Purgatory Resort, Colorado, now says it’s planning to open a once-delayed ski lift during the 2026-27 winter season.
Known as the “Gelande” during its planning phase, the now-dubbed Colorado Couloir is set to climb from Purgatory’s Gelande parking lot to an upper terminal near the top of Lift 6, adding another way to access the mountain that reduces congestion.
Once finished, the fixed-grip triple chair will span about 4,200 feet with 1,600 feet of vertical rise.
Last summer, Purgatory announced that an ongoing regulatory process prevented the Colorado Couloir from opening for the 2025-26 season. Still, the resort spent the off-season doing pre-construction work like building tower forms, modifying chairs, assembling major lift components, and staging equipment.
Momentum, meanwhile, seems to be building again.
Earlier this month, The Durango Herald reported that local officials with La Plata County unanimously approved the project’s preliminary plans. The lift “continues to require significant coordination between resort teams, contractors, engineers, and the [Forest Service], and we remain on schedule” for next winter, Purgatory noted in a recent blog post.
The resort added that if people have driven down the highway next to Purgatory, they’ve probably seen work underway on the mountain. So far, that’s included a helicopter bringing logs down as crews continue lift line clearing, grading, and other preparation work.
Alongside the lift, Purgatory is working on several new trails and plans to share more details, including the names and terrain information, in the future. The resort’s also undergoing a water utility replacement project in the Village Center and Eolus buildings.
Courtesy Purgatory Resort
“Because of the scale and complexity of the project, much of the Village Center will remain closed for most, if not all, of the summer season,” Purgatory wrote.
The resort asked that, as construction activity increases over the summer, visitors stay out of construction zones and respect closures.
Summer activities, including the bike park at Purgatory, start on June 20. The bike park’s set to be open Thursdays through Sundays during the summer, conditions permitting.
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