

[mdf]

The Gathering remnants (me and @Dean ) had an amazing hard charging day today.
We went over the top to the backside. Got untracked on the Upper Patton (formerly bumps). A guy on the chair told me he had just gotten a rope drop on Hunziger bowl. So we went over right away. The center was tracked out but the edges were still untracked.


Then we ran into locals Cliff and Juliana. Cliff led us into Werner Trib.

Then we did R&R. (Finishing by crossing Long Horn into Ernie's) I've kinda lost track of the sequence, but the day included some Through-the-Rabbit-Hole runs, Dollar Slot, Staub to El Funko, Lorelei Trees, Ash Pond.

Cliff wanted to do a front side run and end the day, but Juliana wanted to do Warner's again (well, a different sub-selection), so we did.

We finished off with a couple of Rhoda's on the front side.

Then it wasn't quite closing time, so I finished with an Al's run.

That was about 2 days skiing.

 

[Tony S]

Then we ran into locals Cliff and Juliana. Cliff led us into Werner Trib.

You are the kind of guy who will blithely connect with a guy named "Cliff" while skiing at Taos. @Dean , you have been assimilated.

 

[dbostedo]

You are the kind of guy who will blithely connect with a guy named "Cliff" while skiing at Taos. @Dean , you have been assimilated.

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