Purgatory - The Durango Herald

Purgatory Resort wraps up ‘remarkable’ summer

Ski area turns eye toward winter operations

DATE: Oct 3, 2020 | CATEGORY: Local News

Then and now: 6 months after Colorado issued stay-at-home order

Health officials say COVID-19 pandemic is ‘marathon, not a sprint’

DATE: Sep 26, 2020 | CATEGORY: Local News

September snow doesn’t faze Southwest Coloradans

Winter storm warning in effect for Western Colorado

DATE: Sep 10, 2020 | CATEGORY: Local News

10 absolutely fun things to do in Southwest Colorado on Fourth of July

Holiday plans that keep you safe during pandemic, high fire danger

DATE: Jul 3, 2020 | CATEGORY: Local News

Purgatory gears up for summer and COVID-19

Season will look a little different to protect against the bug

DATE: Jun 21, 2020 | CATEGORY: Business

Purgatory Resort plans new lift, more ski terrain

Hermosa Creek water quality, lynx habitat are concerns

DATE: Jun 6, 2020 | CATEGORY: Local News

Purgatory Resort’s insurance company sues D&SNG for 416 Fire losses

Lawsuit arrives just before statute of limitations for claims expires

DATE: Jun 3, 2020 | CATEGORY: Local News

Purgatory Ski Team alpine racers turn in series title in 2020

Under-10 racers go top-10 at regionals in Telluride

DATE: Apr 6, 2020 | CATEGORY: Youth Sports

Hening claims sportsmanship award at regional skiing championships

Crash kept ski star out of super-G but not away from teammates

DATE: Apr 3, 2020 | CATEGORY: Youth Sports

Purgatory Resort’s closure reverberates around Southwest Colorado

General manager says ski area is not in immediate peril

DATE: Apr 1, 2020 | CATEGORY: Local News

PLOEN: Beauty of an unknown final score

As sports fans, there are few things more gripping than a close sporting event in the final minute of regulation. Every play, coaching instruction and bounce of a ball suddenly se...

DATE: Mar 28, 2020 | CATEGORY: Sports

Purgatory Resort says no skiing front side of mountain

As tempting as it may be, conditions aren’t safe for hiking up, skiing down

DATE: Mar 23, 2020 | CATEGORY: Local News

Colorado history gets weird, wild, wacky at Fashion Do’s and Don’tsAnnual Snowdown event has become so popular, auditions are now required

Cowboys. Fancy ladies. Gold miners. Even-toed ungulates that some in Durango might consider more like rats.Where can you find a runway show that takes you on a whirlwind tour through the weird, wacky and wildly exaggerated 150 years of Colorado history? Only at Durango’s annual Fashion Do’s and Don’ts, held Wednesday, where models and audience members donned costumes celebrating Colorado’s sesquicentennial – the theme of this year’s two-week Snowdown celebration.Standout acts included the Ghosts of Durango, which featured four of Durango’s most famous ghosts: a Rochester hotel ghost in a Victorian get-up of a more “modern” variation; the Strater Hotel’s head of housekeeping, also head of more discreet services; a young girl haunting El Rancho bathroom; and Sheriff Bob Thompson, killed in a 1906 gunfight. according to emcee Suzan Lane. A Another act was the secret circus society, featuring Rubi Starr, Jeni Gross, Tabatha Joy Bettin, Adrienne Young and Ethan Deffenbaugh dressed as a car and the roadside pests better known as deer. Group members said the inspiration for the costume came from lived experiences driving the Durango roads. The two-person Cantine Couture act starred Leslie Ponce and Tyler Frakes in an homage to the plentiful variety of Mexican restaurants found in any Colorado town. Ponce, dressed in comically large Mexican pointy cowboy boots, ambled down the runway as if taking a stroll under the hot, dusty, high-altitude sun, while Frakes flitted about the stage in a bright yellow salsa dress. Ponce said this years costume had been tough to decide, but the final decision was inspired by TikTok videos of Mexican cowboys in pointy boots. This was the duo’s third year strutting down the runway. Why they keep coming back for more, Frakes said laughing, was, “for the fame, the glory and the attention.”

Fashion Do’s and Don'ts has been one of the most highly anticipated Snowdown events since it’s inception in the 1990s. It has more than doubled in size over the past several decades. Last year, there were a record number of models, and in order to keep the event at a manageable size, this years fashion show was the first one to require the acts to audition. But many of the models were unphased by the change. “It was actually easy,” said Jodi Zuber, one part of the two-person duo that made up the 1950s Texas Invader Ski Couple. Her partner-in-costume, Danny Jaques, said they had been doing this for several years, and it’s good with everything going on in the world to “get some levity and let your hair down.” The performers were not the only ones in costume. Audience members also dressed in a wide variety of unique takes on what makes Colorado, Colorado. JonBenet Ramsey made a miraculous appearance, being played by an 82-year-old woman, as did Casa Bonita, an ensemble that included a taco, sopaipilla and gorilla in chains – to name some of the characters. By the end of the show, people were in high spirits, as usual. “It was just delightful,” said a first-time audience member. If blessed with the chance to get the much coveted tickets – he said he would jump on it. jbowman@durangoherald.com

Annual Snowdown event has become so popular, auditions are now required

Photos: Snowdown 2026 Fashion Do’s and Don’ts

Photos: Durango High School basketball teams lose to Montrose High School

Photos: Local girls high school wrestling at La Plata TriDurango girls wrestling went 2-0 to win Tri on Thursday night at Bayfield

Durango girls wrestling went 2-0 to win Tri on Thursday night at Bayfield

Photos: Fort Lewis College women’s and men’s basketball take on Westminster UniversityBoth Skyhawks teams were victorious on Saturday afternoon

Both Skyhawks teams were victorious on Saturday afternoon

Photos: An afternoon in 2004 with the late Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell as he works on Capitol HillDurango Herald Photo Editor Jerry McBride had the chance to spend an afternoon with the late Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell in 2004, photographing him during meetings and around the Capitol.

Durango Herald Photo Editor Jerry McBride had the chance to spend an afternoon with the late Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell in 2004, photographing him during meetings and around the Capitol.

Photos and video: ICE protests return to DurangoAbout a dozen protesters tried to block federal agents from leaving with a detainee on Thursday

About a dozen protesters tried to block federal agents from leaving with a detainee on Thursday

The Durango Herald’s year in photos 2025

Photos: Chapman Hill fires up the snow guns

Purgatory Resort wraps up ‘remarkable’ summer

Then and now: 6 months after Colorado issued stay-at-home order

September snow doesn’t faze Southwest Coloradans

10 absolutely fun things to do in Southwest Colorado on Fourth of July

Purgatory gears up for summer and COVID-19

Purgatory Resort plans new lift, more ski terrain

Purgatory Resort’s insurance company sues D&SNG for 416 Fire losses

Purgatory Ski Team alpine racers turn in series title in 2020

Hening claims sportsmanship award at regional skiing championships

Purgatory Resort’s closure reverberates around Southwest Colorado

PLOEN: Beauty of an unknown final score

Purgatory Resort says no skiing front side of mountain

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