$10M in Improvements for Southwestern Ski Resorts
James Coleman, a Durango businessman, is transforming the southwestern ski experience. After acquiring ownership and interest in four ski areas in Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona, Coleman is investing $10M for upgrades at Purgatory, Sipapu, Pajarito and Arizona Snowbowl. Here’s a recap of what the sizable investment will buy.
Purgatory’s Back
Purgatory in Durango is Coleman’s newest acquisition, and his first order of business was to reclaim the original name and throwback logo. This move was a tangible expression of Coleman’s desire to celebrate the resort’s 50 year history while simultaneously moving towards a new future.
More developments are underway at the beloved resort. A new high-speed detachable quad will replace Purgatory’s 30-year-old Legends Lift. The new quad will transport guests nearly a mile on a 1,500 vertical rise to the summit in less than five minutes, serving a pair of fresh lines off of Ray’s Ridge. There will also be an expansion of the mid-way loading area to create an intermediate trail to the bottom of the lift. Furthermore, the new trails and lift will be supported by more snowmaking infrastructure. The installation is planned to be completed by December of this season.
Sipapu to Serve Beginners
Near Taos, New Mexico, Sipapu Ski and Summer Resort will get its first new quad lift to service beginner to intermediate terrain. The beginner lift will carry guests up a 330-foot vertical incline, and is ideal for learning groups. A new trail will be built under the lift and a few skiable acres will be added through the Howdy Extension to other areas.
New Beginner Trail at Pajarito
Also in New Mexico, Pajarito Mountain’s incredible fall lines and bump skiing will be supplemented by a new beginner’s trail, along with improvements to its beginner terrain. The new line will provide a gentle slope on the west side of the mountain. Expect lots of snow on the new terrain, thanks to lots of spring run-off and an uncharacteristically rainy off season, there’s plenty of water available for snowmaking this season.
Snowbowl’s First New Lift in Decades
Further west, Arizona Snowbowl will get its first new chairlift in 30 years, a quad. The new lift will replace the old chair, traveling nearly a half mile, and climbing 775 feet to Humphrey’s Peak while providing access to new terrain. Plans for Snowbowl’s first high-speed lift — the Grand Canyon Express — is currently underway. Mountain crews are widening the popular Ridge trail and grading the Phoenix trails, while adding snowmaking capacity.
All of these improvements at Purgatory, Sipapu, Pajarito are Snowbowl are the first steps in transforming the region’s ski experience in the coming years. If you plan to experience the transformation for yourself this season, the new collective’s Power Pass will help you save significantly on normal ticket window prices.