TL;DR
Taos Ski Valley marks its 70th season with infrastructure improvements and expanded air access. But do these changes genuinely enhance the skiing experience or just pad the marketing brochure?
Taos Plays Catch-Up with Long-Overdue Improvements
Taos Ski Valley is marking its 70th anniversary with a series of upgrades that, while welcome, largely represent the resort playing catch-up to industry standards rather than blazing new trails. The New Mexico ski area, which has struggled to keep pace with larger competitors, is finally addressing some long-standing infrastructure issues and expanding air access to boost visitor numbers.
100 days out till Taos
The headline improvement is the replacement of the antiquated Lift 7, a fixed-grip double installed in 1984, with a new Leitner-Poma fixed-grip triple. While any lift upgrade is positive, the decision to stick with a fixed-grip system rather than detachable technology feels like a missed opportunity to truly modernise the mountain's infrastructure.
Taos is also regrading Maxie's trail, a move that should improve skiability but also hints at underlying terrain issues that have gone unaddressed for years. The introduction of RFID gates at key lifts is a standard industry practice that Taos is only now implementing, likely in an effort to reduce staffing costs as much as to improve the guest experience.Perhaps the most significant development is the expansion of flight options into Taos Regional Airport. A new route from Denver increases accessibility, particularly for the Colorado market. However, with only five days of service per week, it's hardly a game-changer for destination visitors planning week-long stays.
