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Purgatory again

It is tempting to rejoice in our favorite ski area returning to its original name – except, of course, that most of us never called it anything else. The name Purgatory has a historical connection, one-word simplicity and 50 years of brand recognition. Plus, it lends an “Inferno”-inspired theme to the trail map.

Now, can we have “Sixes” back, too?

Durango Mountain Resort never did exactly roll off the tongue. It was, perhaps intentionally, more evocative of real estate than skiing.

Purgatory was ostensibly renamed DMR to further the connection to Durango. It was rumored, however, that some overly earnest religious groups had pushed the name change out of concern that it was somehow honoring or recognizing Satan. (Durango High School gets that once in while, too, for its Demon mascot.)

That suspicion was furthered by the renaming of local-favorite run formerly called 666 – colloquially known as “Sixes.” It was instead given the singularly uninspired label of “No Mercy.”

So, perhaps with the official return to calling the ski area Purgatory, we can – as a locally generated T-shirt once read – “just say Sixes.” That would not signal devil-worship, faithlessness or any lack of respect for religion – just a renewed focus on skiing.



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