As iconic as the ski bum is as a Colorado persona, those who can attain such a lifestyle are increasingly rare – and less often the 20-somethings of decades past than the silver foxes of the 21st century. Between the rising cost of living in ski towns and the rising cost of skiing in them, coupled with resorts’ emphasis on real estate development over improvements to the skiing experience, and the climate change that is curtailing ski seasons’ lengths, those who can boast of 30 or more ski days a year are a select few. Since purchasing Purgatory – nee Durango Mountain Resort nee Purgatory – James Coleman has promised to counter that trend. Thus far, his actions are aligned with his words.
Before the deal was finalized in late February, Coleman had promised to emphasize improving the skier experience. Since the sale closed, he has followed through by announcing some crowd-pleasing plans. First was officially putting to rest the clunky Purgatory at Durango Mountain Resort title and returning the ski area to its more simple moniker: Purgatory Resort.
Doing so is largely symbolic, but the symbolism is important. For nearly 50 years, Purgatory has been a staple in the Durango community, intertwined with the town’s identity. The best thing about Purgatory always has been its simplicity: good skiing, readily accessible to locals and visitors alike. No need to put on airs.
But there is a need to invest in improving that accessibility and skiing experience, and after the branding issue was rectified, Coleman moved to meatier issues. Last week, he announced that Chair 8 – the beloved and bedeviled lift on the mountain’s back side – would at long last be replaced before the 2015-2016 season. The existing chair is known both for the excellent terrain it serves as well as for its painstakingly slow speed and frequent breakdowns. Coleman will replace the lift with a high-speed, detachable four-seat model. It is a welcome and long-awaited improvement that will dramatically increase the number of runs skiers can take on the backside, while helping to disperse traffic across the mountain.
To send Chair 8 off in style, Coleman has extended yet another skier-pleasing perk. On Sunday, lift tickets at Purgatory will be on the house to all comers. While the season officially ended last Sunday, the resort will reopen this weekend for a final hurrah, with two-for-$50 tickets Saturday and free passes Sunday as part of the Chair 8 retirement party. It is an impressive gesture indicative of Coleman’s position on skier experience in general.
That is affirmed by the season-pass packages Purgatory is offering for next season. In addition to the traditional adult, child, teen, senior and super-senior deals, Purgatory introduced a new young adult pass for those ages 18-29. For $429, those passholders save significantly from what their older ski brethren pay; adult passes are $649 through April 30. Coleman’s nod to the younger generation of skiers who might not earn sufficient sums to cover a full-price pass is an investment in future skiers. That, combined with unlimited free days for all-season passholders at Arizona Snowbowl near Flagstaff and Sipapu Ski Resort and Pajarito Ski Area in northern New Mexico, as well as three free days at Taos Ski Valley, Loveland, Monarch, Powderhorn, Sunlight, Grand Targhee in Wyoming, and Powder Mountain and Brian Head in Utah, gives Purgatory skiers a real shot at boosting their ski days in 2015-16 season.
