Industry News
[UPDATED: 10:48 a.m. PST, May 25, 2026]
Purgatory Resort received initial approval in early May to install its new Colorado Couloir lift, previously called the Gelande lift. While this new lift was originally scheduled to open in the 2025-26 season, there were delays in the permitting process. Located in Durango, Purgatory is one of the few Colorado ski resorts not situated on the I-70 corridor. The mountain is in the San Juan mountains in the southwestern part of the state, six hours and 30 minutes by car from Denver. In addition to the Colorado Couloir lift, Purgatory is planning to open five new advanced/expert trails.
The new Colorado Couloir lift will be a fixed-grip triple. The lift alignment will run from the Gelande overflow parking lot with the upper terminal near the top of the Needles lift, on the resort’s eastern boundary. The proposed Colorado Couloir lift will be about 4,200 feet long with a 1,600 foot vertical rise. It will also allow skiers and riders to lap Monkey Brains, Monkey Gully, Sun Dog and Gelande. Riders currently have to take a shuttle to get back to the lift network when riding these runs. The lift will mark the first time skiers can take a lift out of the Gelande parking lot. The resort believes the new lift will decrease wait times on the Purgatory Village Express (Lift 1).
La Plata county commissioners unanimously approved initial plans for the lift and additional trails. Now that initial plans are approved, the resort is required to complete a detailed plan, making sure it is accurate and ready. Once that is done, the resort can apply for land-use and building permits. County officials are in support of the project and the final plans have already submitted.
The resort is focused on the upgrade coming to fruition this summer and opening for the 2026-27 season, just one year after it was originally scheduled to open. The resort first released the lift plans in April 2025, but permitting delays occurred. The lift construction will involve 16 acres, 11 of them are on U.S Forest Service land and five acres are on private land. The five trail expansion would include 12 new acres, a small increase in size for the 1,635 skiable acre resort. A few new connector runs will also be added to help facilitate flow between the Colorado Couloir terrain pod and the main base area.
This upgrade represents capital investment into the on-mountain experience. Although the project has made progress, it still needs to get approval from the U.S. Forest Service, the Colorado Passenger Tramway Safety Board, and the San Juan National Forest. There will be no new buildings or structures in the project, excluding the small lift operations building adjacent to the lift. The project was in the resort’s 2008 master plan and has been a long time coming.
Most likely $1.5-2.5 million
Is there a cost estimate for the lift? -Asking for a friend.