Photo by Scott DW Smith courtesy of Purgatory Resort.
Mountain Bike in the Morning & Ski in the Afternoon
Outdoor enthusiasts will have a new experience offered at Purgatory Resort this Saturday, Nov. 19. Mountain bike in the morning and then ski in the afternoon – all at the same resort. Purgatory Resort will offer the mountain bike uplift via Lift 4, the same lift used during summer months, with access to mountain bike trails from 9am- 4pm on Saturday, Nov. 19. In the afternoon at 1pm, Purgatory plans to kick off its ski season and open skiable terrain under Lift 2.
Opening Day Details
- Mountain Bike Access: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
- Upload via Lift 4
- Ski Access: 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.
- Upload and download on Lift 1
- 683 vertical feet of skiable terrain under Lift 2
- Discounted lift tickets available at Ticket Window:
- $ 45 adults
- $ 35 teens
- $ 28 kids
- $ 38 seniors
- $ 16 super seniors
Conditions permitting, Purgatory will be the only resort in southern Colorado and one of only a handful of resorts in the state open for ski season.
Purgatory’s snowmaking team continues to make snow as temperatures allow. A low pressure system is now moving through the area bringing some natural snow and allowing mountain crews to make additional snow with the colder temperatures. More storms forecast for next week could bring up to a foot of snow at Purgatory.
“Everyone at Purgatory Resort is excited to get ski season started, and what better way to celebrate than to have the quintessential Colorado mountain experience,” stated Ed Youmans, vice president of Mountain Operations at Purgatory Resort. “With the unseasonably warm weather we’ve had this fall, we wanted to make it a fun first day of the ski season by offering up two favorite activities at the resort – skiing and mountain biking!”
Purgatory plans to open for the ski season at 1pm on Saturday, Nov. 19. Skiers and snowboarders will upload and download on the high-speed six-person Lift 1, and will have access to 683 vertical feet of skiable terrain under Lift 2. Lifts 1 and 2 will turn from 1pm to 5pm on Saturday. Purgatory will then be open daily, 9am to 4pm starting on Sunday, Nov. 20 for the rest of the season. The mountain bike uplift, Lift 4, will also open Saturday and Sunday, 9am – 4pm, weather permitting. Discounted lift tickets are available at the Ticket Window, allowing access to both activities – the mountain bike uplift and skiing. Prices are $ 45 adults, $ 35 teens, $ 28 kids, $ 38 seniors, and $ 16 super seniors. Purgatory Weekday Passes will be honored opening weekend, Nov. 19-20.
Despite a slower than normal start, Youmans has full confidence in a great upcoming ski season. “With Purgatory’s advanced snowmaking system, our experienced mountain team, and a little help from Mother Nature, we’ll be able to offer our guests their first turns of the season this weekend,” stated Youmans. “Our mountain crew will continue making snow not only for opening day but also to establish a solid base that we’ll be skiing on throughout the entire season.”
On Saturday, the Powderhouse on-mountain bar and restaurant will feature live music, and Coors giveaways. On the Beach in the base area, Purgatory will feature cornhole and other lawn games with bar and restaurant services at the Bear Bar and Grille.
What’s new for ski season? Purgatory is installing a surface lift that will transport skiers heading west on the backside of the mountain, connecting a new trail to the Legends Express high-speed detachable quad chairlift, which debuted last winter. The new lift is a pair of Swiss Cord rope tows, which allow skiers access from any point along the alignment to easily traverse over to the base of the Legends Express Lift 8. Positioned end-to-end, spanning approximately 1,300 feet, skiers will be able to grab any point and move to the west toward the high-speed quad.
The Legends Bypass, which opened last winter as an alternative way down to Lift 8 for intermediate skiers, has been widened and re-graded, offering skiers a more gradual and user-friendly trail.
Earlier this fall, James Coleman, managing partner of Purgatory Resort, announced that he is acquiring Colorado’s largest snowcat skiing operation, which is based at Purgatory Resort. The newly named Purgatory Snowcat Adventures will offer guided cat skiing experiences for skiers and snowboarders with access to 35,000 acres of terrain, as well as new snowcat tours for non-skiers.
Later this November, Purgatory is opening a new retail, rental and repair services shop in Durango. Purgatory Resort recently purchased the former Hassle Free Sports building at 2615 Main Avenue, Durango. Purgatory has been remodeling the building to provide a new storefront for ski and snowboard retail, rentals, repair services, ticket/pass purchases, as well as the resort’s reservation center. The location will also serve as corporate headquarters for all five ski areas owned by James Coleman: Purgatory Resort, Arizona Snowbowl, Sipapu Ski & Summer Resort, Pajarito Mountain, and Hesperus Ski Area, plus Purgatory Snowcat Adventures.
The post Purgatory Kicks off Ski Season with Skiing AND Mountain Biking appeared first on Colorado Ski Country USA Blog.