Telluride Best In Colorado, Rated By SKI Magazine Readers

After a late-summer dusting of Gold Hill tickled locals ready for ski season, and with rumors of a “Godzilla” El Niño bearing down on the West promising record-setting snowfall this winter, more good news comes from the Telluride Ski Resort. 

In their 28th annual survey, SKI Magazine readers chose Telluride as the best ski resort in Colorado and the fourth best in western North America. 

“We’re thrilled about being ranked fourth by SKI Magazine readers,” Telski President and General Manager Greg Pack said in a statement. “Having an honor such as this come from readers’ votes is important, as it speaks directly to the overall guest experience. This is not just an award for the ski resort, but for the whole community who work together to create a top destination for visitors year after year.”

Telski also ranked in the top 10 for service (7), character (3), lodging (5), après (6), variety (4), challenge (7) and grooming (10). 

Whistler Blackcomb in British Columbia was the number one resort, according to the readers, with Sun Valley, Idaho at number two and Deer Valley, Utah at number three. Other Colorado resorts on the list include Snowmass (6), Vail (7), Steamboat (8), Beaver Creek (10), Aspen Mountain (13), Breckenridge (14), Winter Park (15), Copper Mountain (16), Aspen Highlands (18), Keystone (22) and Crested Butte (28). 

Last year Telluride was also ranked fourth in the SKI Magazine reader’s survey. Condé Nast Traveler has chosen Telluride as the best ski resort in North America three years in a row. 

There’s not much the resort can do to bolster its rankings in categories like scenery and terrain. “Mother Nature gave us most of those,” conceded Matt Windt, vice president of sales and marketing at Telski. 

And, Windt added, it’s the town and culture of Telluride that contribute more to these sorts of rankings anyway. 

“It’s most important that we not forget what an amazing place this is. We live here and see it every day, and it’s easy for us to take it for granted, but for many of our visitors, it’s the first time they get to experience this,” he said. “Every person who lives in town, and every person who works in a restaurant, or at a ski shop, or in a hotel, every single individual has the ability to help guests have an amazing experience.”

“It’s easy for the ski resort to take a lot of credit for the ranking, but we don’t have as much control as the rest of town, so we’re all in it together,” Windt, who started his position last month, added.