SAVE WILLIAMS LAKE

Public access to Williams Lake in the Wheeler Peak Wilderness is at risk. The historic Williams Lake/Wheeler Peak Trail which has been used for more than a century and is the only safe winter route may be lost due to Taos Ski Valley Inc. (TSVI) and owner Louis Bacon’s development in the Kachina Basin.

In 2018, TSVI convinced the Forest Service to move the historic trail off their private lands and onto an “Alternate Trail” within the Special Use Permit (SUP) area with minimal public input. The new alternate trail is inadequate for winter use and is now over TSVI-controlled forest land. We feel this decision/change was a mistake.

TMA convened the Forest Service, TSVI, and the Village of Taos Ski Valley to seek solutions. TMA and Taos Land Trust proposed a conservation or prescriptive easement to secure the historic trail. TSVI refused and withdrew from meetings. We have also not been able to engage Mr. Bacon directly.

With Louis Bacon and his TSVI now owning most private land in the Kachina Basin surrounding the SUP, TSVI’s proposed developments could create a second base area and enable large-scale private projects that would further threaten public access to Williams Lake.

TMA supports responsible recreation and lift-served skiing, but these issues require transparency, public involvement, and protection of the historic trail. We will continue working to learn, inform, and advocate for preserving access to Williams Lake and the surrounding wilderness.

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