June 20, 2009
Hi Folks,
Summer has arrived, golf is in full-swing, the river is running high, and the festival season is jammin' in Telluride and Mountain Village, Colorado!
Below is a picture of Telluride Ski and Golf Club member Don Hootstein, enjoying the fifth hole... beautiful as it is.
The Colorado mountains received above average rain in May and early June. As a result, the course is in exceptional condition this year.
Below is a picture of long-time Club member Marc Berman, teeing off on number seven - the risk/reward hole with a lake in front of the green.
As you can see below, golf course Superintendent Kevin Cahalane and the entire crew have done an outstanding job refreshing the turf after the long winter:
Teaching Professional Dan Smith has been instructing for a total of 40 years, and 11 years at Telluride's golf course. He does an amazing job. Golf Digest nominated him as one of the top 50 golf teaching professionals in California and he has several PGA Chapter and Sectional Championships under his belt.
Below is a picture of Dan teaching Paula Malone at a Club Member's clinic this morning. If you're interested in making a tee time or booking a lesson with one of our golf pros, call 970-728-2606 or send an email to golf@tellurideskiresort.com
Golfers warming up for a great day on one of the most beautiful alpine golf courses you'll ever experience:
Locals Joanne and Kirk Young out early on the driving range:
Good putt Joanne!
The ladies had a drill class on the tennis courts this morning with Nick Provenza, Assistant Pro. If you're interested in learning more about tennis lessons or drill classes held at The Peaks Resort and Golden Door Spa in Mountain Village, call Head Tennis Pro Sam Moore at 970-729-1341 or Nick at 970-201-1460.
The St. Sophia Nature Center, which is operated in the summer months by the Telluride Ski and Golf company, is located at the top of the gondola. Over 12,000 people visit each year to experience Telluride's "eco-tourism". The building is owned by the Telluride Ski & Snowboard Club and also functions as their headquarters in the winter. It's a great place for kids and adults to visit when in Telluride. For more information go to http://tellurideskiresort.com/TellSki/info/summer/nature-center.aspx
Mountain Biking is in full swing too. Rental bikes, apparel, accessories, and guided trips are available at several stores such as Telluride Sports, located in the Town of Telluride and Mountain Village.
You can also book fly fishing and river rafting trips with San Miguel Anglers at Telluride Sports. To learn more go to: http://www.sanmiguelanglers.com/
White water rafting, guided mountain biking, bike rentals, and fly fishing trips are also offered by Further Adventures at the Boot Doctors, located in Mountain Village. Go to http://bootdoctors.com/further/index.htm
Telluride Outside also offers all sorts of unique 4x4 tours and guided recreation. For more information, go to http://www.tellurideoutside.com/
Telluride Offroad Adventures offered through Paragon Ski and Sport is another great option for 4x4 tours in the Telluride area. Go to http://www.paragontelluride.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=standard&categoryId=15&subCategoryId=0
Telluride Ski and Golf, the Town of Mountain Village, the US Forest Service, the Town of Telluride, and the Telluride Mountain Village Owners Association have been collaborating for several months to develop a partnership to construct and operate a new mountain bike park in the Village Express (chair 4) pod. The plan is for the Town of Mountain Village Parks and Recreation Department to operate and maintain downhill trails served by the gondola with Telluride Ski and Golf authorizing the use through a license agreement on its private land. This project is currently going through an approval process at the Town of Mountain Village. If you want to write an email in support of the Mountain Village Bike Park, please do so to Nichole Zangara, Communications Director for the Town of Mtn. Village at nzangara@mtnvillage.org Thank you for your support!
The brand new Five Star, 140 room, Capella Telluride Hotel is now open in the center of Mountain Village. It took 3 years to build and was well worth the wait. It is a very nice addition to the Village Center. Quality hotels are extremely important to mountain towns as they provide the visitor bed base that is necessary to support the recreation amenities, restaurants, and retail stores that locals, second home owners, and visitors all enjoy. To learn more about this new addition to Mountain Village, go to www.capellatelluride.com
The 36th Annual Telluride Bluegrass Festival is happening this weekend. This 4-day event draws thousands of people from around the world.
Telluride is known for it's great festivals, which are fun for the locals as well as visitors. Below is a picture of Elvis Costello & Emmylou Harris performing last night:
It's always a fun time at a Telluride or Mountain Village festival, whether it's Bluegrass, Jazz, Blues & Brews, Mushrooms, Film, Culinary, Scientific, or the free Sunset Concert Series which is held every Wednesday afternoon in Mountain Village. To learn more about our festivals go to: http://visittelluride.com/festivals-events
Below is another picture of the Bluegrass Festival:
Telluride Ski and Golf recently submitted a proposal to the Town of Mountain Village seeking approval to construct a new outdoor summer amphitheater on the Misty Maiden ski run on Telluride Ski and Golf private land located just above Heritage Plaza in Mountain Village. We hope to get approval to construct the amphitheater this summer so music and performing arts events can be held in Mountain Village next summer.
Below is a picture of the proposed Misty Maiden Amphitheater location. It is a perfect, naturally-sloped site which gets late afternoon sunshine from the west. Sitting on the hill, you look over the roofs of the Mountain Village hotels and condominiums to the jagged Uncompagre mountain range to the north. It is a stunningly beautiful location for an amphitheater:
If you would like to write an email to the Town of Mountain Village in support of the new Misty Maiden Amphitheater proposal, again please email Nichole at nzangara@mtnvillage.org Time is of the essense. We appreciate your support on this project which will increase the cultural and economic vitality of Mountain Village in the summer months. Thank you for your support on this too!
We've reached the point were the days are going to start getting shorter, and you know what that means... Get your fill of summer recreation and culture in Telluride because ski season is right around the corner!
We hope to see you in Telluride this summer, fall, and next winter.
If you need information on lodging go to http://tellurideskiresort.com/TellSki/info/summer/lodging.aspx or call 1-800-778-8581. Bill Noyes is the Telluride Resort Lodging Central Reservations Manager. If you want exceptional personal attention and assistance planning your vacation to Telluride or Mountain Village, call Bill. He's the best. Enjoy!
Kindest Regards - Dave
P.S. Please feel free to post a comment or question, we love to hear from you! Just scroll to the bottom, type away in the dialog box, and hit submit.
April 12, 2009
Hi Folks,
We'll, all good things must come to an end. Many locals and a few out-of-towners showed up for a spectacular powder weekend. Twenty inches of new snow fell in the last 48 hours and the face-shots where plentiful today ;-)
I'd like to start out by thanking all the staff who worked this last "bonus" week. It was fun to see everyone chip in and the teamwork was awesome!
In typical Telluride fashion, the powder line was full of happy locals this morning. Below is a picture of Captain Jack and Larry Iverson, first in line on closing day:
Every chair was pretty much full on the Plunge all day:
Can you find the always stylish Plum powder girl, Ramona Bruland on the lower Stairs in this picture?:
The F&B crew did a great job putting out some Mai Tai drinks, pulled pork BBQ sandwiches, sliced brisket, and everyone packed into Giuseppe's - just like always! Looks like we've got a new rock star in Telluride :)
Dina, you can't move to Hawaii, you must come back to Telluride. Go stick your feet in the sand and splash around in the ocean for awhile if you must, but come back! It just won't be the same without you!:
A diet of Black Bean Saute, PBR, and Mai Tai. Giuseppepalooza!:
Good times and good friends:
Cheers to a great season:
The little house that could. Did you know that Giuseppe's used to be a restarurant at the bottom of Coonskin (Chair 7) in the old days? When I was a college kid, I remember buying toasted bagels with cream cheese out of that building 25 years ago at the base area at 7:
This has been a season of great memories and accomplishment. We started out with new state-of-the-art snowmaking equipment on Misty Maiden which really helped us open with a great base on time:
Of course the big news of the season was the new Revelation terrain expansion and new quad lift. Below is a picture of the kamikaze downhill when the rope was dropped on the first day Revelation was opened. Those are people, not trees! It was pretty wild seeing all those people charging down Reve! If I recognize the coat, doesn't that look like David Glynn in the foreground?:
The new observation deck at the bottom of Revelation Bowl turned out great too. This was also opening day as the blue sky emerged. Aren't we all glad we never saw another lift line like that? That's scary!:
Big thanks go out to the Forest Service for helping with the Revelation expansion. Below is Judy Schutza, District Ranger and Scott Spielman, Permit Administrator. I'll bet Scott hiked Revelation Bowl a few dozen times last summer and fall as he administered the project. He's got his thumb print on the bowl for life, which is pretty cool. By the way, I know the unload ramp at the top didn't work well, and we've got a plan to fix it up this summer. Please accept my appologies!
We dedicated "Bee's Run" in Revelation Bowl to Bee Reichel last month. Bee and her husband Frank have been an important part of this community for decades. This was a great event attended by many of her friends.
The new Hop Garden in Mountain Village was a big success. Thanks to Mountain Village for permitting us to expand the patio!:
Alpino Vino, the world's highest wine bar, was also very well received. Thanks to San Miguel County for the special use permit!:
Once again, the ski patrol did an outstanding job getting the mountain open and keeping it safe. We installed 2 howitzers with nice new buildings in order to help with the avalanche control work (a project Sterbie has worked on for decades), but without their talent and dedication the big guns would be worthless. These folks have developed cutting edge data, practices, teamwork, leadership, and results. We have over 70 folks on the TSP team now. This picture was taken at the top of Gold Hill last Monday. Pat Ahern, Eric Larson, Craig Sterbenz, Matt Steen and I took a run into the Creek to discuss the snow study they've been working on in that area:
Remember the train of people hiking Palmyra every sunny day? I asked Sterbie how many days it was open this year. He said it was a little over 40. Skiing Palmyra Peak has become a signature experience at Telluride. Awesome work!:
Gold Hill #1 was opened for the first time this winter:
I realize the Goat Trail from the bottom of Gold Hill #1 to the top of #1.5 didn't work very well. Below is a picture of it from last fall as it was being built. It gets wind striped pretty bad as it faces southwest, and I realize it needs tweaking. We're developing some new ideas to try and get this to work better. We'll get at it this summer:
I can't close this blog out without thanking the entire Telluride Ski and Golf team. We have 30 departments and 1,000 employees in the winter. It's an enourmous undertaking for everyone on the front line and through management to create the outcomes our customers expect from a world-class resort. I'd like to thank each and every one here and now but, well, that would take some typing! Seriously, we made great strides this year and I'm very proud of everyone. THANK YOU!:
Additionally, I want to sincerely thank our locals, second homeowners, visitors, and all the employees that work in all the stores, bars, restaurants, hotels, service organizations, and governments in the region. It's a team effort and collectively, we create the wonderful experience people think of as "Telluride". There are great people in this community, and I'm blessed to be a part of it. Thank you.
Please feel free to post a comment to this blog. We love to hear from you! Just scroll to the bottom, type away in the dialog box, and hit submit.
Have a great summer.
Kindest regards,
Dave Riley
P.S. Thanks Elaine, for all you do.
March 13, 2009
Hi Folks,
Good news, we're extending the ski season this April.
Our scheduled closing date was April 5, 2009. We're announcing today that Chair 7 and Chair 9 will continue to operate from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. for an additional week, through April 12. Seven more days of wonderful spring skiing! The extended season will include all terrain off the Plunge and Coonskin lift pods. A gate located near patrol headquarters at the top of the Plunge Lift will allow hiker access to the USFS backcountry access gate at the top of Gold Hill. Hiking access will be along the See Forever trail only. All other trails in the other lift pods will be CLOSED. That means you can't ski the runs off Chairs 6, 14, 15, 4, etc. Please stay in the Chair 7 and Chair 9 pods only. Skiers caught outside of the provisional parameters and ski area boundaries could face strict penalties, which may include the loss of skiing privileges.
All valid season passes and cards will be honored. Also, the lift ticket prices will drop to $50 on April 6 through April 12, and just $25 for senior and child tickets. Additionally, during that week $25 tickets will be offered to season pass holders or employees from any other ski resort in North America. Proof is required.
Giuseppe's will be open for food and beverage throughout the extended week, with a much larger snow beach. We're going to bring up lots of additional chairs and tables, a BBQ, and have live music, weather permitting.
We're doing this to show appreciation to our valued customers, our employees who worked hard all season, and as a bonus to our wonderful ski community. Mostly year-round staff and managers will be operating the resort for the extended week.
We're still going to have the traditional season end party at Gorrono Ranch on April 5th, which is the last day all the lifts are scheduled to operate. We'll then have a final/final end-of-season party at Giuseppe's on April 12th. How cool is that - we get to have 2 closing day parties!
I have one favor to ask in return, please give the crew a big "THANK YOU" when you see them around the ski area, Town, and Village! I'm very proud of everyone's exceptional performance this year. It would be great if everyone would recognize the Telski Staff for their great work and results!
I hope you enjoy the opportunity to ski the north side that week!
Please feel free to post a comment or question. Just scroll to the bottom, type away in the dialog box, and hit submit. We love to hear from you!
Enjoy! - Dave
March 5, 2009
Hi Folks,
We're pleased to announce that all lift opening and closing times will move back 60 minutes starting Sunday, March 8, 2009.
It is clear that the vast majority of our guests, and employees, desire that the ski area make this change. I realize this negatively effects a certain number of guests and employees. This is a situation where we're trying to do the right thing for our customers and I appreciate everyone understanding the intent of the change.
Admittedly, not many ski areas I know of in Colorado are doing this. It will be interesting to see if others follow as a result of Telluride's initiative.
Please feel free to post a comment or question. Just scroll down to the dialog box, type away, and hit submit. Thank you. - Dave
March 3, 2009
Hi Folks,
First, I'd like to apologize for the huge gap of time since my last blog post. I'll try and be better about posting more frequently!
I've recently heard through the blog, emails, and by direct conversation, a request to change our operating hours as daylight savings arrives at 2:00 a.m. on March 8th this year. The idea is to push the operating hours back to allow the spring snow to soften and take advantage of the afternoon sunshine. We've started to talk about this internally and are still discussing it.
We have concluded we shouldn't simply add hours of operation. We realize some people would prefer that but it would not be the most responsible thing to do in this global economic situation.
But, we have been discussing the possibility of simply moving all the opening and closing times back by 60 minutes. So, under this concept, the lifts would open at 10:00 a.m. instead of 9:00 a.m. and they would close an hour later. As many of you know, lift closing times stagger. For example, a lift that is currently closing at 3:15 p.m. would close at 4:15 p.m. while a different lift that currently closes at 4:00 p.m. would close at 5:00 p.m.
I'd like to receive your feedback on this potential change. To do so, simply scroll down to the dialog box, type away, and hit "submit". We're interested in hearing your thoughts on this. Thank you for your input. - Dave
January 21, 2009
Hi Folks,
Many people think of Telluride as an "Expert Only" ski resort. While we do have some of the best advanced and expert terrain in North America, if not the world, we also have a huge amount of exceptional beginner and intermediate terrain.
Years ago, this wasn't the case, and maybe that's why Telluride's reputation is still based on our most difficult terrain. We've also recently opened the new Revelation Bowl and lift along with Palmyra Peak and Black Iron Bowl, totaling approximately 400 acres of new expert hike-to terrain. A lot of the media coverage has been focused on this expansion (rightfully so because it's a big deal in the world of skiing).
But, much has changed at Telluride over the past 10 years as the ski area expanded extensive beginner, novice and intermediate terrain. We also have a fantastic grooming fleet which lays down perfect corduroy every night on miles and miles of wide, long, and easy runs.
The pictures below were all taken over the MLK holiday weekend. You'll notice the lack of crowds on the runs. Crowds are far smaller at Telluride than most all high-end destination ski resorts. This is a defining element of Telluride.
Below, I'll roll out a number of pictures which illustrate the "Soft and Mild Side of Telluride". I hope you enjoy it!
To begin with, below is a picture of the upper "Meadows" run, under the Chondola, showing wall-to-wall groomed beginner terrain below the hotels, shops and restaurants at Mountain Village:
The next picture shows the lower "Meadows" run with the Peaks Resort and See Forever Resort in the background:
The next picture is of the "Double Cabins" ski run off Sunshine Express. The runs in this lift pod are all easy terrain and the high-speed quad lift is over two miles long. There are also great views of the San Juan mountain range and Mountain Village from all the runs:
Below is a picture taken just below the top of Sunshine Express. The runs are really sunny, wide, and gentle on the west side of the ski resort:
Below is another picture in the Sunshine Express lift pod. These are some of the biggest, uncrowded, and nicest runs a beginner skier will ever find, anywhere. Remember, these pictures where taken on MLK weekend!
There are hundreds of ski-in, ski-out hotel rooms, condos, and houses along the easy runs at Telluride Mountain Village. Below is a picture of the Mountain Lodge. There are many great places for familes with young children to stay and ski - right out the back door of your hotel, condo or house.
The gondola you see in the picture below is free (and runs 'till midnight), and will take you back and forth between the historic Town of Telluride and Mountain Village. This is another reason why Telluride is so special; once you're here, you really don't need a car. You'll experience a 100 year-old historic mining town plus a European inspired pedestrian-oriented village. Both are connected with the free gondola with ski runs that run down to both the town and village. It's truly amazing.
Spectacular scenery is everywhere in Telluride:
Big, wide, easy, groomers with great views are common at Telluride. The picture below is taken from the Village Express pod. This run is called Butterfly:
Ute Park is an uncrowded beginner pod at the top of Sunshine Express. It's perfect for learning and allows skiers to experience the high alpine without dealing with steep terrain. Downloading is allowed on Sunshine Express if that is desired:
Mellow groomed intermediate runs are plentiful off Prospect Express also:
The views off the top of Prospect Express are wonderful:
Butterfly leads down to Gorrono Ranch where you'll find the historic Saloon, Gorrono Restaurant, Outpost Bar, BBQ Shack, and live music on the deck daily. The Saloon has been converted from an old homestead cabin located on a 100 year-old sheep ranch. The old "line shack" is where the tack was stored for the horses, etc. It's facinating to see:
"The Beach" at Gorrono Ranch can be a fun place to relax at the end of the day aside the fire pit and the Outpost Bar and Saloon:
Below is a picture of Gorrono Ranch from Village Express:
Don't forget, kids love Telluride too!
In addition to the world-class advanced terrain, these are some of the things that make Telluride, well, Telluride.
Please feel free to post a blog comment or question. We love to hear from you. Just scroll to the bottom, type away in the dialog box, and hit submit. Or, feel free to contact me directly at driley@tellurideskiresort.com I'm happy to help you with anything you need.
Kindest regards,
Dave
January 11, 2009
Hi Folks,
Another epic ski season is underway at Telluride. We've had record snowfall and bright blue days. I had the opportunity to ski around yesterday and snap a few pictures to whet your appetite. As you will see below, Telluride Ski Resort is simply "Unmatched in North America". Enjoy!
Below is a picture looking across the new Revelation Bowl into the East Fork Bear Creek Basin. This is a classic Telluride view:
The next picture below is taken from the top terminal of the new Revelation lift, looking west across Telluride Ski Resort's Prospect Bowl:
The next picture is taken from the top terminal of the new Revelation lift, looking north down the See Forever run, and across the top terminal of Gold Hill Express. The Town of Telluride is located in the bottom of the canyon to the right:
The picture below is looking south across the new Revelation Bowl, with San Joaquin Peak in the background. The snow is sooo good in this bowl because the wind always comes in from the back side of the peak and it just loads and loads into this area. Last night the groomers actually used a winch cat and groomed about 8 passes down the center of the bowl from top to bottom just "skiers left" of the lift. This is the first time Revelation has been groomed from top to bottom since we opened the new bowl to the public. It started snowing today before I was able to get a good picture of the groomed route (Okay, I admit I was distracted today by incredible skiing and failed to get a picture before the snow came in). For now, you'll just have to imagine corduroy down the center :) I'll get a picture of the groomed route for the next blog. It is a very impressive high-alpine groomed run:
Big, round, softies at the top of Revelation:
The bottom terminal of the new Revelation lift stops just short of a 800 foot cliff above Bear Creek. The setting is spectacular:
The portal into Prospect Bowl is inviting. Prospect is full of rolling groomed intermediate terrain under the watch of Palmyra Peak:
Below is a picture of the lower terminal of Prospect Express. This picture was taken on Saturday, January 10, 2009 at 10:00 a.m. If you don't like lift lines, Telluride is your resort!
Below is a picture of the top of Prospect Express, with Palmyra Peak and Silver Mountain in the background:
Below is High Camp Warming Hut, which is located a few hundred yards from the top of Prospect Express:
Beautiful, wide, uncrowded, corduroy runs in Prospect are perfect for carving smooth and gentle turns all day:
Ute Park, just to the west of Prospect Bowl, is perfect for novice skiers and families with youngsters. What I love about Ute Park is that it is real easy terrain, located high on the mountain. This allows novice skiers and snowboarders to experience the high alpine environment and views that many ski areas only make available to advanced skiers. Notice that giant lift line too :)
Incredible snow, beautiful views, uncrowded slopes, and the warm sunshine of SW Colorado combine to make Telluride the resort of choice:
A late afternoon decent on the Plunge, to the Town of Telluride:
So many runs, such good snow, so many choices:
Mountain Village, nestled below soaring mountains, as seen from the Boomerang run in the afternoon. Time to Apres Ski:
I hope you've been enjoying the ski season as much as I have. If you haven't made it to Telluride yet, it's time to come. I guarantee you'll love it.
Feel free to post comments or questions to the blog, we love to hear from you. Just scroll to the bottom, type away in the dialog box, and hit submit. Or, if you'd like to contact me directly for any reason, you can always reach me at driley@tellurideskiresort.com I'd be happy to answer any questions you might have, or put you in touch with one of our experienced vacation planners if you are interested in visiting the nicest resort in North America! We can help you with all the details and make sure your vacation is perfect.
I hope to see you soon on the slopes of Telluride.
Kindest Regards,
Dave
December 28, 2008
Hi Folks,
After a string of snowstorms that set a new record for snow received during the month of December, the sun has now arrived and the mountain is skiing as good as ever.
The ski patrol wrapped up their work on boundaries and avalanche control today in Revelation Bowl, so the lift will open tomorrow morning - December 29. I took the picture below this afternoon. As you can see, the bowl is looking great:
With beautiful sunny weather forecast for the next few days, I hope you have the opportunity to enjoy Telluride!
Feel free to post a comment or question, we love to hear from you! To do so, just scroll down to the dialog box, type away, and hit submit. I'll reply promptly.
Kindest regards,
Dave
December 27, 2008
Hi Folks,
Over 113" of new snow this month sets an all-time record for December. Now, the sun is forecast to come out much of this week, and it's time to enjoy the best ski conditions imaginable!
Below is a picture taken this afternoon of Elizabeth Howe, Executive Director of Resort Operations. She's standing on the See Forever run with the new Revelation Bowl and lift in the background. Thanks for all you do EH - you rock. The Ski Patrol team is intending to complete avalanche control work tomorrow morning in Revelation Bowl. The Ski Patrol has done an outstanding job through this never-ending chain of powder storms in December and deserve a huge THANK YOU from everyone! Once the boundary lines are reset and the bottom terminal maze area is prepared, we'll open this incredible bowl once again for your enjoyment:
Alpino Vino, the long-awaited and much anticipated Northern Italy Dolomiti SuperSki inspired wine bar, is scheduled to open to the public on Tuesday, December 30. Below is a picture of the beautiful stone building, which is located on the See Forever ski run just below the top of Gold Hill Express:
Besides presenting a large selection of Italian and other worldly fine wines, Alpino Vino will also serve wonderful antipasto plates with a selection of fine cheeses, cured meats and a number of interesting accompaniments. Additionally, soups, pannini, and dessert chocolates will amaze and satisfy. You'll have to check out this very exciting new addition to Telluride:
The skiing has been absolutely amazing. Below is a picture taken from the See Forever run just above Alpino Vino:
Below is a picture of the bottom terminal of the new Revelation Lift, and the new overlook deck:
Below is a picture of the Plunge. It's skiing very nice:
And don't forget Apres Ski at the new Hop Garden in Mountain Village:
We hope you have the opportunity to get some turns in at Telluride in the near future. With record-breaking snowfall, two new restaurants, new grooming equipment, a new chairlift and alpine bowl, two new luxury hotels opening this winter, the most beautiful mountain range you'll find, and award winning guest service, Telluride is clearly "Unmatched in North America"!
Please feel free to post a comment or question. To do so, scroll down to the dialog box, type away, and hit submit. I'll reply promptly.
Kindest regards,
Dave
December 16,
Hi Folks,
Yes, Yes, Yes. The snow just keeps piling up with the promise of even more as a series of storms are lined up one after another to our west. The base coverage and snow quality is really good at Telluride Ski Resort:
As a result, all chairlifts will be in operation Friday, December 19 with fantastic snow:
Also, the north side (including Telluride Trail) will open Friday with a great base. The grooming crews are letting the snowmaking piles on T-Trail cure before pushing them out Thursday night. This process is called "leaching". In the world of snowmaking, a small amount of leaching time will result in a much softer surface than if we were to push the piles too soon. Our philosophy is all about creating a super high-quality product for our skiers and snowboarders.
All mountain restaurants will also be opening December 19th. Gorrono Ranch and High Camp are already open. One exception: Alpino Vino, our new on-mountain wine bar, is scheduled to open next week.
The new Hop Garden has been very well received - check it out at the bottom of Village Express (now open for breakfast, lunch, apres ski, and dinner).
Additionally, Dinner Sleigh Rides are offered at Gorrono Ranch each Friday and Saturday night starting this weekend through March. If you have never tried this, it's a must. Of course the best fine-dining dinner restaurant in Telluride is Allred's, located at the top of the St. Sophia gondola station. To make reservations for the Gorrono Dinner Sleigh Ride or Allred's, call 970-728-7474.
The conditions at Telluride are over-the-top good this year:
Airline tickets into Telluride and Montrose recently dropped significantly and several hotels are also offering some great deals. For more information call Telluride Resort Reservations at 1-800-778-8581. Also, please feel free to contact me directly at driley@tellurideskiresort.com if you need any assistance or have any questions.
Please feel free to post a question or comment on the blog. We love to hear from you! Just scroll to the bottom, type away in the dialog box, and hit submit. I'll personally reply promptly.
Have a great holiday and join us in Telluride this winter!
Kindest regards,
Dave
December 10, 2008
Hi Folks,
It was a historic and great day for Telluride. The new Revelation Bowl and Lift opened!
Lots of people showed up for the ribbon cutting today:
The USFS attended the ribbon cutting too. I'd like to thank Judy Schutza - District Ranger, Cory Wong - Director of Recreation, Scott Speilman - Snow Ranger, and Kathy Peckham - Recreation Specialist. Without their support and hard work, this would not have been possible:
The view from the new Bear Creek Overlook Deck is stunning. As you can see, we had quite a turn out for the first day:
Happy people soaking up the experience:
I'd like to thank Jeff Proteau, Sr. Vice President of Resort Operations and Planning for his excellent work this summer on the construction project. Also, Kenny King - Lift Maintenance Manager, Pat Ahern - Ski Patrol Director, Jason Rogers - Ski Patrol Manager, Brian Kelly - Trail Crew and Grooming Manager, Greg Stobb - Equipment Operator, Rob Johnson - Equipment Operator, and many others who worked very hard through the summer and fall to make this possible. Additionally, I'd like to thank Tom Clink - Sales Director for Leitner-POMA, and the entire Leitner-POMA constrution crew.
Of course, we all owe great thanks to Chuck Horning, Owner of Telluride Ski and Golf for investing and believing in this great community and resort. Thank you Chuck - this is a big deal and it wouldn't have happened without your vision and support.
Please feel free to post a comment or question, we love to hear from you! Just scroll down, type away in the dialog box ,and hit "submit". I'll personally reply.
In this time of stress due to the economic climate from coast-to-coast, sometimes it becomes important to simply enjoy all that we have. Today, Telluride made life just a little bit better for everyone who enjoys the great sports of skiing and snowboarding.
Kindest regards,
Dave
P.S. Picture taken late this afternoon - overlooking the Town of Telluride from the See Forever Run. Telluride - Unmatched in North America:
Monday - December 8, 2008
Hi Folks,
A healthy storm moved in Sunday night which is pounding Telluride today. This, combined with extensive snowmaking progress the team has accomplished, allows us to now open significant terrain for the 08/09 ski season this week. I'm really excited about the quality of the base now.
As you may know, we are currently running the Chondola and Village Express, with several gentle runs that have excellent snow.
On Wednesday, December 10th we will open Polar Queen Express, Prospect Express, and Gold Hill Express. The Ski Patrol Dept. will be working and evaluating the runs typically accessed off the west side of Gold Hill Express. They will decide Tuesday and/or Wednesday morning if those runs will open on Wednesday, or at a later date based on their avalanche control evaluation. In any event, the See Forever run off the top of Gold Hill Express will be open all the way down to the Village Express pod, and the skiing will be absolutely fantastic in Prospect Bowl:
With respect to Revelation Lift and Bowl, our tentative plan is to open it for the first time at 10:00 a.m., Wednesday. This will depend on the ski patrol's evaluation and control work Tuesday for avalanche potential in the bowl. If patrol opens the bowl, it won't be before 10:00 a.m., Wednesday. We're planning a ribbon cutting at the bottom terminal. At that time, yours truly and the Forest Service will be making a few speeches. I promise, we won't blabber on too long =D but, there are some people who deserve a few kind words (and thanks from the community) and we should all be there to show our appreciation for a job well done. After all, this is a pretty big deal.
Below is a picture Craig Sterbenz took in Revelation Bowl a few days ago before the latest storm moved in Sunday night. Craig is our veteran snow science expert (thanks for the picture Craig). You can see the winchcat working in the lower left corner. You can also see that the patrol got some avalanche control results (from their explosives) in the skier's left part of the bowl. Although I wasn't up there today, I was told it was a total white-out blizzard this afternoon on the upper mountain. Revelation Bowl is a natural snow-catcher as it's on the back side of Gold Hill from the prevailing winds. It's still dumping powder tonight, so Revelation should be incredible. By Wednesday, the forecast calls for partly cloudy skies. Can you imagine how nice that would be?
Also, we're opening the Gorrono Ranch mid-mountain restaurant on Friday of this week. This is one of the most wonderful restaurants in ski country:
The intimate High Camp Warming Hut, located at the top of Prospect Express, is also opening Wednesday:
Additionally, the Hop Garden is having a "Grand Opening" this Friday. The US Snowboard Cross and Skier Cross Teams will be here from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm. Olympic gold medalist Seth Wescott, Olympic silver medalist Lindsey Jacobellis, X-Games champion and four-time Olympian Casey Puckett, World Cup icon and X Games champion Daron Rahlves, four-time X Games gold medalist Nate Holland, Jeep King of the Mountain champion and snowboarding legend Shaun Palmer, and World Cup winners Nick Baumgartner and Graham Watanabe will be on hand at the Hop Garden to sign free "Revelation Bowl" posters. Come join us!
The New Belgium folks will be there giving out swag Saturday from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm and we'll be offering $2 Fat Tire Beers from New Belgium on Friday and Saturday, all day. The Hop Garden was patterned after the great beer gardens of the Alps - check it out.
I feel so relieved with this latest storm. Thank you, Ullr Norse God of Winter. Thank you.
Feel free to post a blog comment or question; we love to hear from you! Just scroll down to the bottom, type away in the dialog box, and hit "submit".
See you on the wonderful slopes of Telluride soon! This is going to be a season to remember.
Kindest regards,
Dave
November 28, 2008
Hi Folks,
Thanksgiving opening - right on schedule. We're currently running Village Express and the Chondola, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily. Runs open at this time are Village Bypass, Lower Boomerang, Lower Misty Maiden, and Meadows. Due to the excellent snowmaking and grooming work the staff has done, the coverage in these areas is very good.
Below is a picture of the main base at Mountain Village. It started snowing Thanksgiving day and is still snowing lightly today. We received about 4"+ out of this storm. I was hoping for more but we'll take it.
The new "Hop Garden" restaurant right off the snow in Mountain Village opened Thanksgiving Day also. It's been a great hit with locals and visitors:
Four superstar managers, recognized for going above and beyond the call of duty in their respective areas of expertise, rode the first chair of the season. Shown from left to right are Jason Rogers - Ski Patrol Manager, John Kelly - Ticket Operations and Lift Operations Manager, Karen Parks - Interative Marketing Manager, and Benjamin Whiting - Information Systems and Telecom Manager:
It's looking like winter on the ride up Village Express:
Snowmaking is still cranking along:
The parks crew have put up 4 rail/boxes and 3 jumps:
And, we've opened some nice beginner terrain off the Chondola:
The members of the snowmaking department are working around the clock in the Polar Queen Express and Apex Lift pods. We'll keep you posted when it looks like additional terrain will be opening.
I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. It's really nice to be open and we're looking forward to a great ski season with you!
Please feel free to post a comment or question. We love to hear from you! Just scroll down to the dialog box, type away and hit "submit". I'll reply promptly.
Kindest regards,
Dave
November 15, 2008
Hi Folks,
I'd like to update you on how things are progressing toward the 2008/2009 ski season. Telluride is rolling out a number of innovative changes that are in the final stages of completion.
First, our exciting new Revelation lift is complete and ready for public operation! All the inspections have been conducted and the new lift passed with flying colors. A big THANK YOU goes out to the Leitner-POMA crew for doing a spectacular job. Many members of the Telluride Mountain Department staff also deserve accolades for their exceptional work on this project. THANK YOU! I want to also thank our partners at the US Forest Service. Scott Spielman, Kathy Peckham, Judy Schutza, Cory Wong, Charlie Richmond, and Ken Kowynia have been great to work with on these projects. Building at 12,500 feet in a short construction season at a remote location has its challenges, but everyone pulled together and exhibited extraordinary teamwork.
Below is a picture taken from the top of the new Revelation Bowl. As you can see at mid-day, the bowl is in the shadow of Gold Hill. The wind generally comes from the back side of the peak so this bowl always gets more snow than most anywhere else in the ski resort. These factors will keep the snow soft and pillowy down the center. If you look carefully you can see the historic Town of Telluride down in the box canyon:
Telluride now has one of the largest vertical drops in the country at 4,425' (3,845' lift served). Below is a picture of the completed upper terminal of the new Revelation lift:
As the picture below shows, the Telluride Mountain Department staff built a new skiway to exit the new bowl. It turned out very nice. You can see the new Revelation Bowl and lift in the background.
Late last week the staff did a "load test" on the new lift. This is when the chairs are loaded with bags of sand, and the lift is run for several hours to mimic live operations. The staff had the pleasure of laying down first tracks in Revelation Bowl on their way to work at the bottom terminal as the picture below illustrates. This new bowl offers world-class alpine terrain - nice!
The Telluride Ski Patrol has completed two new buildings and acquired two new 105mm vintage 1942 Howitzers. The guns were completely refurbished by the US Army on a base in Nevada before being recently shipped to Telluride. This has been a multi-year effort by our esteemed avalanche expert Craig Sterbenz. Sterbie deserves a huge amount of credit and thanks for his persistence and tenacity in pursuing his vision over the years to execute an artillery avalanche program at Telluride Ski Resort. This program will deliver explosives in a much more accurate and effective manner, improving safety for our patrol staff as well as our guests.
Below is a picture of one of the guns in prospect basin:
Snowmaking has been running full blast for a few weeks. Improvements to the system this year are yielding very good results. Below is a picture of the base area at Heritage Plaza in Mountain Village:
Snowmaking at the top of Polar Queen Express (Chair 5) is also going well:
Big piles of snow have been blown between the top of Polar Queen Express and the Apex Lift (Chair 6). The snowcats are going to start spreading the piles next week:
Snowmaking at work on Village Bypass:
This summer, we acquired a new Techno Alpine snowmaking tower and mounted it on an articulating arm on lower Misty Maiden. This machine is fully automated and automatically adjusts the air/water mix as the temperature changes through the day and night. The arm allows the gun to swing around and cover a very large area. This is new state-of-the-art snowmaking technology:
Here's another photo of this big bad boy:
A beautiful morning in Mountain Village - can't wait to ski on Thanksgiving Day!
Grooming crews have been packing the snow on the west side of Gold Hill to develop a consolidated base. They yoyo a custom "roller" with a winchcat to pack the snow so that the base is consistent and stable. It's a fascinating process:
We've also taken delivery of 3 new state-of-the-art Prinoth snowcats, including another Sherpa winchcat. These machines put down the best corduroy possible. Telluride has a perfect mix of terrain with 23% beginner, 36% intermediate, and 41% advanced/expert. Our commitment to perfect corduroy is absolute:
As I covered in my last blog, we're opening two new bowls this ski season (Revelation and Gold Hill 1). Below is a picture I took a few weeks ago (before it started snowing) that shows Gold Hill 1 and the lower apron we call Gold Hill 1 1/2. I've drawn in the boundaries including the new lateral "goat trail" we constructed that connects the upper and lower terrain:
Below is a picture of Revelation Bowl from last ski season (before the new lift was constructed this summer). Revelation Bowl is on the left, Gold Hill 1 is off to the right:
Below is a picture my friend Brett Schreckengost took last spring of Gold Hill 1, with Palmyra Peak in the background. Telluride has the reputation as the most scenic ski resort you'll find - I agree! Nice alpenglow:
We've also added two new restaurants this year, one high on the mountain and one in Mountain Village.
Alpino Vino is a European inspired wine bar which is located high on the mountain just off the See Forever Run. Below is a picture taken last summer. We're in the middle of a complete interior renovation of this beautiful little stone building right now. New restrooms are also being constructed in a separate building to the right. Alpino Vino is scheduled to open by the Christmas holiday:
In Heritage Plaza, right at the bottom of the Village Express, we're in the process of completely renovating another restaurant we have renamed the Hop Garden. This restaurant will have seating for 120 people outside and 110 people inside. All new furniture inside and out, a new bar, new restrooms, new flooring, new flat screen TVs, and 10 craft beers on tap along with an excellent menu will be offered. The Hop Garden will be a open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Below is a picture of the exterior but we still have more accessory work to do such as signage, flags, umbrellas, etc.:
Mountain Village is also launching two new luxury hotels; scheduled to open this ski season! One is called lumiere, the other is called Capella.
Below is a picture of the new boutique hotel - lumiere. I took a tour last week - it's a very impressive addition to Mountain Village. The new high-end hotel is scheduled to open December, 2008. The property is ski-in ski-out and located just steps from Heritage Plaza, the Village Express, shopping, restaurants, and the Gondola. It has a mix of hotel rooms, condos, and penthouses with 28 total units:
Below/center is a picture of Capella. This property is scheduled to open mid-February, 2009 and is located right on Heritage Plaza. This hotel has about 150 rooms including 90 hotel rooms plus condos and penthouses of various sizes. It has an outdoor ice skating rink, retail stores, spa, and three restaurants:
Also, the Peaks Resort & Golden Door Spa has re-painted and replaced all the furniture in 150 hotel rooms this fall. Below is a picture they sent me of the renovated rooms - they look nice and new. The ski-in ski-out property has a giant spa with a big indoor lap pool, as well as another big pool that is partially indoors and partially outdoors with a water slide inside. There are many treatment rooms, weight room, cardio room, etc., etc. The Peaks is also just steps away from Heritage Plaza:
There are so many other beautiful properties for rent in Mountain Village and the Town of Telluride. Mountain Lodge, Inn at Lost Creek, Bear Creek Lodge, Camel's Garden, Fairmont Franz Klammer Lodge, Hotel Columbia, Hotel Telluride, the New Sheridan, the Ice House, San Sophia and more.
If you're interested in lodging information in either the Town of Telluride or Mountain Village, please call our Central Reservations Department at 1-800-778-8581 for comprehensive personal attention. Our reservation specialists will help you book anything from a hotel room, condo, or beautiful house. We handle bookings and property management of units in both Mountain Village and the Town of Telluride and will package lift tickets, help you book ski lessons, daycare, make reservations at Allred's restaurant (best in Telluride) or even a dinner sleigh ride to Gorrono Ranch, etc.
If you're a resident, we hope you enjoy all the new improvements your local ski company has "imagineered" and executed this year.
If you're thinking of visiting Telluride, we invite you to experience the greatest ski resort in North America. There are many reasons to choose Telluride for your vacation this year. As you can see, we've made a number of improvements with the intent of creating the optimal ski vacation for you.
Please feel free to post a comment or question - we love to hear from you! Just scroll down to the dialog box, type away, and hit submit. I'll reply promptly.
Thank you so much for your interest and support. - Dave
October 26, 2008
Hi Folks,
I'm pleased to announce that Telluride Ski Resort is planning to open Gold Hill #1 and the Apron below for the upcoming season.
This new terrain is all rated as "EX - Extreme Terrain" due to cliffs, very steep slopes as well as rocks and other hazards. It starts from the top of the new Revelation Lift and descends on the west side of Gold Hill to the bottom of Gold Hill Express (Chair 14).
Two things have allowed us to open this new terrain. First, we now have Howitzers (military artillery), one of which points directly at Gold Hill. This allows for enhanced avalanche control work in this area. Second, about halfway down the run we are building a small, lateral, "goat trail" by blasting through the rock cliff band which will allow access from the bottom of the upper bowl down to the apron below. Previously, this section was very difficult to get through.
Below is a picture of the new terrain. I drew in the lateral goat trail so you can see what I'm talking about. You can see the big bowl above and the apron below. There is also a "bail out" route to the skier's right as the goat trail requires a drop between two rock outcroppings at one point:
Starting at 12,570' (top of Revelation), the new route is 1,790 vertical feet to the bottom of Gold Hill Express, which is quite impressive. Below is a picture looking uphill from the bottom of the upper bowl, right at the point where people need to decide to go right (to the bail out) or left (to the Goat Trail). If you look carefully, you can see the new upper terminal for the Revelation Lift (left of center on the smooth skyline). We also built a little skiway from the upper lift terminal across to the top/center of the bowl for your convenience:
The picture below shows the new skiers-left boundary line on the upper bowl. You can also see the upper terminal of Revelation:
The next picture below is looking down Gold Hill #1 from near the top entrance, with Prospect Basin in the background. If you look carefully to the upper right you can see the lower terminals of Prospect Express and Gold Hill Express. They have been painted a new color (Gunmetal Grey).
The new Revelation Lift is pretty much complete. The chairs will be flown in by helicopter to the bottom terminal Monday, assembled and attached to the rope within a few days. Below, you see a member of the Leitner-POMA staff installing a muffler for the auxiliary motor on top of the motor room.
The lift shack still needs the walkway and stairs installed but it is otherwise complete. You can see our new lift color better in this picture. Trim caps will go on the end of the horizontal runways of the terminal structure:
Below is a picture of one of the two new Howitzer shelters we're constructing. The daylight basement below is a concrete bunker used to store shells and the gun will fire from inside the upper floor - once the garage door is opened ;-) The guns will arrive in Telluride next week.
The Telluride Ski and Golf staff as well as everyone in the wonderful communities of Telluride and Mountain Village are very excited about the coming season. We all hope you will be able to join us this ski season for a vacation to the most magical resort you'll ever find. Please let me know if I can assist you in any way. I can always be reached at driley@tellurideskiresort.com
As always, please feel free to post a comment or question to the blog. We love to hear from you! Just scroll down to the dialog box at the bottom, type away, and hit submit.
Thank you so much for your interest in Telluride. Think snow! -Dave
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