FROM THE EDITOR A guide to your winter wonderland, as well as ours
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elcome to the Taos Visitor and Newcomer Guide 2015, or as we like to call it, the Winter Visitors Guide. It’s the largest visitors guide in the state of New Mexico and at 204 pages, a treasure trove of information and entertainment.
As always, we at The Taos News try to find the stories we think will educate visitors about our area, as well as illuminate the special and wonderful place where we live. It’s a fine line we walk, trying to make the publication useful to newcomers, as well as seasoned locals. Of course, one of the big stories this season is the new lift on Kachina Peak at Taos Ski Valley. Andy Dennison has all you need to know, whether you’re a first-timer at the mountain or a grizzled veteran of hiking the ridge. Check out the story on page 40. And of course, everyone will want to know about some charitable events that, while mostly benefitting the local community, are fun for everyone. Yvonne Pesquera writes about the Paint for Peaks snowboard art auction, and the K2 Bumps Challenge (page 52), which both raise funds for breast cancer awareness and research. Then, Teresa Dovalpage gives us a rundown on the Ben Myers Ridge-A-Thon (page 86), an event that combines endurance with fundraising for other cancer-related causes. We also have stories about our local food and drink, beginning on page 98. And while these are very useful for those just coming into town, I’m sure some locals will be excited to see what’s on some of their favorite restaurant’s winter menus. Andrew Oxford has that story on page 112. And then we have “9 Ways to Enjoy a Taos Winter,” a primer of sorts for all the non-skiing and snowboarding activities you might want to partake in, whether you are on vacation, or just have some extra time to kill on the weekend. Read about all the options beginning on page 120. You might think it’s a challenge to write something new about the local ski areas and some of our local communities every year, but the truth is, folks in the Enchanted Circle keep breaking the mold and making everything new again. The leaders of these resorts never seem content to just be a ski area. They keep finding new ways to excite the masses. While innovation is happening on the mountains, many local villages and Pueblos tend to stick to tradition, and for good reason. The calendar of events in our area contains some of the most unique and beautiful traditions, year-in, year out, whether its the centuries old religious ceremonies at Taos and Picuris Pueblos, or the quirky and odd Polar Bear Plunge in Eagle Nest, there’s a lot not to miss in our part of the world. Even most of the locals haven’t been able to make it out to every event. That’s one of the reasons we live here, and we assume the primary reason many of you keep coming back. It’s our hope that there’s something for everyone in this publication and that it will be of use not only this season, but for seasons to come. — Andy Jones, special sections editor
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Winter/Spring 2015 /// www.taosnews.com/visitors