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TAOS to allow snowboarding!

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Author	Post
Davev Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Oct 20, 2001 Posts: 1495 Location:	Posted: Dec 14, 2007 - 5:38 PM GMT About time..

shenty Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Oct 17, 2005 Posts: 900 Location:Bedford NH - New London, NH	Posted: Dec 14, 2007 - 5:43 PM GMT And then there were three... Actually I'm wearing an Alta Long sleeve T-Shirt today, you know the one that says "Alta is for _____" __________ There's no waiting for friends on a powder day.

powderbank Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Sep 07, 2007 Posts: 37 Location:Vermont	Posted: Dec 14, 2007 - 5:54 PM GMT I wonder how much of that decision was to take themselves off the Burton poaching list or just plain about time....now only three. I ski, but to not allow snowboarders on a mountain is like not allowing certain groups of people join your country club. Little discriminatory? Anyway check out the pow footage at Bolton after we tape some footage this Sunday. We will have both skiers and snowboarders. One big happy family. Yeah December storms!! __________ Vermont Skiing & Snowboarding

telefester Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Oct 29, 2004 Posts: 141 Location:Park City	Posted: Dec 14, 2007 - 6:00 PM GMT No offense to Snowboarders, but glad to see this is after I hit Taos in February next year. That will mean I've hit all four of the Ski-only resorts before the transition, although not really intentionally. It wouldn't stop me from going back. March 19th = spring break, so no surpise on the timing

DrJeff Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Apr 29, 2002 Posts: 907 Location:	Posted: Dec 14, 2007 - 7:48 PM GMT Edited: Dec 14, 2007 - 7:48 PM GMT Quote: I wonder how much of that decision was to take themselves off the Burton poaching list or just plain about time....now only three. I ski, but to not allow snowboarders on a mountain is like not allowing certain groups of people join your country club. Little discriminatory? Anyway check out the pow footage at Bolton after we tape some footage this Sunday. We will have both skiers and snowboarders. One big happy family. Yeah December storms!! If it was really about the $$ or the burton poach contest, I bet the press release would have been and "effective immediately" release. Late season trial time I think has less to do with spring break(afterall Taos is about as close to the middle of nowhere as a beer swilling hormone ragging college type would want to seek out ). I think this "trial" time is a controlled experiment where the mgt there I'm sure knows how much average business they get over those last few weeks of operation, and this way with the buzz from the 1 plank crew that this will get, the mgt will get a good feel for how much extra $$ the 1 plank crew can bring in. Don't know who of the remaining 3 will fall next(if any), since they're on ALOT more solid financial ground and all 3 of the remaining board free resorts literally have board friendly options right next door

songfta Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Jan 14, 2004 Posts: 564 Location:Washington, DC	Posted: Dec 14, 2007 - 8:50 PM GMT May I be among the first to say.... BOO! I gave Taos a lot of respect for standing up for a skiers' mountain. That said, coexistence is the name of the game, and if a 'boarder can handle Taos, all the power to 'em. __________ Track my adventures at randomduck.com

Jimme Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Jan 25, 2002 Posts: 1208 Location:6 miles West of Jiminy Peak, MA	Posted: Dec 14, 2007 - 9:53 PM GMT When I stopped skiing in '77 there were was essentially no snowboarding. I started again in 2000 and wow!; snowboarders all over the place. Telemarkers and short skis too. I thought it was cool. Then I heard that skiers were not supposed to get along with snowboarders. What a load of bunk! While it is great to be able to go to a few places and get "old ski charm", I've always felt it was not quite right to exclude snowboards on a mountain. So on one hand, it's sad to see an old place grow "new", on the other it's great to see them open for ALL forms of sliding. It's about the passion of sliding down the mountain . . . __________ The Artful Dodger

millerm277 Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: May 28, 2006 Posts: 1133 Location:Somerset County, NJ	Posted: Dec 14, 2007 - 11:08 PM GMT Quote: Don't know who of the remaining 3 will fall next(if any), since they're on ALOT more solid financial ground and all 3 of the remaining board free resorts literally have board friendly options right next door Seems very unlikely to ever happen. None of the areas need the additional revenue/visits, and at least Alta and MRG are very against it. (I don't know much about deer valley to comment on it.)

chfriend Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: May 17, 2007 Posts: 421 Location:Central MA	Posted: Dec 14, 2007 - 11:22 PM GMT Quote: Seems very unlikely to ever happen. None of the areas need the additional revenue/visits, and at least Alta and MRG are very against it. (I don't know much about deer valley to comment on it.) Of course, this is the same argument that was used before the number of snowboardless resorts remaining cut itself of 25%. I've heard reports that MRG isn't doing well financially, I'm just not in the mood right now to go digging for them. __________ Just in case it's not dead yet, keep hitting it with a stick, maybe throw a few rocks at it, urinate on it... You know, the whole ball of wax...

millerm277 Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: May 28, 2006 Posts: 1133 Location:Somerset County, NJ	Posted: Dec 15, 2007 - 3:51 AM GMT Edited: Dec 15, 2007 - 3:53 AM GMT Quote: Of course, this is the same argument that was used before the number of snowboardless resorts remaining cut itself of 25%. I believe in the other threads on this topic, I stated (either here or at AZ), that Taos was the only one likely to ever lift the ban, as they have been reported to be having some financial issues... Quote: I've heard reports that MRG isn't doing well financially, I'm just not in the mood right now to go digging for them. While neither of us have access to real numbers on it, I'll disagree with that, based on the obvious, known things. 1. They managed to get donors to pay for their new lift (almost, there's still I think about $1xx thousand left), essentially managing to make $1.5 million in improvements free to the mountain. 2. They have very low operating costs. A couple of fixed grip lifts, two snowguns. Trail work costs them nothing as it's done by volunteers. 3. They have a very loyal skier base, and seem to have no problems with attracting plenty of people to the area as it is. 4. They have no/very little debt. 5. While I don't know the details of how it works, I believe MRG's ownership model protects them fairly well against poor/unprofitable seasons.

chfriend Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: May 17, 2007 Posts: 421 Location:Central MA	Posted: Dec 15, 2007 - 4:05 AM GMT Edited: Dec 15, 2007 - 4:07 AM GMT It's really easy to find meeting minutes for non-profits. From the 11/16/2006 meeting notes: REVIEW OF DRAFT FINANCIAL REPORT / AUDIT 2005/06 The Committee reviewed the document and discussed the following items in detail: * Financial Reports o Cash position of $162,343 is particularly troubling due to the risk of a poor Holiday Week and the pending payment of $200k to CTECC for the Single Chair. o The $162,343 includes $343,896 (cash received from Customers for the next fiscal year) so our actual end of year cash was ($181,533)! * Notes to Reports o There were no questions * Management Letter o Despite comments made in the report there are no plans to change our financial controls due to the small size of the staff. It was felt that adequate controls are in place. o The Committee recommended that Jamey consider the suggestion to do payroll on a bi-weekly basis for the full time employees and possibly for all employees. Jamey agreed to look into it. * Account Reconciliation o Single Chair expenses of $72,085 were moved from the P/L to next year. The Committee recommends that the Financial Report and Audit for 2005/06 be accepted by the Board of Trustees. __________ Just in case it's not dead yet, keep hitting it with a stick, maybe throw a few rocks at it, urinate on it... You know, the whole ball of wax...

rickbolger Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Mar 14, 2005 Posts: 2299 Location:Great Gorge, NJ	Posted: Dec 15, 2007 - 1:32 PM GMT What is most troubling about this news is the cold hard fact that there aren't enough pure skiers to sustain Taos. Will allowing snowboarders be enough? I hope so, but I have my doubts.

rogerjack Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Aug 26, 2007 Posts: 918 Location:	Posted: Dec 24, 2007 - 1:15 PM GMT Quote: What is most troubling about this news is the cold hard fact that there aren't enough pure skiers to sustain Taos. Will allowing snowboarders be enough? I hope so, but I have my doubts. The trouble with Taos Ski Valley would be that not only is it mostly very steep expert terrain (which naturally excludes boarders), but it is so far south that there always seems to be a dicey snow season. It becomes a bad destination resort for these reasons. The local population would be the only people that can keep it open but with Sandia Peak so close to Albuqueque, it has to compete for a small population.

skrider Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Apr 24, 2007 Posts: 87 Location:MA	Posted: Dec 24, 2007 - 4:30 PM GMT It’s funny that as I read this I have my Taos “Ridgerunners” shirt on. (when I was there you could only buy it from the first aid station at the top and they asked if you did hike up too the ridge) I alternate between skiing and Boarding, I was wondering when Taos would have to give in. I am afraid that it will make getting back to the main lodge difficult. The year I was there was not a good snow year and there where many Texan’s spread all over the place; they just can’t ski “N’England Hard pack”. There are basically 2 loop trails coming back to the main lodge and they are very narrow; I had a few close calls just picking my way through beginner and intermediates sliding and plugging up the trail. To this you add not so good snow boarders doing a “falling leaf” and you have a recipe for disaster. There is a straight way down but very steep and bumpy, I just hope the accident rate does not increase. I will say that I had a blast even in an off year and know some Boarders are going to have a blast. Can’t wait to see a You-tube of a boarder sliding down the ridge after a fall, not as easy to do a “self-arrest” on a board. Note: this is not a knock on people that are learning, I just think the terain is going to be tricky. I just got out of the way of 2 "experts", but not on those conditions" as they blew by me. As I was waiting for my wife I saw a sled come down and one of those guys had taken out another skier

gravitylover Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Dec 28, 2003 Posts: 366 Location:Putnam County NY	Posted: Dec 24, 2007 - 4:36 PM GMT Quote: The trouble with Taos Ski Valley would be that not only is it mostly very steep expert terrain (which naturally excludes boarders), How ignorant a statement this is

skrider Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Apr 24, 2007 Posts: 87 Location:MA	Posted: Dec 24, 2007 - 5:06 PM GMT Quote: [quote] The trouble with Taos Ski Valley would be that not only is it mostly very steep expert terrain (which naturally excludes boarders), How ignorant a statement this is [/quote] I saw that and was going to ignore it. With the light fluffy powder they get there; I'd say Riders will be making a lot of nice tracks. I know I'd do like I do every place and that's look at the conditions and my energy level then chose which gear to use. Unfortunately I don't think I'll get the chance because I won't get my wife back there due to the reason stated in my previous post

snoshredder21 Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Oct 05, 2004 Posts: 150 Location:Old Bridge,NJ	Posted: Dec 24, 2007 - 7:43 PM GMT ill be on that steep terrain __________ NJSchoolOfArchitecture

rogerjack Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Aug 26, 2007 Posts: 918 Location:	Posted: Dec 25, 2007 - 1:16 PM GMT Edited: Dec 25, 2007 - 1:19 PM GMT Quote: How ignorant a statement this is Sure snowboarders who aren't sane might try the steep terrain. There's where the ignorance lies, the ignorance of the laws of nature which are never quite as forgiving as those of man. I wanted to add that since Sante Fe has a ski area, it makes the drive to Taos by locals rather extraneous. Only experts will probably do it. Having been to this region of N.M. seven separate times, I would probably go to Sante Fe. if I were to take a destination trip. By the way, Taos just received a goodly amount of snow.

cris dabica Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Dec 06, 2005 Posts: 16 Location:VT/NH	Posted: Jan 01, 2008 - 2:50 PM GMT Taos' decision is solely based on fiscal considerations. Many of the mountain's/area's vacation home owners are from California and/or are families who count snowboarders among their family members. The pressure from them as well as the fiscal strain of being in an area where there are many snowboarders was responsible for the mountain's change of heart. It had nothing to do with Burton's poaching initiative.

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