Why Visit Telluride?

What makes Telluride unique?

Telluride is a small ski resort in the southwest corner of Colorado, tucked in between the San Juan mountains. Since Telluride was discovered as a world-class spot for powder skiing the Telluride Ski Resort has grown into 2,000+ ski able acres and 18 lifts (including 2 gondolas). The town of Telluride has also grown, but is still only about 10 x 5 blocks small and is very true to its historic charm and easy access to skiing and beautiful nature.  

What you will find while visiting Telluride is a friendly attitude from its locals and plenty of beautiful, accessible nature – making it a great place for people looking for some of the best skiing in the world but also for summer activities like biking, hiking, rafting and horseback riding. Telluride gets an average snowfall of 309 inches over 2,000+ ski able acres – in addition to that, Telluride also has an average of 300 days of sunshine per year and no lift lines! There is truly skiing for everyone, with 24% beginner skiing, 38% intermediate and 38% expert terrain. All slopes are easily accessible from either Telluride or Mountain Village and with access to the free gondola, Telluride is truly a ski-in/out access town.  

Mountain Village is about 10-15 years old and is Telluride’s neighboring town mid-mountain. It is built as a European style ski resort with great access to the ski slopes. There is also plenty of lodging options, from hotel rooms to condos to amazing vacation homes, along with shopping and dining. Mountain Village is also easily accessible to/from Telluride with a short 15-minute (really beautiful) free (!) gondola ride. The gondola is open year-round (except for shorter closures during off-season) and is open daily from 7 am-midnight.  

While Telluride has recently opened several new expert terrains, it is keeping the vast amount of the terrain for beginners and intermediates – making Telluride a great resort for the entire family or groups of skiers of different ability! Since all terrain is easily accessible by Telluride’s lift system, skiers of various ability can still enjoy a day on the mountain together – meeting up for lunch at Gorrono’s or Giuseppe’s on the mountain and sometimes even take the same lift!  

What makes Telluride so unique is the constant mixture of opposites; it is a great blend of historic and new buildings, quaint B&B and homes and luxury hotels, easily accessible, yet never crowded lifts or ski slopes, and small, locally owned restaurants and shops offering world-class dining and shopping. It is these contradictions, along with the wish to keep Telluride’s charm intact that makes Telluride and Mountain Village a truly unique ski resort unlike any other ski resort in Colorado or even the world - well worth the trip off the beaten path!