Telluride Ski Resort to Close Amid Planned Ski Patrol Strike

TELLURIDE, Colo. — The Telluride Ski Resort announced it will close on Saturday, December 27, in response to a planned strike by the Telluride Professional Ski Patrol Association.

The resort’s announcement comes after negotiations between the ski patrol and resort management, Telski, broke down. A vote by the ski patrol resulted in a nearly unanimous decision to authorize the strike, with 99% of members voting in favor.

Ski patrol representatives indicated that the strike centers on significant wage disparities, highlighting a proposal to increase starting pay from $21 to $28 per hour. For veteran patrollers, the request seeks raises from around $30-$36 per hour to between $39-$48.60 depending on years of experience.

“This is about fixing a broken wage structure and creating a pathway forward for years to come,” said Telluride Professional Ski Patrol President Graham Hoffman in an Instagram post.

Negotiations, which began in June, have been contentious. Telluride’s management described their last offer as “generous and market leading,” but the union insists it falls short of what is needed to retain skilled patrollers.

“We significantly lowered our ask and eliminated requests that we considered essential,” Hoffman stated during a recent union meeting. “It was a hard conversation, but we felt it was necessary to authorize a strike.”

The resort’s owner, Chuck Horning, expressed disappointment over the strike’s timing, describing the ski patrol’s decision as a devastating blow to the community and resort staff. The closure coincides with the busy holiday season, raising concerns about the economic impacts.

In a statement to KOTO radio, Ski Patrol Union Treasurer Jess Lyles refuted Horning’s claims, stating, “Rather than give us a fair contract, Telski has made the decision to close the mountain. Don’t be fooled, this is on Chuck.”

As the situation unfolds, Telski has announced plans to issue refunds to ticket and season pass holders affected by the closure. The ski patrol plans to begin picketing at the base of the gondola starting at 9 a.m. on the strike’s first day.

It remains unclear how long the strike will last or if negotiations will resume before the scheduled closure.