Snowboarders Celebrate 16 Years Since The 'Free Taos' Movement
Yesterday was March 19 and in 2008, March 19th was a day that went down in the books--not just for snowboarders, but for everyone who skis and rides Taos Ski Valley, NM.
Taos posted a celebration of Free Tacos day (yes, that is spelled correctly, and we'll learn why!) to Instagram yesterday. See below.
"Happy Free Tacos day to all the snowboarders who make this mountain great, and as always, we honor George Medina, Michael Johnstone, and Brandon Peterson, who played pivotal roles in bringing snowboarding to Taos."
Before 2008, Taos was a skier's only resort, and for over 50 years, the resort specifically shut its doors to snowboarders.
This was mostly due to stereotypes surrounding snowboarders related to their image and raucous behavior. Then there was the fact that plenty of local skiers felt that the type of terrain at Taos was too challenging for snowboarding, especially off Kachina Peak.
Related: Taos' Kachina Lift is Too Rad to Hate
Plus, there is always the gripe about snowboarders scraping off the good snow in tight terrain.
So, the fight for snowboarders to ride Taos went on for almost two decades leading up to the announcement. A dedicated group of snowboarders—including longtime local Christof Brownell—advocated for Taos to open to everyone.
One of the first momentous strikes was when Brownell, under cover of darkness, hiked up the Miners Slide—a hill adjacent to the resort —and carved “FREE TAOS” into the side of the mountain.
The next morning, the sun had melted some of the snow, making the lettering clearer against the rock. Taos officials were upset, but ski media was all over it: photos of the peaceful protest had circulated in multiple ski and snowboarding magazines.
The New York Times even wrote a story covering the events and cause.
The funny part about the "Free Tacos" saying is that it has nothing to do with tacos at all.
Two snowboarders, George Medina and Michael Johnstone, owners of Experience Snowboards shop in the nearby town of Angel Fire, ordered hundreds of “Free Taos” stickers, but ended up with hundreds of “Free Tacos” stickers.
Instead of fixing them, they laughed it off, added the "Free Tacos" stickers to the cause, and kept protesting.
Engineer Niko Haukebo designed Free Taos stickers to honor their legacy, see below.
Brownell and other advocates also used more serious tactics: the group aimed to get the Forest Service on their side because Taos leases public lands from the government. Their angle was that if the land was public, why shouldn't everyone be allowed to enjoy it?
Now, snowboarders are allowed to ride Taos, thanks to the efforts of Medina, Johnstone, and Brownell.
Every year on March 19th at 3:19pm, snowboarders line up on the top of Al’s Run and drop together.
Once everyone was allowed in Taos, Medina joined the Ernie Blake Snowsports School to teach snowboarding. He was a beloved member of the community, and in his memory, Taos named the glade above the Pioneer beginner area “Free Tacos.”
Related: Vermont Ski Area Refuses To Give Up On Winter With Overnight Snowmaking
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