 In a nod to the mountain's past, the full name of this area is Purgatory Mountain at Durango Mountain Resort. Call it Purgatory or Durango as you will, but by any name you'll find a broad-shouldered mountain in the scenic San Juans. Fully half of the mountain's 1200 acres and 85 trails are devoted to intermediate skiers and riders, with about equal amounts of the remainder split between beginners and the advanced/expert crowd. The vertical rise is 2029 feet. The slopes see an average of 260" of snow each year; twenty percent or 250 acres of the terrain are covered by snowmaking. Beginners aren't relegated to low-altitude slow zones. True, Columbine is a beginners-only area, but up on the mountain there's a good choice of trails especially between the Hermosa Park Express and Engineer lifts. Intermediates, of course, will find plenty to keep them happy, from the Legends Triple on one end of the mountain to the Needles Triple on the other. Most of the black diamond terrain is located off these two chairs, too, but there's a sprinkling of advanced terrain-most notably Bull Run-in the mid-section of the mountain. Freestylers will enjoy two terrain parks. Paradise is home to a 450-foot ½ pipe as well as hits, rails, and drops; Pitchfork is geared towards beginners or those looking to sharpen their skills and features hips, rails, tabletops, gaps, and a big air hit or two. There are three on-mountain eateries, including the upscale Cafe de Los Pinos. Five more choices can be found slopeside or in Purgatory Village at the base. The historic and outdoor-oriented town of Durango is 25 miles south on Highway 550, part of the San Juan Scenic Byway. There are more than 3000 beds at the resort itself but you'll find another 7000 in and around Durango. Here also are numerous shops, restaurants, galleries, and more. If you are looking for a particular piece of outdoor recreational equipment and can't find it in one of the town's many sport shops, it probably has yet to be invented. Everything from guided backcountry snowshoe tours to ice-climbing is available. There's a fully-equipped Nordic center just across the road from the resort. A winter fly-fishing expedition with Duranglers might entice you. For a scenic but more leisurely diversion take a ride on the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad from the town of Durango up through Cascade Canyon, where you will follow the Animas River most of the way.
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Ski Report
Colorado