Telluride, Colorado

I scoped out Telluride on my road trip home from my Trans America bike trip in 2020. We got to experience this place in the fall, bursting in autumn colors. I loved the small town charm with vast mountain views. Peaks jutting out from every angle. I thought to myself, this has to be on my ski list. Fast forward, to February 12, 2022 — my dad & I set off for our first month-ish long ski trip. This year, I wanted to take advantage of my new working circumstances as a remote employee. Why just do 1 week of skiing when I can now blend work and play? This was also another main reason for selecting Telluride. The accessibility to the mountain is within walking distance if you stay in town, making it extremely easy to ski before, during and after working hours. I wanted to immerse myself in the community to really get the most of it. If you’re looking for an experience as a remote employee to ski + work with minimal hassle, this is it! I rounded up a few logistical notes, highlights and ski memories during our stay in this magical place. Enjoy!

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Where we stayed

After pouring over tons of options, we landed on this cute condo/airbnb owned by Stacy. As I am sure you are aware, Telluride is one of the most expense places in America to live & vacation. So we needed something that fit our needs and didn’t break the bank.

This place was quaint and just a ten minute walk to town / Oak street lift. I worked each day here and skied. So if you’re also a remote worker trying to get some skiing in while accomplishing your workload - it’s possible here. The Wifi was stellar and I had enough space to whip out my laptop and get cracking. The kitchen was a bit tight in case you are a foodie and love making meals. It was not a chefs kitchen by any means but was perfect for us. The only complaint I had was the noise from the footsteps above. It was LOUD. You could hear each movement made. Hopefully, at your stay you luck out with minimum foot traffic. The connivence to grocery stores, town and the lifts did not disappoint + was exactly what we were after.

We flew from Philadelphia to Montrose airport and took a shuttle from the airport that we arranged ahead of time to Telluride. This is about an 1 hour and 30 min transportation. Not bad at all and you save hundreds by avoiding flying directly into Telluride. My bags were actually left off this flight and dropped in Kansas City, MO. Montrose was incredible at locating the bags right away and sorting it out. I received them the next day at our front door - barely skipped a beat. I will say, when you arrange transportation back to the airport, be EXTREMELY conservative with the amount of time you need. We ended up missing our flight because we got to the airport too late from picking up too many people. We left with 4 hours to spare; leave more or arrange a private car.

What we did (at night)

We came to ski first and foremost. That being said, we always like to check out what’s going on locally whether thats art, film or music festivals, markets, concerts or crafts! We were fortunate to be in Telluride during their Comedy festival. The night we wanted to go was local’s night and the tickets went too fast before we could snag a pair. My stubborn self was determined to see that show, so we scalped tickets. We waited outside of the club for an hour in 19 degree weather and dropping. We exclaimed countless times, “2 Tickets, anyone selling 2 Tickets?” Eventually, with 10 or so minutes 1 group had a spare ticket. When I went in to beg for my dad to just come in (LOL), the usher said 1 other person turned a ticket in - so we got lucky. Free show, belly laughs and sitting next to locals skyrocketed our expectations for the night.

I definitely recommend going to this cute french wine bar, La Marmotte. Incredible experience + art. We sat here before going to the comedy show and it was an amazing atmosphere.

Obsessed with Mexican, like us? La Cocina De Luz. Incredible local spot.

Bring cards everywhere. It’s the best to pass the time waiting for your food but also people like to comment their favorite games. My dad and I play cards each night.

The Mountain

You’ll be in awe of this rugged mountain. It’s funny - like most mountain towns, the surrounding areas are extremely posh. Telluride being one of them. This mountain in not as forgiving as other Colorado mountains + you can get into some serious terrain. The peaks are seen from the streets, forcing you to acknowledge them. Approaching the town, you see these ant sized people zig-zagging down chutes and runs. The perspective intensifies as you’re on those same runs. The best long view gawking run is See Forever. It was my personal favorite to end each day on. It provided panoramic views, little ridge traversing sections and privacy that made you feel tucked away with your own personal tree windows.

There’s plenty to hike to ski terrain opening the mountain for more adventure.

We were fortunate we got some snow while we were there. Snow really can alter a trip/ place & cannot be timed perfectly. Our last few days we had snow and were lucky to see the town coated with fluff and make buttery turns. Telluride really sparkled for me and for some reason feels like a special place. Maybe its the quaint houses? The mountains literally hovering over you? Despite being extremely difficult to live there and the obvious wealth all around you - it some how gets sparkles with charm.

The tradition is born

Dear rider,

I’m pumped to share this special tradition with you & I hope you act on something you’ve been dreaming up. You never know where it can lead you. Skiing was sprinkled in my life in middle school, high school and a bit in college. I took to skiing naturally and went a few times a year. Nothing to write home about. My dad had the history in skiing. Memories dating back of him and his friends renting mountain houses all winter long, enjoying the slopes each season. We didn’t do it as a family growing up. Competitive sports, other hobbies and priorities took precedent.

It wasn’t until my after my first grueling year as a tax accountant where I was daydreaming about mountain life, an adventure, SOMETHING. I couldn’t seem to scratch the itch and kept thinking about this mountain trip, one where my dad would join me. A few things fell into place. Tax season was winding down & I didn’t use my two week vacation yet. I put my vacation time in, and we booked a euro-ski trip. This trip is what sparked our yearly ski trip tradition. It was also the beginning of the end of my career as a tax accountant…

This trip was full of surprises and opened our eyes to what apres ski was all about. There was no turning back. We needed a dose of this excitement each season. The slopes were remarkable, the memories and the stoke that comes with adventure was contagious.

On our euro-trip, we couldn’t wait to plan the next ski trip. I’m excited to reflect on each ski trip and share the laughs, hiccups and hidden gems we uncovered along the way!

Stay alive,

Tina