The making of French ski legends

In New Mexico, there’s Sante Fe, the State capital, then a bit north of there, there’s the famous Taos pueblo and yet, further north, there’s Taos Ski Valley, a special ski resort that I have never visited but that is filled with unique characters. 

Like Ernie Blake, its quirky founder and two Frenchmen, Jean and Dadou Mayer, that self-promoted themselves into ski legends, thank to their charming accents, their skills in hospitality and their ability (I guess) to ski better than most Americans at the time. 

These were the good times, when the French ski team was coming of age and French folks couldn’t screw anything up. The breed was in demand, which meant that, in life like in skiing, timing is everything. I had met both of them in 1978 in Denver when I was working for Look ski bindings. 

On October 10, Jean, the elder brother, passed away at 85 from blood cancer. Train at the Cornell culinary school, he was also said to be a Junior Champion during the 1953 French ski championship, but I wonder if this feat wasn’t woven into the story he built around himself, as I had never heard of him when I lived in France. 

At any rate I hope he rests in peace, but in the land of enchantment that is New Mexico, I wouldn’t be surprise if he still decides to haunt Kachina Bowl on powder days...