Top Value Ski Spot and the Best Ski Town

Durango voted Best Colorado Ski Town by Elevation Outdoors Magazine

Durango, CO – TripAdvisor recently named Durango the Top Value Ski Spot In North America and now Elevation Outdoors Magazine readers’ poll has voted Durango, Colorado as the “Best Colorado Ski Town–Best Big Town.”

Elevation Outdoors, the essential guide to the Rocky Mountain outdoor lifestyle, hosted an online poll asking readers to vote for the best ski town in the state “based on its vibe and quality of life as well as easy access to deep snow, stashes and on-mountain happenings.” The results revealed on January 2, 2013 hails Durango, home of Purgatory at Durango Mountain Resort, as the Best Ski Town in Colorado.

Durango, population 16,887, is a virtual winter wonderland boasting outdoor recreation from skiing to dog sledding, snowboarding to snowshoeing, historic winter steam train to hot springs and everything in between. The charm of the city is attributed to its authentic environment, unassuming and friendly locals and depth of activities and events. A vibrant downtown offers a destination arts culture, more restaurants per capita than San Francisco, 4 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.

Purgatory at Durango Mountain Resort is at the heart of this Colorado mountain ski vacation destination. Averaging 260 inches of snow annually, Purgatory is known for consistent, dry powder from frequent storms, followed by sunny, bluebird days, creating perfect conditions for pure alpine nirvana. 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. There is skiing and riding on 1,360 acres of terrain, 10 lifts, 88 trails and 5 terrain parks and a vertical drop of 2,029 feet. Located at the base of Durango Mountain Resort, San Juan Ski Company offers Colorado’s largest snow cat skiing operation.

Durango resident, professional athlete and VP of Marketing at Durango Mountain Resort, Sven Brunso summarizes the Durango lifestyle in the January issue of Elevation Outdoors, “I love Durango because it is a mountain town with a ski area, not a ski town. This distinction is critical as Durango doesn’t ebb and flow with each passing winter storm. One is quickly humbled in Durango when you can end up sitting next to some of the best mountain bikers, kayakers and climbers in the world on any given chairlift ride…I love that the mountain is so unassuming.”

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Durango Mountain Resort is recognized as a top family-friendly resort and has one of the best Ski and Ride Schools in the region. 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, snowbiking, backcountry skiing, snowmobiling and more!

For more information or to book a vacation, call 800-525-0892, visit www.durangomountainresort.com, or follow us on www.facebook.com/skipurg and www.twitter.com/skipurg.