Join Johnnie Stevens, Ron Allred, and "Junior" Mahoney along with William "Senior" Mahoney on a candid talk about the past, present, and future of Mountain Village and the Telluride Ski Resort.

Colorado Flights Alliance Releases Summer Schedule

The 2017 Summer Flight Plan includes new flights into Montrose-Telluride (MTJ) and Telluride (TEX). In addition to daily United flights to/from Chicago, American Airlines has added Saturday flights to/from MTJ. Great Lakes/United will continue its daily service between Denver and TEX. American Airlines has added daily service between Phoenix and MTJ. For more information on summer flights, click here. 

Telluride is a place one must see to believe. A small, twinkling jewel tucked amid massive peaks, it is a special place for a home. Let our dedicated team of professionals at Telluride Real Estate Corp. use their local expertise to help you find your place in Telluride.

Vail Resorts and Telluride Ski & Golf jointly announced today that the Telluride Ski Resort will join the industry-leading Epic Pass in a long-term alliance beginning with 2018-19 winter season.  This partnership opens the Epic Pass to 46 resorts including Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone and Arapahoe Basin in Colorado; Park City in Utah; Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood at Lake Tahoe; Stowe Mountain Resort in Vermont; Afton Alps in Minnesota; Mt. Brighton in Michigan; Wilmot Mountain in Wisconsin; Whistler Blackcomb in Canada; and Perisher in Australia.

Telluride is on the bucket list of skiers around the world and now the iconic mountain is now a part of the Epic Pass experience. 

“Telluride is excited to join the Epic Pass and a collection of world-class mountain resorts that skiers and snowboarders around the world come back to time and again. This new season pass alliance is more comprehensive and longer term than prior pass alliances and will provide an incredible benefit for both Telluride guests and our resort community. Epic Pass skiers and snowboarders thrive on new, unique one-of-a-kind adventures. We offer an extraordinary big mountain experience, signature hospitality and guest service, and an authentic, welcoming mountain town surrounded by stunning scenery,” said Bill Jensen, CEO of Telluride Ski & Golf.

Following are the benefits for Epic Pass, Epic 7-Day and Epic 4-Day pass holders, Telluride Season Pass holders and Telluride Ski & Golf Club members with full winter benefits.

• Epic Pass™: Epic Pass holders will receive seven days of skiing or snowboarding with no blackout dates. Once the seven days have been used, pass holders can get 50 percent off lift tickets at Telluride. Pass holders get the added benefit of going direct to the lift with their pass and avoid the ticket window. The Epic Pass offers full access to Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone and Arapahoe Basin in Colorado; Park City in Utah; Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood at Lake Tahoe; Stowe Mountain Resort in Vermont; Afton Alps in Minnesota; Mt. Brighton in Michigan; Wilmot Mountain in Wisconsin; Whistler Blackcomb in Canada; and Perisher in Australia, with no blackout dates. The Epic Pass also provides limited access to Les 3 Vallées, Paradiski and Tignes-Val D’Isere in France; 4 Vallées in Switzerland; Arlberg in Austria and Skirama Dolomiti in Italy.

• Epic 7-Day Pass: Epic 7-Day Pass holders will receive up to seven days of skiing or snowboarding at Telluride with no blackout dates as part of their seven total days on the pass. After the seven days, regardless of the resort at which they were redeemed, pass holders can get 20 percent off additional lift tickets at Telluride. Pass holders get the added benefit of going direct to the lift with their pass and avoid the ticket window. The Epic 7-Day Pass features a total of seven days with no blackout dates at Whistler Blackcomb, Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone, Park City, Heavenly, Northstar, Kirkwood, Stowe and Arapahoe Basin, plus seven additional free days at Afton Alps, Mt. Brighton or Wilmot Mountain.

• Epic 4-Day Pass: Epic 4-Day Pass holders will receive up to four days of skiing or snowboarding at Telluride with no blackout dates as part of their four total days on the pass. After the four days, regardless of the resort at which they were redeemed, pass holders can get 20 percent off additional lift tickets at Telluride. Pass holders get the added benefit of going direct to the lift with their pass and avoid the ticket window. The Epic 4-Day pass features a total of four days with no blackout dates atWhistler Blackcomb, Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone, Park City, Heavenly, Northstar, Kirkwood, Stowe and Arapahoe Basin, plus four additional free days at Afton Alps, Mt. Brighton or Wilmot Mountain.

• Telluride Season Pass holders and Telluride Ski & Golf Club Members with full winter benefits: These season pass holders and club members with full winter benefits will receive 50 percent off lift tickets at all Vail Resorts owned mountain resorts.

Vail Resorts’ 2018-19 season passes will go on sale in early March at www.epicpass.com.

Summer 2018 Will Include Daily Flights from Chicago

Colorado Flights Alliance has released the Summer 2018 flight schedule. Despite Great Lakes pulling out of Telluride (TEX), travel options into Montrose (MTJ) continue to expand. Highlights include extended daily Chicago (ORD) service on United and larger jets through out the summer on Houston (IAH) and Dallas (DFW) routes, and a second Dallas flight on core days.

Looking at summer bookings, traffic is up 7% on early numbers with each month pacing even to ahead year-over-year.

Summer is just around the corner! The Telluride events calendar is packed with activities for every age and interest. From iconic musical festivals to farmer's markets to evening family movies under the starts, there's something for everyone. 

Wood Ear to Open This Weekend in the Roma Building

Texas-flavored ramen joint, Wood Ear Whiskey Lounge & Noodle Bar, is set to open June 24. Matt Arnold -- owner and general manager, and his employees “have resurfaced every inch except for the original walnut bar” (which was crafted by the Brunswick-Balke-Collener Company in 1860).

Wood Ear aims to stay open year-round, with the exception of a week each off-season, and by becoming “a place where everyone can afford to eat,” Arnold said. “People will be shocked by our prices.”

Indeed, Wood Ear’s preliminary menu reveals five items priced not in dollars but cents.

Along with a 25-cent nori sheet or 50-cent pickled carrot, diners will savor $2 charred corn, $4 wasabi potato salad or $5 shrimp tacos. 

Since bar manager Alvin Davis, head chef Kevin Bush and Arnold all hail from Texas, they endeavored to incorporate Hill Country flavors in the menu, meaning warm potato salad, cucumber salad and all kinds of smoked meats, whether brisket, pork shoulder or Asian-barbecue-style porkbelly.  

“We’re trying to bring our own touch to ramen,” Bush said. Lots and lots of ramen, that is:  According to Arnold, Wood Ear will boil 200 pounds of bones per day to create broth for all the ramen entrees on the menu. 

That process will take two days to complete, in order to intensify flavors, as will the smoking of Wood Ear’s brisket. 

Like neighboring restaurants La Cocina de Luz and Butcher & Baker, Wood Ear will operate as a counter-service joint. That way, Arnold said, he can save on employee costs and pass down the savings in the form of, well, 50-cent pickled carrots. 

In early March, Arnold imagined Wood Ear as a “cocktail lounge that serves Japanese-inspired drinking food.” The more the three main players tinkered, though, the more “we amped up our food” offerings, said Arnold. He now describes Wood Ear as a “Texas Hill Country-inspired ramen joint.”

Wood Ear’s new look will surprise those familiar with its predecessors’ gray-and-black hues. Arnold pointed to an Oregon artist’s fabulous new mural — in which bears snarl as long-stemmed chanterelles stretch for the horizon — and said, “We’ve started calling our motif ‘psychedelic hunting lodge.’”

That sounds about right, given the new wooden paneling: a lively interplay of beetle-killed blue pine, aspen and white pine. 

The mural surrounds the traditional stage of the Roma. The stage, Arnold said, will hold music acts during both Ride Fest and the Telluride Jazz Festival. 

From: Rob Story, Telluride Daily Planet

Recently named the #1 in US News's Best Small Towns to Visit in the USA, Telluride's scenery, cultural events, sunshine, and charm make it a summer favorite. The TREC Team has put together a list of our favorite Telluride activities for every day of the week.

MONDAY

18 Holes at the Telluride Golf Club 

The natural beauty and splendor of the surrounding mountains and wildflowers will take your breath away as you tee off at 9,417 feet. And as one of the country’s highest courses in elevation, the ball travels significantly farther at the Telluride Golf Course (average golfers can drive an estimated 15-25% farther than on a lowlander course). Why? Same reason it’s tougher to breathe; the thin mountain air hosts less oxygen and therefore imposes less resistance on the ball. 

TUESDAY

Bear Creek Trail Hike at S Pine Street

Put on your hiking boots and head up the Bear Creek Trail. A local favorite, this trail goes through the Bear Creek Preserve and ends at the iconic Bear Creek Falls. Hiking musts include sturdy shoes, rain jacket, water, nuts or powerbars, hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen.

WEDNESDAY

Sunset Concert Series  //  Wednesdays 6:00-8:00 pm  //  Sunset Plaza in Mountain Village

From Telluride, take the free gondola up to Mountain Village and enjoy live music while watching the sun set. Bring a blanket & camp chairs or grab a table at a restaurant in the plaza. Food and beverages are available for purchase. 

THURSDAY

Historic Walking Tour  //  Thursdays 1:00-2:00 pm  //  Telluride Historical Museum

Join longtime local Ashley Boling for a fun and lively tour about Telluride. Learn about the people, buildings, and events that make Telluride unique. $15 ($10 for members) Ticket includes free museum admission. Purchase tickets at the museum, online, or by phone, 970-728-3344 

FRIDAY

Telluride Farmers' Market  //  Fridays 10:30 am - 4:00 pm  //  South Oak Street

Since 2002, the Telluride Farmers’ Market (TFM) as been providing the residents and visitor of Telluride and the surrounding area, with access to regionally produced, organic food and crafts from Colorado’s Western Slope. Our favorite picks are the Thai food stand, produce from any of the local farmers, fresh cut flowers, and getting puppy kisses at the Second Chance Humane Society booth.

SATURDAY

Movies Under the Stars  //  Saturdays 8:45 pm  //  Reflection Plaza in Mountain Village

Enjoy an outdoor movie in the cool Rocky Mountain air, lit by stars and moonlight, surrounded by unmatched Telluride/Mountain Village views. Thursday and Saturday nights this summer. Free Admission. Bring your blankets, lawn chairs, and snacks! Full bar and menu service is available.

SUNDAY

Mountain Biking

Our favorite trails are Village Trail and Prospect Trail which are accessible from the San Sophia Gondola Station. Or do a "locals loop" which is Village Trail to Ridge Trail to Jurassic Trail, a stop in Illium at the Brewery or Distillery for a refreshment and refill water bottles, and back to town on the Valley Floor River Trail. Bike rentals are available from Boot Doctors or Telluride Sports, in town or Mountain Village locations.

No TFF tickets? No problem.

Telluride Film Festival tickets are hard to come by. Didn't get tickets for the 45th annual festival? No sweat, we've got you covered with these free events. 

https://denver.eater.com/maps/best-telluride-restaurants-bars
This tiny Mountain Town might be difficult to get to, but its bustling dining scene far outpaces that of other far larger resorts.

Telluride has only about 2,500 residents, but that small size belies the depth of its dining scene. Here, you can find just about everything you’re craving, from Thai and Mexican to Middle Eastern and New American. There’s also Detroit-style pizza, steak house fare, stacked sandwiches, and damn good bloody marys to discover. Plan your trip, and go taste what this town has to offer.

—Amanda M. Faison

1. Cindybread Artisan Bakery

168 Society Dr
Telluride, CO 81435

(970) 369-1116

You’ll have to hunt to find CindyBread, which is in Lawson Hill, but if you can find Telluride Brewing Company, you can find this locally owned bakery. Most of the breads are baked fresh daily and sandwiches get the royal treatment. Don’t miss the Emma with artichoke hearts, grilled eggplant, tomatoes, roasted red peppers, fresh mozzarella, basil mayo, mixed greens and balsamic vinaigrette tucked between the bakery’s signature tomato focaccia roll. And…there are cookies!

2. The Saloon at Gorrono Ranch Restaurant

If you’ve ridden Chair #4 you’ve likely spotted Goronno Saloon from above. The tiny bar is housed in an old wooden outbuilding alongside Goronno Ranch, the lively on-mountain restaurant during ski season. The bar is always busy: it’s a cozy haven on snowy days when the fireplace blazes and it has a line out the cabin door on sunny days. Order what you will—beer, bloody marys, hot toddys, and bask in the rustic vibe.

3. There Bar

627 W Pacific Ave
Telluride, CO 81435

(970) 728-1213

Walk by this corner bar on any given night and you’ll be lured in by the seductive lighting, the intimate space, and the promise of good food and drink. Initially folks discovered There while waiting for a table at Siam (the two spots sit cattycorner from one another), but the bar has since come into its own — even spawning a Denver location. Go for small plates and the signature jam cocktails where you pick your spirit and a housemade jam mix-in.

4. Siam-Telluride

200 S Davis St
Telluride, CO 81435

(970) 728-6886

Tom kha soup, choo-chee chicken, roti, beef satay…by now anyone’s mouth should be watering. Siam and its Thai-inspired cuisine has garnered a devout following since opening in 2006 and that loyalty will help the restaurant as it navigates new ownership. On a previous visit, the handroll portion of the menu was unavailable but that hasn’t stopped the masses from showing up. Arrive early to nab a table.

5. 221 South Oak

221 S Oak St
Telluride, CO 81320

(970) 728-9507

There are times when one reads the description of a dish and you already know there are too many ingredients vying for attention. That is not the case at 221 South Oak, where one-time Top Chef contestant Eliza Gavin mines her Southern upbringing, her years spent cooking in New Orleans and Napa, and her training at culinary school in France for inspiration. Even with so many influences working at once, Gavin has a knack for distilling flavors.

6. Chop House Restaurant at New Sheridan

233 W Colorado Ave
Telluride, CO 81435

(970) 728-9100

While most everyone talks of the steaks at this old-school (and expensive) steakhouse, it’s really breakfast you should seek out. Located in the hotel’s grand lobby, the menu includes the usual suspects: omelets, eggs Benedict, house-made granola. The real find is the chilaquiles, and you can add steak tips for an additional $9 to make it all the more hearty. Tip: When the weather is warm, don’t miss heading up to The Roof, Telluride’s only rooftop bar.

7. Brown Dog Pizza

110 E Colorado Ave
Telluride, CO 81435

(970) 728-8046

Every town needs its staple pizza spot, and Brown Dog is Telluride’s. Along with Chicago Deep Dish and New York pies, Brown Dog offers Detroit-style pizza, which is rectangular, thick-crusted, and caramelized on the bottom. Don’t miss the award-winning 3-1-3, a white pizza with ricotta, Genoa salami, Calabrian red chiles, sweet piquante peppers, basil, arugula, and shaved Parmigiano Reggiano. If this combo sounds familiar, Denver, that’s because when the owners of Brown Dog opened Blue Pan in West Highland and Congress Park, they made sure that pizza was on the menu.

8. La Cocina De Luz

123 E Colorado Ave
Telluride, CO 81435

(970) 728-9355

Mexican food that’s healthy? Or at least healthy-ish and made with whole, mostly organic ingredients? That’s Cocina De Luz. The vibe is casual and order-at-the counter but the food is exquisite — the posole and vegan tamales in particular. Don’t come expecting TexMex, but do visit the chips and salsa bar, check out the fresh-pressed juice menu, and order a scoop of just-churned ice cream.

9. Caravan Middle Eastern Food

123 E Colorado Ave
Telluride, CO 81435

(970) 728-5611

For a mountain town of roughly 2,500 it’s remarkable to find a Middle Eastern restaurant that does the cuisine justice. And that’s just what Caravan, a food truck stationed on the La Cocina De Luz patio, set out to do. Browse the menu of lamb kofka, chicken shish kebab, falafel, hummus and know you can’t go wrong — and if you can’t decide, order the mezze vegetarian sampler plate. Bonus: Check out the smoothie menu.