RESORT PROFILE
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COURTESY OF LULICH IMPLEMENT AND THE
ARROWHEAD GROOMER SHOW
Many improvements have been
made all the way down the mountain
including the replacement of two older
chairlifts with fixed-grip triple chairs.
In addition, the resort has been upgrading
its snowmaking equipment,
purchasing five low-energy HKD snow
guns and upgrading to premium-
efficiency, variable-frequency electric
motors and drives. This new equipment
has reduced snowmaking energy
consumption by 17 percent and
the water-to-snow conversion rate by
15 percent. Meanwhile, an extensive
snow-farming program is also helping
to deal with recent decreasing snowfall
averages. Boulware adds that the
trails are kept in top condition with
10 operators using PistenBully 400s to
groom approximately 275 acres every
night during the ski season.
To the base of it all
Last year, the resort reconfigured the
beginner area, replacing two lifts with
a new Skytrac fixed-grip triple chair
– much better for new skiers – and a
six-passenger pulse gondola for convenient
travel across the area. In addition,
heavy equipment smoothed out the old
double-fall line and some sections normally
considered too steep for beginners.
Utilizing Terrain-Based Learning,
where the snow is purposefully shaped
to allow for an easier learning process,
new skiers and riders are having more
fun out on the slopes faster than ever.
One of the first big projects taken
on under the new ownership was construction
of the Blake Hotel. As Boulware
said, “We tore down our old rental
and retail shops, very old buildings that
were there since the early ’70s. Once
the demolition was complete, we built
the Blake – the first hotel the resort has
owned and operated.” Featuring handmade
textiles, native influences and
art to reflect the eclectic culture of the
area, the LEED Silver-certified building
holds 80 guest rooms, the 192 at the
Blake restaurant, a pool, hot tubs and
the Spa & Wellness Center. Groundsource
heating, LED lighting and many
other sustainable practices are an integral
part of the design.
An updated and upgraded plaza offers
new day and seasonal lockers, restaurants,
retail/rental facilities, ticket
and pass sales, along with a beautiful
river walk. Yes, this resort even has a
river running through the middle.
Twenty miles downstream from Taos
Ski Valley, the Rio Hondo merges into
the famous Rio Grande. In cooperation
with the U.S. Forest Service and the
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