Kachina Peak Lift opens at Taos Ski Valley
Just in time for the long holiday weekend of visitors celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. Day, as well as more snow in the forecast, Taos Ski Valley has opened the Kachina Peak Lift Wednesday (Jan. 16). The resort had opened the double-black diamond run on Jan. 10 but that was for hikers only.
The lift’s higher elevation makes its operating hours different from those on the lower lifts. The Kachina Peak Lift runs from 10 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. And the lift’s service is always weather-dependent.
“Our ski patrol team and lift operations and maintenance crew did a phenomenal job getting Kachina ready,” said Dash Hegemen, marketing manager at Taos Ski Valley.
The triple chair rises 1,100 feet in approximately five minutes. Expert skiers and riders are dropped off at the top of Main Street. The iconic prayer flags on Kachina Peak (12,481 feet) – which is the picture-worthy spot of thousands of selfies on social media – is a 200-yard walk from the top of the lift.
“For many people, Kachina Peak symbolizes everything they love about Taos Ski Valley. With its sprawling, majestic views and its rugged, unfiltered terrain, Kachina has been a rite of passage for fans of Taos for decades. We are thrilled to have the lift running and to see skilled, adventure-seeking skiers and snowboarders enjoying that storied terrain,” said Hegemen.
The next winter storm system is forecasted to swing through New Mexico late Thursday night (Jan. 17) through the day Friday, bringing valley rain and mountain snow. The National Weather Service–Albuquerque reported that uncertainty about snow accumulation remains, given the timing of this system.