I’ve been to Telluride in the summer before, it’s known for
its hiking, mountain biking and world renowned festivals, including the
Telluride film festival, but I have never been in the winter to experience the
skiing and other winter activities.
I’ve skied most of my life and have had the opportunity to
ski at resorts around the world. Telluride’s terrain is awesome. Having some of
the best mogul runs in the country and on the backside, there is Revelation
Bowl, a true treeless bowl which accommodates most ski abilities. The weekend I
went in February, Telluride received over 35” of fresh powder. It bought smiles
from everyone including locals who couldn’t resist skiing in these perfect
conditions. Even so, the longest wait I had all weekend was no more than 15
minutes, with most lift line wait times under 5 minutes.
The resort is surrounded by a charming town rich in old West
history from Butch Cassidy’s first bank robbery to the sacred valley of the Ute
Indians. Population hovers around 2,300 year- round residents. There are numerous
upscale shops, restaurants and bars. Telluride has been home to many
celebrities and lift 10 is known as the “real estate run,” where you ride above
their beautiful mountain estates.
There is a free
gondola that runs until midnight every night that takes you from town to
Allred’s Restaurant, mid-station
at an attitude of 10,551 feet. It is a must dine experience. The gondola ends at Mountain Village, a
newer area of the resort that is home to world class resorts. Two of which are
Virtuoso boutique properties; Hotel Madeline and Inn at Lost Creek, which was
my home for the weekend. They both offer ski valets that will take, store and
warm your boots for your next mornings’ runs. No need to lug any equipment off
the hill.
Telluride is a little more difficult to get to than other
western ski areas, but with one connection from Detroit it’s totally worth it.
*Picture shows me taking a break from skiing and trying
snowshoeing for the first time. Five hours and 3 miles later, it was quite the
workout in knee high powder.
No comments:
Post a Comment