Winter Activities in Telluride, Colorado!

Telluride, nestled in a pristine box canyon in the midst of the San Juan mountain range in Southwestern Colorado, is a small though trendy mountain community that offers some of the best winter activities and skiing in the Western United States. Surrounded by 14,000-foot snow-capped peaks, Telluride, Colorado, offers a wide variety of winter sports for outdoor adventures, including snow boarding, skiing, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing, among other winter season activities.

Telluride's prime location ski resort offers over eighty pristine wilderness slopes for a variety of skill levels within almost 2,000 acres of ski-able topography. One of their longest runs, the 'Galloping Goose', is almost 5 miles long. About a quarter of slopes are geared for beginners while the remainder is divided equally among intermediate and Black Diamond slopes for experienced or advanced skiers.

Sixteen lifts take skiers to slopes ranging at a minimum of almost 9,000 to almost 13,000 feet, with vertical drops of a little over 3,000 feet. While the lifts are capable of transporting over 20,000 skiers per hour, the glory of Telluride is that it is never, ever, overcrowded.

Telluride also offers cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and ice-skating activities. Snowshoe and cross country ski locals offer 10 kilometers of forested trails accessible from the top of Lift No. 10 and offer spectacular views of Prospect Bowl, Palmyra Peak and the surrounding San Juan mountaintops. Snowshoeing through rugged mountain wilderness offers once-in-a-lifetime experiences to many visitors to Telluride.

If you're looking for group or guided activities, knowledgeable and experienced guides are available for daily hikes and arrangements can be made for private parties in advance through reservations through Telluride's local Sport Shop. For $50, an invigorating three-hour hike includes lift tickets, snacks and snowshoe rental. They'll even offer you tea and muffins along the way! As an added bonus, guides boasting not only experience but also a sense of typical Colorado humor offer historical information about Telluride and its environment.

Last year, in 2005, Telluride opened a new, guided hike to ski terrain that offers visitors an unparalleled experience as they hike from Lift No. 12 to Mtn. Quail, a high spot on Prospect Ridge. That particular location offers skiers and snowboarders nearly 1,100 feet of powder bliss. A brief safety orientation is given before each group sets out. (Skiers are provided with a beacon and a shovel at no extra charge). Be forewarned however, that you must be rated an expert skier and sign up with the Telluride Ski & Snowboard School 24 hours in advance to take advantage of this thrill.

If you're one to find skiing 'dull', Telluride also offers slopes that cater to snowboarders, cross country skiers, Nordic skiers and snowmobilers. For the especially adventurous and daring, try Heli-Skiing. Telluride is the only location within Colorado that offers Heli-Skiing for advanced skiers and snowboarders.

Backcountry skiing, snowshoeing and ice climbing are also popular activities in Telluride. For beginners, the San Juan Outdoor School is available to instruct newbies in these activities as well as other summer and winter mountain sports.

Telluride offers winter vacationers packages that incorporates one day of Heli-Skiing that includes 6 runs on Telluride slopes, one day of resort skiing at the Telluride Ski Area, including a guided hike in the back country, a day of skiing on Silverton Mountain and a day of snow-cat skiing at the San Juan Ski Company.

For the less daring and those catering to children and teens not yet ready to hit the big slopes, Telluride offers sledding hills and ice-skating rinks. Both children and adults can enjoy Thrill Hill, where tubing is available. Located at the base of Lift No. 2, Thrill Hill is usually open every afternoon and evening from Wednesday through Sunday.

After an exciting and strenuous day outdoors, Telluride offers plenty of pampering opportunities and great foods for any dining taste. Conde Nast Traveler readers voted Telluride's The Golden Door Spa at The Peaks one of the top 45 within the United States and the Caribbean in 2003. The Golden Door Spa contains 44 treatment rooms that offer European to Far Asian massages as well as saunas, steam rooms, indoor wall climbing and full service beauty lounges and a Cybex weight room, among other offerings.

Dining is a thrill in Telluride as well, with restaurants perched on mountain slopes ranging from 9,000 to almost 12,000 feet. Allred's and Gorrono, both at the 10,000+ foot level, offer spectacular views while dining on American cuisine that offers everything from causal menus to fine wines. The High Camp Warming Hut, at almost 12,000 feet, offers welcome hot drinks and sandwiches for the weary. Lower down, both Big Billie's and That Pizza Place offer more causal fare for outdoors adventures that won't break your budget.

Telluride's historical landmark district, surrounded by near-pristine mountain slopes and rugged wilderness offers native visitors and world travelers alike a unique 'western' experience for winter fun and activities, a western style experience not to be missed.

Getting There:

The Telluride Ski Resort suggests that visitors be aware that online map directories may not take into consideration that certain mountain roads may be closed or impassible during winter months.

Arriving from either west or east routes within Colorado, drivers will need to turn off on Route 145. Be alert and watch for the sign, and the metal bridge, otherwise you'll miss the turnoff!

From Montrose
Drive SOUTH on Route 550 to Ridgway then turn RIGHT onto Route 62.
Follow this to Route 145 and turn LEFT.
Follow signs into Telluride.
Travel time about 1.25 hours.

From Durango
Follow Route 160 from Durango to Mancos.
Turn RIGHT onto Route 184 toward Dolores.
Turn RIGHT onto Route 145, just south of Dolores.
Follow 145 into Telluride. About 3 miles out of town, Route 145 will T.
Veer right. Telluride is three more miles.
Travel time about 2.5 hours.

From Colorado Springs
Take Route 24 west. Turn SOUTH on 258/24 and proceed to Route 50.
Turn RIGHT on Route 50.
Proceed over Monarch Pass into Gunnison and then to Montrose.
Turn left and drive South on Route 550 to Ridgway then turn right onto Route 62.
Follow to Route 145 and turn LEFT.
Follow signs into Telluride.
Travel time about 6 hours.

From Denver
Take Interstate 70 west to Grand Junction, go south on Route 50 to Montrose.
Continue south on Route 550 to Ridgway then turn RIGHT onto Route 62.
Follow to Route 145 and turn LEFT.
Follow the signs into Telluride.
Travel time about 7 hours.

For additional information on The Golden Door Spa, call 1-800-SPA-KIVA