 Head north from Durango into the heart of the San Juan Mountains; take a left at Ouray after a two hour drive and you'll find yourself in a big box canyon. But at the end of this box is the historic town of Telluride, and above it rise the lifts and trails of its namesake resort. Telluride the town has undergone quite a transformation from its mining and ghost-town days. Gourmet restaurants and art galleries have replaced hash houses and dusty bars. But the façade of the historic Victorian downtown remains intact and lovingly tended. Telluride's 1600 residents are fewer than the 5000 who lived here at the height of the mining boom, more in keeping with the scale of things. Swedish and Finnish miners brought skiing with them to town, and a rope tow was set up back in the thirties. But it was a California entrepreneur who put up the first modern lift in 1972; the resort and the town have grown and prospered since. With the recent addition of lift-served Prospect Bowl the terrain now covers 1700 acres and 3530 vertical feet. Four gondolas and five high-speed chairs are complemented by conventional lifts to get people up on the terrain or around the resort. In fact there's a free gondola that runs from town to Station St. Sophia at 10,535 feet. The terrain tops out at 12,255 feet at the top of the Gold Hill high-speed quad. A backcountry access gate here leads along a ridge to 13,320-foot Palmyra Peak. Another gate may be found between High Camp and Bald Mountain. The Gold Hill lift serves some backcountry-style double-diamond terrain, and over in Prospect Bowl itself is some steep hike-to stuff. Intermediates will find the greatest concentration of cruisers served by the Village and Palmyra quads. Stretched below the Town of Mountain Village is the learning terrain. Solid, competent beginners have fewer choices, but there is a green trail up in Prospect Bowl and other green trails can be joined from there. With the exception of the learning terrain most everything from green to double-black is tilted toward the steeper end of the scale. Dedicated freestyle terrain can be found in Ute Park and under the "Chondola." The Sprite Air Garden Terrain Park on Lower See Forever, below Station St. Sophia, boasts ten acres of features for all abilities. Or try a new toy at the Snowsk8 Park at Thrill Hill. On-mountain dining is strategically placed from High Camp on the ridge above Prospect Bowl to the even loftier Giuseppe's Restaurant at the top of Kant-Mak-M. Gorrono Ranch, Pizza Chalet, and Big Billie's round out the choices. Allred's Restaurant at 10,550 feet is open for après and dinner and features regional cuisine with an international flare, plus a good wine list. If you ever tire of the visual treat of a Victorian village set against the backdrop of the rugged San Juan Mountains, just step through the doors of the buildings. Galleries, interesting little shops, and restaurants abound in this small town. More active pursuits include cross-country skiing on almost 10 kilometers (6 miles) in the Town of Mountain Village, and ice skating. Telluride makes a good jump-off point for backcountry adventure, but beware: This part of the San Juans is known for its avalanche danger; only the qualified and hardy should venture into it.
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Ski Report
Colorado
