Arizona/New Mexico 2023 Taos Mini-Gathering Report and Pics

[Dean]

Deb Armstrong

So is she a lot more involved at taos now ?
Seems like she keeps popping up in person and videos there. Or maybe I just didn't notice before.

 

[lisamamot]

Missyski and I skied together along with a couple other Divas. My first trip to Taos and it won’t be the last - hot springs, Rio Grande Gorge, the food, and of course outstanding terrain and conditions.

 

[Pumba]

Missyski and I skied together along with a couple other Divas. My first trip to Taos and it won’t be the last - hot springs, Rio Grande Gorge, the food, and of course outstanding terrain and conditions.

View attachment 194954


View attachment 194955
View attachment 194956

View attachment 194957

View attachment 194958

View attachment 194959

View attachment 194960
View attachment 194962

View attachment 194963

Man, I missed out on Taos this year. You guys are reminding me of the many reasons it’s such a special/unique experience as compared to the other big mountains…Had a blast snd loved Alta and Snowbird this past week, but those places although amazing mountains, don’t have that magical feeling that the Taos/nm can have.

 

[Jerez]

So is she a lot more involved at taos now ?
Seems like she keeps popping up in person and videos there. Or maybe I just didn't notice before.

I believe she lives there. And she is running her Ski-strong clinics in Taos.

SKiStrong™ | Ski With Deb Armstrong | Merchandise and Skiing with Deb Armstrong

Ski with Deb Armstrong. Deb's ease with people, combined with her unparelled teaching abilities, will transform your skiing and mindset to a new level.

www.skistrong.org

 

[Tex]

Missyski and I skied together along with a couple other Divas. My first trip to Taos and it won’t be the last - hot springs, Rio Grande Gorge, the food, and of course outstanding terrain and conditions.

You get my double like post, nice pix, good job!

 

[MissySki]

Nice job @MissySki . you packed in one heck of a Taos trip and nice pix!!!

Thanks! Hope you had a fabulous week with your daughter!!

So is she a lot more involved at taos now ?
Seems like she keeps popping up in person and videos there. Or maybe I just didn't notice before.

I'm not really sure, though I heard people see her around a lot. We were hanging around one morning before our ski week groups started and saw her at the base. I went and introduced myself to tell her how much I love and appreciate her videos. We left her alone and then a little bit later she came back over and asked if we wanted to do a pic with her, of course we said yes.

 

[Dean]

tell her how much I love and appreciate her videos

I would do the same.

When i first found them, I thought she lived in steamboat (and assumed must of the videos were there). Many of the recent videos I've watch were clearly in taos (eg, jeans glade).

 

[dbostedo]

I thought she lived in steamboat

I think she does (according to Skistrong.org, https://www.skistrong.org/about)... and splits time between there and Taos. At least, I met her briefly at Steamboat a couple of years ago and saw her at Taos this season.

 

[James]

She retired in ‘88 after that Olympic year, at age 24. In ‘95 she was a skiing ambassador at Taos. After that she got psia certified so she could answer questions, then becoming a demo team member. So she pretty much started her teaching at Taos afaict.
I don’t think she went to Steamboat till after her tick bite/icu medical emergency in the mid 2000’s.

 

[Olesya C]

Yes, I was there the same week with @lisamamot and @MissySki , I was not in the women's ski week but did a private ski week with @RachelV and another friend. We skied Wild West, Tresckow and 2 Bucks off the Ridge. Lapped Kachina when it opened, skied Prime Real Estate, K4, K5 and K6 off Kachina, Lorelei trees, R&R and also Ernie's, I think we skied El Funko a few times too, some of it is really rocky. Skied Castor a few times before the snowfall. Great week!

I am at a cancer immunotherapy research conference in Banff (I know poor me lol) but will post some pics when I am back next week.

 

[Tex]

I think we skied El Funko a few times too, some of it is really rocky.

They are called obstacles.

 

[lisamamot]

They are called obstacles.

Yeah, I had a meet and greet with a snow cloaked one on Kachina - double eject that luckily only left me with a face full of snow and a mark on my hip where a ski may have hit me. It left a few decorations on my ski base that Ski MD will take care of with a base grind this summer - I was just relieved we found my 2nd ski!

 

[Jenny]

Yes, I was there the same week with @lisamamot and @MissySki , I was not in the women's ski week but did a private ski week with @RachelV and another friend. We skied Wild West, Tresckow and 2 Bucks off the Ridge. Lapped Kachina when it opened, skied Prime Real Estate, K4, K5 and K6 off Kachina, Lorelei trees, R&R and also Ernie's, I think we skied El Funko a few times too, some of it is really rocky. Skied Castor a few times before the snowfall. Great week!

I am at a cancer immunotherapy research conference in Banff (I know poor me lol) but will post some pics when I am back next week.

Wonder if you and Dr. @ilovepugs are at the same conference. They're in Banff right now, too.

 

[ilovepugs]

Wonder if you and Dr. @ilovepugs are at the same conference. They're in Banff right now, too.

Nah different conference! We’re technically in Lake Louise.

 

[Snowfan]

Absolutely stellar day at Taos today.


I joined these two on a chair yesterday afternoon around 2:00 and they asked me to show them around.

The one from Colorado likes bumps and trees. The one from Atlanta in the blue coat likes going fast. Laugh with me that the guy without a helmet is the fast one. Lol.

We did a bunch of both. I'm white helmet orange. They are long time friends who like to meet up at ski area's and ski together.

Today we met at 9:30 as Bluecoat Atlanta guy without a helmet was getting new demo ripsticks. His name is David. Orange coat is Robert from Colorado.

We went up chair one then chair two then down the back side ripping it fast into upper then lower Japanese Glade.

The plan was to ski the eastern rope runs first, in the sun, and work our way to the front side by the end of the day in the sun. There was slight overcast on and off throughout the day and it kept the snow magnificent.

We hiked past Kachina lift and a groomed Hunziker and did Totally Wired. It was amazing and we did it again straight lining the groomed Hunziker at speed.

Then we did Kachina and bumped into the governor again. He climbed and we rode the chair.



We hit Chicken Scratch...ever heard of that one?.

Then we did skiers right Juarez off the ridge.


Moving to the front we lapped Castor and Pollux after being wind filled overnight.

There were very few troughs and amazing long stretches of billiard table smooth... be sure to self arrest... steep grippy chalky wonderful odd precious snow.

I skied it two weeks ago and it was Volkswagen bug size bumps all the way down.

Turned out to be a wonderful day of a bunch of old guys having a gas.

Meeting the Colorado guy in the Orange coat at Crested Butte Saturday morning.

My Taos pass is blocked out for spring break so I'm in Colorado for 10 days +- on my Epic local.

 

[Snowfan]

And just for a silly kicker I am about to walk my dog along a very very long path at the Taos gorge bridge along the western rim of the Rio grande under bright moonlight absolutely unbelievable way to end a day at 42°. Spring has sprung.

Edited to add picture.

 

[Snowfan]

19 degrees this morning just before sunrise and the balloons were already in the air. It usually indicates to me that it will be a light wind day. I'm guessing the passengers are very well bundled up.

The bighorns were enjoying a little sun about 150 ft south of Kachina peak.

 

[Snowfan]

Headed to Crested Butte now and this just popped up on my phone...

 

[dbostedo]

Headed to Crested Butte now and this just popped up on my phone...

View attachment 196091

Weekend OpenSnow Crested Butte forecast:

 

[MissySki]

Yeah, I had a meet and greet with a snow cloaked one on Kachina - double eject that luckily only left me with a face full of snow and a mark on my hip where a ski may have hit me. It left a few decorations on my ski base that Ski MD will take care of with a base grind this summer - I was just relieved we found my 2nd ski

E

View attachment 196083
View attachment 196087

19 degrees this morning just before sunrise and the balloons were already in the air. It usually indicates to me that it will be a light wind day. I'm guessing the passengers are very well bundled up.

The bighorns were enjoying a little sun about 150 ft south of Kachina peak.

Ohh I'm jealous you saw the sheep! We looked for them twice when on Kachina, my instructor said they are often there.. alas they weren't there either time for us.