Telluride Skiing & Snowboarding Resort Guide
Telluride is a magical place, the town is about ten blocks long, the snow is plentiful, and the skiing and snowboarding is accessed straight from town. Located in the San Juan Mountains, a sub-range of the Rockies, Telluride is a secluded mountain town with a strong skiing and snowboarding community. The mountain itself has a wide variety of terrain, ranging from leg burning moguls, and great intermediate cruising, to steep and exposed extreme skiing and snowboarding. The great town, and variety of terrain make Telluride an awesome destination for families and powder hounds alike.
The town of Telluride sits at an elevation of 8,750’ above sea level, with the ski area reaching all the way up to Palmyra Peak at 13,320’. From town, there are three lifts that take skiers and snowboarders up onto the mountain. On this part of the mountain, facing town, there are primarily advanced and expert runs that are often filled with steep moguled terrain. Beginners and intermediates need not fear, however, as the free gondola climbs up and over this terrain to the Mountain Village and the remainder of Telluride’s ski and snowboard terrain.
From the Mountain Village, Chair 4, the Village Express accesses some of the best intermediate terrain on the mountain. This is also where Telluride’s terrain park is located. This park is one of the best in the area, and is where Olympic skiing slopestyle silver medalist Gus Kenworthy honed his skills. Chair 14 serves one of the best intermediate runs in Colorado, See Forever. Groomed daily, See Forever lives up to its name, snaking down the high ridge with breathtaking views of multiple 14’ers, the name for Colorado’s 14,000’ peaks.
Advanced and expert skiers will want to head to lifts 12, 14, and 15 to sample Telluride’s awesome bowls and chutes. Chair 12 accesses Black Iron Bowl, and the highest point in the ski area, Palmyra peak. These lines require hikes (Telluride Hike-to Terrain) ranging from 5-45 minutes, with an additional 60-90 to get to the peak. Revelation Bowl, served by Chair 15, is filled with awesome wide open skiing and snowboarding for advanced riders. It also access the famed “Stairway to Heaven,” a metal staircase along the ridge knife-edge ridge that leads to the extreme Gold Hill Chutes 6-10. This terrain is some of the steepest and gnarliest inbounds terrain in Colorado and the US as a whole. When visibility is poor, or the upper mountain chutes and bowls are closed, there are some more advanced and expert options off of Chair 14 and Chair 6 that are more protected from the elements.
Telluride is quite a ways from Denver, a six hour drive, thankfully there are closer airports for visiting skiers and snowboarders. There are four airport options for flying into Telluride, all within two and a half hours of the ski and snowboard area. These airports are all served by major airlines, including new flights into the Telluride Airport, just 15 minutes from town. From closest to farthest, these airports are: Telluride Airport (TEX), Montrose-Telluride (MJT) 80 minutes away, Grand Junction (GJT) two and a half hours away, and Durango-La Plata (DRO) two and a half hours away. There are shuttle services available from each of these airports. Once in town, there are free busses, as well as the free gondola between Telluride and the Mountain Village.
Travel Resources:
Travel Directions to Telluride
Flying to Telluride
Airport Transfers
Telluride is quite a ways from Denver, a six hour drive, thankfully there are closer airports for visiting skiers and snowboarders. There are four airport options for flying into Telluride, all within two and a half hours of the ski and snowboard area. These airports are all served by major airlines, including new flights into the Telluride Airport, just 15 minutes from town. From closest to farthest, these airports are: Telluride Airport (TEX), Montrose-Telluride (MJT) 80 minutes away, Grand Junction (GJT) two and a half hours away, and Durango-La Plata (DRO) two and a half hours away. There are shuttle services available from each of these airports. Once in town, there are free busses, as well as the free gondola between Telluride and the Mountain Village.
Travel Directions to Telluride
Flying to Telluride
Airport Transfers
Telluride has a very wide array of lodging options, ranging from traditional hotels, to ski-in-ski-out houses. Lodging is available in town and in the Mountain Village. For skiers and snowboarders on a smaller budget, the Mountainside Inn and Victorian Inn are some of the best budget options in town.
Telluride Lodging Overview
Mountainside Inn
Victorian Inn
Mountainside Inn
Victorian Inn
Our Favorite Snowboards For Telluride
Local Food Picks
For a small town, Telluride certainly does not lack in delicious food options. The Coffee Cowboy is a great place to start off a ski day. The little coffee cart is right and town, and the mexican mocha will keep you warm all day long. If you’re enjoying a Coors Light during your stay at Telluride, look down at the can or bottle, or even better just look to the west and you’ll be looking at the Wilson Mountain Range. There are a ton of restaurants on Main Street, with options for all kinds of cuisines and budgets, take a walk and see what catches your eye, it’s hard to go wrong. The Last Dollar Saloon is a low-key spot to grab an apres drink, and a local favorite. Atop the Gondola, Allred’s is a famous Telluride dinner spot, with gorgeous views of the San Juan Mountains.On Mountain Dining
The Coffee Cowboy
The Last Dollar Saloon
Allred's
Our Favorite Skis For Telluride
Where to Find Lift Tickets to Telluride?
Telluride ski and snowboard lift tickets are averagely priced for Colorado ski and snowboard resorts. They are slightly less expensive than Breckenridge, Vail, and Aspen, and more expensive than small southern Colorado resorts like Wolf Creek. Children and seniors are eligible for discount lift tickets. For visiting skiers and snowboarders, buying multiple day tickets in advance online can help save some money, too. Telluride is part of the Mountain Collective Pass, which spans 14 ski and snowboard areas across North America.Mountain Collective Pass
Telluride Weather Information
Telluride receives an annual snowfall of 309” every year, which makes for plenty of powder days throughout the season. February and March are prime time for these snowstorms. Colorado not only provides light and dry powder, but plenty of sunshine as well. The high alpine terrain and views at Telluride are hard to beat on a sunny day. Plan a trip in the spring to take advantage of warmer temperatures and sunshine..Telluride Ski Report
Telluride Webcams
Far enough away from the big cities, Telluride has a lot to offer, free of crowds. The town itself is charming and has tons of great food, the locals are friendly, and and the mountain is top-notch. The great lift infrastructure, including the free gondolas, makes the mountain easy to access for every level skier or snowboarder. The extreme terrain, meanwhile is some of the best in Colorado, with classic descents and huge mountain views.
