Ernie Blake, the founder of Taos Ski Valley, was a larger-than-life character who fled prewar Germany to became an interrogator of Nazis and later founder of New Mexico’s largest ski area.

Heralded as the keystone of Taos' latest Renaissance, The Blake is unquestionably the most lavish operation at this famed black-diamond ski destination. It's named for Ernie Blake, the sharp-edged ...

they also offer ski weeks — each with a different theme,” reads USA Today’s summary of the local program, which was founded by Blake, who also established Taos Ski Valley in 1955.