Southwest Colorado

Durango / Purgatory

If you frame Purgatory as a Denver day trip you will be angry in the car. Frame it as Durango week.

The free-kids mountain

The resort publishes it: 12 and under always ski free on a Power Kids Pass. That is why this destination exists on a site that used to be 9/14 premium. Do the lodging and lesson math anyway. The lift ticket is the part that stopped being the problem.

Getting there

DRO is the airport. DEN plus six hours is a different trip. Albuquerque is a backup. Stay in Durango if you want restaurants and a grocery store; stay up the hill if you want to skip the 25-minute drive.

Why go

  • Kids 12 and under free
  • A real town
  • Space on the hill

Watch-outs

  • Not a daycare mountain
  • Not a Denver add-on
  • Snow totals are not the Wasatch