Snowboarding
Snowboard Park
Whether you want to lay out some big carves in the corduroy, spin some moves over the gap jumps, or just freeride the steeps, Telluride and its new Air Garden snowboard park is the ultimate place to ride. Groomed by our Pipe Dragon, the park is the largest in the Southwest and offers over 1,000 vertical feet of berms, banks, gap jumps and tabletops as well as a 12-foot competition halfpipe. Other launching pads are sprinkled around the mountain making Telluride stunt central. And best of all, Telluride is definitely snowboard friendly. If you're looking for a rider's dream, this is the place.
Lift 4. Grommet Nirvana - Telluride's notorious "hits" run. There is a multitude of possibilities in this moderate blue area to work on your tricks - you will find most of the hard core new-schoolers here. With the addition of the Gondola this year, you will be able to do twice the boarding over the course of the day. Author's recommendation... Left side of Misty, cut over to right after Gorrono if you are not doing the park...but the action is going to be at the park.
Lift 7. Middle ground - Steep and deep on powder days and tracked out provides some of the greatest hits to be found anywhere. The relief of these runs demands that you to be in top notch shape and riding ability. Author's recommendation... Left side of Coonskin midday of powder days and Milk Run home to Telluride at day's end. This lift provides for the best views of town.
Lift 6. If you like to rip gladed areas, this is the best place to go. Bumper's delight right down the tube under the chair. Beware though, after a lot of sun during cold weather, this lift can be treacherous. This chair is the best after a big dump when other chair lines are long (there are never any lines here) and/or during very warm weather. Author's recommendation.... Sully's Gully after Lift 9 is tracked out or Apex Glade when the sun is hot.
Lift 9. Most vertical for almost any chair in North America (2500)- takes you to the top of the mountain in just a few minutes to access any other run on the mountain. Serious double blues and blacks only take you back to the chair. Could ramble all day about #9 - highlights... East & West Drains, In and out of Bushwacker trees, right side and don't' miss the Spiral Stairs. Author's recommendation... Get the first chair and go down the throat of Kant Mak'M under the chair if you dare on the big powder day otherwise watch for tracks through the trees off the upper Plunge.
Gold Hill. 10-20 min. hiking for the serious snowboarders only. One of the greatest pleasures about Telluride is that Gold Hill customarily is closed during a big dump and then reopens the day after, giving you two powder days in a row. Paradise. Gold Hill virgins please go with a more experienced person for your first time. Author's recommendation.... Little Rose if you are leading the pack up the hill when they drop the rope or anything off to the right walking up where there don't seem to be many tracks.
Beginners
Great lift/lesson/rental packages - The Beginner Special offered by the Ski and Snowboard School is the best deal. It's much less painful than having your friends teach you. Call the Telluride Reservations Center at (888)376-9770 for details. If not taking a lesson, get your equipment at SlopeStyle or Paragon then ride the Gondola to the Village. Do a few runs on the Meadows (lift 1), then go up 10 and do the Cabin over and over until you are ready for Lift 4. ALWAYS GET PADS. Author's recommendation... Learn on a day when there is between 3 and 8 inches of fresh snow to save your bones and have more fun!!!
Whether you want to lay out some big carves in the corduroy, spin some moves over the gap jumps, or just freeride the steeps, Telluride and its new Air Garden snowboard park is the ultimate place to ride. Groomed by our Pipe Dragon, the park is the largest in the Southwest and offers over 1,000 vertical feet of berms, banks, gap jumps and tabletops as well as a 12-foot competition halfpipe. Other launching pads are sprinkled around the mountain making Telluride stunt central. And best of all, Telluride is definitely snowboard friendly. If you're looking for a rider's dream, this is the place.
Lift 4. Grommet Nirvana - Telluride's notorious "hits" run. There is a multitude of possibilities in this moderate blue area to work on your tricks - you will find most of the hard core new-schoolers here. With the addition of the Gondola this year, you will be able to do twice the boarding over the course of the day. Author's recommendation... Left side of Misty, cut over to right after Gorrono if you are not doing the park...but the action is going to be at the park.
Lift 7. Middle ground - Steep and deep on powder days and tracked out provides some of the greatest hits to be found anywhere. The relief of these runs demands that you to be in top notch shape and riding ability. Author's recommendation... Left side of Coonskin midday of powder days and Milk Run home to Telluride at day's end. This lift provides for the best views of town.
Lift 6. If you like to rip gladed areas, this is the best place to go. Bumper's delight right down the tube under the chair. Beware though, after a lot of sun during cold weather, this lift can be treacherous. This chair is the best after a big dump when other chair lines are long (there are never any lines here) and/or during very warm weather. Author's recommendation.... Sully's Gully after Lift 9 is tracked out or Apex Glade when the sun is hot.
Lift 9. Most vertical for almost any chair in North America (2500)- takes you to the top of the mountain in just a few minutes to access any other run on the mountain. Serious double blues and blacks only take you back to the chair. Could ramble all day about #9 - highlights... East & West Drains, In and out of Bushwacker trees, right side and don't' miss the Spiral Stairs. Author's recommendation... Get the first chair and go down the throat of Kant Mak'M under the chair if you dare on the big powder day otherwise watch for tracks through the trees off the upper Plunge.
Gold Hill. 10-20 min. hiking for the serious snowboarders only. One of the greatest pleasures about Telluride is that Gold Hill customarily is closed during a big dump and then reopens the day after, giving you two powder days in a row. Paradise. Gold Hill virgins please go with a more experienced person for your first time. Author's recommendation.... Little Rose if you are leading the pack up the hill when they drop the rope or anything off to the right walking up where there don't seem to be many tracks.
Beginners
Great lift/lesson/rental packages - The Beginner Special offered by the Ski and Snowboard School is the best deal. It's much less painful than having your friends teach you. Call the Telluride Reservations Center at (888)376-9770 for details. If not taking a lesson, get your equipment at SlopeStyle or Paragon then ride the Gondola to the Village. Do a few runs on the Meadows (lift 1), then go up 10 and do the Cabin over and over until you are ready for Lift 4. ALWAYS GET PADS. Author's recommendation... Learn on a day when there is between 3 and 8 inches of fresh snow to save your bones and have more fun!!!
