It had been years since I had been to Taos and it was for a wedding at the time, the experience full of energy, an energizing dinner and cocktail party and a boat load of fun. If I recall, it was early Spring and I had discovered a few gems on the outskirt of Taos that I had hoped to return to one day and of course, the names of those gems were captured on an old laptop, never to be restored.
For some reason, my mystical illusion of experiencing Taos had to be the gems I had hoped to return to and without those names, it was, well, left up to pure accident of where I’d end up staying and what I’d end up doing, with a little help from the local tourism board of course.
In my mind’s eye were those golden gems however, and not finding them again would somehow make my Taos experience inferior. Hog wash I heard my grandmother saying as I contemplated such a ridiculous thought, and a way of thinking I rarely have, particularly as a long time traveler. Isn’t everything a new discovery and….doesn’t everything happen for a reason? I decided to return to my normal mantra while traveling which focuses on “trust”, a hunger for discovery and being present and once I did, everything quickly fell in place.
Before we hit the ski resort itself, we ended up staying at a charming B&B in town and had arrived just as the flickering snowflakes were at their strongest. While I was dead set on exploring the spiritual side of Taos, as well as it’s foodie and art scene, there was no doubt I was going to ski — after all, it was January and we were greeted with the first snow fall since we left New York more than a couple of weeks prior. And, snow it did, for three straight days.
In and around Taos is beautiful, no, it’s breathtaking — nothing more, nothing less!! Below is the road we took to head out of town one day for a scenic drive.
Below, on the road towards Taos Pueblo or otherwise referred to as Pueblo de Taos, a must visit when in Taos (see my write-up – it’s also a UNESCO World Heritage Site)
Only a mere mile or so outside of Taos, you reach Taos Pueblo itself. Below is inside, so you can get an idea of what to expect. Taos Pueblo is an ancient pueblo belonging to a Tewa-
And, how’s this for the stunning views you get from Taos Pueblo on a cold winter day?
On the road to the Taos ski resort…
By the time we had started climbing the windy road that led to the ski resort, we realized our car’s wasn’t made for the slippery conditions, something a four wheel drive could have handled easily. Thanks to Adriana, a local who is also instrumental in promoting local tourism, we made our way up and down the mountain with ease in her truck, both for an annual wine tasting event they do every year and to ski.
We also stayed at the Snakedance Condos to get a flavor for the lodging on the mountain and had a scrumptious meal at the traditional Bavarian gem at the top (be sure to read my foodie write up on the restaurant). Unfortunately or fortunately depending on how you look at it, the visibility on the day I was planning to ski couldn’t have been worse.
The downside of course was that I didn’t get those stunning landscape and mountain views that Taos is so known for on a clear day. The other downside was that it was hard to see, especially with dark tinted goggles, the only ones I had access to that day.
I wasn’t the only one who had a tough time with visibility that day – you’ll notice that because of the weather conditions, I opted to leave my Canon 7D in a dry warm place, rather than cart it around on the slopes. The result is that every shot on the mountain was taken with my iPhone with snow flurries between the view and the camera and the granularity and blurriness of the shots unfortunately reflect that. Despite not being able to produce the best photography on the slopes, you’ll get an idea at just how white and fluffy it was on that January day.
There were times I couldn’t see a thing in front of me, so ended up hooking up with a Brit who was there for the week for several runs, just so I had a bright jacket to follow down the mountain. It was either that, I thought, or end up on some random side of the mountain covered in snow.
The truth is, that despite the poor visibility, my lack of stellar equipment for the day, how utterly exhausted I was from the recent long drives and that it took me forever to get my pass sorted because of that fatigue, I had a blast! I mean, I really had a blast. As tired and blind as I was, there was something truly magical about being on the mountain in such chaotic conditions.
I had to rely on my other senses to get me through and rather than use my sight as my mainstay, I felt the motion of my curves and turns, I felt the snow fall on my face, blocking my view and all and I felt the sensation of Taos in January in the midst of fresh fallen snow and thought yes…..this is bliss, pure bliss!
Useful Resources and Info:
- Dreamcatcher B&B in the center of Taos: https://weblogtheworld.com/?p=196189 and www.dreamcatcherbb.com.
- Snakedance Condos at the top of the mountain: www.snakedancecondos.com/
- The Bavarian Restaurant at the top of the mountain: www.thebavarian.net/
- Taos Pueblo or Pueblo de Taos: https://weblogtheworld.com/?p=196254 and http://www.taospueblo.com/
- Taos Winter Wine Festival: http://www.taoswinterwinefest.com
- The Taos Ski Resort: https://www.skitaos.org/
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
