Taos Stays Snowboard Free, But Out to Launch

Blake, founder Ernie Blake's granddaughter, admits that the resort constantly reviews their "no snowboard" policy. "Pretty much every day," she clarifies. But despite the anti-snowboard sentiments, the resort still has freeskier fun. Freeskiers and jibbers gravitate to the resort's Out to Launch terrain park. On Maxie's run under lift #7 and groomed nightly, Out to Launch offers two huge airs, a hip, a quarter pipe, and rails. "Because we don't have snowboarding, we have tons going on for freeskiers," she says. In February, the resort hosts both the Salomon Extreme Freeride Championships and the Jeep King of the Mountain Y-Cross Championships.