Durango Mountain Resort – Purgatory Ski Area

purgatory at durango mountain resortSki and snowboard this season at Durango Mountain Resort, continually rated #1 Winter Weather by SKI Magazine readers.

Great Snow ~ Great Weather
Uncrowded Trails ~ Short Lift Lines

 

Once the snow falls, Purgatory at Durango Mountain Resort becomes a paradise for winter sports enthusiasts. An ideal location to enjoy a beautiful Colorado Ski Vacation. Purgatory offers skiers and snowboarders the chance to savor spectacular winter fun!

Durango Mountain Resort offers 40 miles of groomed terrain and 75 trails. The terrain offers 23% beginner, 51% intermediate, and 26% advanced/expert. An average of 260 inches of snow a year (over 21 feet) blankets the mountain.

 

The ski area is an easy 30-minute drive from downtown Durango and no mountain passes to cross. Shuttles to and from the ski area are also available during ski season. It’s long known that the San Juan Mountains with its majestic Needles and La Plata Ranges jutting up around the resort provide views compared more commonly to the Alps than the Rockies. Jean-Claude Killy called it “the most beautiful scenery this side of the Italian Alps.” In a recent SKI Magazine readers’ poll, Durango Mountain Resort gets picked as #1 for best weather among North American resorts!

Purgatory spans more than 2,400 acres with 723 acres of maintained terrain. 40 miles of groomed Nordic trails are blanketed by 240 inches of snow. 10 chairlifts serve the 75 trails, of which the longest is two miles. Purgatory has been the recipient of many honors and accolades. It was chosen as the triple World Cup site by the National Off-Road Bicycling Association. In addition, Snow Country Magazine ranked it “the second-least-crowded ski area on the continent.”

The resort is easily accessible by airport. It offers many choices in lodging, restaurants and entertainment, both on-site facilities as well as nearby Durango which is world-famous as a tourist destination. Home of the Durango-Silverton train ride, Durango is a historic mining town with Victorian charm and history, restaurants, music, festivals, shopping, dinner sleigh rides and snowmobiling.

Durango was honored by SKI Magazine as one of America’s Top 10 Ski Towns. Yet summer is Durango’s busiest season, a windfall for skiers seeking extra value. When snow falls, so do Durango’s lodging prices.

Improvements include new ski and snowboard programs for families and children, a nighttime lesson center and a 25% increase in snowmaking capacity. Purgatory at Durango Mountain Resort has long been a favorite with skiers and snowboarders from all over. Come and experience the difference!

durango mountain resort in summerSummer at Durango Mountain Resort

Durango Mountain Resort can also entertain the summer visitor with many different activities. There is an alpine slide that can entertain the whole family. For those more daring try mountain biking down the mountain after a scenic chairlift ride to the top. Durango Mountain Resort hosted the Durango World Cup July 11-15th of 2001. Durango Mountain Resort hosted the World Mountain Bike Championships in 1990. You can ride the well-designed and well-marked course. Visitors are invited to ride the chairlift for free, then explore the top and hike or ride the lift back down. There is a small fee to ride the chairlift for mountain biking and the alpine slide but it is definitely worth the experience. (summer vacation)