TAOS, NM January 2009
Tom Miller, Trip Leader
After we landed at the Albuquerque Airport and gathered our bags we were greeted by Roger Mariani, the General Manager at Snakedance Condominiums and one of his staff. We loaded our baggage into 2 vans and headed for Taos Ski Valley with a stop in Taos for food and drink and headed up the valley to the ski area.
When we arrived we were greeted by a friendly and enthusiastic staff. After settling into are 2 bedroom condos, we headed for the bar in the condo and watched, with great disappointment, the Colts lose. We met some former Indianapolis residents who have been coming to Taos for many years and told us it was one the best ski areas around. We also met up with Katie Joy, who along with her dadJerome, are members of ISC. Katie is a traveling nurse and had just taken an assignment at the Taos Hospital.
Snakedance gave us a welcoming reception with food and drink and information about the area and introduced us to the manager of the ski school who explained about their 6 day 2 hour ski lesson for $90. We all thought that was a good deal with 9 of us signing up for it. Roger and Diane Mariani invited us to their home Monday evening for dinner.
Sometime Saturday night,it started snowing and didn’t not stop until Tuesday, leaving 27” of new snow to deal with. LIFE IS TOUGH. Not all of us could handle the new snow, so they took Monday off.
Sunday started with breakfast atthecondo and lessons at 9am. There must have been a hundred people at the Whistle Stop that were going to take lessons. We were put into groups according to skiing ability and then some of us were put into groups that were more suitable. At 10 am we started the6day2 hour lesson. All of the instructors were first rate and took us only into terrain that we could handle. This was definitely one of the high lights of the week. We are all much better skiers after a week of lessons. What a fantastic program.
Another plus for Snakedance is that you stored your skis at attended ski room. When you picked up skis, you walked out the back door and 50 yards away is the lift. When you are finished skiing, you drop off your skis and on to your room, unless you were Cristal and got foot massages from the Chilean attendants.
Roger and Diane’s home is beautiful and designed to entertain. They served chips and dip, variety of cheeses, meats, smoked salmon and a Margarita that was out of this world. The main course of consisted of salad,grilled pork loin, pasta carbonara and grilled shrimp. WHAT A MEAL.
Tuesday night we went the Bavarian Inn for a really great fondue meal, except Bill, he had steak at the Condo restaurant.
We enjoyed the rest of the week skiing, eating, and touring the shops in Taos.
At the end of our lessons on Friday, each of the instructors took us to a place on the mountain and offered us a Martini. There are many version as why how Ernie Blake, the founder started this tradition, but it was unique. Thatnight we had pizza prepared by Chef Gregg who lived and worked in Manhattan eight years before coming to Taos and they were delicious.
Most all of us have had great ski trips in the past, but we all agreed that Taos ranks right up there with them when it comes to accommodations, restaurant, staff, snow and range of green to double black runs, including tree runs.
I was so impressed with it, we going to offer it again in 2010.Thanks to everyone for this great trip to lead.