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2022 Taos Mini-Gathering - January 22 - January 29, 2022

KingGrump

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Yes, the takeaway from this is not that 2021-22 is an outlier situation but in fact it's not so different from average. Since this is a recurring event, that green average line tells us that it should be planned in the future for late February or March. The Kachina chair is one of the greatest terrain pods in North America. It's been there for 7 years, open by Jan. 20 in two of them but by Feb. 20 in all but that worst ever 2018 season.

Late Feb / Early March is usually the national gathering. Like to space the gatherings so the attendees have a job to return to afterward.
Even without Kachina, there are lots of terrain open in a average year. Just don't ski over the rocks. No big deal.
 

aveski

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:( I continue to hope fervently that it doesn't come to that. Been living in that state for Easternity (TM) and ... well, it gets old even when you don't have killer terrain looming over you that you flew across a continent to ski.
Well, I'm driving across the continent, with a stop at Steamboat on the way and a few days in SLC on the way back. I've been vaccinated and boosted. I would feel reasonability comfortable going out to dinner with others who are the same.
 
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dbostedo

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Yes, the takeaway from this is not that 2021-22 is an outlier situation but in fact it's not so different from average. Since this is a recurring event, that green average line tells us that it should be planned in the future for late February or March. The Kachina chair is one of the greatest terrain pods in North America. It's been there for 7 years, open by Jan. 20 in two of them but by Feb. 20 in all but that worst ever 2018 season.
Feel free to bring that up for planning next year! :) We will have to look at alignment with the main Gathering too...
 

Tony S

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Yes, the takeaway from this is not that 2021-22 is an outlier situation but in fact it's not so different from average. Since this is a recurring event, that green average line tells us that it should be planned in the future for late February or March. The Kachina chair is one of the greatest terrain pods in North America. It's been there for 7 years, open by Jan. 20 in two of them but by Feb. 20 in all but that worst ever 2018 season.
True. The problem is that for MOST places in the northern hemisphere February or March is prime time - not just Taos. There's a lot of competition for that time block. In my case, for example, coming from Maine, those are the only two months I "know" I'm going to have snow. I mean like ANY snow. AT ALL. So those are the months I'm actually least interested in travelling.

In short, it gets complicated.
 

Tony S

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New thought: Instead of different Gathering venues each year, let's just spread them out over time, à la carte style.

January: AltaBird
February: Taos
March: Big Sky
April: Tahoe
May: A-Basin
 

KingGrump

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New thought: Instead of different Gathering venues each year, let's just spread them out over time, à la carte style.

January: AltaBird
February: Taos
March: Big Sky
April: Tahoe
May: A-Basin

Way too complicated.

Part of the charm with skiing Taos in January is the abundance of rocks. Ski in control and you're good. The ski shop folks need work too.
 

skiace84

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Part of the charm with skiing Taos in January is the abundance of rocks. Ski in control and you're good. The ski shop folks need work too.
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Some people spending limited $$ and vacation time once or twice a year prefer to select areas/time frames when they can expect close to full operation of lifts/terrain with decent conditions. There are many areas where that is true in January, but Taos isn't one of them. Conversely Taos usually has great conditions in March when some other places places are getting sloppy.

As far as making the best of challenging conditions once committed, I'm all for that. But since this is a recurring event, future planning should be aimed at showing Taos to more visitors at its full potential.
 

Tony S

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New thought: Instead of different Gathering venues each year, let's just spread them out over time, à la carte style.

January: AltaBird
February: Taos
March: Big Sky
April: Tahoe
May: A-Basin

Way too complicated
How is "Taos: February" more complicated than "Taos: January"?
 

KingGrump

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Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Some people spending limited $$ and vacation time once or twice a year prefer to select areas/time frames when they can expect close to full operation of lifts/terrain with decent conditions. There are many areas where that is true in January, but Taos isn't one of them. Conversely Taos usually has great conditions in March when some other places places are getting sloppy.

As far as making the best of challenging conditions once committed, I'm all for that. But since this is a recurring event, future planning should be aimed at showing Taos to more visitors at its full potential.

I can see your logic. However, the other gatherings all have their own slot on the calendar. Spacing the events apart ensures forum members will have a job to return to. Not much wiggle room there.

Oh yeah, about the "future planning" part. This was one of the sticker from the last TSV gathering discussion.

1642223916371.jpeg

To be clear, neither SkiTalk nor I are involved in marketing for TSV. I know I certainly don't receive any compensation for talking up TSV. I would like other skiers to come and have a good time. Hopefully, TSV will survive, but I really don't have any skin in the game. Life is a series of compromises. Just playing with the hand that's been dealt.
 

Marker

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To each their own, but I'll be there. Looking forward to the trip and the ski week.

For the sake of full disclosure and to alleviate anyone's concerns with socializing with me, I changed my SkiTalk status to the following:
"Double vaxxed and boosted with Moderna after having the OG COVID-19 variant in February 2020 based on Blood Bank antibodies testing"
 

skiace84

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Spacing the events apart ensures forum members will have a job to return to.
Spacing in the other direction to second half of March after Texas spring break would address those concerns. Kachina would nearly always be open. Adjusting to spring conditions lower down is better than adjusting to 1/3 of the mountain being closed including a lot of what makes Taos special. I know KingGrump has no objections to spring conditions given his active April/May itineraries.
 
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dbostedo

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Spacing in the other direction to late March after Texas spring break would address those concerns. Kachina would nearly always be open. Adjusting to spring conditions lower down is better than adjusting to 1/3 of the mountain being closed including a lot of what makes Taos special.
Let's please let this go until next year. We get it... I understand your point - it's been well made. But we've got this year's Gathering in a week, and I'd love to see/hear some more stoke about that!
 

tromano

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Stoke, stoke, stoke.

So what skis is everyone bringing?
 

tromano

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Still debating.

Solly QST 92 which is my one ski doesn't all tool absolute confidence in them for steep techy terrain vs blossom whiteout which has more of a carver feel and requires significant focus and aggression on steep ungroomed. Driving so I may bring both.
 

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