Frequently Asked Questions

As an Alpine Lodging guest you will be checking in directly at your reserved property as outlined below.

(links are to Google Maps)

Mountainside Inn - check-in at 333 S. Davis Street in Telluride
River Club - check-in at River Club, located at 550 Depot Avenue in Telluride
Bear Creek Lodge - check-in at Bear Creek Lodge, located at 135 San Joaquin Road in Mountain Village
Manitou Lodge - check-in at the Manitou Lodge, located at 333 S Fir Street in Telluride
Villas at Cortina - Check-in directly to your property per pre-arrival letter instructions
Aspen Ridge - Check-in directly to your villa per pre-arrival letter instructions.

Some of our properties have keyless entry systems, meaning you will receive a unique code for your stay instead of a physical key. Please refer to your final confirmation letter to see if you are staying in one of these Telluride properties.

It is a common saying in mountain towns that you come for the winters, but you stay for the summers. This is especially true in Telluride. With an average of more than 300 inches of snow per year and the lack of crowds, Telluride, Colorado is just about the perfect ski and snowboard mountain. Opening day falls on Thanksgiving each year and closing day is typically in early April. For a little something extra during your ski vacation, come during the holidays when the Palm Theatre and Sheridan Opera House book their biggest shows of the year. The Opera house also offers a hilarious comedy festival over President’s week, with more top of the line acts in March.

Summer in Telluride is a great place to beat the heat! Daytime temperatures rarely top 80 degrees and the evenings cool off to the 40s for great sleeping weather. The variety of Telluride festivals and activities in the summer means there is something for everyone in Telluride. Plan ahead to attend one of our world-class music or movie festivals or choose from a great niche event like the wine festival or the Festival of the Arts.

Spring is one of the most overlooked times to visit. Adventurous souls know that May and early June are the best times to take advantage of spring run-off for white water rafting and kayaking. While not all of the restaurants are open until later in June, those that are open don’t have lines and the shops offer great sales in the spring! Check with a Telluride local to see which hiking trails are clear of snow and which mountain passes have opened.

If you have never experienced autumn in Colorado, you are missing some of the most breathtaking scenery the state has to offer. The mountains surrounding Telluride are covered with aspen trees that begin turning golden in mid-September and usually last until mid-October. Walking along leaf-covered trails in the crisp fall air is a peaceful time and a photographer’s dream. This is a perfect time to hike and mountain bike in Telluride, as well as just relax and take it all in.

While you visit Telluride, Colorado, there is no real need for a car. There is a free shuttle service through Telluride and Mountain Village numerous times a day.

If you do have a car with you, the guest services staff at Alpine Lodging Telluride will explain where you can park during your stay in Telluride. Alpine Lodging Telluride, however, is not liable for any towing or ticketing expenses. Please remember that parking in Telluride and Mountain Village is limited, especially during the summer festivals and the winter season and parking might not be guaranteed.

Mountain Village is a beautiful ski village attached to the town of Telluride by a free Gondola. Mountain Village is where the Telluride Ski Resort actually begins. The majority of the 17 lifts, ski information, and most of the 148 ski trails feed into Mountain Village. Guests will enjoy lodging, restaurants, winter activities, evening entertainment, shopping, and incredible scenery in Mountain Village.

Alpine Lodging Telluride manages a variety of property types in both the town of Telluride and Mountain Village, providing you with a great selection of Telluride accommodations. We offer everything from hotel rooms to condos and private vacation homes at seven properties; Mountainside Inn, Bear Creek Lodge. Manitou Lodge, River Club, Aspen Ridge and Villas at Cortina.

You will be close to everything wherever you choose to stay in Telluride or Mountain Village. The free Gondola connecting the two towns makes it easy to visit both locations, and everything in each town is within walking distance. There are some differences, however, between the two areas. The town of Telluride is a historic old mining town with a lot of history. The majority of the shops, restaurants, and bars are located along Main Street (Colorado Avenue), and on the far end is Town Park, the site for all of the major summer festivals. Mountain Village is a newer European-style ski village with the most convenient access to the ski slopes and also offers a wide variety of shops and restaurants. Check out more detailed information on the two locations here.

Guests can access Mountain Village from the town of Telluride by taking the 15-minute Gondola ride up and over the mountain. To get to Mountain Village by car, you must drive outside of town following Highway 145 South. Take a left at the sign for Mountain Village. The ski resort is about a mile and a half up the road on your left. This scenic drive takes about 15 minutes.

Each condo will be stocked with a wide range of amenities for the comfort of our guests' stay. Upon arrival, guests will find that all accommodations will have linens and towels and if there is a kitchen it will be fully stocked with everything you need to prepare and enjoy a meal. If there is something that is missing or something that would make your stay more enjoyable, please contact the front desk or concierge of your property.

The weather in Telluride is just about perfect all year long! In the winter, the temperatures average between 20 degrees and 50 degrees, depending on the month. Telluride is known for having fabulous weather for spring skiing! In the summer, enjoy temperatures in the 70s and 80s with very low humidity, making it perfect for our many summer festivals.

The free Gondola is open daily from 7 a.m. to midnight during the summer and winter seasons. The Gondola usually stays open a bit later at night during major summer festivals (such as Telluride Bluegrass, the Telluride Film Festival, and Telluride Blues & Brews) and New Year's Eve. Pet and handicap cars are also available. The Gondola is closed during the spring and fall off-seasons.

Skiable Terrain:
2,000+ acres

Total Trails:
148

Longest Run:
4.6 miles "Galloping Goose"

Trail Difficulty:
23% Beginner
36% Intermediate
41% Advanced / Expert

Total Lifts:
18 Total: 2 high-speed gondolas, 5 high-speed quads, 1 fixed quad, 2 triples, 2 doubles, 2 surface lifts and 3 magic carpets.

Vertical Drop:
4,425 feet

Elevation:
Base: 8,750 ft
Lift-Served: 12,515 ft
Summit: 13,150 ft

Lift Capacity:
22,386+ skiers per hour

Average Annual Snowfall:
280 inches

If you are not a skier, there are many great Telluride activities for you to enjoy. Throughout Telluride, there are a number of day spas, nightly live shows, unique stores, and fabulous restaurants. Other exciting ways to get outdoors include snowmobiling, ice-skating, snow-shoeing, horseback rides, guided fishing, Nordic skiing and ice-climbing. Check out our full list of winter activities.

There are Telluride activities for children of all ages! Skiing and snowboarding are most popular in winter, as well as other activities like ice-skating and snowshoeing. There are also classes offered at the Ah Haa School for the Arts. There are many activities to do in the summer as well. There are kids' activities at the Telluride Town Park, such as the use of the new skate park, swimming pool and playground, kids' fishing pond, basketball courts, etc. Most festivals in Telluride also have a kids' tent, and entrance to festivals for children 12 and under is typically free (when accompanied by an adult pass holder). Check out our full list of Telluride kids' activities.

There are three grocery stores between Telluride and Mountain Village. Clark's Market is located at the beginning of the town of Telluride, across from the school, on W. Colorado Ave. The Market at Telluride is located on S. Fir Street in Telluride, next to Baked in Telluride. Mountain Market is located in Mountain Village. This market is conveniently located at the City Hall/Visitor's Center area - right next to the Gondola station, off of Mountain Village Blvd. near the visitor parking structure.

There are three major liquor stores in Telluride and one in Mountain Village. In town, Telluride Liquors is located on E. Colorado Ave. next to the Coffee Cowboy vendor station. Telluride Bottle Works is on W. San Juan by Smuggler's Brew Pub, while The Wine Mine is on the west end of town on S. Townsend. Telluride Bottle Works and the Wine Mine offer a large selection of both local and foreign wines. The Mountain Village liquor store is conveniently located inside the Mountain Village Market by the gondola station and Town Hall.

Telluride offers a babysitting service called Annie's Nannies and there is also a babysitting nursery offered by the Telluride Ski Resort.

The town of Telluride offers a Dining Guide for Telluride, which is provided at our front desk. Telluride cuisine ranges from traditional French to authentic Mexican and everything in between—showcasing some truly world-class dining. Please also feel free to ask your property's concierge for their recommendations on dining!

The free box began in the early ’80s and has grown into, as its logo reads, "A Telluride Tradition." Wooden cubbies marked with category names - boys, girls, books, men, women, housewares, and others - sit stacked on N. Pine Street allowing for this exchange. You are sure to find something interesting every time you stop by the Free Box.

The elevation is 8,750 feet in the town of Telluride while the elevation in nearby Mountain Village is 9,545 feet. The San Sophia Gondola Station and Allred's Restaurant are at 10,535 feet. The highest elevation that you can ski from lift access is 12,255 feet, which is up close to the Prospect Bowl. Since the addition of the hike-to-terrain at Palmyra Peak in 2008, you can ski almost 2,000 vertical feet from the top.

First and foremost, everyone that is not adjusted to the elevation should drink lots of water and avoid alcohol for the first 24 hours. Take your time traveling to higher altitudes. Do not push yourself too hard. Remember that if you live closer to sea level, you are not used to the low oxygen level (the air pressure is 40% lower here!). Some of the first signs of high-altitude illness (altitude sickness) are similar to the flu: headache, lightheadedness, weakness, trouble sleeping and an upset stomach. If you start experiencing any of these symptoms we strongly recommend that you visit the Telluride Medical Center, as they have many tips on immediate remedies for altitude sickness.

The Telluride Regional Airport (TEX) is 5.6 miles from the center of Telluride. Guests can fly into TEX by connecting through Denver on smaller airlines. TEX is open to general aviation, including charter and private planes.

Montrose Regional Airport (MTJ) is 65 miles away and has many direct flights including Denver, Dallas, Houston, Salt Lake City, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Newark, and Chicago. The Cortez Municipal Airport is about 75 miles away. La Plata County Airport (DRO) is located in Durango, CO and is about 2-3 hours away and offers a regional airport. Grand Junction Airport (GJT) is about 3 hours away also. The Denver International Airport (DEN) is about 6-7 hours away.

Yes, there are two shuttle services in the Telluride/Mountain Village area. We recommend Telluride Express.

Telluride Express is Telluride's premier ground transportation service with door-to-door rideshare and private rides. It is the only Colorado PUC authorized company to provide demand limousine service and unrestricted call service between Telluride and Montrose and Cortez airports.

Here are some Telluride spas that we would recommend for guests:

Aveda Telluride Spa, located at the base of the Gondola in Telluride, inside the Camel's Garden Hotel
Studio G: 226 W. Colorado
Breathe Skin and Body: 618 Mountain Village Blvd.
In the Mountain Village, there are spas at the Peaks Resort (The Spa at the Peaks), inside the Madeline Hotel and Residences (M Spa), and the Fairmont Franz Klammer Lodge (Himmel Spa).