• For more information on how to avoid pop-up ads and still support SkiTalk click HERE.

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

Tony S

I have a confusion to make ...
Skier
Team Gathermeister
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Nov 14, 2015
Posts
12,620
Location
Maine
Any guesses as to who I was skiing with today? Three pairs of identical FIS SLs on the lift.

Today was the first time Taos has been open since Saturday. Firm in the morning, slush in the afternoon. Spring has arrived. Fun running into @Snowfan during @KingGrump spring training camp.

View attachment 199728

View attachment 199729
@David Chaus and I were making fun of you guys yesterday at Bachelor. We were struggling a bit to negotiate some highly variable cascade concrete in zero visibility and some indeterminate form of wet precipitation. One of us spontaneously blurted out, "Too bad we're not on FIS slalom skis!" That lifted the mood nicely.
 

James

Out There
Instructor
Joined
Dec 2, 2015
Posts
24,443
That should be easy. I believe the Society has a membership of one?
Oh no, there are many members! They just don’t realize it yet.
Still deciding if we should order the normal protector and swap, or just cut it off and sand.
Don’t be surprised if you see people rappelling in front of the lodge windows. Those are the activists, on their way to rectify the insult to the round ski tip.
(Do they need to rappel? Certainly not. But we promised them a good time, and it’s training. Plus, they have a chance to get arrested, always a plus)
 

Sandy_NYC

Getting off the lift
Skier
Joined
Jul 6, 2017
Posts
122
@David Chaus and I were making fun of you guys yesterday at Bachelor. We were struggling a bit to negotiate some highly variable cascade concrete in zero visibility and some indeterminate form of wet precipitation. One of us spontaneously blurted out, "Too bad we're not on FIS slalom skis!" That lifted the mood nicely.

Love that!
 

Snowfan

aka Eric Nelson
Skier
Joined
Oct 23, 2016
Posts
1,459
Location
Here and there.
I finally met @Pasha and we had a blast getting to know each other and skiing Kachina. Pasha is wonderful to ski with. We went and had a snack and met a genius woman in the same field of science as pasha.
IMG20230409132159.jpg
IMG20230409142246.jpg
The Jimmy Stadler concert was wonderful. I brought my dog and we rocked out. It was a blast.

Best season ever. 53 days. Skiing with @KingGrump @FlyingAce @Neurodrive @Tex @Pasha @Sandy_NYC and many I forgot...and going to Summit Co for 10+- more.

Only 3 days with spring skiing suntan and 50 days in winter conditions. What a wonderful season and let's give la Nina a giant fail.
 

BTaylor

Nothing left to do but smile, smile, smile
Skier
Joined
Sep 16, 2016
Posts
259
Location
Breckenridge & Evanston, IL
Ski recommendation for a Taos ski week focusing on bumps?

I'm planning on doing a Taos ski week next January or February. My happiest place at Breck is the (somewhat) steeps and Peak 7/8 alpine bowls. My ski quiver mostly reflects that---daily driver once the high alpine opens here is usually a Stockli SR95 or SR102. But I want to work on my bumps skills/tactics through a Taos ski week. Not sure my current quiver is good for that.

I enjoy doing single black bump runs at Breck (old man low-impact techniques), have no problem in crud and variable snow conditions, but I suck at our double black bump runs. I demo'd the Montero AR (84mm underfoot) at Loveland this past weekend, really liked their performance in all sorts of short and medium turns, on piste and off. I've noticed a lot of Laser AXs when I've been at Taos and I briefly met 87 y.o instructor Stuart Murphy a few years ago who was teaching that day on a Stockli SC (72mm underfoot).

Since it's discount season on demos or overstock skis...are there some ski models that match particularly well for Taos bump lessons? I'm kind of a Stockli fan. I appreciate the "liquid mercury" of my Blossom AM77. But am open to other ski characteristics/families too.
 

Tony S

I have a confusion to make ...
Skier
Team Gathermeister
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Nov 14, 2015
Posts
12,620
Location
Maine
Ski recommendation for a Taos ski week focusing on bumps?

I'm planning on doing a Taos ski week next January or February. My happiest place at Breck is the (somewhat) steeps and Peak 7/8 alpine bowls. My ski quiver mostly reflects that---daily driver once the high alpine opens here is usually a Stockli SR95 or SR102. But I want to work on my bumps skills/tactics through a Taos ski week. Not sure my current quiver is good for that.

I enjoy doing single black bump runs at Breck (old man low-impact techniques), have no problem in crud and variable snow conditions, but I suck at our double black bump runs. I demo'd the Montero AR (84mm underfoot) at Loveland this past weekend, really liked their performance in all sorts of short and medium turns, on piste and off. I've noticed a lot of Laser AXs when I've been at Taos and I briefly met 87 y.o instructor Stuart Murphy a few years ago who was teaching that day on a Stockli SC (72mm underfoot).

Since it's discount season on demos or overstock skis...are there some ski models that match particularly well for Taos bump lessons? I'm kind of a Stockli fan. I appreciate the "liquid mercury" of my Blossom AM77. But am open to other ski characteristics/families too.
Veteran of four Taos ski weeks. If you're gonna go with the slalom derivative direction (AX, SC), you might as well just ski the Blossoms. Personally that's not the kind of ski I like in steep challenging bumps. I like something that's basically a soft, narrow-ish ski (< 90mm) with an all-mountain tip and tail design. I.e., what Phil calls a "narrow wide ski." YMMV, obviously.
 

Snowfan

aka Eric Nelson
Skier
Joined
Oct 23, 2016
Posts
1,459
Location
Here and there.
Just an fyi....I walked into A Basin guest services and asked if they had reciprocity with Taos pass. Yes, 3 days ...surprised me.
IMG20230417120256.jpg
IMG20230418175257.jpg

@Doug Briggs fixed a core shot on my 2 day old fresh grind and new structure tune and edge at 1 and 3 on Wintersteiger Scout.

Some careful knifecraft, metalgrip, ptex and wax., and new again.

The ski is a tool and the boot is a jewel.

Marry the jewel and date the tool.... With the boots permission.
 
Last edited:
Thread Starter
TS
dbostedo

dbostedo

Asst. Gathermeister
Moderator
Contributor
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Feb 9, 2016
Posts
18,095
Location
75% Virginia, 25% Colorado
Where are the pix? :huh:
Hopefully in the California threads. :)

 

Sponsor

Staff online

Top