Telluride Ski Resort

Telluride Ski Resort
A lift at the Telluride Ski Resort
A lift at the Telluride Ski Resort
Telluride Ski Resort is located in Colorado
Telluride Ski Resort
Telluride Ski Resort
Location in Colorado
Telluride Ski Resort is located in the United States
Telluride Ski Resort
Telluride Ski Resort
Telluride Ski Resort (the United States)
LocationTelluride, Colorado, United States
Nearest major cityMontrose, Colorado
Coordinates37°56′11″N 107°49′13″W / 37.93639°N 107.82028°W / 37.93639; -107.82028
Vertical4,425 ft (1,349 m)
including hike-to[1]
3,845 ft (1,172 m)
lift-served[1]
Top elevation13,150 ft (4,010 m)[1]
Base elevation8,725 ft (2,659 m)[1]
Skiable area2,000 acres (8.1 km2)[1]
Trails127
23% beginner
36% intermediate
41% advanced/expert
Longest run"Galloping Goose" – 4.6 miles (7.4 km)
Lift system2 gondolas (8)
12 chairlifts
– 7 hi-speed quads
– 1 quad
– 2 triples
– 2 doubles
2 surface lifts
2 magic carpets
Lift capacity22,386 skiers per hour [1]
Terrain parks3
Snowfall330 in/year (838 cm/year)
SnowmakingYes
Night skiingnone
Websitehttp://tellurideskiresort.com

Telluride Ski Resort is a ski resort located in Mountain Village, southwest Colorado, United States.

The resort is located in the northwestern San Juan Mountains, part of the Rocky Mountains, and is home to the highest concentration of 13,000- and 14,000-foot peaks in North America.[2] Telluride Ski Resort has over 2,000 skiable acres and spans between the historic town of Telluride, Colorado, and the modern alpine community of Mountain Village, Colorado.

Known for its advanced terrain,[3] Telluride also has over 50% beginner and intermediate runs.[4]

History

Joe Zoline, a businessman, bought two ranches – Adam's Ranch and Gorrono Ranch – located on the mountain in 1968.

Zoline hired Emile Allais, a French Olympic skier, to help consult on the design and layout of the mountain, and environmental planners. The Ski Area started in 1970–71. Five lifts were constructed, and the Telluride Ski School was founded in conjunction with the mountain's opening. The Telluride Ski Resort officially opened on December 22, 1972.[5]

Allred and Wells Ownership Era

Two Colorado Natives, Ron Allred and Jim Wells of the Benchmark Corporation in Avon, Colorado, purchased the ski area from Joe Zoline in 1978.[6] That year, Annie Savath was named Director of The Telluride Ski School.[7] Allred and Wells later created the Gondola and Chondola (public transportation systems) and the Prospect Bowl.[citation needed]

In the 1981–82 ski season, Telluride created the first snowmaking system.[citation needed]

Growth in the region between 1984 and 1986 included the opening of the Telluride Regional Airport (TEX) and the start of construction on the Mountain Village. The ski run "The Plunge" was officially created along with "Kant-Mak-M" and "Mammoth", on the front face. "Pick-N-Gad" and "O'Reilly's" were cut.[citation needed]

Mountain Village, Colorado, was founded in 1987 and incorporated in 1995 as a home rule municipality. The addition of an 18-hole golf course in Mountain Village in 1992 transformed the Telluride Ski Area into the Telluride Ski & Golf Company. In 1994, the resort built new corporate offices, various facilities for mountain operations, golf, and skiers services, and Big Billie's, a restaurant and 150-unit employee housing complex at the base of Chondola Lift 1. The free pedestrian gondola opened on December 20, 1996. The Telluride Conference Center is under the management of Telluride Ski and Golf and is host to multiple events and live music in addition to conferences.[This paragraph needs citation(s)]

Allred's, the resort's flagship restaurant, opened its doors in 2000.[citation needed]

Morita Ownership Era

By March 2001, Morita had acquired 100 percent of the Telluride Ski and Golf Company (TSG). The resort added 733 acres of beginner, intermediate, and expert terrain with the opening of Prospect Bowl between 2000 and 2002.[citation needed]

2004 to present

In February 2004, the resort transferred its ownership to Chuck Horning, a real estate investor from Newport Beach, California, who remains the current owner today.[8] The 2004/2005 winter saw the opening of Mountain Quail with a snowboarding program.[citation needed]

The high-altitude private home, Tempter House, was purchased by the resort in 2006. Tempter House is currently a rental.[citation needed]

In winter 2007–2008, they opened the Black Iron Bowl. Eight new runs and 1,100 feet of vertical were opened for public access adjacent to the Prospect Bowl. Palmyra Peak and the Gold Hill Chutes 1 & 6–10 opened to the public for the first time in January 2008.[9][failed verification] The following winter, Telluride Ski and Golf continued their terrain expansion with the opening of Revelation Bowl, located on a northeastern aspect that naturally gathers huge amounts of snow and is directly off the back side of Gold Hill.

In winter 2009, Telluride Ski Resort announced Gold Hill Chutes 2–5 would open for full public access to Gold Hill Chutes 1–10. Alpino Vino opened this season. This eatery sits on the See Forever Run at 11,966 feet.[citation needed]

In the spring of 2013, Telluride Ski & Golf purchased the luxury boutique hotel The Inn at Lost Creek.[10][11]

In July 2015, Telluride Ski and Golf purchased all of the retail space (73,000+ square feet) within the Peaks Resort and Spa and assumed the management of hotel operations and the HOA.[12] The Peaks Resort and Spa is a ski-in/ski-out, full-service hotel located adjacent to the Telluride Ski & Golf Club.[citation needed]

Features

The mountain itself covers the face facing the town of Telluride as well as goes over onto the other side (Revelation Bowl). Telluride has a total of 120 runs and 2,000+ acres (810+ hectares) of skiable terrain. 23% of Telluride's runs are ranked at Beginner, 36% Intermediate and 41% Advanced / Expert. Telluride on average receives over 300 inches (789 cm) of snow each winter season.[13]

Slope aspects

  • North: 50%[14]
  • South: 7%
  • West: 33%
  • East: 10%

Telluride Ski has increased its skiing area. These have been:

Prospect Bowl (2002)

The Prospect Bowl almost doubled the area of skiable terrain and opened in 2002.

Black Iron Bowl (2007)

For the 2007–08 ski season, the resort opened the Black Iron Bowl.[15]

Revelation Bowl (2008)

The Telluride ski resort in the summer of 2008 installed a fixed grip quad.

Lifts

Lift # Lift Name Vertical Rise Length Ride Time Capacity/Hour Manufacturer Year Installed Type Hours
1 Chondola 385 ft. 2,890 ft. 3.64 min. 2,000 CTEC 1996 Chondola 9:00 am – 4:30 pm
2 Race Hill 355 ft. 322 ft. 4.07 min. 390 Poma 1985 Surface Lift Special
4 Village Express 1,244 ft. 6,101 ft. 6.23 min. 2,800 Doppelmayr 1999 High speed quad 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
5 Polar Queen Express 936 ft. 4,809 ft. 4.9 min. 2,400 Doppelmayr 1999 High speed quad 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
6 Apex 1,144 ft. 2,727 ft. 5.91 min. 1,500 CTEC 1985/1999 Triple chair 9:00 am – 3:30 pm
7 Lift 7 1,845 ft. 4,350 ft. 9.45 min. 876 SLI 1975 Double chair 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
8 Oak Street 1,055 ft. 2,470 ft. 5.97 min. 900 SLI 1972/1985 Double chair 9:00 am – 1:30 pm
9 Plunge Express 2,119 ft. 6,176 ft. 6.2 min. 2,400 Doppelmayr 2022 High speed quad 9:00 am – 3:30 pm
10 Sunshine Express 1,735 ft. 10,400 ft. 10.54 min. 1,200 Doppelmayr 1986 High speed quad 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
11 Ute Park 274 ft. 2,478 ft. 2.49 min. 1,500 Doppelmayr 2001 High speed quad 9:15 am – 3:15 pm
12 Prospect Express 1,048 ft. 4,988 ft. 5.10 min. 2,400 Doppelmayr 2001 High speed quad 9:15 am – 3:15 pm
13 Lynx 32 ft. 700 ft. 1.48 min. 585 Doppelmayr 1975/2001 Surface lift 9:15 am – 3:15 pm
14 Gold Hill Express 1,475 ft. 3,333 ft. 3.64 min. 1,500 Doppelmayr 2001 High speed quad 9:15 am – 3:15 pm
15 Revelation 785 ft. 1,665 ft. 4.12 min. 1,240 Leitner-Poma 2008 Fixed-grip quad 9:15 am – 3:15 pm
Meadows Magic Carpet 16 ft. 119 ft. .80 min. 1,500 RMCE 2007 Surface lift 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Magic Carpet 6 ft. 75 ft. 1.18 min. 480 RMCE 1996 Surface lift 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
G1 Free Gondola (Town – San Sophia Station) 1,780 ft. 5,570 ft. 6.02 min. 930 CTEC 1996 Gondola 6:30 am – 12:00 am
G2 Free Gondola (San Sophia Station – Heritage Plaza) 995 ft. 3,920 ft. 4.04 min. 720 CTEC 1996 Gondola 6:30 am – 12:00 am
G3 Free Gondola (Heritage Plaza – Market Plaza) 5 ft. 2,770 ft. 2.77 min. 660 CTEC 1996 Gondola 6:30 am – 12:00 am

Photographs

  • Views from San Sophia, Gondola Mid-Station
    Views from San Sophia, Gondola Mid-Station
  • Views of Palmyra Peak from Gondola Mid-Station
    Views of Palmyra Peak from Gondola Mid-Station

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f "Terrain | Telluride, Colorado". Tellurideskiresort.com. Archived from the original on 2014-06-19. Retrieved 2016-01-02.
  2. ^ [1][dead link‍]
  3. ^ "Resort Guide, 2015 | Best Challenge, Terrain | Best Places to Ski | SKI Magazine". Skinet.com. Retrieved 2016-01-02.
  4. ^ "Terrain | Telluride, Colorado". Tellurideskiresort.com. Archived from the original on 2015-12-21. Retrieved 2016-01-02.
  5. ^ "The History of Telluride Ski Area". Coloradoskihistory.com. Retrieved 2016-01-02.
  6. ^ "About Telluride | Telluride, Colorado". Tellurideskiresort.com. Retrieved 2016-01-02.
  7. ^ "Ski Biomechanics Camp | Telluride, Colorado". Tellurideskiresort.com. Archived from the original on 2016-01-04. Retrieved 2016-01-02.
  8. ^ "Telluride History | Telluride, Colorado". Tellurideskiresort.com. 1975-12-22. Archived from the original on 2015-12-24. Retrieved 2016-01-02.
  9. ^ "Telluride Hike to Terrain. When Skiing Isn't Hard Enough". Coloradoskiauthority.com. Retrieved 2016-01-02.
  10. ^ "Inn At Lost Creek Named #10 Hotel in the Nation by TripAdvisor | Telluride, Colorado". Tellurideskiresort.com. 2015-01-30. Archived from the original on 2016-01-18. Retrieved 2016-01-02.
  11. ^ "Inn At Lost Creek Awarded 2014 TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence | Telluride, Colorado". Tellurideskiresort.com. 2014-06-05. Archived from the original on 2016-01-18. Retrieved 2016-01-02.
  12. ^ "Telski closes on purchase of the Peaks Resort and Spa - Telluride Daily Planet: News". Telluridenews.com. 2015-07-24. Retrieved 2016-01-02.
  13. ^ "Terrain | Telluride, Colorado". Tellurideskiresort.com. Archived from the original on 2014-06-19. Retrieved 2016-01-02.
  14. ^ "Best Ski Resorts: Telluride Terrain, Snow Quality and Mountain Ranks". ZRankings. ZRankings LLC. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
  15. ^ [2] Archived November 27, 2006, at the Wayback Machine