Purgatory Resort’s New Transfer Lift is Now Open!
With Fantastic Conditions, Purgatory Extends Season through April!
Durango, Colo. — Purgatory Resort opened its newest lift on the backside of the mountain, which provides skiers and snowboarders easy access to the Legends Express quad chairlift from some of the best fall line skiing on the mountain. Officials also announced that with the incredible snowfall Purgatory has received already this season – 20 feet of snow – the season will be extended weekends through the end of April!
New Lift for More Great Skiing & Riding!
After delays due to an immense amount of snowfall this winter, Purgatory’s crew recently completed construction of the newest lift at the resort. Lift 11 is a pair of transfer lifts designed to bring skier traffic to the base of the Legends Express high-speed detachable quad (opened last season). The new transfer lift takes skiers and snowboarders across the toe of the slope from roughly the bottom of Dirty’s Secret, a new trail at Purgatory which debuted this season, Siegele Street or Lower Bull Run over to the bottom of the Legends Express. Lift 11 is a modernized rope tow design, called a Swiss Cord, which skiers can access from any point along the alignment to easily traverse over to the base of the Legends Express. Positioned end-to-end, spanning approximately 1,300 feet, skiers are able to grab any point and move to the west, toward the high-speed quad.
“The new lift provides easier access from advanced and expert trails to Purgatory’s newest high-speed quad,” stated Ed Youmans, vice president of mountain operations at Purgatory Resort. “While our scheduled opening was delayed because of the incredible snowfall we received in January, we’re excited to have it up and running for the rest of the season!”
With 20 Feet of Snow this Winter, Purgatory Extends the Ski Season through April!
Purgatory has received more snow already this winter than all of last ski season, and more snow is in the forecast during the latter part of March. Because of the great coverage and incredible conditions, officials have decided to extend the season. Purgatory will be open daily through April 2, then the ski resort will be open Fridays through Sundays, April 7 through April 30. Hours of operation changed with Daylight Saving Time on Sunday, lifts now turn 10am to 5pm, with backside lifts open until 4:30pm. Purgatory Weekday Passes will be honored during weekend operations starting April 7.
Exciting New Spring Events Scheduled for the Rest of the Season!
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Spring skiing means sunny, bluebird days and soft snow! It’s not complete without fun events at the resort, and Purgatory has plenty on the books already! Après ski at Purgatory includes live music and other fun activities! On Mar. 15 from 11am to 2pm, the Wolfwood Refuge will bring some of their wolves to Purgatory’s Village Plaza so kids and adults can learn and interact with them. Steamworks Brewing will host a Clam Bake at the Powderhouse on Mar. 17 from 1 to 3pm, with proceeds benefiting the Purgatory Ski Team, a bowl of clams and a beer is only $7. The second annual McDonald’s Cardboard Derby is Sat., Mar. 18 from 10am to 1pm when participants build derby racers out of cardboard and duct tape and compete for prizes on the tubing hill. Purgatory will host a Pond Skimming contest on Apr. 2 from 1-3pm on the ski beach with Ska Brewing, Red Bull and a DJ spinning tunes. For a complete list of events, please visit the website SkiPurg.com.
Media Contact:
Kim Oyler | [email protected] | (970)749-2086
About Purgatory Resort
Purgatory is recognized as a top year-round, family-friendly resort in the Southwest. Purgatory features 94 trails, six terrain parks, 11 lifts, 1,525 skiable acres and multiple restaurants, shops and lodge facilities. Located in the rugged and majestic San Juan Mountains, the resort is 25 miles north of the town of Durango. Other winter activities include tubing, dog sledding, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, horse-drawn sleigh rides, ice climbing, snowbiking, snowmobiling, and Colorado’s largest snowcat skiing operation with access to 35,000 acres. The resort offers a variety of lodging from luxurious condominiums, vacation homes, and convenient slopeside units, to value-priced lodge rooms. PurgatoryResort.com
Purgatory Resort is part of a collection of ski resorts owned together in the Southwest, including Sipapu Ski and Summer Resort (NM), Pajarito Ski Area (NM), Arizona Snowbowl (AZ), and Hesperus Ski Area (CO) totaling more than 3,400 acres of terrain, 32 lifts, more than 240 trails, and 14 terrain parks. The ownership group, with James Coleman as the managing partner, recently acquired Purgatory Snowcat Adventures, Colorado’s largest snowcat operation with access to 35,000 acres of skiable terrain. A massive $10 million multi-resort capital campaign was announced last summer that provided significant mountain improvements, including new lifts, more trails, and additional snowmaking infrastructure across the resorts for the 2016/2017 winter season.
