Telluride, Colorado: Culture and Adventure in the San Juan Mountains
Nestled in a box canyon surrounded by the breathtaking San Juan Mountains, Telluride has transformed itself from a rugged Victorian mining town into a world-class ski resort and major festival venue that draws visitors year-round to this remote corner of southwestern Colorado. While its profile has risen dramatically in recent years, Telluride’s off-the-beaten-path locale - sheltered from the outside world by the highest concentration of 14,000-foot peaks in the U.S. - has preserved every bit of its small-town charm and Old West legacy.
Gold was first discovered here in 1858, and by 1890 the railroad had arrived, giving rise to a burgeoning mining industry on which the town was built. Telluride's early history also boasts a connection to one of the more infamous characters of the Wild West, Butch Cassidy, who, before his "Wild Bunch" days, robbed his first bank here in 1889, pocketing $24,580 from the San Miguel Valley Bank.
The ski industry arrived with the end of mining operations in the 1970s, and a second town, Mountain Village, took shape above Telluride (and a spectacular 9,500 feet above sea level) at the base of the ski area. It is here that Telluride's finest hotels are centered. Visitors and locals travel freely between the two towns via free gondola service that connects the sophisticated ski resort offerings of Mountain Village with the quaint, off-beat shops and restaurants of downtown Telluride.
Culture at 8,750 Feet
In summer, Telluride plays host to more than 30 festivals and cultural fairs, bookended by two major film festivals: Mountainfilm in May - a showcase for independent films on world cultures, adventure and the environment - and the legendary Telluride Film Festival at season's end. In between, there are events for epicureans (the Telluride Wine Festival and Mushroom Festival), fairs for music lovers (the Telluride Jazz Celebration, Bluegrass Festival and Blues and Brews Festival) a Balloon Festival, and even, just for fun, Nothing Fest - a "nonevent" that serves as a midsummer antidote to the bustling festival calendar. A Friday afternoon Farmer's Market brings farm-fresh local produce and musical entertainment along with a block-party atmosphere to downtown Telluride from June through October. And throughout the year, on the first Thursday of every month, Telluride's art galleries open their doors to passersby for the Telluride Art Walk.
Mining for History
Strolling the Telluride National Historic District reveals hundreds of well-preserved architectural and historic gems. The Wild West lives on in a fascinating array of exhibits at the Telluride Historical Museum, housed in a beautifully restored 1896 hospital that is a must-stop for history buffs. The museum showcases Telluride's most colorful historic figures, from Butch Cassidy to town madam Big Billie, along with the region’s Ute Indian heritage and mining history.
Among the many other buildings well worth a visit are the San Miguel County Courthouse (1887), the L.L. Nunn House – home of the 19th-century mining engineer who built the world's first AC-generating power plant just outside Telluride to power the burgeoning mining industry, and the Sheridan Opera House (1914), whose stage was once graced by performers such as Lillian Gish and Sarah Bernhardt.
Winter Sports
Telluride is a regular favorite for ski enthusiasts - voted the number two North American ski destination by Condé Nast Traveler for the 2008 season, and garnering the number four and 10 spots in readers' polls by Skiing and Ski magazine, respectively. The renowned Telluride Ski Resort is known for its challenging runs and superior powder. It boasts 1,700 skiable acres that include 92 named runs and 4,425 feet of vertical drop, from the beginner-friendly Prospect Bowl to the signature See Forever, a two-mile trail that starts at 12,255 feet and is notable for its never-ending vistas (including Utah on a clear day), and the ski area's longest run, the 4.6-mile Galloping Goose. Telluride challenges the most expert skiers with runs like The Plunge and a choice of double-diamond backcountry adventures. The winter 2008-09 season will introduce Revelation Bowl, an advanced skiers paradise accessible via the resort's new Revelation quad chair lift. Likened to Europe's famous Alps, Revelation Bowl is located above tree line and offers a wide-open bowl with a groomed path for cruising, as well as ridgelines for steeper pitches. Skiers and snowboarders in-the-know consider the month of March prime time for a Telluride ski trip, when the snowpack is at its peak.
Thrill-seekers flock to Telluride to heli-ski the highest helicopter-accessed terrain in North America. Three ice skating rinks include a skating pond in Mountain Village, an outdoor rink with warming hut and an NHL-regulation-sized indoor rink in Telluride town. Other winter sports include snowmobiling, snowshoeing, ice-climbing, sleigh rides, and dog-sledding.
Warm-Weather Adventures
The wildflowers of summer and spectacular golden aspens of autumn make the warm-weather months a delightful time to visit Telluride. In summer, the ski area is transformed into a network of hiking and biking trails that can be accessed by gondola, and a variety of trails are also accessible from the town of Telluride. There are trails designated for horses, which can be enjoyed on an afternoon horseback ride, a chuck-wagon dinner ride or an overnight trip, and other trails designated for jeeps. From town, visitors can hike to several waterfalls, including scenic Bridal Veil Falls - Colorado's highest waterfall at 365 feet and crowned by a late-1800s hydroelectric power plant, still in service, that is now designated a National Historic Landmark.
The San Miguel River winds down valley through Telluride and offers warm-weather opportunities for fly fishing, river rafting and kayaking. Anglers will also find world-class fly fishing on the Colorado, Animas and Gunnison Rivers.
Telluride is also home to one of the highest-altitude golf courses in the U.S. At 9,300 feet, golf balls travel up to 15 percent further than at sea level, providing golfers a welcome ego boost as it treats them to spectacular mountain views.
Beyond Telluride, a bevy of awe-inspiring natural wonders are easily accessible. In just two hours, one can explore the picturesque landscapes of Arches National Park, the deep river canyons of Canyonlands National Park, the expansive dessert terrain surrounding Moab, UT, or experience the cliff dwellings of Colorado’s Ancestral Pueblo people at Mesa Verde National Park.
One-of-a-Kind Shopping
Shopping, both in Telluride and Mountain Village, is pedestrian-friendly and full of delights for the buyer or browser who seeks one-of-a-kind goods. Dubbed "Main Street" by locals, Colorado Avenue is the nexus of downtown Telluride. The avenue, which retains its Old West ambience, is lined with antique stores, restaurants, galleries, sporting goods stores, boutiques ranging from super-trendy to eco-friendly, artisanal jewelry shops, and a beloved local bookstore. Mountain Village shopping is centered around the bustling Village Core, with its outdoor cafes, sophisticated boutiques and sports shops.
Capella Telluride will open Feb. 12, 2009 in the heart of Mountain Village, marking the U.S. debut of Capella Hotels and Resorts. With 100 luxury hotel guest rooms and 60 one, two, three and four bedroom condominium suites, it promises to redefine mountain luxury. Capella Telluride will offer the finest ski-in/ski-out location on the mountain and will provide guests and residents with an unprecedented level of personal service. Its world-class amenities will include an exclusive Capella lounge, spa, pool, fitness center, ski valet, several restaurants and entertainment venues, climate controlled parking, a kids club and retail facilities.
Capella Telluride is being developed through a partnership with RAL Companies & Affiliates LLC. For more information, visit www.CapellaTelluride.com.
Capella Hotels and Resorts serves today's top-tier travelers and residential property owners and is setting a new standard in the hospitality industry. Capella promises the unique benefits of the finest boutique hotels, including superb architecture and interior design, privacy, individualized service and attention to detail - combined with the amenities and activities of the world's great luxury hotels and resorts. Capella, led by founder Horst Schulze, is a brand focused on customer choice, and offers choices that no other hotel company in the world can match. Capella is opening world-class properties in gateway cities and high-profile resort destinations around the world, including: Breidenbacher Hof, a Capella Hotel (Düsseldorf, Germany); Capella Bahia Maroma (Riviera Maya, Mexico); Capella Dunboy Castle (Castletownbere, Ireland); Capella Ixtapa (Ixtapa, Mexico); Capella Niseko (Niseko, Japan); Capella Pedregal (Cabo San Lucas, Mexico); Capella Singapore (Sentosa Island, Singapore); Capella Telluride (Telluride, Colorado); and Schloss Velden, a Capella Hotel (Velden, Austria). Learn more at www.capellahotels.com.
Patricia Nugent/Kathleen Cullinane
Middleton & Gendron, Inc.
(212) 284-9935/(212) 980-9194
pnugent@mg-pr.com/kcullinane@mg-pr.com
