Skiing the slopes of Telluride: Colorado's Wyndham Mountain Lodge offers the ultimate in resort luxury, while providing some of the finest skiing in the West - Going Places

USA Today (Society for the Advancement of Education), Nov, 2001 by JoAnn Buchbinder

OUR EARS POPPED as the van from the Montrose Airport ascended the San Juan Mountains. We were at 9,500 feet above sea level by the time we arrived at our hotel in the Mountain Village in Telluride, Colo. As we got out of the van, breathed in the crisp 45 [degrees] air, and took in the magnificent expanse of ski slopes above us, my first thought was to grab my skis and head for the nearest trail. However, it was already 3:40 p.m., meaning there were only 20 minutes before the lifts would close. I regretfully realized that skiing would have to wait until tomorrow.

Instead, we adjusted our sights towards checking in. We were staying at the Wyndham Mountain Lodge, a ski-in/ski-out premier resort situated on six wooded acres and consisting of 128 magnificently appointed one-, two-, and three-bedroom condos. Wyndham manages the lodge along with its big sister, the fabulous resort and spa, The Peaks.

While my husband handled the registration, I took our four-year-old, Danny, to the 27,000-square-foot rustic log-and-stone main lodge, where we warmed up by the massive river-rock fireplace and enjoyed the band that plays there on Friday afternoons. While Telluride is an affluent ski community, the folks in the lodge seemed more down-to-earth than their counterparts in Vail and Aspen. There was a homey feel to the resort, albeit a Ralph Lauren one.

Our unit, a one-bedroom condo just a short walk downhill from the main lodge, was handsomely equipped, especially the kitchen with its Sub-Zero refrigerator and GE Profile range and dishwasher. Sitting on the counter was a welcome basket overflowing with fresh fruit and Disney DVDs. We could see that Danny was starting to run down after an exhausting cross-country trip that had started before dawn, so we plunked him down on the couch in the living room area and put on "A Tigger Movie" for him while we explored the rest of the unit before unpacking.

For a one-bedroom condo, it was amazingly spacious, with a dining room that could seat eight, two bathrooms (one with a whirlpool tub), a master bedroom with a king-size bed, and a large fireplace that straddled the bedroom and living room. Obviously, we were not going to be roughing it in our mountain hideaway!

After unpacking, we were all hungry. The plan was to join the Friday-night Sushi Party or head over to The Peaks via the complimentary van service and eat at their renowned restaurant, Appaloosa. This would require mobilizing a drooping Danny, though, so an alternative solution was sought.

The resort doesn't feature take-out options, but when we called Appaloosa and explained the situation, they empathized, took our order, and, barely a minute later, called back to let us know that they had arranged delivery to our door. This turned out to be just the kind of personalized attention we learned to expect from the Wyndham staff. At every turn, they went out of their way to make our stay as pleasurable as possible.

After a wonderfully prepared meal that included crab cakes with mango tomato relish, penne primavera with whole-wheat pasta, and an impeccably grilled 14-ounce pork chop, we surrendered to jet lag. Still operating on Eastern time, we lit the gas fireplace and packed it in for some much-needed sleep.

We woke up bright and early Saturday morning, with an emphasis on the bright. The weather was perfect--40 [degrees] sunny, and not a cloud in the sky. In short, ideal skiing weather. We headed to the main lodge and helped ourselves to the complimentary high-carb breakfast buffet that included fresh-squeezed juices, fruit, yogurt, bagels, muffins, and assorted pastries, all designed to keep us going strong through the very busy morning.

A short gondola ride later, we were at the center of the Mountain Village Plaza. We dropped Danny off at the children's ski school, then headed over to Telluride Sports to meet Dick Oursler, who was to be our instructor for a Biomechanical Private Lesson. The Telluride Ski School specializes in this unique four-hour program, which includes video analysis, equipment customization, and an emphasis on body alignment that soon had us skiing better--and more effortlessly--than we ever had before.

By one o'clock, Dick had completely broken down and rebuilt our ski styles, helping us take advantage of our brand-new shaped skis, and it was time for lunch. We stopped in at La Piazza Del Villagio in the Plaza for some authentic Italian food by the woodburning fireplace. To avoid feeling logy for the rest of the afternoon, we stuck to a light spinach salad with hearts of palm and sundried tomatoes, and pasta fagioli. Then it was back to the slopes to practice our new techniques on the marvelously varied terrain, under a brilliant blue sky.

We made sure to apply sunscreen liberally before we headed out, as we did throughout our stay, since the sun at this altitude is extremely strong and reflects glaringly off the sparkling white powder snow. Telluride averages about 310 inches of fresh powder annually and, with the addition of the new Prospect Bowl area this year, boasts 85 trails on 1,700 acres of terrain varying from wide avenues to intimate glades. We honed our newly learned skills until the sun started descending behind Wilson Peak, signaling the end to our ski day.