Why We Added a Third Day (And What to Expect)
Our son has been on skis five days in his whole life. The first two at our January trip to Park City and On day five, he skied a blue run and was skiing backwards when we showed up for pickup. I am not exaggerating. That is what a good ski school does, and Taos Ski Valley has a genuinely good ski school.
We booked him into the Ernie Blake Snowsports School for two of our three days at Taos. After meeting his instructor at the end of day two, we called an audible that evening and added a third day. Here is everything you need to know if you are trying to decide whether ski school at Taos is worth it.
How It Works
The Ernie Blake Snowsports School takes kids ages 3 to 13. Drop-off is at the Children’s Center at the base. Kids are grouped by age and ability, not just age, and they get their own terrain, their own smaller lifts, and lunch included in the full-day program. They also get your kid fitted for rentals on their first day (That’s right! No sweaty dropoff after convincing your toddler “yes, that is how the boots are supposed to fit”).
Full-day lessons run roughly 9am to 3:30pm. You drop off, you ski your own day, you pick up. With a child who has been skiing fewer than five times total, we were a little nervous about leaving him for a full day. We should not have been.
Coach Sarah
Our son’s instructor was Sarah. If your kid ends up with Sarah, you won the lottery. She gave every kid in the group a nickname, the kind of detail that makes a four-year-old feel like he belongs somewhere. She was patient, read the group well, kept it moving, and made it genuinely fun. By day two, our son was asking to go back. He actually cried when the lifts closed on his last day.
At Taos, the instruction felt intentional. The terrain-based teaching method they use, focused on balance and movement rather than just stopping, showed real results fast. All of the employees are what I’d call the modern-day hippie, the ski bum vibe is real, and we kind of loved it.
Day Two Wind Situation and the Extra Day Decision
Day two at Taos was rough for everyone. High winds closed most of the upper lifts, which limited what the ski school could do on the mountain. Our son still had a good time but hthey had planned to hit the big hill that day and he missed out.
That evening, we met Sarah briefly at pickup and saw the connection our son had made with her and with the group. We checked the day three forecast, saw it looked significantly better, and booked another day on the spot. The third day was his best by far. Full mountain access, everything open, and he came off skiing things we genuinely did not expect to see from a four-year-old on his fifth day ever.
What to Know Before You Book
Book in advance. Availability fills up, especially during peak weeks. The full-day program includes lunch and snacks, so you do not need to worry about meeting them mid-day. Pickup is at 3:30pm at the Children’s Center.
The greens at Taos ski more like blues, so even if your child finishes ski school feeling confident, take the transition to skiing together slowly. We learned this on day one when we brought our son down a green post-pickup and realized it was steeper than we had read it to be. Stick to the very bottom green terrain when you first ski with them.
Worth It?
Yes. Unambiguously. If you are bringing a young child to Taos, ski school is not optional. The mountain is too challenging for beginners to navigate independently. But beyond being necessary, it is genuinely excellent. The fact that our son wanted to go back each morning is the only review that actually matters.
Did your kids do ski school at Taos? I would love to know how it went — drop a comment below, especially if you have a great instructor rec.
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