Taos Ski Valley
Taos, New Mexico

Taos Ski Valley was founded by Ernie and Rhoda Blake in 1955. Ernie Blake had been manager at Ski Santa Fe and often flew up to Santa Fe's sister mountain at Glenwood Springs (Sunlight Mountain Resort). Along the way he was always looking down, trying to search out the perfect ski slope for himself to develop. His efforts have resulted in Taos Ski Valley.

Since day 1 this has been a family-oriented, family-operated ski area. The first lift was a Bridger-Boseman J-Bar, installed in the fall of 1956 by Ernie, sixteen men from Taos Pueblo, and a mule named Lightning. After a day of dragging lift and tower parts through the snow up what is now Al's Run, the mule quit. A very tall local rancher by the name of Chilton Anderson was hired that same year. His job was to lift the cable back onto the towers when it fell off, which it did regularly. After 37 years, Chilton retired in 2003. Many of the staff at Taos Ski Valley boast of similar pedigrees: some of them have worked here since the 1950's. You might even come across four generations of the Blake family on the slopes: Taos Ski Valley is still owned and operated by the children and grandchildren of Ernie and Rhoda.

In the base area at Taos Ski Valley you'll find several ski and snowboard retail, rentals and repair shops. There are also several excellent restaurants serving everything from coffee/espresso to breakfast to burgers to elegant fine dining. Accommodations at Taos Ski Valley include the Austing Haus Bed & Breakfast, the Amizette Inn, the Alpine Village Suites, the Hotel St. Bernard, the Edelweiss Lodge and Spa, the Snakedance Condos & Spa, plus numerous other condominiums, chalets, and luxury townhomes and mountain homes, many of which are classed as "ski-in/ski-out."

And if you don't find enough entertainment or cultural activity at Taos Ski Valley, the world renowned destination of Taos, New Mexico is just down the hill...