Taos, New Mexico – A base-to-base gondola at Taos is one step closer to reality.
Taos News reports that on October 30th, Forest Supervisor James Duran announced that the Carson National Forest has tentatively approved various proposed projects by Taos Ski Valley, which has been under review since 2022.
On Halloween, the Environmental Assessment was released. It concluded that their plans wouldn’t produce a massive negative environmental impact. The process to reach this point was slow, as the Forest Supervisor read through almost 600 comments.
As part of the tentative approval, various stipulations were added to address critics’ fears over the project. The most notable stipulations are the requirement for Ski Valley to create a water conservation plan for some of the projects and the restriction on allowing only ticketholders and summer guests to ride the gondola.
In 2023, Taos Ski Valley submitted a proposal to implement various projects from its 2021 Master Development Plan. Here are the most notable projects:
- Build a base-to-base gondola. Each cabin would fit eight people, and the gondola could carry up to 1,800 people an hour. The 7300-foot-long gondola would run year-round. The lift would connect the Frontside base area and Kachina Basin.
- Replace Lifts 2 and 8. Both fixed-grip quad chairlifts were built in the 1990s, meaning they’re nearing the end of their operational lives. These two could be replaced by faster and higher-capacity chairlifts.
- Snowmaking Improvements. Taos wants to install a new booster station, water tank, and additional snowmaking pipes. This will help improve snowmaking capabilities for the frontside and Lift 2. This project will not increase the amount of water currently used for snowmaking from the Rio Hondo.
- Develop a Nordic and snowshoe trail network. The 33-acre expansion would give Taos a cross-country ski center. Currently, the closest cross-country ski facility to Taos, Enchanted Forest, is around a forty-five minute to an hour drive away.
- Build a mid-mountain lodge near the top of Lift 7. This 7000-square-foot facility would add food options and restrooms to the mid-mountain.
- Replace the Whistlestop Café. The new facility would be double the size of the current Whistlestop Café and add more bathrooms. It would be moved to an adjacent location but would not disrupt the skier flow.
- Construct a two-mile hiking trail around Lift 4. The trail would be of intermediate difficulty, follow the existing Hunziker ski trail, and connect to the Kachina Basin base area.
An objection period will now follow, lasting 45 days after the notice of the decision was filed in Taos News. If no objections arise from individuals who previously submitted coments, the decision will be implemented.
Click here for more information about Taos Ski Valley’s proposed projects.
Image/Video Credits: Taos Ski Valley
