Taos Ski Valley Wins Golden Eagle Award for Community & Partnerships

We are excited to announce that Taos Ski Valley Inc. has been honored with its fourth Golden Eagle Award for Environmental Excellence by the National Ski Area Association (NSAA) at its May 2024 national conference. The award recognized Taos in the Community & Partnerships category and demonstrated our commitment to fostering strong community relationships and forging innovative partnerships that drive environmental stewardship and sustainability.

This award highlighted Taos Ski Valley’s leadership in being a founding member of the Resilient Taos Community group which aims to positively impact the Taos environment by implementing solutions to measure emissions, enabling local organizations to understand their energy use and how to reduce it, and spreading awareness through events and advocacy to the community.

Other member organizations of Resilient Taos Community include UNM-Taos, Kit Carson Electric, the Town of Taos, the County of Taos, New Mexico Business Excellence, Renewable Taos, Taos Municipal Schools, Holy Cross Hospital, Kit Carson Electric Cooperative, State Representative Kristina Ortez, field representative from Senator Heinrich’s office, community representative for the USDA’s Rural Partners Network, Centinel Bank of Taos, Village of Questa, Repurposing Plastic Project, LOR Foundation, and Rocky Mountain Youth Corps.

We are also immensely proud of Tommy Murray, our Director of Mountain Maintenance, who was a finalist for the NSAA’s “Hero of Sustainability” award. Tommy has been a true leader in this field, guiding our efforts and inspiring everyone with his unwavering dedication to fleet electrification and environmental conservation.

Pioneering Green Technologies

One of our standout achievements this season has been the successful deployment of the first fully electric snowcat and our hybrid snowcat using Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) renewable diesel. These technologies have reduced our carbon footprint, showcasing our commitment to sustainable operations. Tommy’s leadership was crucial in bringing these groundbreaking innovations to TAOS.

Watch the recap below to learn how the inaugural season went using these machines:

A Sustainable Future Together

This award is another milestone in our sustainability journey, and we aren’t slowing down any time soon. We remain committed to pushing the boundaries of environmental stewardship, strengthening our community’s resilience, and setting new benchmarks for sustainability in the mountain resort industry.

Thank you to our incredible team, our supportive community, and to Tommy Murray for his outstanding contributions to sustainability. Together, we are making Taos Ski Valley a model for eco-friendly practices and community collaboration in the ski world.