Dave's Blog

Golf and Vacationing in Telluride Mountain Village, Colorado!

2008-06-14T14:45:00Z

June 14, 2008

Hi Folks!

The aspen trees have greened up now, the snow is gone from all but the high country, and the weather is absolutely perfect! This blog is devoted to vacationing in Mountain Village and the Telluride Golf Club. I'll be posting new blogs throughout the summer including information and pictures on the construction progress of the new chairlift - Revelation - , the incredible festivals in the Town of Telluride, and other happenings in the area and at the resort. So stay connected!

Although Telluride is known as a world-class ski resort, everyone should also experience this incredible place in the summer and fall. You simply won't find a better alpine resort in North America. Mountain Village is over a ridge from the historic Town of Telluride and is a European inspired pedestrian-oriented alpine village.

Snowcapped 14,000 foot peaks surround Mountain Village and the golf course is looking great this spring.

Kevin Cahalane, Golf Course Superintendent and his crew have done an outstanding job getting the course into shape after record-breaking snowfall last winter.

Your golf ball flies 10% to 15% farther at 9,000+ feet!

What a beautiful driving range!

Chris Neylan, Head Golf Professional would love to help you with your game. We've also got brand new golf carts this year with state-of-the-art GPS technology in each cart. Very nice.

Here's a picture of Tim Fuhrer, Director of Golf and Carly Jepson, Pro Shop Manager - both are super nice people who always love to help you in any way they can! You can reach them directly at 970-728-2606 at the pro shop.

As usual, Carly has done an outstanding job merchandising the Telluride Golf Club Pro Shop.

Lot's of colors for the girls to choose from.

And the men's section has everything they need including logo items.

Cheri Klausner, Clubhouse Manager welcomes members of the Telluride Ski and Golf Club. We're so blessed to have such a great team running the Telluride Golf Club!

Telluride Ski and Golf also offers a first-class Kid's Camp. For more information go to: http://tellurideskiresort.com/TellSki/info/summer/tk.aspx

There are many lodging oportunities in Mountain Village. Here's some information which you might find helpful.

The Telluride Golf Club is located on the back side of The Peaks Resort and Golden Door Spa. The 40,000 square foot spa, indoor / outdoor pool, another indoor lap pool, water slide, cardio room, weight room, yoga room, treatment rooms, etc. etc. are waiting for you at the end of 18 holes. What a setting! To get more information on the Golf Club go to: www.tellurideskiandgolfclub.com

The Mountain Lodge is one of my favorites. They have a nice outdoor pool and are in easy walking distance to the gondola station and the Mountain Village grocery store which has a nice selection of organic foods and a wine/liquor store. It's important to remember that you really don't need a car when you are staying in Mountain Village or Telluride because the free gondola moves you back and forth seven days a week from 7:00 am to midnight. Just take a shuttle from the Montrose or Telluride airports and save money by passing on the rental car.

The Fairmont Franz Klammer Lodge is located right on Heritage Plaza and is surrounded by shopping and dining as well as the gondola.

The Inn at Lost Creek is also right between Sunset Plaza and Heritage Plaza in the village center. They have a nice restaurant calld 9545. Jo Lyons happened to be walking her dog when I took this picture yesterday. Jo manages special events for Telluride Ski and Golf Club and is a super nice and helpful member of our management team - thanks for all you do Jo!

A new 5 star boutique hotel is being constructed at Heritage Plaza. It's called Capella and will be open late in the 2008/2009 ski season. It will have 150 condo and hotel rooms, three restaurants, shopping, and a outdoor ice skating rink. We're all very excited about this addition to Mountain Village. The construction crews and the Town of Mountain Village staff are doing a really good job containing the construction so as not to impact the surrounding tourist amenities and experience.

This is another picture of the other side of the new Capella Hotel. It has a nice bell tower and beautiful architecture. This side of the new luxury hotel is almost complete.

See Forever Village is another nice property that has cabins, hotel rooms, and condos. The larger building in the back was just completed a few months ago. It's within a very short walking distance of Heritage Plaza and the gondola.

Bear Creek Lodge is another nice property which offers several different unit types. This property is above the village and has a slightly longer walk but they also offer a shuttle if you're in your "dancin' shoes".

Above is a picture of the new Lumiere Hotel. This property will be completed late this summer or early fall and will be a high-end boutique hotel with a variety of unit types. It's right next to Heritage Plaza and the gondola - another very nice addition to Mountain Village!

There's a climbing wall in the village center for the kids.

Which is right next to a tranquil little pond in the village center. There are hundreds of very nice condominiums in Mountain Village, some of which are available for nightly rental. Additionally, many very nice homes also line the ski trails and golf course. If you're interested in learning about rental options for houses, go to www.tellurideplatinumproperties.com

The gondola was completely rebuilt this spring for $3,500,000. The wire rope and pretty much all the moving parts were replaced. It's like a new gondola now and rides really smooth. Telluride Mountain Village Owners Association paid for the improvements to the gondola which is owned by the Town of Mountain Village in this unique partnership.

There are quite a few commercial businesses in Mountain Village. Here is the Winston Gallery and Boot Doctors (which sells alpine apparel and recreation equipment).

Alternative Edge and the North Face stores are on Heritage Plaza.

Telluride Sports is right next to The Sweet Life candy and ice cream store on Heritage Plaza.

Slopestyle is right through the Franz Klammer breezeway towards the Mountain Village Conference Center.

Black Bear Trading has really nice home decor and accessories.

Crazy Elk Pizza - open for lunch in the summer with a nice salad bar also - all great for families.

Tracks is located right next to the gondola at Heritage Plaza and is a popular hang-out during sunset.

And everyone's favorite coffee company is right across Heritage Plaza.

Poachers Pub and La Piazza round out the restaurants in beautiful Sunset Plaza in Mountain Village.

At the top of the gondola on the way to Telluride is Allred's - which is the nicest restaurant in the region (in my opinion). Here is a link for more information: www.allredsrestaurant.com

If you're interested in learning more about lodging, dining, golf, or other mountain recreation, please feel free to call our central reservations office at 1-800-778-8581. We'd love to help you with your vacation to wonderful Telluride and Mountain Village.

I'll post another blog in the near future which highlights all the wonderful things about the historic Town of Telluride! There is just so much going on here that it's hard to put it all in one blog!

Please feel free to post comments or questions to this blog by clicking on "comments" at the bottom of this post and scrolling down to the dialog box. I'm always pleased to help you out! Thank you. - Dave

Telluride Announces the New Revelation Lift and ANOTHER New Terrain Expansion

2008-04-30T16:12:00Z

April 30, 2008

Hi Folks,

It is our pleasure to announce that Telluride Ski and Golf is installing a new fixed-grip quad chairlift and again expanding advanced terrain. The new lift - called "Revelation" - will expand into the long-awaited and anticipated "Revelation Bowl" terrain and add vertical rise to the entire ski resort.

Environmentally responsible helicopter construction techniques will be used on this project. Construction is scheduled to be completed by November 15, 2008.

Below is a picture of the new lift location and the new terrain:

Below is a picture of Telluride's newest "perfect powder bowl". You can see a bomb hole from explosives tossed from a helicopter as well as a fracture line from a slide in the lower center of the picture. Our avalanche control in the new bowl will expand next season as we open this area to the public and make it part of our routine avalanche control work. Revelation Bowl faces northeast, which means it's on the back side of the prevailing winds which come up and over the top of Gold Hill summit from the west. Snow loads in the bowl at an incredible rate. For example, if it snows 6" we could easily have 12" in Revelation Bowl due to wind transport. This bowl is pure bliss from a skier's perspective. Revelation Bowl is very "Alps- like", a high-alpine powder bowl with a sea of 13,000'+ peaks to be seen in every direction. The beautiful SW Colorado San Juan mountain range surrounds this very unique and special ski area expansion.

The picture below shows the middle of the new terrain. The bowl is an advanced skier's paradise.

Below is a picture of the bottom of Revelation Bowl where the new lower terminal will be located (lower-center of this picture). Views into Bear Creek from the new terrain and lift are really spectacular - classic Telluride.

The lift serves 800 vertical feet with a slope length of 1,876 feet. Average gradient of the line is 47%. Travel time is 4.2 minutes. Quad chairs are POMA's "Super-Comfort" model with individually padded seats and full one piece back cushions, with retention bars and footrests.

Admittedly, Revelation lift is not a real long lift like Chair 9 - but there is definitely more to the story in terms of terrain accessed by this new lift...

Not only does the Revelation lift provide access to what I like to call the "perfect powder bowl", it also makes it easy to access the Gold Hill Chutes 6 through 10 (with a short 160 vertical foot walk to the top of the Gold Hill summit) - which accesses Palmyra Basin - which accesses the aprons under the Gold Hill cliffs. These areas are clearly the best-of-the-best for advanced skiers and all drain to the bottom of the Gold Hill lift.

Below is a picture of the Gold Hill Chutes 6 through 10:

Below is a picture of Palmyra Basin:

The new Revelation lift will also provide access, through a backcountry access gate, to Bear Creek - for those who are skilled, experienced, and prepared for the hazards and personal responsibility of backcountry skiing. Below is a picture of Bear Creek and the 3,800+ vertical feet it offers - all the way from the top of the Revelation lift to the bottom of Chair 8 down in the town of Telluride.

Telluride broke the mold last ski season by opening Black Iron Bowl, Palmyra Peak, and Gold Hill Chutes 6 -10 for public hike-to-ski. This new terrain transformed Telluride into an advanced skier's utopia (without exaggeration). With the addition of the new Revelation lift for the 2008/2009 ski season, this is a very exciting time for Telluride.

While we've been leading by example with new advanced and expert terrain, Telluride still has a perfect blend of diverse terrain for skiers of all abilities. In 2001 Prospect Bowl opened up extensive "park-like" intermediate terrain. Chair 10 and the Chondola have offered perfect beginner / novice terrain for years. Chairs 4 and 5 offer great intermediate cruising terrain while the north side of Telluride Ski Resort (Chairs 7, 8, 9 and the gondola) offer famous advance runs like the Plunge. The popular Chair 6 still holds a special place in the hearts of skiers with runs like Zulu Queen and Apex Glades. The new Revelation Bowl is accessed from the top of the Gold Hill lift which offers incredible bump runs and glades.

Our decision to construct the Revelation lift and aggresively expand our terrain should be viewed as a strong signal that Telluride Ski and Golf is committed to make Telluride the best mountain community in North America. We are encouraged that local community members and elected officials are increasingly focused on the long-term livability, economic vitality, and environmental health of the greater Telluride region. As a result, projects like this become possible. We are, after all, one interdependent community.

Please feel free to post a comment regarding this announcement - we love to hear your thoughts and comments. - Dave

P.S. Stay tuned to the blog this summer, there are several other exciting things we will be announcing over the next few months. For example, during the 2008/2009 ski season - for the first time ever - the Telluride/Montrose Regional Air Organization (TMROA) will be offering 7 day-a-week non-stop jet service from Chicago to Montrose (our regional airport) via United Airlines. This is huge news for our friends in the northeast. United is also adding flights this winter from Los Angeles. Accessibility to / from Telluride will be greatly improved next winter for many of our loyal guests.

Backcountry Skiing Adjacent to Telluride Ski Resort

2008-03-29T20:20:00Z

March 29, 2008

Hi Folks,

Telluride Ski Resort, in partnership with the US Forest Service, has an "open gate" policy. We have a backcountry access gate at the top of Gold Hill (Bear Creek access) and another one in the saddle before Bald Mountain (Alta access) which allows the public to exit the ski area boundary closure and venture into the backcountry - while assuming the inherent risks of skiing in areas that do not receive any avalanche control work and are not managed by our ski patrol.

An open gate policy is not to be confused with skiing under a rope or past a closed sign - both of which are illegal. To access the backcountry one MUST go through a designated gate only. There is signage at the gate which informs you that by going through the gate you are assuming the risks associated with skiing outside the permit boundary and rescue may not be possible in the event of an injury or avalanche burial. The ski resort has no obligation to perform a search and rescue in the backcountry and we will not put patrollers at risk to perform search and rescue work in dangerous avalanche conditions.

For those who are educated, experienced, and prepared with the proper equipment (backpack, shovel, avalanche beacon, probe, climbing skins, ski mountaineering equipment, extra clothing, food, water, cell phone, etc.), the backcountry can be a wonderful experience (at the right times).

We certainly would not recommend heading out into the backcountry with out significant experience, a partner familiar with the terrain, and lots of savvy. Knowledge and awareness of snow stability is also critical. There are times when the backcountry snowpack is naturally stable and other times when it is suicidal to travel in the backcountry. Additionally, super strong skiing skills are obviously necessary due to all sorts of variable conditions and the extreme terrain encountered.

I thought I'd show a few pictures of one such area adjacent to Telluride Ski Resort. It's an area called Bear Creek. I recently was guided into this area with some of my partners from the ski patrol and mountain department - on the right day in terms of snow stability.

Above is a picture after exiting the backcountry gate at the top of Gold Hill proper. This is looking Southeast toward San Joaquin Ridge (left of center). After climbing the peak, some people actually ski the slot through the cliffs on the left. Gold Hill chutes 6 - 10 which we recently opened to the public (see prior blog), are down the right side of the spine (right of center in this picture). When skiing Gold Hill 6-10 a person must leave the permit area, hike this spine, and then re-enter the permit area into the chutes.

Above is a pack of guys at the top of Gold Hill. On this day, some are going to drop west into Gold Hill 6-10; others are going to drop east into the backcountry terrain of Bear Creek.

As an aside, Palmyra Peak is in the background in the picture above. As you may recall, Palmyra Peak is some of our new extensive hike-to in-bounds terrain which is controlled for avalanche, managed by ski patrol, and is accessed by hiking from the top of Chair 12. We're all quite proud of this new terrain which opened to the public this winter. It's truly "Unmatched in North America" if you're an expert skier.

Above is backcountry terrain in Bear Creek called Delta Bowl, which is on the east side of Gold Hill. This is serious avalanche territory as no bombing takes place in this drainage.

Above is looking into the Graveyard. It's called that for a reason. People have been killed by avalanche in Bear Creek as no avalanche control work is performed.

Above is a picture that shows the back side of Palmyra Peak and Lena Basin.

Above is a picture of veteran pro patroller Peter Inglis looking at upper Bear Creek. The terrain is absolutely massive.

Above is my favorite picture of the group I toured with last week. We all wanted to get a handle on this area. Pat Ahern, Director of Ski Patrol, Jeff Proteau, VP - Resort Operations, John Knowles, Ex. Director of Trails, and Peter Inglis, Assistant Snow Safety Supervisor and I enjoyed a perfect afternoon in Bear Creek.

Scoping things out from Delta Bowl.

Above is a shot of Peter Inglis coming down through the Wedding Chutes.

This picture above shows Nellie (the hanging bowl upper right). You can see the cliff traps and the avalanche debris fan down below. The smaller treed area (stripped down due to avalanches from above) on the lower left is called E-Ticket. This again is the east side of Gold Hill.

This picture above is a little different angle of E-Ticket.

Above is a picture looking down Bear Creek into the Town of Telluride. You end up skiing all the way to town. Route finding gets tricky because there are waterfalls, cliffs, etc. This is another reason why it's so important to go with someone who knows the area.

I hope this blog has served to educate the public on the risks and rewards of backcountry skiing around Telluride.

Please feel free to post a comment. All you have to do is click on "comments", scroll down to the bottom, fill out the dialog box, then hit "submit". We're always interested in hearing your thoughts! - Dave

Gold Hill 6 through Gold Hill 10 Tentative Opening to the Public Wednesday, March 19!

2008-03-17T23:37:00Z

Hi Folks,

The ski patrol department has been working on changing rope lines and signage and is planning on opening Gold Hill chutes 6 through 10 to the public this Wednesday, weather and conditions permitting!

To ski these chutes, you have to go through a back country gate at the top of Gold Hill proper (assume personal responsibility), then re-enter the permit area through gates/rope openings into GH 6 - GH 10 (when opened by the patrol). The chutes will not be open continually so check for current information on the signs before you make the hike.

The expert-only chutes go down below the skyline saddle in this picture and dump into Palmyra basin below.

Below is a picture that shows the chutes a little better:

This picture below is looking down Gold Hill 9:

Please give a big "THANK YOU" to the ski patrol for their great work! Ski and ride this terrain with care - enjoy!

Feel free to post a comment by clicking on "comments" and filling out the dialog box. - Dave

Is the west side of Gold Hill next on the agenda?

2008-03-01T22:30:00Z

March 1, 2008

Telluride Ski Resort is Unmatched in North America on many levels.

We are very fortunate to have the best in-bounds, avalanche controlled, hike-to terrain of any ski resort in North America. This is not an exaggeration.

Bald Mountain, Black Iron Bowl and Palmyra Peak have differentiated Telluride from all other ski resorts in North America. Where else can you ski giant, steep, long, wide terrain like this which has been controlled for avalanche and is managed by the ski patrol? Nowhere.

Above is a picture of Palmyra Peak and part of Black Iron Bowl (lower right). This spectacular in-bounds avalanche controlled hike-to terrain opened just this season and has been a huge hit with the experts. It's mind-blowing terrain.

Above is a close up (as much as my camera would zoom) of Palmyra Peak as seen from the top of Gold Hill. If you look closely, you can see people standing at the top - ready to descend.

Above is a picture of the west side of Gold Hill as seen from the top of Palmyra Peak. The west side of Gold Hill is currently closed but we are analyzing how we might open parts of it in the future.

Above is another picture of the west side of Gold Hill as seen from the top of Bald Mountain.

Above is the north side of Gold Hill, otherwise known as San Joaquin Bowl. When Telluride Ski Resort builds the San Joaquin lift up to the top of this peak (hopefully soon), the summit of Gold Hill will be easily accessed. You see, the San Joaquin lift will get you most of the way up to the summit of Gold Hill, via the north face. Getting to the actual summit of Gold Hill will be a simple and short walk from the top of the new lift.

As an example, above is a picture looking DOWN into Gold Hill #9, which is a chute on the southern end of the west side of Gold Hill. The west side of Gold Hill could offer numerous expert chutes like this for future hike-to in-bounds terrain.

Currently, when a person goes through the backcountry gate at the top of Gold Hill there is a boundary closure (rope line) that prevents people from skiing back into the ski area down the west side of Gold Hill (chutes 1 through 10). Please continue to abide by our rope closures at Gold Hill and everywhere else. This is critical. Just because this terrain may be suitable for skiing in the future doesn't mean you should duck a rope and ski it today. If we do open parts of this area in the future it will require additional avalanche control work. Don't put yourself or our ski patrol staff at risk!

I'm working with the fine folks in our excellent ski patrol department to explore policies and procedures which may allow us to safely open parts of Gold Hill in the future. Time will tell. We're interested to hear your opinions - please feel free to post a comment or question. Thanks for your input! - Dave

Skiing Palmyra Peak

2008-02-16T22:33:00Z

February 16, 2008

Hi Folks,

I had the pleasure of climbing and skiing Palmyra Peak for the first time today. Wow, what an incredible experience!

First off, I'd like to point out that this is not a place for anyone who is not in excellent shape and prepared for some exposed climbing/mountaineering. Once you start climbing beyond Mountain Quail (top of Black Iron Bowl), you're committed to a very strenuous climb to the summit at 13,320 feet - you really shouldn't turn around and walk downhill after you've started because of the pitch and footing.

If you're thinking of going, you should go with someone who has been up there before, carry a transceiver, shovel, water, snacks, extra clothing, and ideally have rubber soled alpine climbing boots as opposed to hard plastic ski boots. Also, a backpack which allows you to tie your skis or snowboard on and carry all your extra gear is essential. This allows you to hold your poles in your hands for balance and stability. I can't imagine carrying skis on your shoulder for this climb.

There are places you will be walking on loose, unconsolidated, rock and even doing the Spiderman thing down on all fours over rock. It took me about 90 minutes to get to the summit from the top of Chair 12. The climb is a little over 1,500 vertical feet.

This morning the weather was perfect. Approaching the peak starts at the top of Chair 12 and the easy part follows Prospect Ridge coming up the right side of this picture. It then gets steep for the last 60 minutes after you pass Mountain Quail:

From the top of Chair 12, this is the task before you, should you decide to go:

This is near the top. You can see other climbers below. There were a fair number of people going up today:

Here's a picture of your's truly just to eliminate any doubt that I actually made it :)

Here's Keith Renke - veteran Telluride Ski Patroller (and super nice guy). Keith was kind enough to show me some incredible routes of uncut deep pow on the decent. I really would like to thank everyone in the ski patrol department who have worked so hard to make this new terrain safe and available for our skiers and snowboarders. The opening of Palmyra Peak this season is a huge deal in the world of in-bounds/hike-to skiing and they should all be very proud of their excellent work. Helitrax (the only heliski company in Colorado) is also to be thanked as they helped haul heavy supplies up with their helicopter and perform avalanche control work earlier in the season:

Did you notice in the picture above that the gentleman on the left has two pairs of skis on his pack? That is because his 12 year old son, Jordan, made the climb also. Here is a picture of Jordan G. from California bagging the peak. You've got to wonder how many pre-teens have done this! Also, he's a telemark skier to boot - very impressive:

Here is another picture of the father / son team approaching the peak. Good job Jordan!

The views at the top are breathtaking (literally). Here is a picture looking down at Gold Hill:

Looking to the north:

This picture was taken about 1/3rd of the way down the northeast face. It's steeper and longer than this picture reflects. One thing that surprised me is that the chutes are wider than they look from down below:

This is near the top of the decent looking back uphill. The big rock spires are awesome. The snow was deep as it loads in from wind transport from the other side of the peak:

Down in the basin, you can see some avalanche debris from the patrol's earlier work:

This gives you an idea of the terrain off the top of the peak down into the basin below. Very impressive ski terrain...

There is really only one place left to explore after the experience of skiing Palmyra Peak:

Feel free to post a comment. Just click on "comments" below, scroll down and you'll find a dialog box. We always love to hear from you! Enjoy the ski season at Telluride! - Dave

Southwest Colorado sunshine follows a string of perfect snowstorms - life is good at Telluride

2008-02-09T23:19:00Z

February 8, 2008

Hi Folks,

Wow, what an incredible weekend - once again!

Telluride is the place to be. The snow conditions are - well - perfect.

Here's a view from the Spiral Stairs with the San Sophia range to the north. The historic town of Telluride is down in the canyon below:

This is the view from Apex Glades off Chair 6 - looking southwest:

Here's the finish area at the bottom of Black Iron Bowl for the Subaru US Freeskiing Open. The event is going on this weekend in perfect weather and conditions for the competitors:

The competitors were jumping off some of the cliffs in the foreground:

The spectators were amazed with the skiing:

Bald Mountain is another one of the fantastic hike-to areas at Telluride. Black Iron Bowl gets all the talk these days because it's new but Bald Mountain is really great also:

Here is the view from the top of Bald Mountain looking to the southeast. It only takes about 20 to 25 minutes to get to the top and you are rewarded with incredible skiing and views like this:

Here's a view looking east from 11,880' Bald Mountain. You can see the top of Chair 12 in the center/right of the picture:

Here's the view looking to the west from the summit of Bald Mountain:

Climbers soaking up the view before the decent. This is the northeast view from the summit of Bald Mountain with much of the Chair 6 and Chair 14 terrain in the background:

So what's the skiing like? Here's the east face near the top:

You drop down into forest glades below where there are nice openings:

Back over at the mid-mountain restaurant - Giuseppe's - the view of the backcountry is stunning:

But Telluride isn't all just about the steep and deep. These little rippers were excited to hit the slopes this morning. I love the fashion that kids get away with. Check out those pants on the left:

Now that's an outfit! I rode up Chair 4 with this cool 5 year old girl. She said she was from San Diego and really likes skiing Telluride. She also told me her dad was a very smart scientist - with a big smile on her face! Then she looked up at the sky and asked very clearly, "isn't this a beautiful day"? You've got to love those hot pink skis also!

Whatever your age and whatever your ability level - it's not hard to fall in love with Telluride.

Have a great winter and spring. I hope you have the opportunity to ski our slopes often.

Feel free to post a comment on the blog by clicking on "comments" below and scrolling to the bottom. You'll find a dialog box there. We'd love to hear how your season is going and what you think of Telluride! - Dave

Deep snow records for December and January - So much for La Nina!

2008-02-06T01:37:00Z

February 5, 2008

Hi Folks,

We're celebrating huge snowfall this year - in spite of dire predictions of "La Nina". I remember dealing with reporters back in October asking: "how are you going to cope with the drought this season?"

With all due respect to my newspaper friends, the answer was that I don't subscribe to the El Nino/La Nina hype. It's all a bunch of "La Nada" in my opinion. I've seen so many years go opposite from the prediction it just doesn't make sense anymore. Most weather forecasts can't go more than 4 or 5 days with accuracy, how can anyone predict an entire ski season? Farmers Almanac - forget it. Woolly worms - no value to skiers.

The superstitious will cringe and say "now he's blown it - he's jinxed it - it won't snow for the rest of the season!" Again, I don't subscribe to the hocuspocus... (yes, that word is in Webster's).

All I care about is the reality we are living - that I believe in! And this ski season is delivering the best of the best at Telluride Ski Resort!

Yesterday we reported a foot of fresh. Here's the Plunge - see the little black dots - those are skiers. This is a massive run:

Fresh snow has filled in the bumps on the Spiral Stairs:

An unnamed pinhead enjoys morning turns under Chair 9:

But, this morning the sun slowly broke the clouds and the blue sky emerged over Mountain Village:

Allred's restaurant - the best dinner house in Telluride - at the top of the Gondola:

Milk Run gets the early morning sun with a great view of the historic Town of Telluride as you decend. Our talented winch cat operator carefully performed magic last night!:

As the snowstorm finally broke, a nice view opened up early in the morning from Chair 8:

Top of Chair 8, bottom of Chair 9, Lower Plunge, no wind, crisp temperatures, and trees filled with fresh/light powder:

An 82" base and sunshine forecast for the weekend (which I'll put some faith in). It just doesn't get any better than this!

El Nino, La Nina, or La Nada - what's your opinion? Feel free to post a comment - we love to hear from you!

- Dave

The Future of Chair 9 - Continued

2008-01-26T22:59:00Z

January 26, 2008

Hi Folks,

Last week I posted a blog called "The Great Debate over replacing Chair 9". As of this date, 89 people have posted a comment and over 2,000 people read that blog. Not bad participation over the last 6 days! I appreciate all the great input - this is one of the reasons I love the blog. It's great to hear from such a cross section of people: locals, visitors, 2nd homeowners, families, singles, employees, etc.

As you all can see by reading the comments to the last blog, there is no clear consensus on the answer. Actually, I didn't expect to get consensus but I did expect to get robust ideas, comments, and opinions - which we did in fact receive. This input has helped to inform my opinion regarding the future of Chair 9 - and I want to thank you all for making that happen.

Many of the people who commented also discussed other potential improvements to the lift/trail system at Telluride, which is also appreciated.

Today was a typical perfect day on Chair 9. Six inches of new snow Thursday night, big-round-soft bumps, and un-crowded slopes:

Even on a Saturday with perfect weather, the line at Chair 9 was never long:

These are the perfect Chair 9 conditions which everyone loves so much:

The Chair 9 north facing slopes stay soft for days after a snowstorm:

And of course Chair 9 has a Mardi Gras tree:

The tree skiing is famous - here's Log Pile:

And after a perfect day ripping it at Chair 9 - and across the other terrain pods of this great resort - everyone retires to the live music, cold brew, and relaxing chairs at Gorrono Ranch:

So, what is the future for Chair 9?

As I mentioned above, there are a lot of different opinions. My opinion is that Chair 9 should be upgraded to a high-speed quad sometime in the future - but not right now. There are other priorities that I believe are higher on the list.

My absolute number 1 priority for terrain and lifts is to put a fixed grip lift in San Joaquin Bowl. Here's a picture of this gift to Telluride skiing - the upper bowl:

Here is a picture of the lower part of San Joaquin Bowl:

The San Joaquin lift project has already been approved by the Forest Service in our Master Plan. The ski company just hasn't implemented the project. I have yet to find anyone opposed to this project - it's a very exciting project from what I hear in the community. I can't guarantee it will be built this summer but we're working on it.

As for Chair 9, we're going to proceed with engineering to add footrest/safety bars. It is likely that we will have to take some chairs off to make up for the additional weight of the equipment but given that the lift lines are all but non-existent, I'm willing to live with a small decrease in capacity for the increased comfort.

Additional hotel development in the Town of Telluride and Mountain Village will eventually help push the ski company to install a high-speed quad in the Chair 9 pod in the future.

We'll also take a responsible approach towards capital maintenance on Chair 9 to assure its reliability. Actually, she's been running very well this year except for the one 18" powder day in December that everyone remembers when the lift had a mechanical problem. The Lift Maintenance Department is working on a project list for the lift this summer.

I realize that some people will be happy with my position on this and others will think I've lost my mind. At least you know why we're doing what we're doing - and you can rest assured that your opinions have been carefully considered as we evaluate the future of the ski area. It's hard to make everyone happy in this business because so many people have different needs and expectations. We do our best to do the right thing though for all our stakeholders, guests, employees, and of course the owners of the resort.

So, that's my story and I'm stickin' to it. Feel free to post a comment - I'd love to hear your thoughts. Thank you! - Dave

The "Great Debate" over replacing Chair 9

2008-01-20T22:44:00Z

January 20, 2008

Hi Folks,

Since I moved here last summer, I've heard much input and debate regarding the idea to replace Chair 9 with a high-speed quad. This blog is intended to allow people the opportunity to "weigh-in" on that debate.

Chair 9 currently is a fixed grip triple which hauls 1,200 people per hour uphill. A fixed grip triple normally hauls 1,800 people per hour but the existing lift was under-chaired, so to speak. It also moves at about 500 feet per minute.

A high-speed quad can haul up to 2,800 people per hour (depending on how many chairs are put on the line) and runs at 1,000 to 1,200 feet per minute (depending on the design).

Here is a picture of the upper terminal of the existing lift:

Here is a picture of the lower terminal:

The terrain served by Chair 9 is some of the best lift-served advanced and expert terrain in the world:

The views aren't bad either:

Winch-cat groomed runs, long bump runs, and gladed forests:

I'd like to hear your thoughts and will lay back with my opinions early on in this blog. I'll share a few thoughts toward the end of this string of comments/replies. Your input is valued - please feel free to post a comment! - Dave

Dreaming of Telluride

2008-01-13T23:54:00Z

January 13, 2008

Hi Folks,

On a serene, windless, and tranquil January day - after 5.5 feet of snow - it's easy to fall for this gift to skiing called Telluride..

Needle Rock stands tall over the Plunge:

Giuseppe's Restaurant, the San Joaguin Ridge and Gold Hill:

The portal:

Chutes under Chair 14:

View from the top of Chair 14 east:

From the top of Andy's Gold, looking over toward the infamous Black Iron Bowl hike-to terrain. Top of Chair 12 is on the right. If you're an expert, all you do is take the easy hike from the top of 12 up the ridge for any number of routes into the bowl:

Prospect Bowl and Bald Mountain hike-to terrain:

January is generally a slow time of year - no lift lines either. Dreaming of Telluride yet?

Feel free to post a comment or question - we love to hear from you! - Dave

Helitrax helps Ophir and Telluride with avalanche control

2008-01-09T00:11:00Z

January 8, 2008

Hi Folks,

Helitrax, the only helicopter skiing company in Colorado (based in Telluride - see: http://tellurideskiresort.com/TellSki/info/heli-skiing.aspx), mobilized at dawn this morning at the Top of Chair 12 to help set off controlled avalanches both within our ski area and to the south towards Ophir.

We received 4 feet of beautiful Colorado pow since last Saturday. The storm broke late last night so the Telluride Ski Patrol and the Helitrax crew loaded the ship with explosives during sunrise this morning:

If you look carefully you can see the helicopter in the middle of this shot. Patrol is tossing bombs on Black Iron Bowl:

Kaboooommm:

The team was also able to drop bombs on the northeast faces of Palmyra Peak - we're all wanting to move that direction!

I'm told the county needed the slide paths controlled before they could safely move heavy equipment in to clear the Ophir road (which we can all understand). Many people are stranded in the small alpine community from slides that came down and covered the road to Ophir Saturday night.

A huge THANK YOU from the community and the ski area goes out to Helitrax!! Your assistance is very much appreciated!

Just as Helitrax and our ski patrol cleans up and clears all avalanche danger, we're forecast for more snow tomorrow. I doubt we'll have the same quantity and wind associated with this system so it will just be another ordinary perfect pow day at Telluride! Are we having fun yet! What an incredible ski season. Some old-timers say this is the best season in 10 years - others say this is the best in over 20 years.

Photo credits for this blog go to Jeff Proteau, VP Resort Operations. Feel free to post a comment or question - we always love to hear your thoughts! - Dave

Whoa - Extreme Storm Hits Telluride

2008-01-06T18:00:00Z

January 6, 2008 - posted at 11:50 am

Hi Folks,

Telluride Ski Resort got hit with a major winter storm starting yesterday. We've received 24 inches of snow and it's still snowing hard. Moreover, we are experiencing wind gusts between 45 and 60 mph in the upper elevations although it's quite calm down lower. The wind up above is causing huge drifts and low visibility which reduces our ability to do avalanche control work quickly.

Lifts 4,5,1, and 10 were open at about 9:00 am this morning.

Lifts 6 and 9 were open about 9:50 am. Patrol did create slide results in the 9 pod this morning in the Spiral Stairs and Mammoth. Upper North Chute slid on it's own twice last night. Kant-Mak-M had a slide at the reef this morning. The cliffs above Chair 4 had small slides that occured naturally. Chair 7 and the Gondola were opened about 9:50 am also. These delays were as a result of avalanche control work which was necessary before opening those areas to the public.

Chair 8 was opened but then had a mechanical problem which caused it to close down. It reopened at approximately 10:30 am. I heard people got rowdy down at the bottom terminal when they were told to use the gondola - that's not cool. I'd like to remind everyone that our Lift Maintenance staff was working on it and their first priority is safety.

Lifts 11, 12 and 14 are currently closed due to avalanche danger. At this point we cannot accurately predict when these areas will be cleared for public access. We'll just have to relax and wait until patrol is comfortable with the avalanche control work. It's slow going in these conditions.

Lizard Head pass was closed by the Colorado Department of Transportation due to avalanche risks so our employees from Rico are unable to get to work. This impacts all departments from food and beverage to lift operations to ski school. The road out of Ophir is closed due to an avalanche (I'm told 18' of snow is on top of the road) so 4 of our top avalanche pros could not get to work this morning.

So, the skiing is fantastic and we've pretty much gotten control of things again. We'll get Prospect Bowl and Gold Hill as soon as possible. Patrol will be working in Prospect the rest of the day doing control work. We plan to have everyone in early again tomorrow morning to do control work to open as much terrain as possible as early as we can. Feel free to post a comment or question. - Dave

Happy New Year!

2008-01-01T23:57:00Z

Hi Folks,

Telluride set a record for December snowfall. Conditions have been great!

Powdery natural glades and a Telluride classic view:

Name that run?:

Territorial view from top of Chair 9:

It's going to be a great 2008 at Telluride! Feel free to post a comment or question - we love to hear from you! - Dave

Happy Holidays

2007-12-26T20:43:00Z

December 26, 2007

Hi Folks,

I can't decide what I like best about Telluride, the regular fresh snow or the blue sky / low wind days? Maybe all of the above...

Conditions are great and the forecast is for another good-sized storm tonight and tomorrow!

In the words of NOAA: EXPECT SNOWFALL TO BECOME WIDESPREAD
WITH THIS SFC CONVERGENCE. MODEL QPF REMAINS LIGHT BUT STILL A VERY
LOW DENSITY SNOWFALL ON THE ORDER OF 25 OR 30:1 WILL PRODUCE
SIGNIFICANT FLUFFY SNOW ACCUMULATIONS.

I grabbed some pictures last weekend which I'm posting below for your enjoyment. Telluride is truly Unmatched in North America!

Genevieve holds the snow fresh for days after a storm on her high, north-facing slopes:

Andy's Gold and the top of Chair 14 - Gold Hill:

Nice grooming in Prospect Bowl under Chair 12:

Bald Mountain has been open for some great hike-to pow turns:

Nice views from upper Galloping Goose trail:

Looking northeast from High Camp Warming Hut at runs served by Chair 14 and Chair 6:

San Sophia range from High Camp:

The ski conditions are great and the lift lines are short - business as usual at Telluride. Enjoy.

- Dave

P.S. Feel free to post a comment or question - we love to hear from you.