Telluride Off-Piste Ideas

[ChrisC]

As a ski area Telluride has steadily improved over the years. During my first visit in 1992 it was often considered a "3 day area" due to awkward layout and disconnected sectors. The Prospect Bowl expansion tied the area together and made it flow much better. But some like Adam still would say, "Why are we skiing down here instead of up there?" Resolution is a nice first step above treeline, but the lift served alpine still pales beside Mammoth, Whistler, AltaBird, Squaw, Jackson. Unless you're a local who wants to hike over an hour to Palmyra at 13,000+.

Telluride's town & setting have always been stronger the mountain.

However, Telluride is at that point where it needs some consideration. It's reaching its potential. And It takes a while for word to leek out. But Telluride is finally at a tipping point with the new lift, new terrain and skier-at-core CEO.

Jackson & Mammoth & Alta have been static for 20-30 years terrain-wise. Boring. Squaw and Whislter too - the same for last 10-15 years - almost nothing new.

Places like Big Sky, Bridger, Fernie, Telluride, Crested Butte, Kicking Horse & Revelstoke are stepping it up. And it takes a while to get acknowledged.

And Telluride is taking it up to the next level. It finally came together this year.

Again, the Revelation lift is nice, but more importantly...this is now all lift-served...4500 vertical ft.
http://www.tellurideoffpiste.com/bear_creek/

Parts of the lift served - Gold Hill chutes. Parts are a long 30 - 1+ hr hike - Palmyra.
http://www.tellurideoffpiste.com/palmyra_peak/


Part of the reason I shortly lived in Telluride (I hate resort/ski towns), keep coming back, support my brother's endeavors & invested --- is because there is obvious potential that will eventually be realized.

 

[Tony Crocker]

As a certifiable ski junkie, I track the improvements you mention diligently, and try to check them out. Whether the improved areas are yet at the caliber of the established "static areas" is open to debate. I would agree that going to a recently improved area can pay dividends in terms of low crowds. The first year of the Mt. Rose Chutes were a good example of this from my personal experience.

Big Sky, Bridger, Telluride, Crested Butte, Kicking Horse can expand as much as they want, but they will still average less than 300 inches of snow. Fernie is poorly operated according to locals and has chronic problems controlling some of its best terrain. Revelstoke is brand new, and I will be checking it out soon with an FTO feature to follow.