Editor’s note: This is part of The Know’s series, Staff Favorites. Each week, we offer our opinions on the best that Colorado has to offer for dining, shopping, entertainment, outdoor activities and more. (We’ll also let you in on some hidden gems).
A daily lift ticket at Telluride Ski Resort runs $215-$225 per day for skiers and snowboarders. However, those willing to trade the thrill of downhill for a more chill adventure can get a heck of a better deal that offers access to the resort’s breathtaking terrain as well as a lift ride.
For $25, snowshoers and cross-country skiers can buy a single-use lift ticket, known as a foot pass, which they can use to get to the Top-A-Ten Nordic Trails. That includes a ride up the resort’s Sunshine Express (Lift 10) to access the unique area and a ride back down at the end of the excursion.
It’s accessible not only in terms of price but also skill level, since the lift slows down as you load on and off. Plus, it’s a blast, especially for folks who don’t downhill ski and can now experience the excitement of airborne chairlift travel.
According to Tyler Sandstrom, the resort’s winter adventure manager, the Nordic trails opened in 2001 alongside a new lift installed at the same time. Those who use them follow in the footsteps of miners and Basque shepherds who grazed sheep in the area in the early 1900s.
Today, the Nordic trails are not widely used because most people who visit want to shred the steep slopes that Telluride is known for. All the better for snowshoers who often have this hidden gem of an area all to themselves, save for the couple of times trails intersect with downhill runs.
“It’s ultimately in a more rolly-hilly flat spot between the tops of chair 10 and chair 11. It’s a place you don’t see much when you’re skiing, so it’s a good spot to catch the views that even the skiers don’t tend to get on some days,” Sandstrom said.
Depending on which way you hike, you’ll see the three fourteeners of the Wilson Massif – Wilson Peak, El Diente and Mount Wilson – or the peaks on the sunny side of the valley, including Mount Emma, Dallas Peak and Gilpin Peak. From the highest vantage point, the back side of Bald Mountain and Palmyra Peak loom large, Sandstrom said.
If you have your own equipment and are comfortable navigating trails, the whole adventure will only set you back $25. Telluride Ski Resort also offers snowshoe rentals and guided daily tours of the Nordic area for those interested in getting a colorful history lesson along the way.
“One of the main historical features we highlight when snowshoeing on that loop is the horse arborglyphs that the shepherds carved into some of those aspen trees out of pure boredom while watching over their herd,” Sandstrom said.
Tours, which cost $120, take off at 10 a.m. every day. The price includes the foot pass, snowshoe rentals, and snacks along the way. Spots can be reserved by calling 970-728-7433.
P.S. Don’t try to buy the foot pass to use for downhill skiing. Telluride ticket checkers are trained to assess the equipment people are wearing and carrying, and may deny access to anyone wearing downhill skis who is trying to use a foot traffic pass, Sandstrom said.
