Telluride Hotels

Off Season

2009-10-07T10:23:00.000-07:00

In Telluride, it's pretty easy to get distracted when we're between seasons. The weather is not good for hiking, biking, and spending long afternoons on the River Trail. Things aren't as busy at work as they were earlier this year, and everyone is just ready for snow, winter, skiing, snowboarding, and everything that comes with the snow. Since Carter enjoys filling in for us while we're away, I thought I would take this opportunity to ask him about his favorite things to do during the off season. Carter, what can you tell us about off season? Resting is my favorite thing to do. I've had a very busy summer. Top of the list for summer activities: camping with Mom and Dad, marching in the 4th of July parade with my Bernese friends, and making sure everyone knows where I've been by shedding my dog hair. Dad says I'm going to need my fur. Apparently the snow is going to come soon- Snow . . . can't remember the snow. Dad says I LOVE the snow, but I can't remember what it's like. Is it like rain? I don't like the rain. Ah, well, I guess I'll just have to wait to see what snow is. While I'm napping I'll dream of camping . . . I love to camp.

Admittedly, Carter's not the smartest of dogs, so I applogize for the lack of information for off season. According to Carter's Dad, Chris Esch, Carter's favorite thing about off season is the extra attention he gets, even if it means posing for goofy pictures. Rentals in Telluride are available this off season and year round for you and your dog.

Fall!

2009-10-01T15:49:00.001-07:00

On Tuesday, I came to work and the feeling in town was unmistakable- PEAK. The colors here in Telluride peaked early this year, which is in line with the forecast for snow this week.

This year, the colors were mostly beautiful golds and they spread throughout the mountains from peak to base all at the same time creating beautiful golden mountains.

Because the sun was out, the weather made the view even better. A crisp autumn breeze was a constant reminder that it is fall and winter is on its way, but for now, just enjoy the warm sun and the stunning colors. Even with wind and a severe cold snap that brought snow, the leaves on the trees are holding fast. This weekend is a great time to head to Mountain Village for the Fall Festival. The Fall Tilt 12 hour bike race is October 3rd, hot dog eating contest featuring Mountain Village's own Diggity Dogs, live music, and beer tasting on Friday, and a raffle on Saturday. The event ends with an Ophir Pass climb on Sunday, October 4th followed by a BBQ at Ophir town hall. This weekend will be something to remember and probably end up being the source of more than one story for your grand kids to here. Come join us in Telluride and book your Telluride lodging today so you too can partake in the fall festivities.

Telluride Blues and Brews

2009-09-18T13:49:00.000-07:00

The Telluride Blues and Brews festival kicks off today with quite a lineup. The gates opened at 11:30am this morning and the first artist to hit the stage was Carolynn Wonderland. Her amazing vocals set the tone for what is to come for the weekend. After Carolynn Wonderland, Jason Ricci & New Blood hit the stage, and here is a picture of the band setting up. If you have children, you may be thinking that they won't be allowed into a festival called "Blues and Brews" and this would be a reasonable assumption. Of course, this festival takes place in Telluride, and people who love the town know that the normal social rules just don't apply here. Kids are not only allowed in the park, they are welcomed into the park with open arms. The park puts up a HUGE jumping castle , climbing wall, and plenty of food for kids and adults alike.

Who doesn't like music, beer, and corn dogs?
Telluride is a very eco-conscious town, and anytime you increase the population of your town by 200%, there is a lot of extra impact involved. All of our festivals, Blues and Brews included, work very hard to have as little negative impact as possible. Not only is there a recycling bin, compost bin, and trash bin on festival grounds, but the festival itself has a goal of being 100% carbon neutral. To help achieve this goal, festival goers have the opportunity to "green up" their tickets for an additional $2.50 per ticket. The extra money purchases 250 Kwh of renewable energy. To learn more about being green at the Telluride Blues and Brews festival, check out their web page at http://www.tellurideblues.com/M4/thinkgreen.html
If you decide to come just for the day, just for an evening, or for the whole weekend, you can expect great beer, great food, great music, and the opportunity to entertain the whole family.

Telluride Dog Days

2009-09-12T17:05:00.001-07:00

The sun was shining, the sky was blue, and it felt like summer. Lots of locals were out with their dogs and Telluride couldn't be a more pet friendly place. The favorite local hang out for dogs is the San Miguel River trail. There's something about the dirt trail that winds along the river that can excite even the most tame and serene of our four legged friends. Us humans don't mind taking them for that stroll because the view is spectacular. Yesterday the skies were blue, the air was warm, and it was easy to waste an hour just strolling along the path.

If you're a pet owner, then you know that pets usually have something other than a nice stroll in mind, especially if there's water and a ball involved.

In Telluride, there are lots of open green spaces perfect for training. Here a local is doing a double duty by helping her son with baseball practice while training her dog Zoe to be the best fielder in the world.

I'm not sure if Zoe will ever be the best fielder in the world, but she is definatly in the running for the cutest.

Telluride Film Festival

2009-09-02T15:29:00.001-07:00

This weekend the Telluride Film Festival will grace the sidewalks, theatres, and streets of Telluride. It is a very exciting time in town because the films being shown at the festival are not released to the public and you never know who you might see in town. For festival goers, it's a great opportunity to see movie stars in a fairly relaxed environment. It's also a great time to meet movie entheausists and have the opportunity to meet some people who have made a living-in one way or another- in the Silver Screen. As far as star watching, there are several people to watch out for- Nicholas Cage will in town and speaking on Sunday at the Court House, Viggo Mortensen may be in town; he was rumored to be having breakfast with Nicholas Cage this morning at the New Sheridan. Viggo Mortensen played Aragorn in Lord of the Rings and played Frank Hopkins in Hildago. Last night, the free movie in Elk's Park was Hildago, which undoubtly sparked the rumors about Viggo Mortensen.

Tonight, the schedlued free show in Elk's Park will be A Man and A Woman. These movies will be shown outside. These movies are open to the public, pet friendly, and as you can see, you can even bring your own chair.

Also speaking at the Court House for free will be Helen Mirren Saturday at 2pm. For those of us who aren't up on our who's who, Helen Mirren starred in Calander Girls, The Queen, and played Nicholas Cage's mother in National Treasure: Book of Secrets.

Nicholas Cage's new film Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans is scheduled to play Sunday at the Chuck Jones Cinema and the Galaxy theatre on Monday. Val Kilmer stars in this film with Nicholas Cage, so don't be surprised to see him roaming this small mountain town too.

As far as other movies to see An Education starring Emma Thompson is schedule to show on Friday at the Elk's theatre, Saturday and Sunday at the Palm, and on Sunday at the Galaxy. Novelist Nicholas Hornby adapted a memoir by Lynn Barber (a columnist from England) for the silver screen, so I'm sure it will make everyone's must see list.

The guest director is Alexander Payne. His current project is the HBO series "Hung" about an out-of luck school teacher who has an unusual after school job. Film Festivarians shouldn't be surprised to see any of the cast memebers in town.

Imogene Pass

2009-09-01T10:48:00.000-07:00

My husband and I recently went over Imogene for a weekend adventure. It took us about 5 hours, and we stopped to take photos, let their dogs run around, and hike a little. It was my first time over and I have to say that the views are stunning.

When we started out in Telluride, it was a little over 60 degrees outside.

Of couse, the higher we climbed in altitude, the colder it got. In this shot, you can see a piece of Telluride Town Park on the left, ski runs coming down the Mountains into Telluride, and bits and peices of buildings within the town.

We had a great view of waterfalls and Nicoli Telsa's house, but it was hard to capture those small details with a camera.

Going up, it was a beautiful day and we had blue skies most of the way.

Unfortunatly, the blue skies didn't last for long and by the time we made it to the top, it was raining. To be honest, it doesn't really rain at 13,000 feet, it's more like sleet. The temperature was about 40 degrees at the top.

Even with the cold weather, we had to get out to experience the beautiful views.

Our friends brought their dogs Addy and Tonka along for the ride. You can see Tonka in the picture above, and here they are playing in what's left of the snow. I have to admit that the surface of the aged snow looks a bit like pictures you see of the moon, but the dogs didn't seem to mind.

Living in Telluride, I have the opportunity to see the beautiful Rocky Mountains every day. At the height of 13000 feet, the Rocky Mountains look compeltly different and you feel like you're above them and looking at something that not everyone gets to see.

At the end of the day, the rain eventually gave way to blue skies and a beautiful rainbow coming down Imogene onto the Ouray side.

For the adventurous, the annual Imogene run will be held the weekend of September 12th. It should be a lot of fun for anyone interested in Mountian- speed running. For those of us who prefer a capable vehicle or leisurly hike, Imogene will be open every weekend until the snow sets in.

Duck-tastic

2009-08-09T15:36:00.001-07:00

Well sports fans, if you weren't in Telluride on Friday then you missed the biggest sports event of the year. For rubber ducks. Yes, the KOTO duck race was this Friday featuring little plastic yellow ducks "swimming" their little hearts out for their sponsors. There were 33 winning ducks this year, each winning prizes that ranged from a ski pass to lunch for two at Baked in Telluride. Children and adults of all ages watched in anticipation as ducks crossed the finish line- such an act of achievement for ducks who have been training all year for the big event. As the KOTO commentators put it, it's such a great opportunity to watch "rubber ducks coming together and racing together showing their ducknitude" to raise money for our local radio station, KOTO. It's also lots of fun to buy a duck and watch it wade down the river with 499 of its closest friends.

An event of this size probably raises questions- what happens to ducks who get lost on the way? Well, never fear, duck helpers are here. Volunteers for this great Telluride tradition wade the mighty waters of the San Miguel to assist ducks who may have lost their way, decided to rest on a rock, tried to walk across the finish line instead of swim, or just got stuck.

Good Day for some Golfing

2009-08-02T17:52:00.000-07:00

It’s hard to believe we are about halfway done with summer, and it wouldn’t be summer in Telluride without at least one round of golf.

A few weeks ago I decided that it was about time to get a round in. I had been trying to play for a few weeks but it seemed like every day I had off the weather wasn’t going to cooperate. I decided to take my chances and go golfing anyway (with my

rain jacket of course)

I’m not the best golfer; in fact I’m pretty bad. I got a lot of coaching from my boyfriend who plays about 3 rounds a week and is a lot better than I am.

Although I’m not very good, I still enjoy going out to play. The course is in such a beautiful location and the views from out there are just spectacular. About 4 holes in it started raining. We took cover at the halfway house and got some snacks while we were there. The rain only lasted about 10 minutes and we were able to continue playing.

One of the things I love about the golf course is all the wildlife. Hole 7 has a pond with some baby ducks that are just adorable, and hole 17 there is a rock wall where hundreds of Marmotte live.

The Telluride Golf Course is by far the most beautiful course I’ve ever played at, and I highly recommend getting a round in while you are visiting Telluride.

We have many different lodging options in the Mountain Village core that are within walking

distance of the Golf Course and would be perfect for a weekend of golfing.

Distracting Flora

2009-07-27T07:53:00.000-07:00

In the week after the Fourth of July Hoorah, it was my task to capture
some summer photos for the Mountain Village condos we manage. But I
got a little distracted.

The brilliance of the blue sky and warm sun lifted my heart, and each new flowering fold of the Village Core captured my attention. As I walked between the Dakota and Kayenta buildings, bleeding hearts dripped onto the stone walkways.

Wandering past the Conference Center, where banners snapped joyous colors into the wind and young people took turns on the climbing boulder, I was drawn to the blazing bed of red and salmon poppies. The duck pond nearby twined the exotic scent of blossoms with earthy zephyrs.

As I stepped into the stand of young aspens near the Peaks Resort, the understory of escaped domestic daisies and purple columbine rising to hip-high all around dazzled my eyes. The little creek that gives the Village Creek condos their name tumbled down, hidden under the tall grasses and boulders but offering its song.

With my spirit refreshed, I knew that this Sunday, I would be "going to church" high in the mountains, hiking to Hope Lake, surrounded by an amazing array of colors and fragrances. It was Wild Flower Peak, like none we've seen in a half-dozen summers. And I knew that it would be gone before I was ready. But then, it will be MUSHROOM season!!

(By Liza T., visiting blogger)

July Fourth in Telluride

2009-07-03T12:31:00.000-07:00

Telluride's 4th of July celebration is a big hit every year. The mountian weather isn't to hot, and today the sun is out, so it is the perfect time of year to celebrate the 4th of July in the Rocky Mountains.

The festivities for the 4th are always fun. This morning we had a small town parade. Instead of huge floats we have parading locals: some on horseback, some on motorcycles, all with huge smiles and all in the spirt of fun.

A ceremony introducing all local veterans as well as any veteran present who would like to be honored preceded the parade, which set the tone for a true celebration of the 4th of July.

Telluride is also proud to recognize Charlie Garbarini, a New York Fire Fighter and hero who participated in the September 11 rescue effort in New York City.

All of the 4th of July Telluride festivites are sponsored by the Telluride Firefighters. They sponsor the parade, have a bbq in Town Park, and are responsible for Telluride's fireworks display in the mountains. Hopefully the rain will hold out for a great fireworks show tonight.

Bluegrass

2009-06-25T13:25:00.000-07:00

Where can you listen to live music, surrounded by beautiful mountains, look up at the sky and see paragliders drifting down? On a Saturday evening surrounded by hundreds of my new best friends, I saw two paragliders swinging down from nearby mountains as Elvis Costello sang. I couldn't help but wonder if the paragliders were close enough to be serenaded by Elvis as they peacefully sway down.
The Telluride Bluegrass Festival was a big success. The weather held out for excellent camping, Elvis Costello was great, as were the Lovell Sisters (pictured) and David Byrne. After all of the campers packed up and the musicians were well on their way to the next gig, it was time for the town of Telluride to breathe for a few days, suffer through a little rain, and get ready for the wine festival.

The Wine Festival is this weekend; tickets are still available and the festival has grown in popularity the past few years with the wine makers of Napa Valley. With Citizen Cope concert tickets starting at just $28 per person and Sunday Brunch tickets available for $55 per person, the Wine Festival is an affordable way to experience Telluride with a wine glass in hand.

Telluirde Bluegrass

2009-06-19T08:19:00.000-07:00

The weather seems to be holding out for all of the campers and festival-goers in town. Last night David Byrne put on a great show that put everyone in the mood for a great weekend ahead. Tonight, Bela Fleck will play at 6:15, followed by Elvis Costello at 8, and Railroad Earth at 10. It should be a spectacular day of music for all ages to enjoy.

If you're sad that you haven't made your plans to come to Bluegrass and you are feeling up for a road trip, single day tickets and hotel rooms are still available, so come to Telluride this weekend for some amazing music and beautiful scenery.

Of course, some people come to Telluride because it is a beautiful, quiet and peaceful mountain town. If this is the vacation you're after, take advantage of our Tuesdays free special this week!

I've got a Friday pass, so I'll be sure to tell all about my Bluegrass experience tomorrow.

May in Telluride

2009-05-30T13:55:00.000-07:00

This week the town of Telluride is enjoying a little more down time before Summer fully begins. Locals are spending time rafting, fishing, horseback riding, and doing a lot of things people come here to do during a summer vacation. School isn't out quite yet- just one more week before graduation, but that hasn't stopped most of the kids of Telluride from wearing summer attire of flip flops, shorts, and tank tops. When the weather is in the mid to high 60's in the middle of the day, it is perfect for sundresses and short sleeves. You might be thinking that anything below 75 degrees is a little too cold for a sundress, but temperatures in the Rocky Mountains work differently. It must be something about being close to the sun, the mountain air, and stunning views. All I know is that 65 here feels perfect. If you do live in a place with overbearing summer heat and you're already staring to dread the humidity that comes with it, a great cure is a trip to Telluride. With rates starting at $79 a night for this week, it's a great time to be in the mountains. For those of you interested in planning ahead, June 5-8 is the Telluride Jazz Festival and the Telluride Balloon Festival. My favorite part of the Balloon festival is the balloon glow on main street. All of the hot air balloon participants line up on main street and dusk they put on quite a show. This year's line up for Jazz Festival isn't bad either and includes the Rebirth Brass Band from New Orleans, Bill Frisell, and Christian Scott.

Mountain Film Continued

2009-05-22T15:44:00.000-07:00

The best thing about Mountain Film is that it is a film festival about real things and if you attend the festival, you have the opportunity to meet people involved in a wide range of issues. Many years ago I attended the London Film Festival. I had a blast and saw a lot of movies, a few stars, and while one film I saw was based on the truths of human trafficing, it was still a fictional film about fictional characters living fictional lives. That's what's so great about the movies- you have a chance to escape. Mountain Film offers you an opportunity to do more than just escape, it gives you the chance to travel to places you never thought possible. Today I saw Samsara. It is an amazing film about the journey of three climbers attempting to climb the impossible Meru- a peak in Inda's Vindhya Mountain range. The unique thing about Samsara is that it literally takes you to where no video camera and only a handful of people have ever been before. It was filmed by one of the climbers, Renan Ozturk, and he as well as his other partners in this climb, Conrad Anker and Jimmy Chin are at the festival happy to answer questions and mingle with a probably less adventurous crowd. The opportunity to meet people who are passionate about important issues, activists in these issues, and capture them on film. In the case of Samsara, the Mountain Film Festival in Telluride gives festival goers the opportunity to meet world class climbers. If you still don't have any plans for memorial day weekend, come to the Telluride Mountain Film Festival.

Memorial Day Weekend in Telluride

2009-05-21T09:55:00.000-07:00

If you are facing a long weekend and don't know what to do, consider coming to Telluride. There is no more snow and our spring colors are out (Spring in the Mountains starts in May, not March). If you are worried about the weather ruining a hiking trip, then just plan to duck into a movie. The Telluride Mountain Film Festival is this weekend. Movies start Friday night and continue through Monday morning. This festival has always had a focus on independent films about Mountain Life around the world and Telluride is the perfect setting for this Festival. After spending significant time browsing through the festival guide, I have a long list of movies that I would like to see and I'm sure I won't have enough time to see them all. There is a series of six films on the National Parks of the US by Ken Burns entitled, "National Parks: America's Best Idea". The series follows the story of the National Parks from conception through 1980 and promises to offer a story with amazing footage and a new perspective on our National Park system. I also hope to get a chance "Burma VJ"; it looks absolutely fascinating. It is a film that follows the uprising of Buddhist monks and students as they joined together against the oppression of their own government. The country of Burma has been closed since 1962, but footage of the uprising in 2007 was smuggled out of Burma and shared with the world. On the lighter side, "Rock Prophecies" is a film following the photographer Robert Knight; he has a knack for finding rock legends pre-stardom. Mountain Film tickets are still available from their website at http://www.mountainfilm.org/

Sunshine Shining in Telluride

2009-04-22T15:21:00.000-07:00

Or at least it will soon. The snow is slowly going away and you can see the dirt on the "sunny side" of the hill peeping through our slowly melting snowpack. We've had several snowstorms that have dumped a few inches on us after the ski area closed April 12th, but now it looks like the winter storms have passed and there only be light snow flurries before summer comes.

We've had some changes in our offices at Telluride Alpine Lodging- we aquired Resortquest Telluride and with most of their properties, we have also recieved some of their employees- Shaunda in Sales and Sara in Owner Services. This off season, we'll be working on updating our websites and getting all of our sales agents familiar with all of our properties.

Someone asked me a very interesting question- what is there to do in Telluride during the off season? This will be a great time to explore some of those options. The Wilkinson Public Library is a nice place to visit, for kids to get out of the sun, to have free access to the internet, catch up on your daily news, and attend a weekly program. Tonight at 6pm the library will host a program called, "Beyond Shamanic Visions". This program will explore the similarities between ceremonial activities in Northern Indians and Native American sites. April 29th the Library will host a program, "Where You End and I Begin" and on the 30th, "Just the Facts: Obama's first 100 days".

The Nugget Theatre on Main Street is also still open- this week they will be showing, "The Wrestler" in a one night showing April 23rd courtesy of Telluride Film Festival. Tonight and tomorrow they will be showing "I Love You, Man", this weekend "Coriline" and next week as well as this weekend- "Fast and the Furious"

If you're planning a night out on the town, you'll also want to plan dinner. Brown Dog is open for business- pizza, burger, beer, and hot wings among other dishes will make your night out perfect.

More off season ideas to come, but for now, just enjoy a break and the ability to walk down mainstreet without getting in the way of someone trying to take a picture of Ajax.

Henry V in Telluride

2009-03-22T11:15:00.000-07:00

Thursday night I had the pleasure of attending Henry V presented by the Guthrie Theatre. They put on a great play at the Palm Theatre that was a complete un-edited version of this Shakespearean classic. I have to admit that I was a little surprised at how exactly un-edited the version was; with minimal props, a minimal set, and simple costumes all of the spectacle of the play relied on the performance of its actors. One of the great things about the Palm's relationship with the Telluride School District is that some of the actors were able to put on a workshop for some students at the school. Being a strong advacote of both theatre and youth education in professions outside of the norm, I am very glad to know that kids here have the opportunity to exposed to young professional actors. Upcoming events at the Palm include the Ballet Folkorico Quetzalli de Vera Cruz featuring "traditional Vera Cruz, Mexico dance, costuming, and music" and another MET at the Palm production- La Sonnambula (The Sleepwalker); an Italian Opera Composed by Bellini and brought to Telluride in the form of an HD brodcast.

Fast, Cheap, and Good in Telluride

2009-03-10T07:42:00.000-07:00

The snow is blowing in with a vengeance today proving to all of Telluride that the ski season is not over yet. According to Telluride Ski Resort's website we've had five inches just in the past 24 hours. Since the snow didn't really start coming in until well after 6pm last night, I think we can safely say that most of the 5 inches of accumulation we have fell in the past 12 hours, and it's still coming down. With the new ski hill hours of 10am-5pm today promises to be the beginning of an excellent week for afternoon skiing. To start off your day on the hill, I highly recommend stopping by the Window- located at the base of lift 7. This morning the snow was quickly compiling, and the wind was blowing so cold I couldn't tell I had on a coat; on top of the weather, I accidentally left my gloves at home and my hands were freezing. In spite of my need to get inside as quickly as possible, I stopped at the Window this morning and tried a blueberry muffin- it was huge, full of bran, blueberries, and cinnamon, and it was even still a little warm in the middle- yumm.

Just perfect for a quick treat on a snowy day; in fact, my muffin was so good I forgot all about being a little cold. For about $7 including tip you can have a filling breakfast with a hot drink that is ready to be eaten while you're riding up lift 7 or walking to work (as I was). Remember that it is not too late to book your perfect ski vacation; we have everything from hotel rooms to homes available for the next few weeks, and if you're looking for a deal- from March 23rd to the end of season we have lift and lodging packages available starting at $99.50 per person per day.

Telluride's Tatum Tice

2009-03-04T14:48:00.000-08:00

Tatum Tice is a beautiful two year old girl who is trying her hand at skiing. She's a Telluride baby and I'm sure she'll catch onto skiing soon and be chasing Ruby Tanguay down Telluride Trail before you know it. But for now, she needs mom's help. Mom is Amy Tice; Telluride Alpine Lodging's very own reservations manager. Amy is a Telluride local, went to school in Telluride, as did her husband, the man behind the camera, Todd Tice. Todd is part owner of the Toggery clothing store located on Main Street in Telluride. You should stop by and see what's on sale; I'm sure it's something you can't live without. Amy and Todd have two children, Gavin and Tatum. As you can see, Gavin is quite helpful when it comes to teaching his little sister how to ski. Gavin has been skiing since he was two years old, so you can see by how focused he is as they ride up the bunny slope that at 5, Gavin is an expert and ready to show Tatum how it's done. Come join Tatum and the Tice family on the ski hill. After all, in Telluride, there's no telling who you'll see. Tatum is ready, aren't you?

Telluride Fun for Free

2009-02-25T11:48:00.000-08:00

The Sunday at the Palm series is a great program supported by the Telluride Film Festival. This Sunday, they are showing the children's anime film Spirited Away. The movie is about a little girl trying to help her parents who have turned into pigs. The film is rated PG and is open to the public for FREE! It starts at 4pm and the run time is 1 hr 24 min.

The Palm also has an exciting new program featuring Metropolitan Opera performances. Live matinee performances are broadcast in HD and recorded. I have had a sneak peek at the recording and can tell you that the sound is amazing and the video is stunning. These performances are a great way to introduce Opera to new fans, and an excellent way for people who love Opera to see world renown singers without traveling travelling the world. The broadcast includes interviews with the cast right after they come off stage and a behind the scenes look at how the set is put together as you watch the scene changes that happen during intermission. With tickets starting at just $24, the palm is truly making an effort to bring Opera to everyone. You can experience the Met in the Mountains of Telluride on Friday, March 13th at 7pm. The palm will be showing Puccini's Madame Butterfly. This production is directed by Anthony Minghella, the movie director, and has dancers and puppets performed by the Blind Summit Theatre. Lead roles are performed by Cristina Gallardo-Domâs, Maria Zifchak, Marcello Giordani, and Dwayne Croft.

Snowshoeing Adventures

2009-02-17T09:24:00.000-08:00

While Telluride is mostly known for its downhill skiing in the winter, there are a lot of other fun winter sports going on as well. A few Sundays ago, a local girl scout troop enjoyed a guided snowshoeing adventure on the ski mountain. We enjoyed incredible views and incredible snow. The girls had as much fun falling as snowshoeing. What a great opportunity to appreciate the beauty of nature and enjoy winter! Guided snowshoe tours are offered every day at 10:00, starting right outside the ski school office in Mountain Village.

Be sure to look for the same local girl scout troop around town; it's Girl Scout Cookie Time!

Ruby takes on Telluride Trail

2009-02-12T08:38:00.000-08:00

Let me begin by saying that I am not an advanced skier. While the footage from last month's entry is amazing- courtesy of fellow sales team members Chris Esch and Hart Roberts- it's just not my speed. One question we get a lot is, "is the mountain ok for beginner skiers." I can say with the up most confidence- yes, it is.

Instead of pictures of Frank Ruggeri and myself trying to tackle
lift ten, we have evidence of something much more encouraging.

Ruby Tanguay is a fearless girl who is ready to conquer everything that Telluride has to offer. Well, maybe not everything just yet, but at least parts of the ski hill. She's the daughter of Liza and Eric Tanguay. Liza is also a sales team member at TAL, Eric is on ski patrol at the ski area. Ruby is only four years old and already well on her way to becoming an expert skier. In fact, she has already skied down Telluride Trail all by herself!

If you're a beginner adult and thinking about lessons, don't think you'll be skiing with four year-olds. Telluride Ski Resort works very hard to match all group lessons with same age and experience skiers. After all, not all of us have had the same opportuities as Ruby.

Mountain Village Snow Scluptures

2009-02-05T11:13:00.000-08:00

If you're wondering what Telluride has to do other than skiing, you should try your hand at snow sculpting. Snow sculpting goes beyond your average snow man and transforms the snow into true works of art. For inspiration, you can visit any one of Telluride's beautiful galleries or you can simply see the results from this weekned. Here are some pictures of my favorite sculpture.

2009-01-29T14:45:00.000-08:00

Check out the fresh tracks we got yesterday. Stay tuned for more info about our day playing hooky from work and enjoying all the Telluride has to offer this winter!

Revelation Bowl – insiders peek on Telluride Colorado's latest and greatest

2009-01-21T14:52:00.000-08:00

First important point about the Revelation Bowl is that the slope is facing east which makes it more pleasant when sitting on the chair lift during colder days. This can make a huge difference on a nasty day as it provides a nice bit of sunshine on an otherwise bitter cold day. Another observation is that the slope has different angles. This makes it technically more interesting without being super hard to ski..a key for people to know about. I think that some might hear “revelation bowl” and think it sounds scary and hard to ski..but it’s not.
The bowl is a great new area to explore and we had a great time. As usual the snow was in perfect condition and we had a marvelous family vacation in Telluride. If you have questions on your next vacation to Telluride or about skiing here, be sure to call Telluride Alpine lodging at 800.376.9769

Fair Weather Deals

2009-01-20T07:55:00.000-08:00

Most Telluride locals (myself included) have been a little happy about the unseasonably warm weather and sunny days. It makes for excellent spring-like skiing conditions and keeps people in town happy. Let's face it-no one likes a grumpy waitress. Here at Telluride Alpine Lodging, we're enjoying the last few days of sunshine before we head into snow this weekend. Skiers are looking forward to some powder days and I'm glad Telluride will be able to accommodate them. Speaking of accommodations, we have affordable one bedroom condos available this weekend. If you're thinking about traveling up with a group of friends, please give us a call. The Caskey House, one of our featured properties, is available this weekend. Call us and we'll book this beautiful four bedroom home for the price of a three bedroom condo; saving you over $400/nt. Feel free to tell us about your experience in Telluride in one of our properties or on the mountain. If you haven't made it to Telluride yet- this weekend would be perfect for you.

Winter in Telluride; Great Weather, Great Rates

2009-01-16T15:22:00.000-08:00

Well our company has gone through some changes so we dropped the ball on our Blog, but I'm going to be updating it regurally starting today. Martin Luther King weekend in Telluride is always busy. The January snow has never been better, Hart Roberts, a local in Telluride, rec skiier, and our newest res agent highly recommends Genevieve and Plunge. Liza Tanguay, another res agent and 15 year local went up for the first time on Monday (we've been busy!). The weather wasn't the best, but the snow was "styrophomey" giving the ability to get a good edge on your ski. Also, when Liza went up she experienced no lift lines and claims that the guys operating chair 9-the Plunge lift, looked a little bored. The general consensus here in the office is to come to Telluride. We have great lift and lodging packages availalbe, affordable rooms available for this weekend, plenty of snow, and sunny weather in the forecast.

Behind the Green Curtain: More About Us

2008-09-25T07:56:00.000-07:00

"Pay no attention to that man behind the green curtain!" --Wizard of Oz
So who is behind our Green Curtain? Not All Powerful, but it is a fun & dynamic team. So I'd like to introduce everyone to some of the players.

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Let's start with our most recent addition to the sales crew, Wynn Hurd. She was Wynn Allen when she moved into reservations from the front desk role in November 2007. Then she went and got married!

Here's Wynn in June.

Originally from Louisiana, Wynn went north to Boston University for her degree in history with a minor in theatre. (Later, she'll tell you how she found Telluride.) She returned to New Orleans for The Big Day. But when the newlyweds got back home, she confided that if she did it all again, she would rather have had the wedding here after all. Tell us more, Wynn.

Liza's right, I should have gotten married in Telluride just for the mountain views.

I met my husband, Brandon, in Atlanta. He was already a resident of Telluride and tried to convince me to move to Telluride too. A little weary of this place in the Rocky Mountains I had never heard of, I told Brandon that I would visit, but I was not going to move. The view of Ajax my first morning in Telluride was breathtaking. After about an hour of wondering, I found myself applying for and accepting a job offer and moved to Telluride just three weeks later. I blame my spontaneity on Telluride's unmatched mountain views, and their persuasion has served me well. Brandon and I are homeowners in Norwood and have two dogs, Zippy (a Jack Russell) and Raven (a Lab/Pitt). January 1st will be the first day of my third year in Telluride. My favorite time of year to go for hikes is October. The weather is perfect-not very hot and just enough breeze to keep you cool. Fall storms in Telluride come with plenty of warning, and the golden leaves of Aspen trees are stunning.

Welcome

2008-08-27T12:12:00.000-07:00

Welcome to our BLOG
So the wise have thought we should have a blog. And since we don't want to be left in the dust (though being stuck in a dead-end hanging valley on the Western Slope of Colorado definitely qualifies as being Out Of The Loop), here goes! And we really don't know where it will go. So just follow (or lead) for a while.

FALL FOLIAGE is the current excitement here. The first heavy frost for the Telluride Valley Floor was last Thursday (9/4), so the clock is now ticking for those buttery golden aspen leaves. We've started an office pool, picking the "peak" foliage date, and then the "drop" date.

Since "peak" is relatively subjective, we appointed Frank Ruggeri (with his decades of Rocky Mountain Leaf-Peeping experience) to be the final judge of this year's most brilliant display date. This is a photo from Sept. 27, 2006:
(I took this shot while driving through the horrendous Keystone Hill construction on our way to a wedding. What a gorgeous weekend for a wedding!)

So here are the dates picked for PEAK so far:

David (native, accounting): Sept. 16
Frank (keen aspen observer, owner): Sept. 29
Liza (ex-river rat, sales): Oct. 4
Wynn (recent transplant, sales): Oct. 10

I'll let you know what the rest of the crew picks later this week.
-- Liza T.

9/17/08 I keep meaning to grab a photo of the color-changing progress each morning, while the sky is crystaline September blue (it kinda shimmers this time of year), but then the clouds pop up by lunch time, and I've missed the shot. ...Tomorrow. Fer Shur.

Days seems to be hurdling by right now, careening ahead toward ski season. One little voice says, "No! Summer can't be over already." Another counts days (71) until the lifts are running again. Meanwhile, there's a little alarm clock going off somewhere in the gut warning of the need to get things done. I think it's an old (really old - like Cambrian) clock sculpted into us by eons of harvest seasons. And did you see that full moon the other night? Wow! It made the festival feeling seep right out of town and soak all the mountains and mesas around.OK-photo, tomorrow (or check out the webcams at visittelluride.com and tellurideskiresort.com)

Taken 9am Sept. 18, 2008. Looking across the main street from the front door of the reservations office toward Lift #8 (Oak Street Lift). That's Needle Rock on the far left horizon.

9/24/08:
The reservations staff just returned from Snowmass, where they attended a conference put on by the company that makes our reservations software (Instant Software). The drive over on Thursday was quite nice. But the drive back on Sunday was quite amazing. In those 4 short days, the amount of yellow blazing across the hillsides and down through the valleys doubled!

Box Elder trees are phasing out deep green and becoming powdery pale yellow; willows and narrow-leaf cottonwoods are sporting tweed of green, brown and gold. Here are the photos from Monday, when the sky turned blustery:

This is the stand of aspens near Lift #8 (Oak Street Lift) that always turns first. Right on time.

As we look toward another ski season, have you checked out "Dave's Blog" on the Telluride Ski Resort's website?

http://blog.tellurideskiresort.com/blogs/davesblog/default.aspx

The summer crews are working like mad to get all their new stuff built before the snow sets in. And it's alot of new stuff -- the San Joaquin Lift, avalanche control guns, new signs. Go Dogs, Go!

9/29/08: IT'S HAPPENING!!!!

Do we live in a great place, or what?!!

I took these yesteday, and today there's even MORE color! For my personal taste, the PEAK FOLIAGE day is going to be tomorrow or the next day. We'll get Frank's opinion, though he's on vacation today and may have to defer to a consensus of staff.

The Pioneer Day Parade and family games were held in Norwood this past weekend. The weather couldn't have been better. Homemade floats (hay wagons with log cabin scenes recreated on them), horses & riders all decked out, Colorguard of local veterans, candidates 'pressing flesh' as the parade made its way down main street and back -- you really can't stage anything more authentically down-home. The games are hosted by the Historical Society, with age-group heats: dash, 3-legged race, gunnie-sack race, shoe toss & shoe relay, egg toss, and nail-driving. The chuck-wagon style BBQ kept energy up throughout the day. And the sound of backyard cook-outs rang across Wrights Mesa well past dark. All this, just 35 miles as the crow flies from Telluride.

10/6/08

OMG!!!!

The Colors are Brilliant! The mountains are on fire!

Here are the most recent photos:

Last Thursday --

And from Monday, Oct. 6:

PEAK!!!!! (are we peaking??)

So the Winner Is......

Liza -- who selected Oct. 4. (2 days off)

Wynn was second, with Oct. 10 (4 days). Frank was 7 days early, and Chris 7 days late.