Telluride Snowboard Area Description:
Located at the end of Colorado Highway 145 in a box canyon, Telluride is as unique a snowboard destination as you're likely to find. The population of the town hovers around 2000, but the number of celebrities that have lived there is long including Oprah, Tom Cruise, and Ralph Lauren, among others.
Unlike many big-name resort towns, Telluride stayed true to its blue-collar roots. A companion town called Mountain Village grew up around the base of the ski area to satisfy the needs of the wealthy attracted by the area's mystique. Mountain Village is located more or less inside of the ski area with runs and lifts passing through and over it. Mountain Village is connected to Telluride by a gondola -- the only gondola in North America used as a genuine form of public transportation.
Like ride-to-your-door accommodations? Good, because if you're in Mountain Village you can pretty much ride into your hotel lobby if the door is open, and no matter where you're staying in Telluride you can ride to within three or four blocks of your hotel (assuming it's not right on the slopes).
Telluride Snowboard Area Location/Directions:
Located in a box canyon in southwestern Colorado, the only way to drive in or out of Telluride year-round is on Highway 145. If your GPS tries to tell you differently, don't trust it. It's directing you to roads that are only driven by moustached men in jacked-up pickup trucks during the summer.
By car, Telluride can be reached from Denver in about seven hours, from Colorado Springs in about six hours, and from Durango in about 2.5 hours. Directions can be found here.
The fastest way to Telluride is to fly directly to the Telluride Regional Airport, which is located just seven miles out of town. There you can catch the Telluride Express into town, rent a limo, or pick up a rental car.
The next closest airport is the Montrose Regional Airiport, a 68-mile (1.5 hour) drive north of Telluride. The Telluride Express and Mountain Limo also (both linked above) also offer service here.
- Driving Directions to Telluride
- Colorado Department of Transportation Road Reports and Webcams
- For road report updates call: (301) 639-1111, (877) 315-76223, or in-state call 511
Telluride Snowboard Area Statistics:
- Trails: 125
- Beginner Terrain: 23%
- Intermediate Terrain: 36%
- Expert Terrain: 41%
- Longest Run: 4.6 miles (7.4 kilometres)
- Lifts: 18
- Uphill Capacity: 22,386 people per hour
- Acres: 2000
- Snowmaking Coverage: 15%
- Summit Elevation: 13,150 feet (4,008 meters)
- Base Elevation: 8,725 feet (2,659 meters)
- Vertical Drop: 4,425 feet (1,351 meters)
- Superpipe: No
- Terrain Parks: 3
- Average Snowfall: 309 inches (784 centimeters)
- Night Snowboarding: Limited
Telluride Snowboard Area Reservations:
Telluride has all of the usual lift ticket options and offers discounts for seniors, children, and military.
Telluride also works with online discount lift ticket vendor Liftopia, who often offers discount Telluride lift tickets on their website.
Telluride Area Accommodations:
Both Mountain Village and Telluride have a wide range of accommodations options. Many of them may be found through the Telluride Alpine Lodging website as well as Visit Telluride.
The Hotel Madeline is an especially cozy and luxurious option in Mountain Village.Telluride Snowboard Area Alternative Activities:
Although small, Telluride has some hopping nightlife. The local music scene is strong and a surprising number of acts find their way out to the small mountain town. The locals love to have a good time, so if you're looking for late night fun, you won't be disappointed.
Telluride also has a excellent shopping and spas, if that's your style.
