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KingGrump

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Hmmmm, let's see where is Taos on the map. Nope, don't see it.

I would loved to merge the Taos threads with this one. Unfortunately, you did not extend the map to include Taos.
It appears that It's not that we don't want to belong. Rather you guys don't want us to be here. Spare me the usual platitudes. This smell like the typical exclusionary move and associated BS. :nono:

Guess we Taos snobs get to chill in our very own third world country. It's OK. It has happened before and it will happen again. We can deal with the rejection. :cool:
 

Core2

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Meh, that red line is right on the Sangre de Cristos. Northern NM ski areas are all Four Corners and I say this as a native New Mexican which gives me the right to say that.
 

KingGrump

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Glad you guys have a sense of humor. :golfclap:
As Groucho said, "I don't want to belong to any club that would have me as a member." :cool::D

Snowbowl looks pretty sweet on goggle map. Especially the bowl on top.
Come on over to Taos anytime in Jan/Feb and we can make some turns together. :thumb:
 

Dryheat

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I'd rather see Louis Bacon buy out James Coleman so we can all sit together in a circle and sing koombaya and be on the same pass. Taos would definitely be a annual trip, instead of a "when's the next season I buy a Mountain Collective?" discussion.

From my experience, the AZSB bowl isn't open all that often and even when it is, it's often not worth the hike. That aspect catches a lot of sun and wind, so you're often hiking for wind scraped ice on the inbounds side. There are plenty of backcountry routes that drop into the inner bowl, but there are others who are far more qualified to speak on them than I.
 

Core2

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AZ Snowbowl is ripping out the Hart Prairie double chair right now and replacing with a quad. I asked if they were going to sell the chairs and they said "no, we are considering using it at one of our other ski areas." First place that came to mind is Hesperus which is in dire need of a new lift. I -will- cross Hesperus off my list of places skied this season as long as snow and chairlift permits.
 

Core2

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I would be willing to change the name of this thread to "Four Corners & Taos" if that would lead to a merge. No pressure.
 

KingGrump

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Hey, I'm in.
However, the current Taos thread was started by @Crank for his ski club. Don't have much to do with me.

Since we are doing a consolidation of the four corner, why don't we invite the T-ride snobs over too. :cool: The more the merrier.
 

Core2

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Hiked the Abineau to Bear Jaw loop today. Aspens are just starting to turn and there was a good chill in the air.

Looking towards the Grand Canyon from Abineau trail.
IMG_4537.JPG

Looking up at Humphrey's Peak
IMG_4538.JPG

IMG_4542.JPG

Still in her summer dress but not for much longer.
IMG_4554.JPG
 

clong83

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Heck, Pajarito is only barely barely barely on that map. Guess it should get it's own thread too. :)

Hmmmm, let's see where is Taos on the map. Nope, don't see it.

I would loved to merge the Taos threads with this one. Unfortunately, you did not extend the map to include Taos.
It appears that It's not that we don't want to belong. Rather you guys don't want us to be here. Spare me the usual platitudes. This smell like the typical exclusionary move and associated BS. :nono:

Guess we Taos snobs get to chill in our very own third world country. It's OK. It has happened before and it will happen again. We can deal with the rejection. :cool:
 

clong83

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AZ Snowbowl is ripping out the Hart Prairie double chair right now and replacing with a quad. I asked if they were going to sell the chairs and they said "no, we are considering using it at one of our other ski areas." First place that came to mind is Hesperus which is in dire need of a new lift. I -will- cross Hesperus off my list of places skied this season as long as snow and chairlift permits.
Honestly it could be for Pajarito. The Mother lift is practically falling over, and has been in need of replacement for years. Coleman was going to do it, but there was a snag a couple of years ago in the property transfer which resulted in him not actually owning Pajarito, but only having the managing contract. The ownership reverted to the local ski club, which didn't have the money to do it, and COleman didn't want to invest in a resort that wasn't his, which makes perfect sense. The ski club just voted again last month to sell to Coleman, so hopefully this kind of thing can get done now.
 

Core2

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Honestly it could be for Pajarito. The Mother lift is practically falling over, and has been in need of replacement for years. Coleman was going to do it, but there was a snag a couple of years ago in the property transfer which resulted in him not actually owning Pajarito, but only having the managing contract. The ownership reverted to the local ski club, which didn't have the money to do it, and COleman didn't want to invest in a resort that wasn't his, which makes perfect sense. The ski club just voted again last month to sell to Coleman, so hopefully this kind of thing can get done now.

I'd be happy to see it go to there or Hesperus, they both need lift love. I am guessing since Snowbowl, Sipapu and Purg all got new lifts in the last year that we will see some action at Pajarito and Hesperus very soon. Pretty scary to think how they would be faring the next few seasons if it weren't for Coleman.
 
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raisingarizona

raisingarizona

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I'd be happy to see it go to there or Hesperus, they both need lift love. I am guessing since Snowbowl, Sipapu and Purg all got new lifts in the last year that we will see some action at Pajarito and Hesperus very soon. Pretty scary to think how they would be faring the next few seasons if it weren't for Coleman.

Pajarito seems like a money pit to me. I still can't figure out some of his purchases.
 

clong83

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Pajarito seems like a money pit to me. I still can't figure out some of his purchases.
Pajarito's role is as a feeder hill. Or I think that's the idea, anyway. Get people who traditionally bought the Pajarito pass to buy one now for just a bit more money which is also good at Sipapu, Purg and AZSB. You can still buy a Pajarito-only pass for like $200, but getting the more expensive pass which also works at nearby Sipapu works kind of like insurance against a crappy year at Pajarito, which has been known to happen.

It will never take off as a tourist destination. It really is an old-school mom-and-pop local operation. I think you are right that he will lose his shirt if Coleman tries to turn it into a bigger tourist draw and install lodging and quad lifts, etc. Too isolated, with Ski Santa Fe, Taos, Angel Fire, and Sipapu are all closer to most people and offer larger mountains with more consistent snow. If he instead recycles lifts from Purg or AZSB to replace failing ones at Pajarito and basically just maintains it for what it is, I think it should work out fine. The ski club, which basically operated as a non-profit, held it and developed it from scratch for 60+ years and only had to give it up after a disastrous snow year sent them into debt. If Coleman can provide the financial stability to get through a rough year now and again, I think it will do okay and provide him with a broader base of pass-purchasers for his other mountains as well.

As someone who lives about ten minutes from Pajarito, I certainly hope that it never goes away. It is a fun place with some really steep terrain. And because nobody ever comes up here except locals, the snow can be good for days after a dump. I mostly just skin up in the mornings before work, but I also buy a pass to support the mountain.
 

Core2

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AZ Snowbowl e-mail this morning says they are actively making snow up there. I imagine this is propaganda and is just being done to test the system and clear out the lines?
 

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