If you’ve ever worried that North American ski areas are a little too corporate, a little too sanitised and ‘samey’ – then Telluride is the place to prove all those preconceptions wrong.
While many of Colorado’s world-famous resorts stack up bumper to bumper like the cars that fill the I-70 freeway west of Denver, Telluride stands proudly alone, miles from anywhere, surrounded by the stunning scenery of the 14,000-ft-plus peaks of the San Juan Mountains, in the south of the state. It’s closer to the Grand Canyon than to Denver, has not yet seen a traffic light (the nearest one is 72km / 45m away) and boasts more animals and wildlife than people.
But that’s not to say Telluride is some remote backwater. Telluride is cool and draws the world’s A-list celebs like a snowy magnet. A survey published last month of the most expensive towns in which to rent property put Telluride top of the 16 resorts named, ahead of Aspen and the rest.
So along with the jaw-dropping scenery, perfect powder and extensive groomed terrain you can expect a fast, modern lift network on the mountain to access it all, and a vibrant foodie culture with upmarket retail and accommodation options down in town, along with plenty of ‘regular’ choices.
Compared to other resorts in Colorado, which tend to sit just a valley or high mountain pass away from one another, Telluride has grown up alone. Originally a Victorian-era mining town, Telluride’s first skiers, more than 130 years ago, were the Swedes and Finns who used barrel staves to beat their co-workers to the bordellos on payday back in those mining days of the late 1800s. The last of these female boarding houses didn’t close down for good until 1959. A stunning $60 million in gold and silver was pulled out of local mines during the town’s first 30 years alone. Some of this money went astray with Butch Cassidy’s first bank heist 125 years ago in 1889.
Things were less rosy by the 1970s when the mining had just about died out, and it was a group of local miners and other small business owners who re-invented Telluride as a ski resort 40 years ago, striking white gold with their idea, as it were. Over the past decade or so in particular, the resort has gone from strength to strength as its fan base among the great and good has rapidly grown.
> Mountain
Telluride has a multifaceted ski area with over 120 trails, a big vertical and a reputation for deep powder as well as exciting freeriding in Prospect Bowl.
The terrain mix gives a relatively equal division with a little over a fifth of runs best suited to beginners and young families, a further two-fifths to intermediates and the remaining 40% to experts.
One of the thrills of skiing at Telluride is getting to the top of Gold Hill Express (Lift 14) and enjoying the incredible views. The best part of the experience is that it can be enjoyed by people of almost all ability levels. From the top of Lift 14, beginners and experts alike can ski the See Forever trail to the base of the mountain – enjoying scenic vistas on a long groomed slope.
The grooming staff at Telluride have a wonderful way of grooming one side of the trails and leaving the other side to “bump up” into tantalising moguls. If you get tired, or bungle a turn, there is an easy escape onto the flat side – perfect for those times when one of you wants to cruise and the other needs the exercise; no need to ski separate runs and miss out on each other’s company.
And there’s lots to do outdoors besides ski or board on the groomed runs – snowshoeing or snowmobiling tours, women-only camps, ski and yoga holidays or heli-skiing trips are all options. Childcare is available for children from two months old, and ski school from as young as two-and-a-half years.
This being Telluride, the slopes are easily accessed with a gondola from the old mining town or from the newer resort development at the base of the slopes. This was an industry-changing initiative to protect the local environment 20 years ago in the mid-1990s, long before caring about the environment was fashionable. It runs from 7am to midnight daily so it’s no problem if you want to head out early or get caught up in some serious après-ski.
> Town
The old town of Telluride is brimming with character, its old buildings converted into shops and restaurants, but it lacks the glitz of Aspen or the corporate feel of Vail. You can opt to stay here or, for ski-in/ski-out convenience, in the modern Mountain Village at the base of the slopes.
Telluride and Mountain Village boast more than 50 restaurants, bars and coffee shops between them. The resort has become increasingly well known for the varied cuisine on offer, from romantic bistros and western steakhouses to fine dining and sushi bars. A delicious option for every taste abounds.
Shoppers will find Telluride’s downtown lined with boutique shops and galleries of all types, and Mountain Village’s shopping district incorporates fashionable stores for all and a Telluride logo wear shop.
Among the locals, tolerance is a valued commodity in Telluride. Cowboys get along with trust fund managers, who buy tickets to the movies made by Hollywood celebrities, who own homes here and ride lifts with everyone else. The hippies that pad down the town’s streets have been known to put off some visitors because they don’t look like Barbie and Ken. But remember that Barbie and Ken’s dream world is made of plastic, and that’s about the last word you’d use to describe Telluride.
