Telluride Ski Resort facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Telluride Ski Resort
Telluride Ski Resort Location in Colorado Show map of Colorado Telluride Ski Resort Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	Telluride, Colorado, Colorado, United States
Nearest city	Telluride, Colorado
Coordinates	37°56′11″N 107°49′13″W / 37.93639°N 107.82028°W / 37.93639; -107.82028
Vertical	4,425 ft (1,349 m) including hike-to 3,845 ft (1,172 m) lift-served
Top elevation	13,150 ft (4,010 m)
Base elevation	8,725 ft (2,659 m)
Skiable area	2,000 acres (8.1 km2)
Runs	127 23% beginner 36% intermediate 41% advanced/expert
Longest run	"Galloping Goose" - 4.6 miles (7.4 km)
Lift system	2 gondolas - (8) 12 chairlifts - 7 hi-speed quads - 1 quad - 2 triples - 2 doubles 2 surface lifts 2 magic carpets
Lift capacity	22,386 skiers per hour
Terrain parks	3
Snowfall	330 in/year (838 cm/year)
Snowmaking	Yes
Night skiing	none
Website	http://tellurideskiresort.com

Telluride Ski Resort is a popular ski resort found in Mountain Village, Colorado. It is very close to the historic town of Telluride. This resort is open all year round. It is located in the beautiful San Juan Mountains, which are part of the Rocky Mountains. This area has many tall peaks, some reaching 13,000 or 14,000 feet high.

Telluride Ski Resort offers over 2,000 acres for skiing. It stretches between the old town of Telluride and the newer Mountain Village. Telluride started as a mining town in the late 1800s. Today, it is a special place called a National Historic Landmark District.

Even though Telluride is known for its challenging slopes, more than half of its runs are for beginners and intermediate skiers. The very top of the resort has mostly expert-level terrain. Telluride is about 330 miles from Denver, Colorado. It has been ranked as a top ski resort by Conde Nast Traveler many times.

History of Telluride Ski Resort

How the Mountains Formed

The land around Telluride changed a lot over millions of years. It was once covered by an inland sea. About 70 million years ago, mountains pushed up from the ground. This event is called the Laramie Orogeny. After that, volcanoes added more rock and minerals to these mountains.

Gold Rush and Town's Name

Gold was first found in Telluride in 1858. A mining camp called Columbia started in 1878. The name had to change in 1887 because another town in California was also called Columbia.

No one is completely sure how Telluride got its name. Some say it came from "tellurium," a metal linked to gold and silver. This name might have been used to attract people looking for riches. Others believe it came from the phrase "To-Hell-You-Ride." This was shouted by people who knew how wild the town was and how hard it was to get there.

The mining business grew, and so did Telluride's population. At its busiest, nearly 5,000 people lived there. By 1904, over $360 million in gold was taken from the mines. But mining was tough, and the town saw good times and bad times. This continued until the ski resort was built in the 1970s.

Early Skiing in Telluride

Miners were the first to bring skiing to the area. It is said that Swedish-Finnish miners introduced the sport. After work, they would ski down from the mines.

In 1937, William H. Mahoney built a simple rope tow. It was powered by a Volkswagen engine. In 1938-1939, a real Swedish rope tow was built on Grizzly Gulch. This area is now known as Kid's Hill.

Many mines closed in the 1950s. The town's population dropped from thousands to hundreds. For about 20 years, Telluride was almost a ghost town.

Building the Ski Area

In 1964, Telluride was named a National Historic Landmark District. This means it is very important historically because of its mining past.

Joe Zoline, a businessman, heard about Telluride's potential for skiing. In 1968, he bought land there without even seeing it first. He saw how much money could be made from the area's natural beauty. He decided to create a ski resort from scratch.

Zoline hired Emile Allais, a French Olympic skier, to help design the runs and lifts. He also worked with Bill "Senior" Mahoney and Ed Bowers. They helped clear trails and get land rights. Zoline also hired experts to protect the environment and the old Victorian town.

The ski area started in 1970-1971 with snowcat skiing. The Telluride Ski Resort officially opened on December 22, 1972. At first, skiers took a bus to the lodge. In 1975, Coonskin Lift 7 was built, connecting the town and the ski area.

New Owners and Growth

In 1978, Ron Allred and Jim Wells bought the ski area. They made many improvements over the years. They upgraded lifts and built restaurants on the mountain. They also developed Mountain Village and created the Gondola.

In 1981, Telluride got its first snowmaking system. This helped ensure there was enough snow for skiing. The Telluride Women's Week also started that year. It is now the longest-running women's ski program in the country.

Between 1984 and 1986, the Telluride Regional Airport opened. Construction began on Mountain Village. More improvements were made to the mountain, including new chairlifts. Some famous ski runs like "The Plunge" were officially created.

Mountain Village became a real community in 1987. In 1992, an 18-hole golf course was added. This turned Telluride into a year-round destination. In 1996, the free Gondola opened. It connects the town of Telluride and Mountain Village.

In 1999, Hideo "Joe" Morita became a partner. He helped upgrade three new lifts. The Telluride Conference Center also opened.

Morita Takes Over

By 2001, Joe Morita owned the entire Telluride Ski and Golf Company. He focused on making guest service better. He invested $3.1 million to improve snowmaking.

The resort also added 733 acres of new terrain. This was called Prospect Bowl, and it opened between 2000 and 2002. This new area almost doubled the size of the resort. It added runs for all skill levels.

Telluride Today

In 2004, Chuck Horning became the new owner. He still owns the resort today. In 2004-2005, Mountain Quail opened. This offered a special guided skiing program.

In 2006, the resort bought Tempter House. This is one of the highest homes in North America. It sits at 12,200 feet and can be rented.

The winter of 2007-2008 brought more expansion with Black Iron Bowl. This added eight new runs. Palmyra Peak and Gold Hill Chutes also opened to the public in 2008.

The next winter, Revelation Bowl opened. This area gets a lot of snow. In 2009, more Gold Hill Chutes opened. Alpino Vino, the highest restaurant in North America, also opened. It is like restaurants found in Italy.

In 2013, Telluride Ski & Golf bought The Inn at Lost Creek. In 2015, they bought retail space and took over management of The Peaks Resort and Spa. This hotel is right next to the ski club.

Skiing and Snowboarding Terrain

Telluride's mountain covers the area facing the town. It also goes over to the other side, known as Revelation Bowl. The resort has 120 runs in total. It offers over 2,000 acres for skiing and snowboarding.

About 23% of the runs are for beginners. 36% are for intermediate skiers. The remaining 41% are for advanced or expert skiers. Telluride usually gets over 300 inches of snow each winter. All lifts close at 4:00 pm. Lifts on the higher parts of the mountain close earlier. This makes sure skiers have enough time to get down safely.

Mountain Slopes

The slopes face different directions:

• North: 50%
• South: 7%
• West: 33%
• East: 10%

Telluride Ski Resort has added a lot of new skiing areas recently. These include:

Prospect Bowl (2002)

Prospect Bowl opened in 2002. It almost doubled the amount of skiable terrain.

Black Iron Bowl (2007)

The Black Iron Bowl opened for the 2007-2008 ski season.

Revelation Bowl (2008)

In the summer of 2008, a new fixed-grip quad lift was installed. This allowed skiers to safely enjoy the other side of the mountain.

Ski Lifts

Ski lifts are machines that carry skiers up the mountain. Telluride has many different types of lifts to help you explore the resort.

The Free Gondola System

Telluride has a special Gondola system. It offers free rides between Mountain Village and the town of Telluride. This is the only free public transportation of its kind in the United States.

The gondola starts in Telluride at 8,750 feet. It climbs 1,790 feet to Station St. Sophia at 10,540 feet. This gondola ride is about 3 miles long. It used to be an eight-mile drive between the two towns. Over 2.5 million people ride the Gondola every year.

The Gondola system is also working to be more eco-friendly. It has a plan called the Green Gondola Project. The goal is to use more clean energy, like solar power. Solar panels are installed at gondola stations.

Images for kids

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  Views from San Sophia, Gondola Mid-Station

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  Views of Palmyra Peak from Gondola Mid-Station