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2023 Taos Mini-Gathering: February 4th - February 11th, 2023

locknload

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Skied 3 days in WC, then 3 days in Taos, drove back home Saturday. Last day Friday skied with the Grumps in the afternoon, it was great skiing with them, I could not get enough, we skied till the lifts close. Already got my wife all buttered up for the next trip, really looking forward to the gathering and ski week. Pic below of me and the Grump’s, very little wind, the snow coming down so awesomely, the afternoon and skiing got better and better with each run.

View attachment 190119
Free refills are the best days!!!
 
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mdf

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I joined the pre-Gathering today. I skied a few morning runs, culminating in Al's (from the chicken entrance... I didn't have quite enought speed to get to the top entrance without climbing. And besides, it's my first day on snow this season, so cut me some slack.) @KingGrump saw me from the chair. So I connected with the race-weekers (and the rest) at lunch. We met a couple who was sharing our table, and took them out skiing in the afternoon.

I gave one of them a skitalk.com sticker -- Mark, if you are reading this, hello!

The snow was really good. I think Longhorn may have been the best I've ever seen it.
A really fun day. It's good to be back on snow, and it's good to be back at Taos.
 

mdf

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It's warm enough to sit outside for lunch? I though the temps were single digits.
It was quite a bit colder today. Not brutally cold, but certainly notice-it cold, and enough to move lunch inside. Not cold enough to switch from gloves to mittens (which I had with me because I read that forecast too).
 

Olesya C

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Any word on when Kachina lift will open? I know they are being extra careful with opening it after the inbounds avalanche several years ago, but I am curious if anyone who is there now heard anything about Kachina opening?
 
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mdf

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I happened upon our new friends Mark and Amy this morning, so we skied the morning together. The snow surface on the backside groomers was perfect corduroy, so we took advantage. This is from the top of chair 4 with Kachina in the background.
mark and amy1 .jpg

mark and amy2 .jpg

mark and amy3 .jpg

I've been lobbying them to join SkiTalk.
 

mdf

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At the end of the day we went through the Rabbit Hole into lower Oster. It's a bit narrow, so we were taking turns. As the last of us were about to go, the afternoon class comes through behind us. (I may have heard a remark about finding the Ministry of Bad Ideas...). They punched through the trees to ski Fabian instead, but being the sneaky guy I am, I skied across the bottom. Here's @Near Nyquist skiing, @MegKan waiting, and instructor Tiger watching.

class in fabian.jpg
 

mdf

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I skied my new slalom skis today (Atomic S9, 157 cm). In the morning, they were a bit frightening in the bumps, with the tips somewhat unpredictably hooking up. At lunch @KingGrump pointed out that I had chosen the wrong hole set on the plate when I mounted the X12 VAR bindings. (Not surprising -- even with a leaked copy of the shop practices manual, the Atomic instructions make Ikea look like a model of thoroughness and clarity.) He suggested moving the VAR forward to compensate. Huge difference!

At the end of the day, when I was getting a bit tired and ragged, I stuffed the ski tips into a pile of soft snow and double ejected. That confirms that 6 is a really low DIN setting, and confirms that I like it that way. (The only problem was that one ski got away and slid a long way down the hill before it stopped.)

The slaloms were a blast on groomers, and broadening experience on bumps, trees, and steeps. But I'm going back to my Navigators tomorrow.
 

Olesya C

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I can see that this is going to be a hard week in work land.
Hahah yep I am dreaming about skiing looking at those pictures. I had flashbacks of skiing Castor for the first time with instructor in ski week a few years ago. I was a bit scared, but the snow was nice and the instructor said follow me and don't think about it - I did just that and it worked well! It's nice when someone is picking the good line for you and you can follow it. :)
 

Tony S

I have a confusion to make ...
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Hahah yep I am dreaming about skiing looking at those pictures. I had flashbacks of skiing Castor for the first time with instructor in ski week a few years ago. I was a bit scared, but the snow was nice and the instructor said follow me and don't think about it - I did just that and it worked well! It's nice when someone is picking the good line for you and you can follow it. :)
My favorite is the way Grump always says, upon entering that run, "Watch out for the rocks [buried under the snow where you can't possibly see them]"! Then you hit them and he says, "I told you to watch out for the rocks." :rolleyes:
 

KingGrump

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My favorite is the way Grump always says, upon entering that run, "Watch out for the rocks [buried under the snow where you can't possibly see them]"! Then you hit them and he says, "I told you to watch out for the rocks." :rolleyes:

Use the force.
You should be able to sense their presence.
 

Tex

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My favorite is the way Grump always says, upon entering that run, "Watch out for the rocks [buried under the snow where you can't possibly see them]"! Then you hit them and he says, "I told you to watch out for the rocks." :rolleyes:
I thought he said if the rock is visable and you hit it, your bad. Hit a rock that is not visible because it is buried under snow, that is understandable, he will still probably jack with you tho.
 

Pumba

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At the end of the day we went through the Rabbit Hole into lower Oster. It's a bit narrow, so we were taking turns. As the last of us were about to go, the afternoon class comes through behind us. (I may have heard a remark about finding the Ministry of Bad Ideas...). They punched through the trees to ski Fabian instead, but being the sneaky guy I am, I skied across the bottom. Here's @Near Nyquist skiing, @MegKan waiting, and instructor Tiger watching.

View attachment 190340
The rabbit hole! Wish I was there....The most fun part of our last trip to Taos was when you led me there and we had to climb over the little rocky ridge to get to the next run over! The snow looks awesome. My ski stoke is finally getting back. Unfortunately I won't be able to make the mini-gathering this year....There is a slim chance I might try to do a ski week later in the season if I can get there.

Have all the fun everyone!

k
 

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