Purgatory Resort in southwest Colorado has a mix of good and not so good news to share. This summer, the mountain poured millions into more than 40 capital improvement projects. That sounds like good news as it gears up to celebrate its 60th anniversary in December 2025.
The Gelande Lift Teaches Patience
The marquee upgrade though, the new fixed grip triple chair called the Gelande, will have to wait. The project has been delayed and most likely will not spin this winter. But when it does finally open, the lift will unlock some of Purgatory’s most impressive terrain. Look out for a steep zone of expert pitches dropping to the valley floor and brushing up against some of the resort’s oldest advanced lines, including the famed Hades.
Delayed but Forthcoming
“Our team pushed as far as we could within the approvals and requirements in place,” notes Dave Rathbun, Purgatory’s GM. “Over the summer, we’ve invested more than $1.25 million and thousands of hours into pre-construction. That work has included building tower forms, modifying chairs to handle the steep profile, assembling major lift components, and staging equipment.”
“But with the regulatory process still unfolding and the timeline required for tree removal, tower foundation excavation, flying forms and concrete, and removing forms and backfilling the tower foundations, we don’t believe it will be feasible at this date to ensure this work can be completed before winter conditions take hold. That doesn’t mean the project work stops. We’ll continue site prep, tree removal and trail glading to open the terrain for sampling this winter (conditions permitting). When the remaining regulatory steps are cleared, we’ll be ready to move quickly next spring.”
2025 Summer Upgrades: From Trails to Tech
But it’s not all bad news. Projects Purg did complete this summer included expanding snowmaking to the bottom of Ray’s Ridge, Blackburn’s Bash, and Legends Bypass to boost snow reliability. It also allows for earlier and later access to the backside of the resort. The resort also updated its Purgatory app with improved maps and features, refreshed Paradise Pizzeria, and undertook tweaks to ski trail and tree runs to enhance the ski experience across the mountain.
Additionally, it added new HEAD ski and snowboard rental equipment. And don’t forget about a new Prinoth Bison snowcat, expanded wifi coverage, new HD streaming cameras, and an upgraded alpine slide for summer fun.
“These improvements reflect our long-term commitment to the mountain and to the guests who return to Purgatory year after year,” says Rathburn. “As we look ahead to celebrating six decades of skiing and riding in the San Juan Mountains, we’re proud to invest in the future of outdoor recreation in Southwest Colorado.”
While much of the Western US has faced a warm, dry spell delaying openings, Purgatory was able to open on November 28th thanks to its expanded snowmaking. The resort is currently operating with 7 trails and 2 lifts.
