Telluride Ski Resort has found the magic formula for the perfect ski holiday destination, writes Phil Osborn. Telluride’s authentic mining town has so much character and its big mountain terrain attracts passionate skiers and snowboarders who will do anything to live here.
In a world with so many ski resorts to explore, Australian skiers and snowboarders are spoilt for choice. So why should you put Telluride, located in the southwest corner of Colorado to the top of your ski bucket list? To help answer this question, we will look at all the cool aspects of Telluride, that really add up to something incredibly special and worth travelling the extra mile to discover.
Where is Telluride located?
If you look at a map of Colorado, below, you’ll see Telluride sits in the southwestern corner of the state. The actual resort is sitting in northwestern San Juan Mountains, which is located in the famous Rocky Mountains. This area is home to the highest concentration of 13,000 and 14,000 foot peaks in North America.
How Do You Get there?
The easiest way to get to Telluride is by flying to the resort. You are spoilt for choice for flights. United Airlines, American and Delta have regular direct flights from all their key hubs to the nearby town of Montrose Airport. This is the most popular airport for the majority of people and situated around one and half hours away. You don’t need a car in Telluride, so catch a shuttle from Montrose Airport. We travelled with Mountain Limos to Telluride with loads of snow falling in challenging conditions and we made it easily and safely to our hotel. Telluride Express on the way back were equally as professional. Both offer excellent service and will easily carry your ski gear.
You can fly directly into Telluride Airport from Denver, which is a smaller airfield approximately 6 miles from Telluride. Denver Air Connection serves this airport and partners with United Airlines.
Initially, our plan was to drive from Denver to Telluride to explore more of Colorado. This is a scenic drive of 6.5 hours and offers a great chance to see so much of Colorado. With a polar vortex cold snap hitting Denver and loads of snow falling on the I70, we decided to fly to avoid getting caught up in any traffic chaos. Sometimes you just need to be flexible with your travel plans, to stay safe and reach your destination.
Discover Telluride
Telluride Ski Resort spans the historic Victorian mining town of Telluride and the modern ski-in, ski-out Mountain Village. The historic town is stunning. Every street has sight lines with mountain landscapes as the backdrop. The well preserved town is brimming with character and class.
The one thing that took me totally by surprise, was just how effective the free gondola network is between the town of Telluride and Moutain Village. This free gondola is a master stroke in urban design and key to why this such a well functioning destination to visit. There are actually two gondolas. Once you are in Mountain Village, another free gondola, will transport you across the mountain that services the two key base areas. We used this gondola to access the wonderfully stocked supermarket. The two free gondolas are truly a stroke of genius in the ski resort planning. It frees everyone from their cars, it connects everyone and makes both areas pedestrian friendly.
For me, physically arriving in Telluride’s Mountain Village wasn’t what I was expecting. For some reason, I was expecting to be uploading via the gondolas. However, Mountain Village is serviced with a snow covered road, that allows the shuttle to drop you off at your doorstep. Mountain Village is home to so many stunning homes and hotels.
Where to Stay:
Telluride has a wide variety of accommodation to suit all budgets, located in the town, or within Mountain Village. We stayed in the Madeline Hotel and The Mountain Lodge, both located in Mountain Village.
Madeline Hotel:
The Madeline Hotel, is a 5-star hotel, that will exceed your expectations on every level. The Madeline is the only 5 star hotel in Telluride. The Madeline has a prime location in Mountain Village. You can ski directly out of their ski-valet service to the lifts. The Madeline is considered one of the best US Hotels at any ski resort. We loved the hotels impeccable attention to detail. When guests arrive, you are welcomed to enjoy your new home. A welcome glass of champagne, or craft beer for parents and beautiful toy bears for our young girls was a nice touch. For Australians who live at sea level, the Madeline Hotel provides advice and a practical hydration pack to help you acclimatise to the elevation. We greatly appreciated their advice on staying hydrated. They had chlorophyll water in the lobby, which we greatly appreciated. Our Madeline Hotel room was luxurious. It was a 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom spacious apartment, with a self-contained kitchen. The room had stunning views of the mountains. We loved the outdoor pool and spa. The games area of the Madeline was well appointed.
Within the Madeline is the Timber Room, the perfect place to unwind for après drinks. The Black Iron Kitchen and Bar offers seasonal hearty meals sourced from local farmers and producers.
Where to Stay:
Mountain Lodge Telluride:
Our second location to experience, was the fabulous Mountain Lodge Telluride. Set on 6 acres, Mountain Lodge has a mixture of luxury log cabins, condos and suites, all accessed easily to the ski runs. Our condo was a 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom with kitchen and laundry. It was family friendly. One of our best meals on the whole trip was at the Moutain Lodge restaurant called The View. Check out their menu here. The Mountain Lodge has a great pool and spa area. You can walk to the village supermarket from Mountain Lodge, which is handy.
Telluride Ski Resort Terrain
There are 19 lifts servicing 2,000+ acres of terrain. There are 149 trails, with the longest one 7.4 kms in length. Average snowfall is 711 cms. Telluride caters for all levels of skiers and snowboarders, with 23% beginner, 36% intermediate and 41% advanced.
Our family managed to ski every lift and see all the mountain over a 7 day ski window. We were very fortunate to be guided around by Lisa Morgan, Telluride Ski Resorts, International Marketing Manager. Lisa has incredible knowledge of Telluride Ski Resort and helped us truly understand just how incredible every aspect of Telluride is to experience. Lisa’s passion for Telluride Ski Resort and the community she lives in was refreshing and made me want to pack my bags a do a full season in Telluride. We were lucky also to ski / snowboard around with Telluride Tom, from Visit Telluride. A true local who grew up in Telluride, to parents who worked in the mining industry, Telluride Tom’s lived history reflects the journey of the town from mining to snow tourism.
What we loved about skiing and snowboarding around Telluride?
We arrived to fresh snow across Telluride. So we got to experience incredible snow conditions on our visit. Not only did we score fresh snow, but we scored bluebird conditions with great visibility and zero wind. Off every lift are a variety of options to suit every level of skier or snowboarder. It’s a well thought-out ski resort that allows everyone to have a sensational time.
Telluride has a great mixture of terrain. We found it playful and challenging. It ticked all our boxes. One of the incredible experiences of skiing around Telluride Ski Resort is how you feel immersed in the San Juan Mountains. As you move around the mountain, you are looking at what appears to be very close mountains facing you. It’s really stimulating having such beautiful mountain vistas all around you when you are skiing or snowboarding around Telluride. It’s truly a beautiful ski destination.
Skiing into Telluride
I loved having the ability to ski into Telluride during the day. You can easily walk across and enjoy lunch in the town and then hop back onto the gondola and continue skiing.
Telluride Brewing:
Local craft brewery, Telluride Brewing has an excellent tap room located next to the Madeline Hotel. We can highly recommend tasting all their varieties of craft beers. And keep your eye out for our Telluride Brewing / Wolf of the Willows (Melbourne) collab beer at the Snow Travel Expo 2024 for free sampling with the welcoming Colorado stand.
Wagner Skis
Custom ski brand Wagner Skis is based in Mountain Village. You can tour their ski manufacturing each Wednesday. Wagner Skis are popular with Telluride locals and savvy skiers that appreciate being custom fitted for skis.
Dog Friendly
Telluride is perhaps the most dog friendly town I’ve experienced. Dogs are welcome everywhere and both owners and dogs are happy!
Altitude Sickness – Prevention and Recovery
Our 16-year-old son, Dash experienced elevation sickness after the first day of skiing. He went to the gym after skiing and over extended himself physically at the higher altitude. The next day, he was ill. With the advice of the Madeline staff, Dash managed to recover within a day after he rested and hydrated. Our lesson here, was to not over do the first day and to take staying hydrated seriously.
The Verdict – Should you go?
Telluride Ski Resort scores a perfect 10/10. Telluride in our opinion, is one of the World’s best ski resort destinations. We love how the historic town of Telluride is linked with the modern Mountain Village via the free gondola. We loved how the San Juan Mountains wrap around the ski resort and immerse you in nature. We loved the big ski terrain, suitable for all levels of abilities. Telluride Ski Resort has to be on your ski bucket list it really is that good.
Meet the Telluride Team at the Snow Travel Expo 2024 in Melbourne 19 May MCEC and Sydney 26 May at ICC Sydney.
For more information on visiting Telluride Ski Resort from Australia go to: www.tellurideskiresort.com
And check out more videos on Telluride Ski Resort below.