Dave's Blog

Wow. That's all I can say. Wow. There is definitely a different pace and style at Telluride these days. I hate to admit it, but our resorts in Utah don't measure up........ I'll be over in Telluride for at least a few vacations this winter. Keep up the good work.

Dave's reply: Wow :) Thanks for your support!

Mr. Riley,

I've been following your blog since you launched it last year. Thanks so much for being so open and helpful.

To be straight, we've only skied Telluride once. It was two years ago when my wife and I took a chance and flew into Montrose on one of your non-stop flights. We were very surprised with the whole experience.

We've been to Aspen, Vail, Jackson Hole, Sun Valley, Deer Valley and a few other destination resorts over the last several years but we absolutely fell in love with your resort. We love the village, historic town, ski terrain, and the VIEWS!

With the expansion and improvements, we have decided to come back this January. We're very anxious and excited about the new lift as well as the other changes you outlined in the blog.

Moreover, we just like Telluride the best. We'll be visiting the real estate offices when we're there. It's about time we settle into a condo at the best resort in Colorado!

Can we stop by your office when we're in town? We'd like to get some "insider's information" on purchasing.

Thank you.

Dave's reply: Hi Richard, Please feel free to contact me at driley@tellurideskiresot.com I'd love to help you in any way I can. Thanks for choosing Telluride as your home resort!

OOOOOOOO! I can't wait!! That picnic platform is going to be so cool!!! And real BOWL skiing for a change! I hope I'm in good enough shape to ski it early, cuz the bumps bum me out.

So is that big gun for Palmyra Peak, or Bear Creek?

Dave's reply: Hi Local Gal, You sound as excited as I am for this coming ski season! The 2 Howitzers will shoot the chutes on Gold Hill, Palmyra, and Black Iron Bowl. We're not authorized to perform avalanche control in Bear Creek at this time but we're looking into it potentially for the future. We'll have to see what the community wants. Have a great fall and think snow****

Greetings Dave, I am planning my first trip to T-Ride. Boy what a treat it has been for me to find your blog.  I'm a Jayhawker from Kansas and I LIVE for riding.  I go to Whistler every year as well as Vail and Copper.  I get about 12 days riding a year.  Were taking the BC trip off this year(so we can load up for the Olympics)and one of my buddies turned me onto your place--it looks great and I can't wait to come.  

Generally, When is it the best time to come--from your blog it looks like late Jan.  I am a converted skier so I love the bumps and fresh pow--not the terrain parks.  Also, we need a good package deal with hotel, shuttle from Montrose, and lift.

Thanks for your blog Dave, it gets me fired up. Looking forward to Gold Hill and Revalation bowl.

Mike Holm

Dave's reply: Hi Mike, Thanks for your interest in Telluride. I've noticed that Colorado in general has a very consistent snowpack. Usually, most all lifts are open by X-Mas at all the major resorts. Of course, the base builds all the way through late February into March. So it really comes down to your schedule. January is generally a little slower in terms of business because some people stay home for awhile after the holiday, then things pick back up again in February and March. After Spring Break things slow down again in April even though the conditions are great. We have a central reservations office you can call at 1-800-778-8581 - they can help you out with lodging, tickets, etc. Thanks again and we hope you will be able to visit Telluride this winter!

Hi Dave! Just like Richard said above, I have been following this blog since you started it last year.

I traveled to Telluride for the first time last January and that was my first skiing adventure outside of Arizona. I have only been skiing for two years and I learned in AZ (and have only skiied in AZ) so you can imagine my surprise when we drove in during a blizzard that dumped 3 feet that night! The town is beautiful, the staff is incredibly nice, the views are indescribable, and the black diamond runs here are just mind-blowing!

All I can say is that Telluride is the most amazing place I have ever been to! I have made it my personal goal to make sure I come at least once a year to visit from now on in my skiing adventures. I fell in love with the place.

Please keep up the good work and posting to this blog. It is a rarity these days to see the owner of any major business such as TelSki post about the business and take the time to reply to people. It is also a rarity to see an owner make so many changes and make so much progress in a year!

Keep it up Dave! I would love to stop by and say Hi next time I am in town... maybe even make a run or two. :)

Dave's reply: Hi AZ skier! Thanks for your post.

Actually, I'm not the owner of the company - just the humble CEO. Chuck Horning is the majority owner. He deserves lots of credit for all the great things that are happening at Telluride!

I'd love to meet you. My office is on the second floor of the Plaza Building at the base of Chair 4 in Mountain Village. Swing on by and say hi sometime! Maybe we can make a few turns together too.

All of this is so exciting!!! What kind of food will the Hop Garden have?

Dave's reply: Hi Lisa, The staff is working that up right now. Any suggestions?

Hi Dave,

I'm wondering if you know exactly how many chairs will have to be taken off of Lift 9 for the footrests.

Also, now that you apparently will build a restaurant near Lift 5, what are the chances that you'll expand Giuseppes' so that we are not always sitting on someone elses lap? :-)  Visitors constantly leave there instead of buying food because of long lines and no place to sit.

Thanks for the Revelation lift!!

Dave's reply: Hi Gary, Always nice to hear from you.

We're removing 15 chairs to compensate for the additional weight on the chair. Capacity goes from 1,200 people per hour to 1,042 pph. Spacing goes from 75' to 86.4 feet.

Giuseppe's will be replaced someday - just can't say when. Until then, enjoy!

This all looks great and T-ride is certainly on my list this year!  How about some give-aways on the blog :)  Thinking some ski passes, hotel rooms or even a vacation giveaway!  Just thinking out loud in your blog comments...

Dave's reply: Hi J, That might increase traffic on the blog :)

hey congrats for your blog. i´m from argentina and i´m going to telluride this winter to work as a ski instructor... i'm really excited about this place!

Dave's reply: Hi Cristian, Thanks for choosing to join Telluride Ski Resort as a member of the team! Our ski and snowboard school is really a great group of people. It's going to be a great winter!!

Looks incredible!

Dave's reply: Hi Jason, Yep - lots of good things going on at Telluride!

Hey Dave. Once again, a great blog with great pictures. I sure hope you stick around here for many years to come as we like the work you are doing. You've made more things happen in one year than any of us could have imagined. I just want to say "thank you".

Please take over the avalanche control for Bear Creek next. I'd like to see a chairlift there too.

Also, keep the chili flowing at Gorrono!

P.S. thanks for getting the patrol the big Howitzers.

Dave's reply: Hi AG, Thank you for your kind comments and input regarding Bear Creek.  

I'm here for the long haul - no doubt,,, having way too much fun to seriously consider any alternative :) Telluride has a very bright future and I'm very thankful to be a part of it. In the long-run, I truly believe it's going to be the greatest alpine community in the world!

And, the chili will stand the test of time :)

Hey Dave,

I've been checking your blog all summer. I love the updates. Any chance for even more Telluride ski news? I love the place and can't wait for the winter.

All the Best, Ray

Dave's reply: Hi Ray, Yes - As we get closer to the upcoming (epic) ski season, I'll ramp up the frequency of the blogs. Everyone should be getting excited as the nights get cold and the storms start rolling through. Indian summer can only last so long befoe it gives way to full-on winter weather patterns. Ah, can't wait!

Thanks for following the blog and staying connected.

Hi Dave,

You must be the king of social e-networking for ski area execs. Well done.

I spent last night surfing websites of the top 10 ski resorts and your blog and website blows everyone out of the water.

As a result, my wife and I have decided to try out Telluride this winter. We've never been there in the past but last night we booked 10 nights for the middle of January.

The Revelation lift / Bowl looks like a visionary move on your part. We can't wait to ski it. While most ski areas are focusing on remodelling old facilities, you're opening new terrain. That's won our vote.

We'd really like to drag you out of the office for a run. Can we tap you for a few minutes to get restaurant recommendations and learn about your favorite powder stashes? We also want to get a reference for a great ski school instructor for a few private lessons.

Would that be in the cards????

Looking forward to skiing Telluride!!!!

Dave's reply: Hi Kurt, I'd love nothing more than to spend some time making turns with you and your wife. I've got some great ski school instructors in mind and certainly some restaurant recommendations. Please send me an email at driley@tellurideskiresort.com so we can coordinate. Thanks for choosing Telluride Ski Resort for your vacation!

Hi Dave,

Thanks for the updates, everything looks great. We are very excited to see all your improvements.

With respect, I really hope the new restaurant near lift 5 will have some decent food. We have been skiing in Europe and Telluride for 10 years and the only thing that is better in European resorts is the food.

I don't mind chilli and burgers but not every day. I know you serve other things but not very well.

If the food was sorted, then I believe Telluride could be getting close to the best ski resort in the world.

Many thank

Ben

Dave's reply: Hi Ben. Thank you so much for your comments. Regarding food, I have to agree with you that this is a weakness the ski company must focus on. Everyone has high expectations for fresh, healthy, and diverse food offerings. We're in the process of assembling a new team of leaders in the Food and Beverage Department and I'm sure we'll be making positive changes for this coming ski season.

Dave,

I just want to say you are a badass!

I, like many others, have been watching the evolution of Telluride over the past two to three years and I could not be more pleased. The progress thus far is simply amazing. Just a few years ago Telluride in terms of stats was pretty comparable to other western resorts (eg. btwn 3000-3500 vertical feet, 300 inches of snow, around 1500 acres etc.) Now, with over 4500 vertical feet and terrain that rivals the European Alps. Telluride is now going to be looked at as the definitive resort in terms of overall quality in North America, it has everything. Vail, Whistler/Blackcomb, Heavenly etc. are all going on huge marketing campaigns whereas with Telluride is improving immensely, across the board. Much of this success is due to you, and I have to say as I've said before, this blog has probably been one of the most vital tools and it is a great success.

Congrats thus far and keep it up!

Dave's reply: Hi Sam, Thanks so much for your kind remarks.

I have to give all the credit to the great team of employees at Telluride Ski and Golf - they are awesome! While we've made great strides I'm especially excited about the future of Telluride. It's an honor to be a part of it all.

Enjoy the final days of summer and start watching ski DVDs at night!

good blog this is . i think u r good in blogging .keep it up.

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www.netfandu.blogspot.com

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Dave,

I like the discussion you've set up, its familiar to me since I've read the Mt. Hood Meadows blog since it started.  I've never been to Telluride, but I must say I'm impressed with what I see posted.  Here's the question I have for you: should Telluride be the place for me to ski this year?  I'm interested in changing things up for a while, going someplace that's alot different than Mt. Hood.  Even though we both seem to be talking about hop gardens and howitzers right now, I know Telluride is about the opposite from Meadows.  What could I expect the skiing to be like at Telluride, coming from Oregon?

Dave's reply: Hi Bill, There are quite a few differences between Mt. Hood and Telluride. Telluride is a destination resort with a historic mining town and a European - inspired village, connected by a free gondola that runs 'till midnight 7 days a week. Therefore, when you arrive, everything is pretty much accessible by foot. The lift lines are much less crowded on weekends here also. I won't get into the other stuff like the views, terrain, etc. as that is pretty much a personal opinion, although it's fair to say that the snow in Telluride is much drier. If you're thinking of taking a ski vacation to a destination resort, I think you'd be very happy with the Telluride experience!

Dave,

   Can I play with the new Howitzer ?

I'm psyched about the Revelation Bowl. I've always wanted to ski the backside.

See you in February.

Dave's reply: Hi David, It's going to be a great season - already watching ski DVDs at night!

I want to shoot the howitzer.  You should offer a chance to fire a round as a raffle prize or something.

Dave's reply: Hi Chris, No playing with the big toys :)

Well Dave, I was going to buy a big house out there at mtn village quite soon, but seeing that i just got shellacked in the stock market and am losing my job, I might be looking for one of those food service manager jobs you were talking about. You don't discriminate based on age, do you?

***

P.S. Love the footrests on nine.

Dave's reply: Wow, sorry to hear about that :( Hope your fortunes change soon. Yes, we accept applications from all :)

Wow! You need suggestions for a menu at the Hop Garden? It does sound like a German restaurant, but you can't beat a good ole hamburger and fries for people that don't make it to Gorrono's. Also, there isn't any Asian food available around there.

Dave's reply: Hi Lisa, We're always open to suggestions regarding our service and products :) Thanks!

Hi Dave-

What is the 'food' concept going to be at the Hop Garden ..or will it be more of a drinking establishment? or similar to Skier's Union?

The ski dvd's are back in the rotation. My kids have three favorites..... Barney, Mickey and Warren Miller; as it should be. We are all looking forward to our annual trip to Telluride this year.

Thanks for the great job you are doing out there.

Dave's reply: Hey Craig, Have you ever seen the "Snow Monsters" kids-ski DVD? If you haven't I'll send you a copy. Contact me at driley@tellurideskiresort.com You're kids will love it. My daughter grew up on those DVDs. They are produced by a good friend of mine, Jack Turner, from Durango - he's the best. See www.snowmonsters.com for a better look - you won't be sorry :)

The Hop Garden will be serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. It's intended to be a good burger/apres ski type place. I think it will be appropriate to bring a kid in for breakfast or lunch but it may get a little roudy after 4:00 pm :) Crazy Elk Pizza is a great place to take kids for dinner though and is right next door.

HEy Dave

I came to telluride last winter all the way from Australia aand am thinking once i have left school to come and work over there before starting college in the summer i had a great holliday and love keep up to post on all that is happening glad to here there is more snow on the way

Dave's reply: Hi Charlie, contact hyoung@tellurideskiresort.com for employment information. Thanks for your interest in becoming part of the team!

Seems as if all is well in paradise.  Looking forward another winter in the San Juans.  Just one question.  You think I can shoot the howitzer sometime?  If not, I understand...but what about first tracks down revelation bowl?

Keep up the good work!

Dave's reply: Hi W C, Thanks for keeping in touch. Lots of interest in the Howitzer but it's necessary to have a bunch of training to shoot it. Sorry.

First tracks are for the early bird! Think snow.

Hi Dave

I'm a restaurant consultant in europe and I see you've been discussing food for your new mountain village restaurant. Don't worry I'm not fishing for new work, just a suggestion: Have you tried Rösti? It's a swiss favorite, made with grated potatoes that are fried, until brown and often topped with cheese, bacon and an egg, sunny side up.

The Swiss do it best when it comes to mountain food, with the right amount of Protein and Carb's, to keep you going thorough all those snow storms that your locals are praying for.

P.S sorry for all the noise above your office, I'm having my condo refurbished.

All the best

Ben

Dave's reply: Hi Ben, I have not tried Rosti - I'll google the recipe.

Dave - Great improvements and I like the Hop Garden concept... I liked Skier's Union but hopefully you can make Hop Garden a true après ski destination. Anything that extends the vitality in the MV core after 4:30 pm would be great.  

Any idea on when TSG might develop their MV core properties? Given what appears to be a general agreement on the need for more hot beds, it seems to be a good time (at least politically if not financially) to seek approval of a true hotel to add to the vitality of the core.  

Thanks

JA

Dave's reply: HI JA. I'm assuming your talking about the lot over by the pond. We're looking at it now.

See you in the Hop Garden!

Hey Dave,

I love the new revelation bowl expansion and lift. I think that the top of lift 5 really needed a warming hut or restaurant. I'm happy to see the "new" howitzer.

Now if you could just address the issue of the new lift dumping gumbies off right at an access gate to the deadliest BC terrain I have ever seen!. It's called following through... and it needs to be done before that whole canyon gets closed because folks start dropping like flies in avalanches accidents.

Thanks again for being a progressive force in making this mountain better.  

Dave's reply: Hi Will, Will you please contact me at driley@tellurideskiresort.com and give me your cell? I'd like to discuss this with you in depth. Thank you.

Hey Dave,

I assume that you read "Farley'"s comment in the Daily Planet about Chair Nine and the changes. He states the he doesn't know anyone who uses foot rests! Yikes! He must not know very many people!

Thanks for all the improvements on the hill. See you in December.

Dave's reply: Hi Julie, Yes, I did see that comment. Can't please everyone all the time but I do know lots of people who like a footrest and safety bar! I think it will be a nice improvement.

What will the safety bar be serving?

This place sounds like a bar in Amsterdam, I can't wait.

Dave's reply: The Hop Garden will be serving :)

Actually, I've been a passholder for over 20 years, and know most passholders.  I honestly don't know one - not one - who uses the so-called safety bar.  It is simply an inconvenience, tangling up poles, slamming down on knees, etc.  And....I've never heard of anyone falling off Lift 9.  But we now have them and artificial liftlines because of the missing chairs.  Oh, did I mention the 20% increase in the pass price?

Dave's reply: Hi Farley, Sorry you feel that way. Have a great ski season.

Dave-

Congrats on Telluride's Top 10 ranking in Ski Magazine's Resort Survey (including #2 in overall satisfaction).  I've made two trips in the past three years (including last March with a first time skier) and I am strongly leaning that way again, especially with the opening of the Revelation chair.  Keep up the great work!

Dave's reply: Hi Greg, Thanks for your kind remarks and support. Hope to see you again this year. The new lift is going to be great!

Hi Dave,

Looks like the lift progress is going well.  Telluride certainly has changed in the past couple of years.  Ive heard rumors of gates being put in for lower bear creek. Just wondering if this is  true or just wishful thinking by the towns skiers. Hope the snow falls heavy this year.

Dave's reply: Hi Mike, Always good to hear from you. We really haven't made any plans to change the boundary at this point. Did you see the article in the Watch regarding Bear Creek last Friday? I'm wondering what your thoughts are. Feel free to contact me at driley@tellurideskiresort.com also.

Dave -

please count me (season passholder) as one more vote for you to pursue control work in bear creek.  

ed

Dave's reply: Hi Ed, Thank you for the input.

I'm a pass holder (I don't know farley) and my family uses the safety bar and is looking forward to seeing it on chair 9.   Thanks!

Dave's reply: Hi Barbara, I'm sure most people are going to really appreciate it. Thanks for your comment.

Dave, what a great way to keep everyone updated. The changes all sound GREAT! My wife, son & I LOVE Telluride and are looking forward to yet another fun vacation next March. We spent Christmas there last year and took our 2 yr old for the first time and he loved sledding and riding the gondola. This year he turns 4 while we're there on St Patrick's Day! And he'll ski for the first time with the kids' ski school. What a birthday present! We'll enjoy some skiing, we're bringing our Moms (their first visit there) and if I am lucky, I'll get some ice climbing in too!...Keep up the great work & we'll see you then!

Dave's reply: Hi Steve, Jacqui and Luke, Thanks for posting on the blog! It sounds like you're a true ski family and we appreciate your loyalty to Telluride. We're all looking forward to a great season - have a great ski vacation over St. Patrick's Day!

Dave, you're the Man!!  Gettin' it done, Sir!  Hopefully, Telski will put your face on the season pass this year (forget Wilson Peak or the Valley Cows! :)

Dave's reply: Thank you for your nice comments - but I'm only as good as the folks I work with at Telski. They're making it happen every day!

P.S. You're going to like that new daily non-stop flight from Chicago aren't you? The community has a contract with United Airlines which is a "minimum revenue guarantee contract" and we'll need to see high load factors to keep it going. Tell all your friends in Chicago about the new air service please! Thank you!

I know all the talk has been about expanding the ski area into the upper reaches of bear creek, but it looks like gold hill 1-5 are on the "permanent" closed list.  Just wondering if these were going to open before pushing into our backcountry terrain?  As they are already controlled anyway

Dave's reply: Hi Erik, We're planning on opening upper GH #1 as well as 6-10 this year. The new howitzers are really going to help. 2-5 are pretty rock exposed most of the time due to wind stripping at the top of those areas, as you probably know. We'll keep an eye on it though and see how it evolves. Thank you for your question.

Dear Dave,

As a Telluride resident, follower and supporter of this blog since its inception, I commend Mr. Riley on your comments in the The Telluride Watch Friday 9/26. He spoke candidly about the new "realties" of the Revelation lift and how it would change the Bear Creek back country terrain in the future. As a Telluride back country enthusiast who has been "savvy" enough to enjoy the Bear Creek access gate since its opening in 2000/2001 my thoughts are.

First, I do believe there will be increased skier traffic.

However,the first year the Bear Creek gate was open, I only skied a dozen times the entire season w my partner  (Chef Dave Labarca) and each descent we skied THE SAME line. The overall skier traffic was limited at best and the snow pack was very skittish more often than not.

In every year following, I have found the increased traffic  IMPROVES the entire area being skied. The Last 3 years (with the  addition of gold hill lift) "savvy friends and I" were skiing Upper Bear Creek 2 times a day as early as december and more people were skiing lines that were never being skied in previous years. Overall skier traffic was at its highest level last year since the 2000 opening. How many of "us savvy" skiers were getting to ski Nellie Cliffs 15 times in the same year before the increased skier traffic?  NONE. (I do admit the snowpack was stable all of last year)

Bottom line, i think increased traffic will improve overall conditions and only push backcountry skiers further into the basins which I think is good. AS ALWAYS people should follow route management guidelines, SOP regarding slope and snow conditions, and have the correct avalanche equipment. Im not even opposed to having a lift op at the gate whom could CHECK each skier for the correct equipment for access out the gate. Would this work?

Regarding the avalanche control within Upper Bear Creek, I too am a supporter. Its great for the skier and It makes sense strategically for the ski area. This would also provide incentives for the ski area to control  the opposite side of bear creek all the way down to the bear creek floor above waterfall. This "in theory" means we could be skiing backcountry in Lena Basin, La Junta Basin, Upper Wedding Chutes, K12, The Wave, Wasatch, etc. In my humble opinion, this will benefit all back country skiers and dramatically  increase  the access to backcountry terrain. ALL of which would certainly make Telluride THE ski mountain in Colorado.

QUESTION? Would we be skiing lift 9/gold hill/bear creek etc. if telski owners/telluride community back in the day decided NOT TO EXPAND because of the fear of losing hike to backcountry terrain? I think its a false choice. Telluride ski resort in conjunction with community members should Develop a long term strategic  plan to manage the mountains for "we the people" to support and enjoy. I think Telluride is ready for that conversation.  

Results speak for themselves. Undeniably, Mr. Riley is doing a great job. Keep up the good work.

Dave's reply: Hi Scott. Thank you for your well written and thoughtful comments. I appreciate the input. Since the article, I've been getting lots of phone calls and emails. The input and dialog has been very helpful in increasing my awareness and knowledge regarding this important issue. Please feel free to encourage your friends to contact me also. I'm very interested in learning as much as I can from the community on this. Thanks again.

hi dave ,   like most skiers , i'm very excited to ski the new Revelation bowl , as well as gold hill one .i just heard the official anouncement on KOTO of the ribbon cutting ceremony at 10 am weds.

i would like to comment on the timing of this lift opening , as well as all expert lifts on the mountain . frankly , i am astounded at mtn. management's apparent ignorance of the impact caused to snowpack (base) when an expert lift is first opened for the year in THE MORNING . when you open steep terrain for the first time of the season , it is very soft and vulnerable to skier traffic , therefore is diminished very quickly . my contention is that expert terrain should only be opened for the last hour or so of the 1st day , then allowed to set up overnight , whereby it becomes much firmer and resistant to skier traffic .  yet year after year, i see these early in the day openings of lift 6 , 9 , 14, etc. and the tender base gets absolutely hammered all day long down to dirt ,wood and rock by powder hungry locals . sure , its fun for the day (& very dangerous because of the soft thin base)and i am usually one of those out there abusing it . but this practice is so short-sighted that i am boggled that it still occurs here on a regular basis . if you dont believe me , just ask local ski legend , JOHN ROTH ,who has unquestionably skied this mountain more than anyone alive or dead !

PLEASE TALK TO JEFF PROTEAU & SKI PATROL ABOUT THIS IMPORTANT SKIING QUALITY ISSUE AND PRESERVE OUR BASE ! ! ! ! ! ! !                  THANKS , NM

Dave's reply: Hi Neal, thanks for your input. I'm aware of that theory. As you notice, we are not opening Apex or Plunge yet. We've talked about what you're describing.