By Lisa Brand
Winter Storms Wreak Havoc
The weather wreaked havoc on the start of the CVSC ski trip to Taos, NM. Winter storms in Texas prevented airline connections at the Dallas hub, bringing to a screeching halt hundreds of flights over the course of a couple of days. Heroic efforts by Judi and Sports America prevailed. Eventually, after re-books, and then more re-books of already re-booked flights, the group had to split up.
Almost everyone was able to arrive by Sunday night January 12th at the Snakedance Condos in the Taos Ski Valley resort. With bellies full of sub sandwiches and chips, provided on the long shuttle bus ride from the Albuquerque airport, and a pizza reception for those lucky enough to arrive Saturday night, everyone was ready to tuck into their rooms and anticipate fun on the slopes the following days.
Taos Ski Valley Resort
Sitting at a breath taking (literally) 9,200 feet and soaring upward to almost 12,500 feet, with more than 3,200 vertical feet to ski, Taos skiing boasts “…bone-dry powder stashes and some of the most untamed chutes, bowls and glades in North America…. a wild frontier for skiing and snowboarding… flanked by sacred wilderness, rugged peaks and multicultural vibes… It sits in the heart of The Enchanted Circle; a scenic byway and national forest in northern New Mexico .” (taos.org). The motto “Better, Not Bigger” describes the atmosphere aspired to by the ski resort.
Mountain Experience Tour
On a frigid Monday morning, those who had opted for the Mountain Experience Tour, a mixture of a mountain tour and training, divvied up into appropriate skill levels and formed groups of just a few students to each instructor. Subsequently, there was nothing but excellent reports about the instruction. I can testify that by the end of 2 1/2 hours I was skiing more confidently than I ever had. Throughout the week I continued to practice the lessons I was taught and I shared notes with others, who also had a great learning experience, as well as pointers to pass along.
Angel Fire Ski Resort
Most of the group headed out for a day of skiing at Angel Fire Ski Resort on Tuesday. Angel Fire used to be a cattle range before it was developed into a ski resort in the mid-eighties. It’s a small re- sort about the size of Holiday Valley with some long runs: up to 2000 vertical feet. Upon arrival, on the first run, a lone deer was seen wandering around the slope. Unfortunately, it didn’t have any skis or poles. It just had to hoof it.
Other than the deer, CVSC had the place almost to themselves. Lunch in the small lodge was accom- panied by some good 80s pop music. (Author’s note: I must admit that I know nothing whatsoever about 80s pop music so I’m just taking the word of friends.) Along with lunch came the announcement that the main lift was shut down due to mechanical problems, so folks had to entertain themselves and each other until it reopened.
VIP Dinner
Roger, general manager of Snakedance Condos, and his wife, Diane, hosted the entire club for dinner one evening at their huge luxurious home in Taos. Their home overlooks the Gorge Bridge that spans the Rio Grande River. The bridge, a steel deck arch bridge, is 600 feet above the river and the tenth highest bridge in the U.S. A magnificent feast was set out, including smoked salmon; porto- bello mushrooms with feta cheese; guacamole; tender slow-cooked brisket and tilapia. There were chocolates and brownies for dessert. Dinner was complete with an open bar. Roger and Diane were the quintessential hosts!
Off-Piste Adventures
CVSC boasts some awesome skiers. Some are youngish, some maybe a little bit not so much youngish. Mid-week, a group of 6 intrepid skiers, ages ranging from mid 50s to late 70s, headed off for some strenuous adventure on the slopes. It was a beautiful sunny day with glorious skies. After getting to the highest point possible with a chair lift, they began the trudge up the mountain to gain more altitude. After hiking for close to 1/2 hour, and having previously obtained some good advice from a local, they chose their off-piste starting point. Then over the top they went!
Off-piste adventurers: (from top left) Jim Schaffer, Larry Fordyce, Eric Tucker, Jim Osteen (bottom left) Joe Zema, Bruce Newburger
They spent the morning navigating wild terrain and black bumps. The sun was shining, the snow was soft, and they were having a blast! As they dropped closer to the base the snow became more hard-packed, and the bumps more unforgiving. It was a tough go to the finish, with the terrain diverging, forcing the group to split up as they picked their way down. But then, they all reconvened at the base, ready for a lunch break. Yum! After lunch they happily went in search again for some more off-piste adventures.
Dinner in Town
The Sabroso Restaurant in Taos was the dinner destination for most club members on Wednesday evening. Dinner was served in a private cozy ado- be-type room with a fireplace; service provided by a waitress named Cheyenne; and lots of green chiles, chipotles and southwestern spices were on the menu. The highlight of the evening was a delicious cake for dessert to celebrate Debbie Garcher’s birthday. Happy Birthday Debbie!
Snow! Wind! Perks!
The week wrapped up with swirling snow, extremely cold weather, and severe strong winds, close to 30 mph. But it takes much more than that to stop brave hearted CVSC members, so it was off to the slopes! During the week everyone had gotten a nice little perk from the Snakedance Condos: cozy fleece vests. They were perfect to chase away the chill.