Personal Ski Safety

Sun Safe on the Slopes

• To ensure you have a safe and fun day on the slopes, remember these tips to protect you from the sun:
• Wear pants, long sleeves, and gloves – even on warm days.
• Put on a helmet or hat that covers your ears.
• Wear 100% UV protection goggles or sunglasses.
• Apply generous amounts of SPF 30+ sunscreen on exposed skin every two hours.
• It’s not the heat of the sun that causes skin damage but radiation from the sun.
• More information

Altitude Sickness

Altitude illness is usually preventable if ascent is slow. This is not possible for skiers who proceed directly to, and sleep at ski areas. Persons traveling above 8,000 feet, such as to Taos Ski Valley, are most likely to be symptomatic. The chances increase to about 15% when sleeping above 8,000 feet. Being in excellent physical condition has no bearing on one’s ability to acclimate to altitude.

How to Acclimate

• Gradually increase elevation. Sleeping a night or two at a lower elevation will help speed the body’s acclimation process. (Taos, Albuquerque, Denver, Santa Fe)
• Take it easy. Stop early when fatigued or any prolonged breathlessness.
• High carbohydrate diet. Increase carbohydrate intake (pasta, rice, pancakes) to 70% of total calories. This means reducing fat intake.
• Avoid alcohol, tranquilizers and sleeping pills the first two nights. All of these things slow down your body’s adjustment to elevation. This is critical if you exhibit any of the symptoms.
• Medication. Symptoms worse after a second night sleeping at altitude will benefit from medication to speed acclimatization and prevent illness. To view symptoms, visit https://mogulmedical.com/altitude-sickness/

Ski & Ride with care

We care about your safety. However, primary responsibility for your safety rests with you. Please know and follow the Skiers’ Responsibility Code. Taos Ski Valley is a mountain environment where avalanches and changing conditions — natural and man-made — are inherent risks of on-mountain activities. With the purchase of a season pass or lift ticket, you agree to assume all risks of injury, damage or loss. If you are not willing to assume these risks, please do not purchase a Taos season pass or ticket. Please observe the code listed below and share with others the responsibility
for a great on-mountain experience.

SAFETY INFORMATION

Our professional Ski Patrol is on duty to assist you. Please pay strict attention to their directions and to the following rules:

• Operating hours are 9 am to 4 pm. The mountain is closed to winter sports activities except during operating hours.
• Uphill Policy. Uphill skiing/riding is only allowed beginning 3 days after the announced last day of winter ski area operations and ending on May 15th, when the Summer Operations Plan takes effect.
• Reckless skiing/snowboarding prohibited, per Village of Taos Ski Valley and Taos County Ordinances. No skier or snowboarder shall act in a reckless or negligent manner so as to endanger the life, limb or property of any person, his own or another. Ordinance violations will result in loss of lift privileges or fines.
• Duties of skiers/snowboarders involved in collisions, per Village of Taos Ski Valley and Taos County Ordinances and New Mexico Ski Safety Act, are stopping at the scene and rendering reasonable assistance; sending another skier to notify a member of Ski Patrol; remaining at the scene until a member of Ski Patrol arrives; and providing a name and current address to Ski Patrol before leaving the scene.
• DO NOT ski/snowboard while intoxicated or under the influence of any controlled substance or any other substance that impairs your mental or physical abilities.
• Observe slow skiing zones. Disregard of areas marked on the trail map and of posted slow signs will result in loss of lift privileges.
• Closed areas. Do not cross any rope or go on any trail marked with a rope or closed sign. This is for your safety. Violators will lose lift privileges and may receive a federal citation and fine.
• Snowmaking activities are routinely in progress on slopes and trails.
• On-snow vehicles such as snowmobiles or snow maintenance vehicles may be present on any terrain at any time. 
• Headphones may endanger your wellbeing. To reduce the risk of injury, headphone and smartphone usage while loading or unloading a lift is strongly discouraged.
• DO NOT use any ski lift, per the New Mexico Ski Safety Act, unless you have the ability to use it safely without any instruction on its use by the lift operator or request and receive instruction before boarding the ski lift.
• Use of a drone is prohibited at Taos Ski Valley.
• Emergency phones are located throughout the mountain at lift terminals and on trails. To report an accident, call 575.776.2291 ext. 2211 or ext. 2211 from a resort phone.