Telluride is Tops

Applauding Our Ski School Training, Clapping for Telluride

Ski School Trainer John Balmain

Iconic Mt. Wilson

Well, we did it again. For the sixth time out of seven years, the readers of Condé Nast Traveler voted Telluride as the #1 ski resort in North America. Since Telluride has been lauded so much, this year Condé Nast Traveler even wrote a story about it at Why Telluride Keeps Being Named the Best Ski Town in the U.S. 

A Great Day for Skiing

John and Me

For those that live here or have visited here, it comes as no surprise. Telluride Ski Resort has it all: great terrain, spectacular scenery, charm, friendliness, topnotch amenities, an historic town at one base and a modern village at another, a wonderful mix of sun and snow and I must shamelessly broadcast, one of the best ski schools in the country. (I’m starting my sixteenth season as a Telluride Ski & Snowboard School instructor and I’m delighted to be a part of this distinguished group of snowsports enthusiasts.)

I was thrown full on into the season this week when I attended special training Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday bell to bell–that’s to say from 9am to 4pm–in order to recalibrate my stance and balance, the essential element to making every imaginable type of turn. It’s all about the turns and as ski instructors, we strive to make them as perfect as possible, something best achieved when you’re completely centered on your skis. That’s easier said than done, especially when you’re dealing with some of Telluride’s steep pitches, blue or double blue runs that would be marked as black diamonds at other ski resorts such as Vail. Then, of course, there are our blacks where you can thrill and challenge yourself down trails such as Bushwacker and the Plunge, arguably the longest vertical drops in the country. And if you know how to ski it right, you’ll be grinning all the way down. If not, you’ll be terrorized.

So Many Fun and Informative Chairlift Rides with Our Group

For this and so much more–including a lot of family fun requirements–people hire ski instructors. 

Easy Terrain for Practicing Demos

In addition to racking up experience over the years, all of us partake in ongoing training and education. We’re all crazy ski geeks, conducting MA (movement analysis) on our clients and on every other person we spot descending the slopes from the chairlift. (Yes, it’s hard to just let it go when you’re a ski instructor and stop mentally correcting everyone’s skiing. But fortunately we’re a fun group and we know how to have a good time even when we are the students in our training sessions.)

John Splainin’

Like This

It’s Easy

Such was the case this week when I skied with John Balmain, one of Telluride’s top trainers. He’s very serious about technique but as deep as the analysis might be, he also knows how to buoy us up and even help us crack a few smiles. (When not teaching us, he’s deeply entrenched in private lessons catering to all sorts of illustrious people including Oprah.)

Here I Go (Off the Edge)

John certainly helped to boost my ego when during a lunch break he said, “You’re doing all right out there, Maribeth. You’re holding your own among all of these young guys.” It wasn’t until John said that that I realized I was in fact skiing in a group with five twenty-somethings (of which four were male) and also one guy about fifteen years younger than me. Yes, I was definitely the senior member of our posse, a group that had been carefully organized ahead of time according to ability level. 

Hmmmm, I thought. I could easily be most of these kids’ mother. That puffed me up enough to throw a bit more grit into our seemingly interminable one-legged ski turns. (Remember, it’s all about finding that sweet spot of balance.)

Huge Piles of Snow from Snowmaking

Look at Those Snow Whales

That’s one of the things that’s great about skiing. Age, race, sex, religion, social strata, sexual or political orientation–none of it much matters among skiers and riders. It’s more about what you skied today or what kind of fun you plan to have tomorrow. That’s part of the philosophy we try to impart to our clients. No wonder Telluride Ski & Snowboard School sells out in private lessons most every vacation week. This year it costs $810. for a full-day private with one of us. On occasion I wonder if I’m worth it. But it’s a fleeting thought. The amount of training, education, experience and yes, I’d even say savoir faire each of us possesses is outstanding. 

A Storm is a Comin’

It’s Hard to Listen When You’re Cold

No wonder T-ride was voted tops by the readers of Condé Nast Traveler. 

Love that Smile

It also comes as no surprise that Telluride Women’s Week was featured recently in The New York Times. I was happy to see the coverage, since this is a program I have been a part of for years. (Click here to read a few of my stories on Telluride Women’s Week.) The first Women’s Week program in America was actually started in Telluride well over four decades ago. In addition to this program, which is offered three different times throughout the winter, Telluride Ski Resort conducts a handful of other great ski camps.

Snowboard Training

So now you have more reasons to come to our beautiful mountain town and more opportunities to work on your skiing and riding. It can be hard work but it is oh-so rewarding. Believe me, I know.

Yay Telluride Ski & Snowboard School

If you want a ski or snowboard lesson in Telluride this Christmas, it’s best to reserve ASAP. I’m fairly booked but I do have some openings. Plus, there are many wonderful instructors in our school and the private bookings people do an excellent job of matching the right instructor with each client’s needs and requests.

Have fun out there!

One more notable press highlight:  Telluride was also recently featured on Good Morning America. I guess this gem of a ski resort is no longer a secret.

One more thing:  In terms of snow, Telluride is already off to a fantastic start. As you should be able to tell from my pictures in this post, the mountain is skiing great!

Another Iconic View of Mt. Wilson

It Never Gets Old

Georgie Chapman: Another Ski Instructor Practicing Her Moves