Logo Courtesy of Telluride Ski and Golf Company

 

 

 

 

Telluride Dreaming

By: E. Harrand-New Mexico

 

Dare to dream the impossible dream? Then close your eyes and picture a snow covered mountain rising above timberline, extending as far as the eye can see, and the only decision to make is which gravity toy to use. The skis are a challenge on the never ending moguls, the snowboard calls out for the terrain parks, the snowshoes can experience the isolated backcountry, but the ski-bike wants to do it all. It’s your fantasy winter mountain resort complete with high-speed lifts and a riding policy that allows ski-bikes. Just as you are about to unload the first lift up the mountain, you open your eyes and discover Telluride, Colorado. The fantasy becomes reality.

Courtesy of Telluride Ski and Golf Company- Gus Gusciora

Located in the Uncompahgre National Forest of southwestern Colorado, Telluride Ski Resort has something for everyone in the family. Over 1700 acres of skiable terrain with even helpings of greens, blues, and blacks, seven high-speed detachable lifts and six old-school chair-lifts will get you anywhere on the mountain. If this isn’t enough to keep you busy for weeks, the mountain offers helicopter skiing into the backcountry and three spectacular view points, the top of Prospect Bowl, the top of Gold Hill, and the top of Joint Point. The top of Prospect Bowl offers views of Wilson Peak, Mount Wilson, and El Diente, all at 14,000 feet in elevation.

The top of the Gold Hill lift is 12,255 feet in elevation and offers views of the La Sal Mountains above Moab, Utah and the entire Bear Creek Valley, which drains into the town of Telluride. The top of Joint Point offers views of the Sneffels Mountain Range rising above town and Ajax Mountain at the end of Telluride valley. With an average annual snowfall of 309 inches, Telluride provides good skiing on 84 trails all season long with plenty of groomed corduroy runs for everyone.

Courtesy of Telluride Ski and Golf Company- Brett Schreckengost

Courtesy of Telluride Ski and Golf Company- Doug Berry

Take the free tour of the mountain offered by the Telluride Mountain Hosts and they will clue you in on the locations of lifts and terrain and share some of the colorful stories of Telluride’s history. Dennis Donovan, one of Telluride’s more colorful and well known locals, can be found riding his white Santa Cruz™ ski-bike on any given day and he enjoys riding with fellow ski-bikers. Dennis offers his tour of the star’s homes from the number 10 Sunshine lift as you fly over some of the most expensive real estate in the country. If your quick enough to keep up, his private run he calls "Gully Run" is a fast narrow twist through the trees, not found on any map and begs to be done more that once. The decadence level is self-adjustable and much like the volume control on your stereo when playing your favorite tune, it can get louder and louder.

Telluride is huge and requires more than just a days visit to see and experience everything the mountain and town has to offer. With a $74.00 lift ticket, the mountain is expensive, but there are good deals if one is willing to spend the time searching. One trip down the mountain on a never ending carpet of moguls and the price of the lift ticket seems moot point. Complete with a slope-side parking garage and lockers, Telluride is very convenient even for the day skier. For more information visit www.TellurideSkiResort.com, or call Central Reservations at 1-866-287-5015 for package information. A warning to all who dare make their dreams come true, once you ride Telluride Mountain, riding any place else is trading down and your local ski area may not compare. Take a ride at Telluride and change your dream fantasy into reality.-eh

Courtesy of Telluride Ski and Golf Company