Taos Ski Valley, New Mexico facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Taos Ski Valley
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Village
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Taos Ski Valley from Wheeler Peak
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Location of Taos Ski Valley, New Mexico
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 Taos Ski Valley, New Mexico
Location in the United States
Taos Ski Valley, New Mexico
Location in New Mexico
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| Country | United States | ||||||||||||||||||
| State | New Mexico | ||||||||||||||||||
| County | Taos | ||||||||||||||||||
| Government | |||||||||||||||||||
| • Type | Elected city council | ||||||||||||||||||
| Area | |||||||||||||||||||
| • Total | 2.85 sq mi (7.39 km2) | ||||||||||||||||||
| • Land | 2.85 sq mi (7.39 km2) | ||||||||||||||||||
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Elevation | 10,827 ft (3,300 m) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 77 | ||||||||||||||||||
| • Density | 27.00/sq mi (10.42/km2) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Time zone | UTC-7 (Mountain (MST)) | ||||||||||||||||||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-6 (MDT) | ||||||||||||||||||
| ZIP code |
87525
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| Area code(s) | 575 | ||||||||||||||||||
| FIPS code | 35-76480 | ||||||||||||||||||
| GNIS feature ID | 2413591 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Website | https://taosskivalley.com/ and https://www.skitaos.com/ | ||||||||||||||||||
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Taos Ski Valley is a small village and a popular ski resort in the southwestern United States. It is located in Taos County, New Mexico. In 2010, only 69 people lived there. For a long time, it was one of the few ski resorts in America where snowboarding was not allowed. This rule changed on March 19, 2008. The Kachina lift, built in 2014, takes skiers to a very high point of 12,481 feet (3,804 m) above sea level. This makes it one of the highest triple chairlifts in North America.
Contents
History of Taos Ski Valley
In the 1800s, the area where Taos Ski Valley now stands was a small copper mining town called Twining, New Mexico. However, the town was later left empty. In 1955, a couple named Ernie and Rhoda Blake started the ski mountain.
Early Days of the Ski Resort
The first ski lift, a J-bar, was put in place in 1956. For the first year, the resort only had one ski slope called Snakedance. In 1957, they added a second lift, which was a Poma (platter) lift.
The Blakes lived in a small eleven-foot camper because there were no other buildings around. The Hondo Lodge (now Snakedance Condominiums) was still being built. They lived without electricity until 1963. Ernie used to manage another ski area in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He was very involved in running the Taos resort, even answering the phone to tell people about the snow conditions. The village officially became a town in 1996.
Changes and Growth
By 2006, Taos Ski Valley had 110 ski trails. About 24% of these were for 
beginners, 25% for 
intermediate skiers, and 51% were for 
advanced or expert skiers. The resort was also home to the Ernie Blake Snowsports School, which was known as one of the best ski schools in North America.
In December 2013, the Blake family sold Taos Ski Valley, Inc. to a very wealthy person named Louis Bacon, who also cares a lot about nature.
Taos Air Service
In 2018, Taos Ski Valley started its own airline service called Taos Air. It offered flights to Taos Regional Airport during the ski season. They added summer flights in 2021. Taos Air stopped using its own name in December 2022 when another airline, JSX, took over the flights. The service ended completely in April 2024.
Geography and Location
The United States Census Bureau says the village covers about 2.4 square miles (6.2 km2) of land. There is no water area within its limits.
Taos Ski Valley is one of the highest towns in the U.S., sitting at an elevation of 9,321 feet (2,841 m). However, the village area goes up to 12,581 feet (3,835 m). The highest homes are at 10,350 feet (3,155 m). Wheeler Peak, which is the tallest mountain in New Mexico at 13,161 feet (4,011 m), looks over the village.
The village is completely surrounded by the Carson National Forest. This includes areas that are protected as wilderness.
Weather and Climate
Taos Ski Valley gets about 300 inches (760 cm) of snow each year. The weather station, Taos Powderhorn, is located near Kachina peak at 11,057 feet (3,370 m). This area has a subalpine climate, which means it has cold, snowy winters and mild summers.
Economy and Tourism
The main business in Taos Ski Valley is tourism. During the winter, the Taos Ski Valley Corporation hires about 700 people. In a typical year, about $47 million is spent in the local area. About $12 million of this comes from the ski operations alone.
The village is also a popular place to visit in the summer and fall. In 2005, there were 55 businesses in Taos Ski Valley. Visitors can stay in hotels, rent private homes, or find cozy bed and breakfasts. The town of Taos, which is about a 30-minute drive away, offers services all year round.
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 2000 | 56 | — | |
| 2010 | 69 | 23.2% | |
| 2020 | 77 | 11.6% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2010, the village had 69 people living there. There were 272 housing units, but only about 14% of them were lived in. The population grew by 23.2% between 2000 and 2010. Most of the people living there were White (75.4%), and 24.6% were Hispanic or Latino.
In 2000, a small number of homes (12.5%) had children under 18. The average household had 1.75 people. The median age of people living in Taos Ski Valley was 47 years old.
Education for Students
Most of Taos Ski Valley is part of the Taos Municipal Schools district. A very small part is in the Questa Independent Schools district. Students in the Taos Municipal Schools district attend Taos High School.
See also
In Spanish: Taos Ski Valley para niños
