Skiing

When the mining industry declined in the 1950s, Telluride nearly became a ghost town. Then in 1972 the entrepreneur Joe Zoline opened a ski resort here with five lifts and a day lodge. Today the area boasts 2,000 acres of runs, including some of the most challenging in Colorado. The slopes can accommodate up to 22,386 skiers per hour, but 8,110 is the largest daily number recorded so far, so lift lines are never a problem. Lift 4, the Village Express, is the most useful for anyone staying in Mountain Village. The most notorious expert trails include Plunge and Bushwacker on the Telluride-facing side of the mountain. See Forever is good for relative beginners who don’t want to miss the views from the top, and Sundance is popular with snowboarders. After a big snow, insiders look forward to skiing the “hike to” terrain off Bald Mountain (“Baldy”) and in Black Iron Bowl. Most hotels have affiliations with local ski outfitters and can arrange for equipment rentals on site, or you can visit the many shops along Main Street and in Mountain Village.