DISCOVER TELLURIDE
W
elcome to the winter 2021-2022 issue of the Official Guide to Telluride & Mountain Village, and a very warm welcome from the Telluride Tourism Board. We hope that you find everything you need in this current issue of the Guide for a very special time in our very special community. I think it is safe to say that we are living in momentous times that feel historic, but, then,
local dining scene. Not an obvious nod to Telluride’s history, but a favorite of mine because these eateries are a mirror image of our community itself: old and new existing side by side and, well, crushing it. Even our Community Characters profile fits in well with my preoccupation with history, chronicling Mountain Village’s former town manager, Kim Montgomery, whose personal history is intertwined with that of the very
LIVING HISTORY Telluride and Mountain Village have seen many momentous chapters in their long, storied past. It’s a unique and colorful history that has been carefully preserved thanks to Telluride’s status, gained in 1961, as a National Historic Landmark. It’s also a history that has been interwoven throughout the pages of this issue, first with our cover story, which looks at the pivotal time in the area’s past when, faced with the slow but inexorable decline of the mining industry, visionaries within the community hit upon the idea of opening a ski area — and then made it happen. There is also a feature on the 60th anniversary of the National Historic Landmark designation itself, how it came about and why it remains so important. And, there is an article about two new arrivals, Littlehouse and Stronghouse, to the
community that she helped establish. In Telluride and Mountain Village, it would seem that we are living history, as well as preserving it. While writing this, on a sunny, bluebird day in autumn, I am tempted to linger a little longer on the stories, events and characters that make our local history so fascinating. I need for a moment, though, to look forward to this winter with a reminder to please respect the public health guidelines that may exist this season. They are measures designed to keep us all safe and well — and out in Telluride’s beautiful backyard as much as possible. After all, it’s a backyard abundant, not only with relics and references to the area’s past, but also with a wealth of opportunities for adventurers ready this winter to write their own histories. Let it snow!
EXPLORE THE VISITORS CENTER Want to make your Telluride experience an unforgettable one? Try the welcoming, informative Visitors Center. Located beside Elks Park and just across Colorado Avenue from the historic New Sheridan Hotel, this interactive space and its knowledgeable, friendly staff are ready to steer you toward a winter adventure, memorable meal or the perfect boutique.
MICHAEL MARTELON PRESIDENT & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Telluride Tourism Board
This powder-day skier, catching air on Colorado Avenue, is not Michael Martelon, except in his wildest dreams. Photo by Melissa Plantz telluride.com | 855.421.4360
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