Durango Named Top 10 Emerging Ski Town in North America by National Geographic

Durango, CO – National Geographic recently named Durango, Colo. as one of the “Top 10 Emerging Ski Towns in North America.” National Geographic, an internationally recognized publication, presents the best in adventure travel by featuring destinations, photographs, videos, maps, gear and more. In their latest feature, National Geographic named ten North American ski towns that don’t necessarily have the name recognition as other known destinations but they were described as “real towns, often cheaper and friendlier than the big dogs…”

Durango, home to Purgatory at Durango Mountain Resort, was named a Top 10 Emerging Ski Town in North America because it’s a “vibrant, family-friendly ski town – perhaps the most affordable in Colorado,” and an adventure sports capital. The mountain’s recently expanded expert tree skiing terrain, “a seemingly endless supply of groomed rollers for catching flight,” and favorable weather provided even more reasons why this multisport destination is a favorite for budget-minded families and adventurers. The award also featured an insider’s scoop on everything from the Best Digs to the Best Rest-Day Activity from local professional skier Sven Brunso. The coveted National Geographic accolade comes on the heels of Durango’s recent ski awards from Elevation Outdoors Magazine: Best Colorado Ski Town (big town) and TripAdvisor: Top Value Ski Spot in North America.

Durango, population 17,069, is a virtual winter wonderland boasting outdoor recreation from skiing to dog sledding, ice climbing to snowshoeing, historic winter steam train to hot springs and everything in between. The charm of the city is attributed to its unassuming and friendly locals, spectacular scenery and depth of activities and events. A vibrant downtown offers a destination filled with arts, culture, more restaurants per capita than San Francisco, five craft breweries, Fort Lewis College and the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. As a ski and winter sports destination, Durango is most notably known for Purgatory at Durango Mountain Resort.

Durango Mountain Resort is known for consistent, dry powder from frequent storms, followed by sunny, bluebird days, creating fantastic conditions for skiers and riders of all abilities. Carved by glaciers, the mountain is a unique blend of roller coaster benches and headwalls, double fall lines, glades and wide-open cruisers with stunning views. With 1,360 acres of skiable terrain, 10 lifts, 88 trails and 5 terrain parks and a vertical drop of 2,029 feet, there are rarely lift lines. Located at the base of Durango Mountain Resort, the San Juan Ski Company is Colorado’s largest snow cat skiing operation with access to 35,000 acres of skiable backcountry terrain.

“Durango is not just a ski town, but an authentic mountain town with a ski area and offers other epic year-round recreational opportunities,” stated Durango resident, professional athlete and VP of Marketing at Durango Mountain Resort, Sven Brunso. “In addition, Durango offers an incredible dining scene, arts and culture and other activities for all ages. For those reasons and many others, Durango is a popular destination for visitors and is home to some of the best mountain bikers, kayakers and climbers in the world.”

Find the full article at: http://tinyurl.com/DROtopskitown

The Durango Area Tourism Office is a not-for-profit organization operating with the mission to promote Durango and La Plata County’s multitude of tourism attractions, events and services. 1-800-GO DURANGO, www.durango.org, Facebook.com/visitdurango

Purgatory at Durango Mountain Resort was named as the best value ski spot by TripAdvisor for 2013 and is recognized as a top family-friendly resort. Purgatory provides snow enthusiasts many ways to enjoy the winter wonderland with 88 trails, five terrain parks and 1,360 skiable acres. With 10 chairlifts and rarely any lines, it’s simple to zip around the mountain and enjoy the spectacular scenery amidst the rugged San Juan Mountains. Other winter fun activities include snow tubing, Nordic skiing, snowshoeing, horse-drawn sleigh rides, ice climbing, snowbiking, backcountry skiing, snowmobiling and more! For more information or to book a vacation, call 800-525-0892, visit www.skipurg.com, or follow us on www.facebook.com/skipurg and www.twitter.com/skipurg.