The Peace Chute

Type: Backcountry or Sidecountry

Avalanche terrain. Enjoy a brew and some green chile at the Stray Dog after ripping this line.

Steep and fast, precarious and thrilling, this is one of the iconic lines in Taos Ski Valley. When it slides it runs fast, a choke in the middle of the chute funnels debris between some rocks and shoots it onto the apron before it runs out onto the flats beyond the Williams Lake Trail. When conditions are stable, this is a long, fast, and fun descent down Frazer Mountain's steep west side. Like the Bong Chute, up routes can be tricky, ascending Bull of the Woods to Wheeler's north ridge route provides a longer yet safer ascent than other routes.

As of January 2018, the most recent avalanche fatality in New Mexico occurred in this chute. Tim Harter owned the renowned Stray Dog Cantina, and his love for backcountry skiing lives on with dedication from the long time locals. Near the middle of the apron is a cross memorializing one of the area's first modern backcountry skiing pioneers.