Home to Telluride Gay Ski Week during the last week of February (the 2010 dates are February 20 through February 27), breathtaking Telluride Ski Resort rises sharply above the historic village for which it is named. This challenging mountain with 115 runs and a 4,500-foot vertical drop (highest point is 13,150 feet) is one of western Colorado's world-class facilities. And it's in a laid-back, upscale, gay-friendly town with a number of stellar restaurants, inns, and shops. During Gay Ski Week, accommodations are at the cushy Mountain Lodge resort. Telluride buzzes with activity all winterlong but is also a beautiful spot for hiking, fishing, and camping during the summer months - visit the Telluride Tourism Board's website for more information.
Ski Week consists of a nonstop of parade of festivities. Many parties, including apres ski drinks and breakfasts, take place at one of the town's top eateries, Chair 8. There's also usually an event at the historic and charming New Sheridan Hotel, which is also one of the town's best gay-friendly nightlife options. In past ski weeks, at noon each day, there's been a lunch on the mountain at Goronno Ranch, a pleasant way to break up long days of sunny and challenging skiing.
Telluride has no shortage of gay-friendly accommodations, including the inviting New Sheridan Hotel, which completed a massive $7.5 upgrade in December 2008. During Gay Ski Week - or any busy time, really - a good bet is Telluride Reservations Center (877-696-8907). For condo and ski-home rentals, look to Alpine Lodging & Real Estate and ResortQuest Telluride, which has more than 200 properties, many of them steps from the slopes.
Telluride is in southwestern Colorado. You can fly right into the town's small airport directly from Phoenix and Denver on US Airways and Great Lakes Airlines respectively, or to nearby Montrose (a somewhat better choice, because it's less likely to be hit with bad winter weather) from Atlanta, Salt Lake City, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Denver, Houston, Dallas, Chicago, and Newark, on Delta, United, Continental, and American.
