My Favorite Lift at Telluride
Prospect Express, aka Lift 12 comes to mind when I think about where the best skiing and riding is on the mountain. To get there you have to ride a couple other lifts to work your way to the bottom of the lift. This has a couple benefits, first off you get to take a couple quick warm up runs in between lifts. Secondly, it thins people along the way. The 4 person lift takes you almost all the way to the top of the mountain, where the runs right off the lift are great. There are greens, blues, and blacks so anyone can enjoy the riding.
What sets this lift apart from the others is that once at the top, you can continue to hike anywhere from 5 minutes to 2 hours further up the mountain to some of the best runs in the resort. These runs are the epitome of “steep and deep.” I actually had my first real experience in powder up on a run called Genevieve, which is about a 40 minute hike from the top of the lift. It was unforgettable. For more adventurous skiers and riders, you can hike up to Palmyra Peak which is the highest point on the mountain. It’s a treacherous hike, but once back at the bottom you can reflect on that fact that you just had some of the best riding in the country.
In addition to the awesome skiing off of Lift 12, it also has some of the best views in Colorado. From the top you can see miles and miles of blue skies over the beautiful Colorado Rockies. For travelers and locals alike, the top of Lift 12 is awe inspiring. Between all of these wonderful aspects of Lift 12 its not hard to find reasons to keep going out on the mountain and shredding as much as possible!
-Ski Butlers Telluride
