Telluride Realty's Monthly e-Newsletter
February 2009

Can you say busy? February is downright busy. After the much-needed, post-holiday quiet of January, there’s stuff happening all month long, and fun stuff, at that. For starters, there’s the Chocolate Lover’s Fling on the 7^th…a community favorite and annual fundraiser for the San Miguel Resource Center, the region’s domestic violence center. Held at the Telluride Conference Center, the event is chock-full of well, chocolate. Decadent desserts are up for the tasting, created by amateur and professional chefs, not to mention a silent auction and dancing to the legendary DJ Harry. This is an affair to definitely grab a ticket to, especially if you’ve never been. Then from the 12^th- 14^th, there’s the hilarious Comedy Fest at the Sheridan Opera House, and closing out the month is Gay Ski Week and the Telluride AIDS Benefit, both of which draw quite a crowd and are highlighted by a string of great events…the biggest being the TAB Gala Fashion Show/Auction. You’ll feel like you’re sitting in the middle of Fashion Week in the Big Apple as local models strut their stuff down the runway, in a meticulously choreographed performance, sporting threads from top designers.

Regional News: 2008 Goes out with a Bang

It was similar to the famed adage from Field of Dreams, “if you build it, they will come,” although for Telluride, it was more like, “if it falls, they will come.”

With a record December snowfall of 100-plus inches, Telluride’s streets, restaurants, hotels and ski slopes were teeming with visitors during the holiday season. And this came as a “Christmas Miracle” to many considering the present state of the economy and fact that visitor projections back around Thanksgiving weren’t too promising. At that time, advance bookings were down about 25 percent from 2007 and December, in particular, was looking pretty grim.

But then, just in time, the fluffy stuff started coming down and it didn’t stop. Snow banks down main street were school-bus-high and the resort boasted superb conditions day after day. When it was all said and done, the surprise holiday tourism surge left lodging figures 17 percent higher than forecasted and the ski area boasted an all time record high—8,156 skiers on December 30, 102 more than the former heavy hitter. Sandy Chio, director of marketing and communication for the local tourism board, said there were lots of last-minute bookings. She attributed it partially to the decreased gas prices and spur-of-the-moment airline sales (as well as a new daily flight from Chicago, also noted as helpful). Telski’s CEO Dave Riley was extremely pleased, but admitted he wasn’t buying into the predictions that bookings would be down 20-30 percent. He believes Telluride has a lot of momentum right now on account of great holiday snowfalls two years in a row, as well as the new lift, new terrain and new restaurants. In addition, the resort earned high rankings recently from both Ski and Skiing magazines, and Condé Nast Traveler named Telluride No. 2 on its best ski resorts list, second to Whistler. “We’re just on a roll,” said Riley.

At the end of last month, the U.S. Forest Service approved a request from the Telluride Ski Resort to conduct snow and avalanche studies in Bear Creek—the steep, out-of-bounds terrain on the area’s back side. Telski was issued a Special Use Permit to study the 1,500-acre high country zone east of the ski area boundary and south of the town of Telluride. Operations began February 1 and will continue through March 30. During work hours, 6-10 a.m. every morning, the region above Bear Creek Falls, at the end of the hiking trail, will be closed. The ski patrol will use explosives on a “limited basis,” according to the forest service.

The permit will provide further understanding as to the nature of the avalanches that occur in Bear Creek and give patrol a better handle on conducting potential rescues. Telski CEO, Dave Riley, has tossed around the idea of a Bear Creek chair lift some day, which would undoubtedly benefit from the snow study period, but both the ski company and forest service are keeping the study and potential expansion separate issues. “The decision does not authorize Telski to expand the ski area boundary into Upper Bear Creek,” wrote Judy Schutza, Norwood District Ranger, in a press release. “At this time, Telski has not submitted a formal expansion proposal to the forest service.” Because the Special Use Permit was only granted half-way through the season, Riley said the ski area may ask to continue into next season. “I would be surprised if we would be complete with this study by March 30,” he said.

The study does not detract from or lessen any of the dangers already associated with the Bear Creek terrain. Both the forest service and ski area stress that the out-of-bounds terrain is still as dangerous as always and should be taken just as seriously by those who choose to explore it at their own risk.

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