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A labor dispute between ski patrol members and management at Telluride will force the iconic Colorado resort to close its doors this weekend, leaving visitors and the local economy in limbo as peak winter season approaches.
The Telluride Professional Ski Patrol Association voted Tuesday to initiate a strike beginning Saturday following unsuccessful contract negotiations that have been ongoing since June. With no further talks scheduled before the weekend deadline, Telluride Ski Resort confirmed it will not open on Saturday.
“We are concerned that any organization, particularly one that exists to help people, would do something that will have such a devastating effect on our community,” resort owner Chuck Horning said in a statement released Wednesday.
Resort officials indicated they are developing contingency plans to reopen even if the labor action continues, though specific details have not been released. The duration of the potential closure remains unclear.
At the heart of the dispute is compensation. The ski patrol union is seeking a substantial increase in pay rates, proposing that starting wages rise from $21 to $28 per hour. For veteran patrollers with over three decades of experience, the union wants to see compensation increase from the current range of $30-$36 per hour to $39-$48.60 per hour.
The patrollers maintain their request aligns with industry standards at comparable Rocky Mountain resorts, where the combination of technical skills, safety responsibilities, and high local costs of living have driven wage increases in recent years.
Andy Dennis, interim safety director and spokesperson for the patrollers’ association, placed responsibility for the impending closure squarely on Horning’s shoulders. “He’s being a bully. This is what bullies do, take their toys and run,” Dennis said. “All he has to do is give us a fair contract, and this would all be over.”
Ski patrollers perform critical safety functions at mountain resorts. Their responsibilities include providing emergency medical care to injured skiers and snowboarders, conducting search and rescue operations, and performing controlled avalanche mitigation work using explosives to ensure slopes remain safe for visitors.
The dispute comes at a particularly challenging time for Telluride, which has already faced operational difficulties this season due to unusually warm weather. Only 20 of the resort’s 149 trails have been able to open thus far, limiting available terrain even before the labor dispute.
Telluride, nestled in a picturesque box canyon in southwestern Colorado, is one of North America’s premier ski destinations, drawing visitors from around the world. The resort is a critical economic engine for the region, with closures likely to impact not just the mountain operation but local businesses including restaurants, hotels, and retail shops that depend on tourism.
The labor action at Telluride reflects a broader trend of unionization and wage disputes across Rocky Mountain ski areas. Last year, Park City Mountain Resort in Utah, operated by Vail Resorts, experienced a nearly two-week strike that significantly disrupted operations during peak season, resulting in limited terrain availability and extended lift lines.
The Park City dispute was resolved when Vail Resorts agreed to patroller demands, including a $2-per-hour base pay increase and additional raises for senior ski patrollers. That settlement may serve as a benchmark for the current negotiations at Telluride.
Mountain communities across the West have faced increasing housing affordability challenges in recent years, with many resort employees struggling to live in the communities where they work. This economic pressure has contributed to labor tensions at multiple ski areas as workers seek wages that reflect the high cost of living in these tourism-dependent economies.
As the weekend approaches, both visitors with planned trips to Telluride and local businesses are left monitoring developments and hoping for a swift resolution to the dispute.
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5 Comments
It’s really unfortunate to see this labor dispute causing the resort to close during peak season. I hope the two sides can come to a fair agreement soon to get the mountain back open for skiers and the local economy.
Agreed. The ski patrol workers deserve fair compensation, but closing the resort is a tough hit for the community. Hopefully they can find a compromise that works for everyone.
The pay dispute seems to be the crux of the issue here. I wonder if there are any creative ways the resort and union could structure a compensation package that meets the patrol’s needs while keeping the resort viable. It’s a tricky balance.
That’s a good point. Both sides likely want to find a solution, so some creative negotiations could help bridge the gap. Keeping the community and economy in mind is important on both sides.
With peak winter season approaching, the timing of this closure is really tough. I hope the resort is able to implement contingency plans to reopen quickly, even if the labor dispute isn’t fully resolved. The local businesses depend on this busy period.