Durango Downhill Skiing

Downhill skiing in Durango is fantastic. Winters here tend to be sunny and mild, with the occasional storm that dumps loads of dry powder in the mountains. We lack the glitz and high prices of other Colorado ski areas, but instead have awesome skiing, a friendly and mellow town, and lots of affordable options for lodging and dining.

Within a half-hour of town is Durango Mountain Resort (formerly known as Purgatory). The terrain is 23% beginner, 51% intermediate, and 26% advanced/expert. Over 40 miles of trails cover 1,200 acres of skiable terrain within a 2,500 acre area. The mountain receives over 260 inches of snow annually, much of it in overnight snowfalls followed by bluebird days. This phenomenon has earned us the #1 ranking in North America for winter weather.

New improvements for the 2000-2001 season include a six passenger high-speed super chair that takes riders to the top of the mountain in less than 6 minutes, Purgy's Slopeside restaurant, new ski and snowboard programs for families and children, a nighttime lesson center, a 25% increase in snowmaking capacity, and Star Safari, our new mountaintop star-gazing program. Purgatory and Durango Mountain Resort have long been a favorite with skiers and snowboarders from all over - but with a renewed commitment to serving their guests, and $5 million in improvements this year, we think you'll notice a difference.

For mountain information and reservations, call Durango Central Reservations, 800-982-6103, or log on to their website, www.durangomountainresort.com.

Other great options if you don't mind a longer drive are Telluride (2.5 hours away) and Wolf Creek (about 2 hours away).

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