DMR may extend season, weekends only

by Shane Benjamin
Herald Staff Writer

Article Last Updated; Friday, October 02, 2009 2:58PM

Durango Mountain Resort plans to be open only three days a week this winter if there is not sufficient natural snow – at least for the beginning and end of the ski season.

By reducing the number of days it is open during the shoulder seasons, the resort hopes to offer a better product to its weekend customers and extend the length of its overall season, said Chief Executive Officer Gary Derck.

“The goal here is to get something for the weekends, so at least we have some early offering,” he said. “We’re intending to stay open weekends, all the way to the end of April.”

Last year, DMR opened Dec. 6 and closed April 5. This year, the resort hopes to open by Thanksgiving weekend and stay open through the end of April, Derck said.

In an e-mail sent to employees, the resort said its goal was to be open Friday through Sunday for the first three weekends, Nov. 27-29, Dec. 4-6, and Dec. 11-13.

Regardless of natural snow, Purgatory will open seven days a week beginning Dec. 18, the e-mail said.

With sufficient snow, the resort will open seven days a week during the first few weeks, Derck said.

After spring break, Purgatory will resume weekend operations through the end of April, subject to snow conditions.

Lauren Slaff, a season pass holder, said the proposed operating schedule reduces the number of ski days for weekday pass holders, and it is another example of DMR catering to tourists at the expense of locals.

“It’s’ rough on the weekday pass holders who can’t go on the weekends,” Slaff said. “It still seems like they’re gearing all their business toward the out-of-towners.”

Last season, DMR shutdown Lift 5 on Monday through Thursday, even though the expert terrain below it was perfectly skiable, she said.

DMR should have made its operating schedule known to customers buying season and weekday passes, – before they bought the passes, – Slaff said.

But Derck said the new schedule likely will likely extend the ski season. By concentrating snow-making efforts on one part of the mountain for weekend skiers, DMR can open sooner and stay open later, he said.

And if Mother Nature blankets the resort before Dec. 18, the ski resort will open for weekday skiing, Derck said.

“The entire principal is, how do we get more days?” he said.