A Vision for the Future
Making it happen at Taos Ski Valley Resort
By Deb Smith
In 1954, Swiss-German immigrant,
Ernie Blake, his wife, Rhoda Blake
and their three children moved into
a camper nestled at the southern
base of the Rocky Mountains in the
beautiful Sangre de Cristo Mountains
of New Mexico. Eighteen miles above
the historic and culturally diverse village
of Taos, they founded Taos Ski
Valley, and over the next sixty years,
three generations of the family owned,
operated and developed their vision
into a world-class ski resort.
That first year, beginning at the base
area, 9,207 feet above sea level, Blake
cleared the first ski trail, the Snakedance.
By the winter of 1955, with the
help of 16 local men, the mountain’s
first lift was in operation; and from
there on, he never looked back.
In 1996, Taos Ski Valley became an
incorporated village, the highest municipality
in the U.S. and currently
home to almost 150 residents. Today,
with a vertical drop of more than 3,274
feet, the resort features 13 lifts and
more than 100 ski trails along with
extensive mountain biking and hiking
trails throughout the property.
Long-time Taos Ski Valley skier, conservationist
and philanthropist, Louis
Bacon, saw the potential for thoughtful
and sustainable development of
the area, and in 2013, he purchased
the resort from the Blake family. Additionally,
he began the Taos Ski Valley
Foundation for his charitable giving in
the area.
Bacon seeks to revitalize Taos by
committing to invest approximately
$300 million in the resort over a 10-
year period guided by three goals: create
a sustainable four-season resort,
improve on the mountain skiing and
riding opportunities and enhance the
year-round guest experience.
Starting at the top
Soaring to its summit of 12,481 feet in
2014, the new Kachina Peak Lift became
one of the highest chairlifts in
North America, increasing the mountain’s
advanced and expert lift-serviced
terrain by an amazing 50 percent.
“This summer we’ve been upgrading
the back side of the mountain, the
Kachina Basin area,” said Dawn Boulware,
director of human resources, sustainability
coordinator and officer of
Taos Ski Valley, Inc. “We’re constructing
a municipal water tank developed
by the Village, remodelling the Phoenix
Grill and have purchased the original
restaurant, The Bavarian, which is now
undergoing extensive renovations.”
10 September 2018 | snowopsmag.com
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