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Best Western Durango...
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An outdoor adventure is only steps away at this comfortable, unique Colorado hotel! Discover...
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United States: Search skiing areas
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Durango
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Whether you call it Durango or call the area by its full name, Purgatory Mountain at Durango Mountain Resort, you are offered a broad-shouldered mountain southwest of Denver in the scenic San Juans. One half of the skiable 1,200 acres and the 85 trails is fully devoted to intermediate skiers and riders, while the other 600 acres are equally split between advanced and experts. This resort is blessed with an average of 260 inches of snow each year and offers snow making on roughly 20 percent of the whole skiable area.
But beginners aren't relegated to low-altitude slow zones. True, Columbine is a beginners-only area, but up on the mountain there's a good choice of trails especially between the Hermosa Park Express and Engineer lifts. Intermediates, of course, will find plenty to keep them happy, from the Legends Triple on one end of the mountain to the Needles Triple on the other. Most of the black diamond terrain is located off these two chairs, too, but there's a sprinkling of advanced terrain-most notably Bull Run-in the mid-section of the mountain. And if you’re hungry there are three on-mountain eateries and five more choices can be found slopeside or in the Purgatory Village at the base.
The resort is 25 miles from Durango, 350 miles southwest of Denver, 232 miles northwest of Albuquerque and 470 miles northeast of Phoenix. There are no major mountain passes from the south or west. In summary, Durango is a four-hour drive from Albuquerque. It's six-plus hours from Denver in the winter over numerous mountain passes, which frequently close when it snows. Chains or 4WD are occasionally required on Hwy. 550N heading from Durango to the resort during and immediately after major snowstorms; however, 99 percent of the time front-wheel drive is all that's needed.
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