Telluride Growing Up: Lift Service To 12,735 Feet
by Mark North

Granted unconditional approval from the US Forest Service, Colorado's Telluride Ski & Golf Company (Telski) will soon hold the distinction of offering the highest lift-serviced terrain in North America, with chairlift access to 12,735 feet.

This new high is part of a major expansion at Telluride, one which will see the resort's rideable acreage grow by 70% with the addition of three new bowls: the Prospect, Palmyra and San Joaquin. Looking from the top of Gold Hill, Prospect and Palmyra are due west, toward 14,000' Wilson Peak, while San Joaquin (pronounced "San wah-KEEN") is to the southeast.

"Palmyra and Prospect bowls are filled with delicious expert terrain," said Telski communications director Mike Shimkonis. "Rolling benches, glades, chutes and cliffs, with scenery comparable to the Dolomites--large spires overshadowing you." He continued, "San Joaquin is much smaller, but since it's on the leeward side, it collects freshies even when it doesn't snow, from the wind blowing down off the ridge into the bowl. I've never seen anything like it." The San Joaquin bowl features wide-open intermediate and advanced terrain.

The expansion will boost Telluride's vertical drop to 4,010, third-highest in North America, after Big Sky, Montana and Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Telski invested three years and over a million dollars in public meetings, analysis and planning to ensure minimal environmental impact.

The expansion will include five new lifts and four new on-mountain restaurants.