Friday, November 20, is a big day up and down US 550. Purgatory Resort has it on the calendar as winter opening day, with lifts running 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. from the Purgatory Village Express. The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad lists the same date as the start of both THE POLAR EXPRESS™ Train Ride and its winter Cascade Canyon service. The Cascade Canyon train is a five-hour round trip that follows the Animas River and runs through April 30, 2027.
Most of what is actually new at Purgatory this winter comes later. The new lift, the town shuttle, the cheapest lift tickets and the holiday events are all on the December calendar. For anyone who lives between Durango and the resort, opening day starts a winter that comes together over about six weeks.
What Opening Day Brings
Opening day means the resort's main base and the Purgatory Village Express. The project that has kept helicopters flying over the front side all summer has its own timeline. The other changes worth knowing about this season are a new lift, a new pass card and a shuttle start date, and none of them happen on November 20.
After opening day, the next fixed date is Thanksgiving. Purgy's, at 24 Sheol St., is serving Thanksgiving Dinner on November 26 with seatings at 4:30 and 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $85 for ages 14 and up, $20 for ages 4 to 13, and free for ages 3 and under, with tax and tip included. For valley households, it's a way to skip cooking without driving into town.
The Colorado Couloir Starts at the Gelande Lot
The biggest change on the mountain this year is the Colorado Couloir. It's a fixed-grip triple chairlift that climbs 1,625 vertical feet from the Gelande parking area to the upper mountain. For years it was known as the Gelande Lift project. Purgatory's July construction update says the lift is "scheduled to debut this December, conditions permitting."
The change for people who drive up from the valley is how they get to that access point. In the resort's own words:
"It eliminates the old shuttle ride, creating a seamless new access point so you can get straight to the top."
Before, skiers parked at Gelande and rode a shuttle. Once the lift opens, they'll go straight from the parking area onto a chair. Purgatory says the ride climbs at a 60% grade, gaining 6 feet for every 10 feet forward. Because the mountainside has no roads, crews flew in concrete forms and materials by helicopter. The resort says the lift opens seven new trails and connectors. Purgatory describes the terrain as glades and tight chutes and calls it some of the most challenging it has ever offered. POWDER put the expansion at roughly 40 acres, with five advanced-to-expert runs and two connectors.
Some of the lift is recycled. The chairs, grips and internal machinery come from Telluride's retired Plunge Lift. The project goes back to Purgatory's 2008 Improvement Plan, which was reaffirmed in 2019, and it's a core part of the $7 million in capital improvements Purgatory made this summer.
By early September, Unofficial Networks reported that the towers and top terminal were done. Still ahead at that point were bottom-terminal construction, rope splicing, electrical and control work, and certification. That leftover work is why the resort's December date comes with "conditions permitting."
The lift also comes with new management. In April, SAM reported that Dave Rathbun had become CEO of Purgatory Resort Holdings, which is still owned by Mountain Capital Partners. His job includes delivering the Gelande lift and the snowmaking upgrade on Divinity Trail. POWDER reports that the snowmaking work adds 13 acres on Divinity, from the top of Twilight Chair to its mid-station.
The Pass Card Changed Before the Snow Did
Passholders will see one change on their first chair ride. Starting this season, every passholder gets an RFID card for hands-free lift access, picked up at a mountain kiosk or in downtown Durango. Most passes also come with six tickets at 50% off the online rate, which is handy for bringing friends or family who visit.
Purgatory's pass page set November 6 as the date pass prices would rise, and before that the resort said it had held its starting prices since 2023. Here is the lineup as listed in late October, before that increase:
- Power Pass: $1,149 for adults ages 37 to 64, with no blackout dates
- 12 Day Power Pass: $799, with holiday blackouts Dec. 27 to 31, Jan. 16 to 17 and Feb. 13 to 14
- 4 Day Power Pass: $499
- Weekday pass: $299 to $549, depending on whether you pick one to five weekdays
- Power Kids: free for ages 12 and under
- Super Senior: free at 75 and older
Pass prices depend on age, and the resort treats that as its student option. Purgatory's FAQ says there's no discount for college credit. If the 12 Day pass appeals because you live close enough to pick your days, keep the blackouts in mind. They cover the week after Christmas, which is exactly when visiting family tends to want to ski.
December, Date by Date
Single-day tickets use dynamic pricing. They cost more the closer you book to your ski day, and prices also follow demand. The lift-ticket page set November 10 as the date for its next ticket price increase. As of November 1, the resort's ticket calendar listed $9 adult tickets for Tuesday through Thursday, December 8 to 10. Each came with Purgatory Cash, and the calendar showed a "compare at" price of $60. The resort describes the deal as limited $9 tickets with $10 in resort credit.
Here's how the rest of the month lays out on Purgatory's calendar:
| Date | What's scheduled | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Dec. 8 to 10 | $9 midweek adult tickets | Purgatory Cash included, limited availability |
| Dec. 13 | Demo Days at Expert Edge | 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., ski and snowboard demos, boot rental separate |
| Dec. 19 | Cold Moon snowcat dinner | 4 to 9 p.m., ages 21 and up, depends on weather and conditions |
| Dec. 20 | Skier shuttle begins, plus Santa, Mrs. Claus and the Coca-Cola Bear | $20 per ride, reservations required |
| Dec. 31 | New Year's Eve | Fireworks and a torchlit skiing parade |
| December | Colorado Couloir debut | Scheduled, conditions permitting |
Expert Edge, which hosts Demo Days, has moved into the plaza, according to Purgatory's event calendar. Demo Days on December 13 falls around the time the Couloir is due, so it's a good chance to try a stiffer ski before the steeper terrain opens.
The Bus Arrives on December 20
The last piece is the shuttle. Purgatory's skier shuttle starts December 20 and costs $20 per ride. It leaves the Durango Transit Center at 7:50 a.m. and heads back down at 5:30 p.m. Reservations are required, and the route makes several stops around Durango.
That leaves the first month of the season without Purgatory's skier shuttle. December 20 is a busy day on the calendar. The shuttle starts, Santa visits the mountain, and the 12 Day pass blackout begins a week later. Mid-December, with the $9 midweek days, Demo Days and possibly the new lift, offers more for less money.
For an off-mountain meal on a weekday, James Ranch Grill lists off-season hours of Wednesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. It's closed Mondays and Tuesdays from Labor Day weekend through Memorial Day weekend. If your ski day lands early in the week, find another place to stop.
A new lift that starts at a parking lot changes the day-to-day math for people who live up the valley, including what a home near the Gelande turnoff is worth this winter. If you're curious how this season might affect your valley property, LiveInDurango and Alicia Romero can walk you through it. Start your move by requesting a home valuation.
