We’ll Miss You
Jean Mayer has passed on.
We expect it is to a place where the wind and waves are just right, the powder is pristine and the Taos News is readily available. If so, he’ll be reading this message from the Taos Ski Patrol.
Because we didn’t say it enough in person. “You made an enormous difference in our lives, and we’ll miss you.”
As ski patrollers, we take pride in our difficult and beautiful mountain and in our tradition of caring for those in precarious circumstances. The job can’t be learned in a year, or two, or ten. We depend greatly on the accumulated wisdom of multiple generations. At our best, the Taos Patrol is a tightly knit team honoring tradition and history.
We are in awe of Jean Mayer’s history. Taos Ski Valley was a vague and fragile concept when Jean teamed up with the Blake family in 1957. His hard work in building the St. Bernard Hotel and the acclaimed Taos Ski School is well known by now and justly celebrated. He worked tirelessly to share his passion for skiing, for fine cuisine, and for people. As ski patrollers, we saw first-hand the way Jean, the “celebrity” still went to work every day, teaching lessons, flipping burgers, shoveling snow and inspiring all. Jean Mayer and the Taos Ski Patrol didn’t always see eye to eye. There was friction in the 1990’s when Jean and the St Bernard came to represent freedom in skiing and the ski patrol came to represent rules and conformity. We needed to have some control… Jean needed to ski fast. Really fast. There were years when many of us just avoided one another. The Patrol found other places to eat and drink.
Each year in January though, the Taos Patrol had a problem to solve. Where to put 60 people for the annual team dinner. Inevitably we came back to the St. Bernard. Yes, there was the continued worry that Jean didn’t appreciate our expertise - but he and his staff sure made us and our families feel welcome. In fact, Jean carried on the amazing tradition from the Alps where the great mountain guide -the king of the hill - was also the one personally serving your food. He treated us scruffy “ski bums” like we were the most privileged customers in the land. We loved sitting in the Rathskeller with a roaring fire and flowing spirits and fine food and friends. We’d toast and roast each other and laugh for hours.
A couple of years ago, we were in the middle of another great St. Bernard/Patrol dinner when Jean set aside his serving tray and managed to quiet the room. He reminded us that he’d been a ski patroller (serving with the 10th Mountain Division in Garmisch, Germany). He told us that he knew what we were doing out there on the ridges and steeps before sunrise. He understood what a good team we were. He told us that we were the Bergwacht. Literally, the mountain rescue… but figuratively, Jean Mayer suggested that we were to be the keepers of the mountain. The ones to watch over the dream of Taos Ski Valley in changing times. He challenged us in our hearts to live up to those lofty ideals.
We leapt to our feet. There was thunderous applause in that small space lit by fire and candles. Applause for the words, but also for the man. And some tears. We could see by then that the years and relentless hard work were catching up with Jean. There wouldn’t be so many more dinners… or chances to show our love and admiration.
Challenge accepted, Jean Mayer. We’ve got your dream.