SAVE WILLIAMS LAKE: The public’s historical access to Williams Lake in the Wheeler Peak Wilderness of Carson National Forest is under threat. The public access to the ‘historic Williams Lake / Wheeler Peak Trail’ could be lost at the hand of overdevelopment of the Kachina Basin by Taos Ski Valley Inc. Resort and owner Louis Bacon.  

The historical trail, which has been used for 100+ years, is the only safe and adequate way to access Williams Lake and the backcountry in the winter. In 2018, with minimal public input, the Taos Ski Resort and owner Louis Bacon, who now owns the two pieces of property on which the historic trail has always passed, solicited the Forest Service (FS) to move it off their private property and onto an “Alternate Trail” within the Forest Service / TSV Special Use Permit (SUP) land. This process occurred with minimal public input or oversight. The new trail on the SUP is inadequate for, and unsafe for, winter travel. TMA is concerned about potentially trespassing, as well as losing winter access to Williams Peak Wilderness. The reality is that the iconic and historic Williams Lake/Wheeler Peak is now controlled by the Resort and, without any resolution to this problem, unconstrained public access to Williams Lake is lost. SAVE WILLIAMS LAKE!!!

A group of concerned hikers and backcountry skiers, Taos Mountain Alliance or TMA, brought together the Forest Service, the Resort, and the Village of Taos Ski Valley to elevate our concerns. Over two years, TMA met with the group, and along with the Taos Land Trust, proposed that Louis Bacon be asked for a conservation or prescriptive easement to preserve the historic trail and winter access. The answer was negative and the Resort chose to stop attending our regular meetings. 

In these meetings, we also became increasingly concerned that a recent suite of TSV Resort proposed projects: “Taos Ski Valley Gondola and Other Improvements” and the resulting development of a second base area in the Kachina Basin was likely why the historical trail was rerouted and expected to be constrained in the future. Signs posted by the Resort this winter stating “No Uphill Access” on the historic trail accelerate these concerns. 

The Resort proposed a suite of projects on Forest Service land (within the SUP) that was approved by Final Decision on March 27, 2025 by James Duran of the Carson National Forest. The projects include installation of a new base-to-base gondola, replacement of two existing lifts, construction of a 5 million gallon water tank/booster station, development of a hiking/nordic/snowshoe area, construction of a new restaurant near top of existing Lift 7, replacement and relocation of the Whistlestop Cafe, and a series of trails near Lift 4 in the Kachina Basin that will emanate from the “Alternate Trail.” Some of the improvements proposed by TSV are welcome by TMA members, however we are very concerned with the goal and impacts of the proposed Gondola as well as the 5 million gallon water tank. 

The need and purpose for gondola as stated by TSV Resort in the Environmental Assessment for the Forest Service is to improve skier movement and the recreational experience in the SUP. The proposed gondola does not climb the mountain for skiing, instead it serves to connect the ski base area with Kachina Basin. The only ski trail it will serve, known as the ‘return route’, is a beginner traverse on a service road. TMA believes that improving skier movement was not the purpose. Instead, the purpose of both the gondola and the massive water tank is to facilitate real-estate development of the Kachina Basin and create a second base area. The 2021 TSV Resort Master Development Plan, stating a differing reason for a gondola, offers some further insight stating the gondola “...would be used extensively in the evenings to connect the two base areas, for lodging and restaurants.” This is a very different purpose and need than that in the Environmental Assessment. The Environmental Assessment did not include any alternatives to the gondola, including locating the gondola to climb the mountain or considering improved skier movement by Lift 1 combined with an improved Lift 2; alternatives are required by law.

Along with the two properties which the historical trail crosses, Louis Bacon and associated companies now own most all private lands in the Kachina Basin. TSV Resort has already proposed massive private development in the Kachina Basin with plans like the 2021 “Taos Lodge and Resort at Taos Ski Valley.” Development plans of this size would likely be the largest scale development since the molybdenum mine in Taos County. 

Beyond potentially losing access to our public land in and around the Taos Ski Valley: we are very concerned that large-scale development in the fragile upper valley will have negative effects on the local environment, adjacent wilderness, wildlife, the Rio Hondo, available water, and downstream communities. As such, TMA members and over 600 others, have requested the Forest Service deny these projects or at least conduct a full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) used universally to adequately analyze projects of this scope and scale. In the draft final decision this was not accommodated. 

Furthermore, the Forest Service has done a poor job engaging the public and responding to public information requests. The Forest Service Regional Director, James Duran, does not regularly engage the public in person, yet he regularly interacts with the Resort about the proposed projects. The Forest Service and TSV Resort have not provided important information on these projects via Freedom of Information Act requests, some remain unresolved since 2022. Without timely information, we believe the public can’t sufficiently be involved or comment on projects. 

TMA appreciates any business that would take on the challenge of providing the recreation options of lift-served recreation in the TSV Resort, but we have concerns and issues that we feel need to be addressed. We actively learn, educate, and seek to make our issues and concerns known.

For ongoing information about forest access navigate to our Issues/Forest Access pages.

Please share and let others know about these issues, and please sign up for updates at taosmountainalliance.org to stay informed and get involved.