Ok...my day started early...I got up around 3:30 (after waking around 2:00 and not being able to get back to sleep) and started the drive. Some nice views, with a big full moon hanging in the air:

 

 

After driving about 2.5 hours (and a little stop in a speed trap outside of Espanola I beleive...which I didn't get a ticket for) I arrived at Taos:

 

 

There was one boarder who came down from Silverton I believe to make the first chair...he started sleeping at the lift around 10:00 the night before:

 

 

Lot's of different ski press was there and he got interviewed left and right. From the little I heard him talk, he seemed articulate and well spoken. I was interviewed by Powder as well as Ski magazine I beleive...and a few other semi-local papers.

 

 

As more and more people arrived the energy got higher and higher...people were VERY psyched.

 

Here's the group about an hour or so before the lift opened:

 

While folks waited the Never Summer crew handed out flowers to folks...in their stylish wear:

 

 

And generally looked funny:

 

 

As the lifts started moving all the boarders started stomping their decks on the snow...it was loud...very loud. You could hear/feel the power emenating across the valley...it was awesome. One of the lifties, who I was right next to while it was going on, looked genuinely scared for a bit. Eventually though I got on the chair....yes...the first honest chair (not an auctioned-off-for-charity chair)...and rode up with one of the original founders of the free taos movement. Here's the view of the valley below..notice all the photog's taking pictures of people getting on the lift and what not:

 

 

 

 

I got off the first chair and immediately headed to the upper lifts...where I got on the fourth or so chair...with a few (5?) people in front of me...I rode again with the two boarders who I rode the first chair with.

 

We got off the upper chair and immediately set ourselves up for a short hour (30 mins?) hike up Kachina Peak (12,481' I believe):

 

 

I was the second boarder to reach the top...some guy from Santa Fe (used to the elevation) beat me by 100 yards or so. I hung out on top for a bit and partied with folks that came up to celebrate. One freak was wearing a funny button:

 

 

And a close up of the button:

 

As you can see it was a blue bird day and the views off Kachina were quite nice:

 

Just before heading down a Big Horn Sheep was spotted lounging in the sun:

 

I eventually decided to start checking the area out and rode down the basin in the peak photo to the trees on the viewers left. Decent powedr in the trees, but most of it was wind blown and scratchy. Which didn't matter at all to me...I wasn't there for the snow.

 

Down at the base they had a death metal band playing...just cranking out the *noise*. It was a bit much for me...but when I heared some up tight guy say to his up tight wife, while his spoiled little kids were near by "Uh...there's always Alta..." I decided I liked the band.

 

 

 

The bar had these stickers up:

 

 

I hung out, had a beer and took pictures of funny people:

 

 

Bummed I misssed the front of this guy...Yup...that's a Dallas Cowboy's Sweatshirt.

 

No idea what was on this kids head...it almost looked metalic or something:

 

 

Some stretch pants Love:

 

Sadly the camera didn't pick out how silvery this guys coat was...it was positively shimmering:

 

A very cute, local high school girl that was doing a survey on private use of public lands. I wish I had taken a photo of the survey card's questions...it was a pretty interesting subject considering the event that was going on and how the public (snowboarders) had previously been banned from it's own public (Taos) lands. I told her she was wearing a nice oney...and whe just looked at me strangely. Seems like New mexico is the land of the funny One Piece...and to wear one is 'normal'. Yikes.

 

 

Funny shirt in the lift line: (A comment on Taos's founder, Ernie Blake? You decide!)

 

 

A total snow bunny...sadly, again...the camera failed to capture the gold flaked lipstick...it was stunning:

 

And this snow bunny...again, I sadly missed it when she had her leopard print head band on as well.

 

 

The guy who started the 'free taos' phrase to begin with...was starting a new one:

 

 

Free the mountian from all constraints...brah.

 

A poem I found pinned to the wall in the St. Bernards hotel when I went wandering:

 

Some one worte I (heart) Ernie Blake in the snow at the top of one of the lifts:

 

 

A view of some of their steeps...which doesn't do them justice, at all:

 

Lot's of stickers in a lot of places...like this one in the parking lot:

 

I'm certainly no Burton fan-boy...but I liked this base for the day:

 

and last, but not least, yours truely...after waiting 20 years to ride Taos, on top of Kachina Peak, doing my best lame skier pose, in my best lame gaper suit...feel the inner pink! Sadly you can't see the white rose I was riding with in my goggle strap on my helmet.

 

 

 

Questions?

 

 

I also just noticed a video they put on their site...I appear briefly being interviewed about mid way through...you can briefly see the flower in my helmet

 

 

The heading is march 22nd...(even though the date was the 19th) so...

nmMike - Hmmm...I did get my gaper suit from EBay...forget where it came from though...I'll have to go look.

 

Oh yeah...one more photo...as I was leaving the resort...heading to my car...this scene was going down. Cops talking to these kids...I over heard one of the kids say "The funny things is...this wouldn't be a rpoblem in 5 months..." so maybe they're being busted for going 'off trail'? Hard to say...not knowing what happened and seeing as their in their street clothes (I would think a busted poacher would still bein riding gear). Either way, when one of the kids saw me taking the picture...he looked over and smiled for the camera...another cop near by harassed be and told me to not 'do that'...I was going to argue with him about being free to do what ever I'd like in a public place...but I had a few beers in me and was going to my car...so I didn't need the hassle.

 

Posted by luiscypher
Well next year its gonna be a full season up there, not every day we get a new mountain to explore.

 

I'm jealous! Taos is worth going to for sure...I'd love to spend a season there exploring the place and learning it's nooks and crannies...that said...I couldn't live in NM...way to sunny for my pale, white skin and red hair. Not to mention a general lack of big trees/woods. Pinon's...while smelling good...don't quite cut it for me. When I moved west almost 20 years ago it was between where I am now and NM...I decided on here cause NM was to sunny and dry/dusty for me. I'd have skin cancer in a week if I lived there. And yes...Kachina is a nice peak...easy hike...lot's of access off the top. Wish I had that mountain near by! (sans texan's of course)

 

Next time I'm down there though...I want to ride with ya...not to mention possibly get a tour of your board making scene, if you're still doing it.

 

Posted by Killclimbz
Yeah, nice job ult.  I think you should get the best attitude on the 'net award.

 

Fuck you, you powder posing bastard!!! You need to go back to Home Depot and buy some more plumbing supplies for all the shit you're talking!!!  Or something like that. Or should I say something about how I hate ALL skiers because one cut me off getting off the lift one time.

 

I'm much more of a grump and asshole in the real world I think. On the net I *try* and take the moral high ground and avoid the ease of anonymous heckler...sometimes I can pull it off...other times...not so much. To keep me sane and 'nice' I stay away from the politics section...cause I'd just rant and rave in there...not to mention get an ulcer. Beyond that...I'll just keep to the CO heckling...THAT'S to easy for me to pass up! But I'm having trouble with the photo's you've been putting up lately...about all I can say would be..."oh yeah...well it's only 500 vert feet of waist deep, dry, cold smoke, fluff!!! Ha!!!!" And I prefer my heckles to be good. Not *just* bitter rants.

Hahaha, yeah I guess I should get to home depot.  Funny how something you talk about almost 7 months ago is still your reality now...

 

Keep up the Colorado heckling.  I know it's in good nature.  We're all kind of spoiled in the west.  Almost everywhere that has snow and mountains has amazing terrain.  Rarely dissappoints, and is almost always world class.  Each place just has things that it does better than others.  Give and take, yin vs yang, whateva...

 

That other thread was my entertainment for the day.  Yeah the internet is a pointless place to argue, but that doesn't mean it's not fun.

God damn hardbooters ruining it all for us.

 

Actually from what I heard there were so many people on rental equipment that were snowboarding and not snowboarders.

Ult;

Nice going bro!  I'm really sorry that the old school hecklers from the Taos forum and RSN boards couldn't have ridden together on such a magnificent day.  I was there in spirit but you knew that.  My reasons for bowing out just go to show how rediculous the ban was in the first place.  I just had too many family commitments to make the trip.  Kids will do that.  People in their late 30's and early 40's with kids ride snowboards?  Who knew?  I guess the Blakes do now.  If they had dropped the ban 6 years earlier there is nothing that could have kept me from being there.  Next season for sure, even if I have to make the trip solo.

The infamous BenStevens find snowboard.com....welcome "Ben".

 

It was a grand day...the only thing that could have made it better is the old school Taos forum and RSN hecklers being there....close...but no cigar! Either way...we still won out!!!

Yeah, another of the old-schoolers alerted me on another board.  I was going to log in under my now regular screen name (boarddad) but alas, it seems I registered on this website a long time ago and I couldn't remember my password (Isn't memory always the first thing to go?  I guess some would know better than others ;)).  It seemed strange but fitting using my old moniker.

BTW - love the fartbag!  Where on earth did you find that thing? 

 

On second thought, nevermind - some things are best left un-known.

http://www.santafenewmexican.com/Local%20News/Saved-by-the-snowboard

 

 

Oh yea...Taos...You're welcome.