Telluride

Immediately above the town of Telluride lie steep, north facing runs that often retain good snow despite the low altitude. Beginners will want to avoid these however and either base themselves at the Mountain Village, or hop on the free gondola to ski the gentle greens served by the resort’s Chondola lift and the Sunshine Express. Intermediates will thoroughly enjoy the groomed runs in Prospect Bowl and the winding, tree-lined blues off the Polar Queen Express.

Tough challenges are littered across the mountain for more advanced skiers and riders. Check the grooming report to see if any of the trails served by the Plunge chair have been groomed overnight – these are a blast with fresh corduroy. The main off piste attractions lie above the treeline and can be accessed by hiking the ridgeline from the top of the Prospect Express and the Revelation Lift. Some seriously steep terrain can be skied in the Gold Hill Chutes or if you’re willing to put in more legwork, the runs off the 4000m plus Palmyra Peak are epic.

Getting here is a little tricky, with Denver Airport a 350 mile drive through the mountains from Telluride. There is an airport in Telluride itself, however flight options are limited to regional connections to Denver, CO and Phoenix, AZ. Note, however, that Telluride Airport’s position high up in the valley means it is susceptible to weather closures in the winter and may not be suitable for nervous fliers! We’d recommend flying to Montrose, around 75 minutes to the north, or taking in Telluride as part of an extended road trip taking in other resorts along the way, such as Crested Butte, Silverton, Wolf Creek, and Taos across the border in New Mexico.

• Telluride airport: >30 mins
• Montrose airport: 1.5 hours
• Denver airport: 7 hours