Escaping crowds in Colorado’s San Juan Mountains
The San Juan Mountain range in southwest Colorado has always been a paradise for ski purists. Glitzy lodges and DJ thumping après lounges have never been the draw of area mountain towns like Durango, Silverton and Ouray. If you want ski resorts with heated lift seats, Michelin-rated mountaintop dining and fancy spas, head to Aspen or Park City. The San Juans are beloved for their oldschool charm: low-frill resorts boasting a single lift, cozy backcountry huts where you hike to score first tracks and an abundance of natural hot springs.
In the midst of a pandemic, these rugged peaks are more appealing than ever. Après enthusiasts who live for champagne-popping dance parties and boozy on-piste lunches will most likely sit this season out. But powder hounds who don’t want to deal with strict reservation systems and socially distanced lift lines at major U.S. ski resorts will find a plethora of crowd-free, old-school options in the San Juans.
Unlike Jackson Hole or Park City, these mountains require effort to reach, like navigating the snow-covered Million Dollar Highway, a 25-mile, white-knuckle stretch of road connecting the mountain towns of Silverton and Ouray. But the reward is having insane terrain all to yourself, and in the last few years, there’s the added bonus of stylish lodging, craft breweries and great food.
Experts-only Silverton Mountain — the largest ski area in North America, with more than 26,000 acres — has been selflimiting daily skier totals way before the pandemic. The average annual snowfall — 400 inches — exceeds the number of daily visitors, ensuring a crowd-free powder experience.
“We usually have less than 80 skiers a day, so that equates to roughly 325 acres for each skier,” says Jen Brill, co-owner and guide at Silverton Mountain. “Demand for reservations is higher than ever.”
With no base village and a sole double chairlift that drops skiers at 12,300 feet, the experience is delightfully old school. A unique single-drop heli-skiing offer makes the bucket-list thrill attainable for just $179, though
Brill notes private heli packages (from $11,990) are selling like crazy this year. And if you really want a truly exclusive experience, you can rent the entire mountain for up to 40 friends ($9,990). Lodging options in Silverton have always felt stuck in the mining town’s past, but the debut last year of the Wyman finally provides a midcentury-modern boutique hotel alternative to historic digs.
If the extreme terrain of Silverton Mountain sounds intimidating, a snowcat adventure can customize runs suited for both intermediate and advanced skiers and snowboarders. These tank-treaded snow groomers with seats in the back are perfect pandemic-era pods for you and your ski buddies. Silverton Powdercats is only offering private cats this season and can access open bowls, glades and steeps of up to 12,500 feet ($2,500 for up to five guests). Purgatory Snowcat Adventures, Colorado’s largest cat skiing operation, is based out of indie-spirited ski resort Purgatory, just north of Durango. With access to over 35,000 acres of backcountry terrain, guides can deliver untracked runs ranging from 500 to 1,500 feet. While season plans are still being finalized, Dave Rathburn, general manager of Purgatory Resort, says it’s likely private cats will be bookable ($3,999 for up to 12 people).
The condo-style lodging at Purgatory is particularly convenient during the pandemic — and if you crave something with a bit more character, the owner of the Nugget Mountain Bar has opened two literary-themed cabins with hot tubs and fireplaces steps from the bar. One of the only après options near the resort, the historic cabin-turned-bar will have a large tented deck area this season as well as live music.
Even hard-core skiers will want to build in down days this season so they can soak at Durango Hot Springs Resorts and Spa. Phase one of what was formerly Trimble Hot Springs debuted this summer and includes 22 mineral soaking pools, six smaller soaking tubs and a 25-meter, saltwater pool. A spa, food trucks and live music are part of phase two.
For those who prefer to earn their turns, nearly 2-year-old
Red Mountain Alpine Lodge offers the cushiest base in the state for backcountry adventures and will only offer buyouts this season. The Douglas fir A-frame is reachable by a mellow 10 to 15-minute boot-pack from U.S. 550 and sleeps up to 19. Included amenities, like flush toilets and WiFi, are anomalies in the backcountry. Founders Nate Disser and Mark Iuppenlatz also own Ouray-based San Juan Mountain Guides. Given the expansiveness of the terrain out the lodge’s back door — and its avalanche danger — it’s a no-brainer to take advantage of the lodge’s custom ski guiding. With 13,000-foot peaks to descend by day and bubbling fondue and Châteauneuf-du-Pape on offer at night, it’s probably the closest you’ll come to a European-style ski holiday this year.