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The wait is over: Purgatory opens

Two lifts turn to begin season

Some Durangoans eschewed the doorbuster deals on Black Friday, opting instead for white slopes at Purgatory at Durango Mountain Resort.

The resort opened Friday with two lifts operating and discounted $49 lift tickets for skiing on the mountain’s front side. The ski school’s Magic Carpet lift was also turning, and two terrain parks were open.

A small crowd at 9 a.m. was swiftly ushered up the mountain, and by 9:02 a.m., the lift line had disappeared. Students took advantage of a day off to visit the mountain.

“I just want to get the season started as quickly as possible,” said Victoria Reeve, a freshman at Animas High School. “It’s my favorite part of the winter.”

The ski area has received 17 inches of natural snow to date. That has been supplemented by the resort’s snowmaking operations. DMR purchased additional snowmaking equipment before the season.

Purgatory has a couple of new features this winter. There’s a snowboarding school for kids ages 3 to 6 that is sponsored by Burton. And a new food truck, Elevation Station, has come to the Columbine area.

The first day felt a bit tentative, with limited terrain and small crowds, but the opening held the promise of powder days to come.

“I’ve been looking forward to this day pretty much all year,” said Garrett Morris, a Fort Lewis College junior. “I’ve been hitting up Wolf Creek, but it just couldn’t compare to being in Durango. It’s such a shorter drive, and, honestly, I like the mountain better.”

Karl Roznai, a 22-year-old Durangoan, was in no hurry to make turns as he nursed a beer at Purgatory’s beach area. He said he wasn’t quite the victim of a post-Thanksgiving hangover.

“It’s more of a hang-onto,” he said.

Roznai said skiing is part of Durango’s outdoor culture.

“It’s just really the getting outside of it,” he said. “Durango’s all about getting outside.”

Justin Henley, a snowboarder from Farmington, said the snow was better when Purgatory opened last winter. But he wasn’t complaining.

“This is heaven right now,” he said.

Tiki Braner, age 10, wore a red cape to celebrate opening day. Tiki was adopted from Rwanda three years ago. On his first day in Durango, his parents, Andy and Jamie Braner, took him snowboarding.

Snowboarding, Tiki said, is “really fun.”

Purgatory will remain open this weekend before closing again Monday. Operations will resume next Friday through Sunday. Purgatory will be open only on weekends until conditions permit daily operations, likely around mid-December, the resort said.

Wolf Creek Ski Area, east of Pagosa Springs, opened Nov. 8.

cslothower@durangoherald.com



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