Taos

Frankly, seen from the valley floor, the Taos slopes are somewhat steep but the Yellowbird Program, crafted for beginners, is well balanced and, as always in the U.S., the instructors are patient and encouraging—and there are no snowboarders, a real boon for novice skiers! As is often the case with steep ski areas, you have to go high to find the more gentle slopes but the curving, swoopy Honeysuckle Run is a good place to make progress and brace yourself for the faster trails. At the start of the new millennium the beginners’ hill area was redesigned and a warming hut facility built there. Head for the beginners’ hill or Whitefeather on the main mountain, and tackle a gentle trail through the trees from the Whistlestop Café. Easy Trip in Kachina Bowl, and Honeysuckle from ski lift No.7 are also among the best novice-friendly trails with plenty of other interconnecting green trails. As already mentioned, lessons are strongly encouraged, and discounted, because Taos tends to be a more difficult mountain than other ski areas.