Taos, New Mexico — Taos Ski Valley is full of legendary stories and traditions. Perhaps the most legendary tradition is a hidden glass of alcohol in the forest.
Back in 1959, the founder of Taos Ski Valley, Ernie Blake, thought of a brilliant idea. After seeing a struggling skier, he offered her a martini to help her get down the slopes. Blake believed that drinking martinis would give skiers courage. After this sucess story, Blake believed that he made a medical discovery.
KOB 4 recently covered the legend of the martini tree, and how Taos gave a Vietnam veteran a new beginning as a ski instructor. Today, the martini tree is locked in an undisclosed location at the ski resort. Ski instructors use the martini tree to celebrate the conclusion of their ski camps.
Taos’ ski season officially concluded yesterday. It was a dry winter for them, with the ski resort only receiving an estimated 105″ inches of snowfall (according to OpenSnow). Despite the disappointing snow tallies, it sounds like the ski resort had great coverage until the last chair. Let’s hope next season is a snowier one for this legendary ski resort.
Image/Video Credits: Taos Ski Valley
