Telluride, Colorado (winter)
SKI SKI SKI SKI SKI!!!!! The is my new favorite mountain to ski.





- More about your Oliver Guide: Courtney Celeste Fisch
- Trip type: Adult, Family, Group getaway, Solo, Mountains
- Activity level: high
- Ideal length of trip: I have bumped my ski trips to 10 days (when I can.). Getting the kids into 7-8 days of ski school really allows them to progress. NO LESS THAN 7 DAY TRIP
to & from
Word on the street is that more and more direct flights are opening into Montrose. Great for those wanting to get there— but it also means word is getting out just how special Telluride is. Once arriving in Montrose you can take a shared ride via Telluride Express. The transport is clean and comfortable and you the drivers have so much intel it is a joy to just listen to them chat about the towns you pass on the way in.
- There is a private airstrip in Telluride. Not an airport- I’ll call it an airstrip. And it practically hangs off the edge of a mountain. But if you must insist on flying in on the jet- your call.
- Driving options vary. Denver can be roughly 6.5 hours and Grand Junction is approximately 2.5/3 hours. Albuquerque and Santa Fe are roughly 6 hours away. In the winter- weather is most often the determining factor. It can actually be a better drive to gauge when coming up from the south.
Where to Stay
Where to stay is dependent on several factors. Do you experience altitude sickness? If yes, you may prefer to stay in the town of Telluride. Do you want to stumble into ski school? Stay in the Mountain Village. Do you enjoy the hustle and bustle of a cool and trending town? Stay in the town of Telluride although the gondola connecting the two runs until midnight and even later on some occasions.
- In our book- Element 52 is the ultimate stay- and where we plan on staying next time we go. This is because we personally love the town of Telluride (the coffee shops, bakery, food, shopping and feeling you are in a town and not just a vacation destination.). Element 52 is an Auberge resort and offers all the luxury you would expect. Most importantly- it is across the street from the gondola. We imagine grabbing our coffee and croissants and eating on the ride up.
- Peaks Hotel and Resort– Mountain Village. We chose to stay in one of the cabins at the Peaks Forever Village. The selling factor- access to their enormous pool and spa facilities. Many parents (including us) were shaking our heads that we spend so much on these ski trips yet when asking the kids what their favorite part was the unanimous decisions as always “THE SLIDE!!!” Yes, there is a water slide by their indoor pool. And they can swim inside/outside when it is snowing and 0 degrees outside. We would swim after ski, grab a happy hour cocktail while waiting for takeout from the restaurant and then eat at home so the kiddos could melt into bed. The cabin was a comfortable and warm accommodation. We were living in a home rather than a hotel room, and there is something to be said about that.
- Hotel Fairmont- Franz Klammer Lodge, Mountain Village. Were were often told it can be a tossup between the Fairmont and the Peaks. The location of the Fairmont cannot be beat- it practically wraps around the The Village Express/Lift #4. And it is a Fairmont Hotel. . . So there is an expectation that it will be pretty nice (to say the least.)
- Madeline Hotel, Mountain Village. This is another Auberge resort. Ski and and Ski out- with the valet standing in the snow waiting for you. Full service luxury- and the ice skating rink is right outside although we never saw it open (not certain what the deal was with that.)