Purgatory Advances Colorado Couloir Ahead of Winter 2026–27

Construction on the Colorado Couloir, a new triple chairlift serving expert terrain on Purgatory's front side, has entered one of its most visible phases as helicopters begin transporting lift components and construction materials into the steep, roadless mountainside. The expansion is scheduled to open December 2026, conditions permitting.

Previously called the Gelande Lift project, the new lift will officially be known as Colorado Couloir. The name reflects the steep, technical character of the lift-served zone, which includes chutes, glades and some of the resort's most challenging skiing. Colorado Couloir will also create a new access point to the upper mountain, eliminating the shuttle ride previously required to begin skiing from Gelande.

“Colorado Couloir will give guests a new way to experience Purgatory this winter,” said Dave Rathbun, CEO of Purgatory Resort. “It expands advanced and expert skiing on the front side of the mountain, creates a new access point from Gelande and helps us evolve in a way that stays true to what makes Purgatory special.”

Because much of the lift alignment crosses steep mountainsides without road access, helicopters are transporting concrete forms and other materials directly to construction sites while minimizing disturbance to the surrounding landscape. Crews have completed timber removal, also by helicopter, along the lift corridor and are excavating tower and terminal foundations ahead of tower installation.

Colorado Couloir is a fixed-grip triple chairlift spanning 4,439 feet and climbing 1,625 vertical feet from the Gelande parking area to the upper mountain, with a ride time of approximately 9 minutes and a capacity of 1,445 skiers per hour. At its peak, the Colorado Couloir climbs at a 60% grade, rising nearly 6 feet for every 10 feet forward. The chairlift ride itself is a preview of what skiers are about to drop into.

The expansion will include seven new trails and connectors. Trail names will be announced later this summer.

In a nod to sustainability, the lift incorporates chairs, grips and other machinery from Telluride’s retired Plunge Lift, keeping proven and reliable lift equipment out of the landfill and in service in the San Juan Mountains.

Originally approved through Purgatory's 2008 Improvement Plan Environmental Impact Statement and reaffirmed through a 2019 Environmental Assessment, Colorado Couloir is the realization of a long-range vision for the resort.

Colorado Couloir is part of approximately $7 million in capital improvements underway this summer and part of more than $37.5 million in improvements announced this year by Mountain Capital Partners, the Durango-based ski resort management company that operates Purgatory and more than a dozen resorts across the northern and southern hemispheres.

Winter 2026–27 season passes are now on sale, with weekday passes starting at $225. Prices increase after July 31.

Purgatory Resort is a year-round mountain destination in Colorado's San Juan Mountains, located between Durango and Silverton. The resort offers 1,635 skiable acres across 107 trails served by 11 lifts, with terrain ranging from beginner slopes to expert chutes and glades. In summer, Purgatory offers the area's only lift-served mountain bike park, scenic chairlift rides, an alpine slide, mountain coaster, lodging, dining and family-friendly activities in its Village Plaza base area. In 2030, Purgatory will host the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships, returning the event to the resort 40 years after it helped host the inaugural world championships in 1990. Learn more at Purgatory.ski.