Taos Ski Valley prepares for 2016-17 season, launch of The Blake Hotel

TAOS SKI VALLEY, NM – This 2016-2017 winter season, Taos Ski Valley will open the much-anticipated centerpiece of its base area renovation, The Blake at Taos Ski Valley, a new 80-room lodging property

TAOS SKI VALLEY, NM – This 2016-2017 winter season, Taos Ski Valley will open the much-anticipated centerpiece of its base area renovation, The Blake at Taos Ski Valley, a new 80-room lodging property. Additionally, Taos Ski Valley has a variety of other new enhancements designed to improve the visitor experience in the valley this year. The changes come as Taos Ski Valley’s new CEO David Norden kicks off his first season at the ski valley bringing decades of mountain resort industry experience.


In addition to the planned opening of The Blake this winter, some key improvements visitors will notice immediately include:

โ€ข Expanded glading in the famed hike-to Wild West area, as well as on the North American run and Ernie’s Run

โ€ข Significantly improved mobile phone coverage in the valley and on-mountain, allowing visitors to post social media photos and connect with family and friends

โ€ข Additional snowmaking for enhanced early season conditions

โ€ข A variety of new ski school options at the famed Ernie Blake Snowsports School including telemark, steeps & bumps, women-only, and racing specialty clinics

“This year promises to be our best yet as more of the significant investments we’ve been making in the ski area become real for our guests and local residents for the first time,” said Norden. “Visitors will immediately notice the improvements, however, the soul and mystique of Taos Ski Valley is still the same. Our world-class terrain, renowned snowsports school and children’s program, and unique culture are unmistakably intact.”

Taos Ski Valley’s concerted base area renovations and on-mountain improvements began over two years ago with the launch of the Kachina Peak Chair Lift, and continued last season with a new drop-off area that features views of the Sangre de Cristo mountains and a walkway with stores and services that line the path to the base area and lifts. The base area renovation will continue for the next several years, and include a variety of new retail areas, dining choices and a plaza.

The scheduled opening day will be Thursday, Nov. 24, 2016, and key in-season events include:

โ€ข Dec. 16 โ€“ 17, Demo Days

โ€ข Dec. 31, New Year’s Eve Torchlight Parade and Fireworks

โ€ข Jan. 7, 21st Annual Brewmasters Festival

โ€ข Jan. 17 โ€“ 22, Not Forgotten Outreach Week

โ€ข Feb. 25, Shred the Love: Fifth Annual K2 Bumps Challenge and the Eighth Annual Paint for Peaks: A Snowboard Art Auction

โ€ข Mar. 2 โ€“ 4, Taos Freeride Championships

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Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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