The following guide was sponsored in partnership with Visit Telluride. 

---

Telluride, Colorado, is one of the most beautiful places in North America.

In addition to the world-class skiing, gorgeous high-alpine scenery, and mountain town vibes that rival any other ski resort in the United States, it's a community full of passionate, loving people who always know how to have a great time.

I've had the pleasure of taking countless trips to explore every nook and cranny that Telluride has to offer. From music festivals surrounded by gushing waterfalls in the summer, to deep mid-winter powder days where every turn is better than the last.

Before jumping into the details of exploring the ski resort, let's get started with a quick overview of the mountain, weather, and where to begin your journey to Telluride.

---

Telluride Resort Overview

Telluride offers 2,000 acres of skiable terrain, accessed by 18 lifts and 125 trails. The mountain stretches from a base elevation of 8,725 feet to a summit elevation of 12,750 feet.

Our friends at Zrankings list Telluride's True Annual Snowfall at 276 inches.

41% of the mountain is considered difficult terrain, 36% intermediate, and 23% easy. 50% of the mountain features a north-facing aspect, 33% west-facing, 10% east-facing, and 7% south-facing

The lift operating hours run from 9:00 am - 4:00 pm (weather and lift depending).

---

Getting to Telluride

There are multiple ways to get to Telluride.

You can fly directly from Denver to Telluride via the Denver Air Connection (less than an hour) or by flying directly from several major airports across the country to Telluride and Montrose.

Telluride and Montrose offer direct flights from 13 major U.S. hubs on six airlines.

• MTJ: Montose
• TEX: Telluride

The Telluride Regional Airport (TEX) is 10 minutes from both Telluride and Mountain Village, while the Montrose Regional Airport (MTJ) is a beautiful 90-minute drive.

Several transportation companies provide service from Telluride to Montrose.

Rental cars are also available at the Montrose Airport, but I recommend the ground transportation option, as once you arrive in Telluride, a car isn't necessary.

Flights: Getting to Telluride

---

Telluride Lift Tickets

The resort offers flexible single-day tickets and an unlimited season pass option. Their partnership with the Epic Pass also provides 7 days of skiing and riding. Reservations are not required.

Lift Tickets: Telluride

---

Staying in Telluride

Telluride and Mountain Village have a plethora of hotels, condos, and vacation rentals, including many ski-in/ski-out lodging specials from 30% off for the 2025-26 ski season.

You can stay in downtown Telluride to be within walking distance of the ski lifts and restaurants, or in Mountain Village at the base of the ski resort.

Mountain Village has a great selection of restaurants and is only a short gondola ride from downtown Telluride. The gondola from Mountain Village to the town of Telluride is free and the only transportation system of its kind in the United States.

On my most recent trip in early February 2026, my family and I stayed at a property in Telluride, which was conveniently located within walking distance of downtown, the gondola, as well as the Oak Street Lift and Lift 7.

Lodging & Hotels: Telluride

---

Telluride Snow & Weather

There's one ingredient that makes nearly every resort in Colorado special compared to the rest of the United States – elevation. 

As OpenSnow Founding Meteorologist Joel Gratz mentions in this article, "high elevation means colder temperatures. With colder temperatures, mountains can make snow early in the season to ensure terrain is open, and snow can stick around longer into the spring."

Another advantage of having a higher elevation is fluffy snow. In general, colder temperatures help the atmosphere to create fluffier, lighter snowfall. The average of all winter storms in Colorado drops snow at a ratio of 15 inches of snow to 1 inch of liquid (15:1). Telluride reaps the benefits with an abundance of fluffy, powder snow.

When moving air hits a mountain and is forced to rise up and over the mountain, it is called orographic lift.

Due to the topography of Colorado and where Telluride is situated along the west side of the San Juan Mountains, we typically want air that is rising from the west, west-southwest, and west-northwest as it funnels into Colorado for Telluride.

Here's a recent example of the snow stacking up on Telluride's snow stake cam with a wind direction out of the west-southwest. This February 12-20, 2026, storm cycle delivered over 3 feet of snowfall, setting up excellent conditions on the mountain.

The next time you're searching for that perfect powder day at Telluride, check the hourly and daily forecast on OpenSnow for light winds (<15 mph), cold temperatures (5°F-10°F), and a wind primarily out of the west.

---

Skiing Telluride Ski Resort

Depending on where you're staying, Telluride has multiple options for where to start your day. My go-to is typically Chair 8 (Oak Street Lift), as you're able to jump on the high-speed Plunge Lift (Chair 9) for quick access to the entire mountain.

The view from the summit of Plunge, looking west at the Wilson Group (three 14,000-foot mountains) and the La Sal Mountains on the border of Utah, never disappoints.

From here, you can drop into multiple zones. This always varies depending on whether or not there is fresh snow and if you need to warm up your legs on a groomer.

On my most recent trip, I opted for a few laps down Bushwacker and Lookout back to Chair 9 (Plunge Lift). These are both steep and fast groomers to help get the blood pumping, with great views across the Box Canyon.

After getting the legs warmed up, it's fun to make your way towards the back and begin exploring the numerous runs of Chair 5 (Polar Queen) and Chair 6 (Apex).

The photo above is of the trees, skier's right, off of Apex. This is an excellent zone to lap on storm days, thanks to empty lift lines and free refills in the gladed terrain.

The groomers off Chair 5 (Polar Queen) Lift during dry periods are super fun. You can also take a break at the Bon Vivant for classic country French cuisine, wine, crepes, and hot chocolate.

From there, I always make my way over to Prospect and Black Iron Bowl off of Chair 12 (Prospect). This area features some of the best hike-to terrain in Colorado, and when you throw Palmyra Peak into the mix, it's up there with the best in the lower 48.

Prospect Ridge offers access to several double-black diamond and extreme-rated terrain, including Westlak, Dihedral Chute (below), and my personal favorite, Mountain Quail. 

The following photos are looking back up from the exit of Black Iron Bowl. Feel free to ask Ski Patrol what is skiing well, and stay patient during significant storm cycles for this terrain to open.

Wrapping up the day typically consists of making my way back to the front side of the mountain, for a final cruiser down Milk Run, which is skier's left off of Chair 7.

Smooth, fast, groomer turns with a hero view of Telluride.

This is my favorite run on the entire mountain and a perfect way to end the day. This will get you back to the base area, either at the base of the Gondola or Chair 7.

You can't go wrong with where to enjoy après.

My personal favorites in town are Oak, Brown Dog Pizza, and Last Dollar Saloon, or Telluride Brewing Brew Pub, and Tomboy Tavern, back up at the base of Mountain Village via the free Gondola.

---

Final Thoughts

Telluride checks all the essential boxes to make this a world-class ski destination:

• Arguably the best mountain town in Colorado.
• Steep, high-alpine terrain with stunning 360-degree views.
• Family-friendly with great beginner slopes from Mountain Village.
• Vibrant après scene, including Tips Up Fri-Yay.
• Fantastic restaurants and non-skiing activities.

Even though I reside in a Colorado mountain town four hours away, my family always looks forward to our yearly pilgrimage down to Telluride for a secluded San Juan escape. I recommend that you do the same.

---

Visit Telluride.com for all lodging, event, and other ski-related information.

---

OpenSnow Resources

Snow Forecast & Report: Telluride

Daily Snow Forecast: Colorado

Download: OpenSnow App

Sam Collentine

---

This guide was sponsored in partnership with Visit Telluride.