Hike-to-terrain on Kachina Peak at Taos Ski Valley opens to public

Snow Sports newsletter

Kachina Peak, the marquee hike-to-terrain at Taos Ski Valley, reopened to the public on Tuesday. The New Mexico ski area reported a snow base depth of 64 inches on Wednesday morning with 4 inches of new snow in the previous 24 hours.

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The Kachina Peak terrain, along with the steeps of Taos' West Basin, will be part of the 2013 Salomon Extreme Freeride Championships scheduled for Thursday through Saturday. The competition is a Freeride World Tour Qualifying event.

Reaching the 12,481-foot summit of Kachina Peak requires a hike of about an hour from the top of Lift No. 2 along the Highline Ridge. The resort received U.S. Forest Service approval last year for plans to eventually provide lift service to the area.

The multitude of possible lines on Kachina Peak range from the very technical Dahl-Bredines' to the wide-open bowl skiing of Main Street. Nonetheless, on a mountain that is known for legitimately serious steeps, all of the choices are marked as expert, double-black slopes.

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, Skiing Examiner

Eric Wagnon is a freelance writer and television producer. His work has aired on NBC, CBS, and ESPN. Despite his current home base in the flat and warm environment of Jupiter, Fla., Eric continues to add to his total of more than 40 ski resorts visited across the country. Eric may be reached at ...

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