For the third year in a row, Purgatory Resort plans to open the weekend before Thanksgiving.
According to a Thursday news release, the ski resort north of Durango will start offering rides up the mountain on Saturday, Nov. 18.
And the start of the season for Hesperus Ski Area will be Friday, Dec. 15, officials said.
Other updates in the news release include:
A new mountain coaster just north of Twilight Lift 4 is planned to open by the end of the year. The coaster will be 4,000 feet in length with a 300 foot vertical, with nine switchbacks and one loop to serve as another activity for guests.Purgatory also plans to add new intermediate and expert trails on the back and front sides of the mountain, including a new gladed tree skiing terrain. Needles Lift 6 will offer a new mid-way loading zone to provide easier access for ski teams, terrain park users and skier/riders who want to make laps on the upper half of the mountain.Purgatory also doubled its capacity on the front side of the mountain to make new snow. Crews also boosted snowmaking capacity on the upper portion of the front side, including the top of Lift 1, the mid-way loading zone on Lift 6 and the Lift 2 area. The resort plans to start making snow in October, weather depending, the news release said.At Hesperus, crews installed additional lighting to crease the amount of terrain for night skiing. This winter, the mountain will re-open the rope tow and install a new yurt for additional space for guests.
The projects are part of a $15 million multi-mountain improvement plan along with other resorts: Arizona Snowbowl, Sipapu Ski & Summer Resort and Pajarito Mountain.