Meet Bruce Katlin - Snowsports Instructor

Bruce Katlin is a snowsports instructor (adult & children) at Taos Ski Valley. He's an avid trail runner, painter and is a connoisseur of southwestern culture.

WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO OR MADE YOU WANT TO WORK AT TAOS SKI VALLEY? A 40 year dream came to fruition when I cut the chains and toppled the cubicle of corporate life to live and work in Taos. The intimate, family-like atmosphere along with the vast beauty and challenging terrain of Taos Ski Valley offers everything that I ever could ask for in a skiing community.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE RUN ON THE MOUNTAIN? WHY? It's not a run however, my favorite part of the mountain is to hike from Chair 2 to Kachina Peak. Hard to select one "favorite" run, as there are so many wonderful ones to choose from but, I'll say the Wild West Glade, which offers fun and challenging tree skiing. There's nothing like being knee-deep in fresh powder hearing nothing but the sound of your own heartbeat.

WHEN YOU'RE NOT AT THE SKI VALLEY, WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING TO DO IN NORTHERN NEW MEXICO? Long distance, high altitude trail running and landscape painting.

WHERE DO YOU LIKE TO APRÈS SKI? Espresso and a hot tub.

HOW MANY DAYS ARE YOU TRYING TO GET IN ON THE MOUNTAIN THIS SEASON? DO YOU FEEL CONFIDENT ABOUT HITTING YOUR GOAL? 45 days which, includes working. I'm very confident that I attain my goal.

WHAT'S YOUR MOST ENTERTAINING (OR BEST) STORY THAT YOU HAVE ABOUT WORKING AT TAOS? On my last day of teaching 2018, I was assigned a child with Down syndrome. All she wanted to do was play in the snow; putting on her boots and skis was the furthest thing from her mind. I tried everything in my teaching toolkit to get her suited up but, nothing worked. Like many things in life, it's the unplanned and holistic that sets things in motion. Because it was a warm April day, I was dressed lightly and was wearing my Disneyland Marathon shirt emblazoned with Mickey Mouse. My young charge stared at Mickey for a few seconds and then began conversing with him. I assumed the role of Mr. Mouse and for another four and half hours spoke in Mickey's high octave voice that I never thought reachable by a grown man. The student and 'Mickey' skied and laughed together until the lifts slowed to a stop signaling the end of another glorious season. The memory of skiing with this beautiful child remains as one of the best experiences that I have had in close to 50 years of skiing.

IN YOUR OPINION, WHAT SETS TAOS SKI VALLEY APART FROM OTHER SKI RESORTS?& Intimacy, pricing, and above all, the culture.

WHAT ARE YOU MOST EXCITED ABOUT WHEN IT COMES TO THE FUTURE OF TAOS SKI VALLEY? New summer activities.

HOW DO YOU PLAN TO SPEND YOUR SUMMER? Trail running and painting.

TRAIL RUNNING & PAINTING