The Purgatory Village, Photo: Sven Brunso

Make Colorado’s Durango Mountain Resort one stop in your healthy winter adventure

Zip lining is daring, exhilarating and fun. Zip lining amidst snow-covered peaks above your friends enjoying après ski on Purgatory Beach while wearing your ski gear is unforgettable.

This summer, Durango Mountain Resort’s Purgatory Plunge made its debut, and this winter it’s offering visitors a unique experience — zip lining in the snow. “Very few zip lines stay open all winter,” says Kim McNulty, director of communications for the resort.

You can take part in other exhilarating, fun and calorie-burning activities around the resort, but skiing and snowboarding are front-and-center, especially with recently expanded expert terrain, enhancements for beginners and the new Pinkerton Starter Park. The starter park is a great place for skiers and riders to learn terrain park skills on a scaled-down version of the larger parks, Pitchfork and Paradise.

A new, state-of-the-art grooming machine allows the resort to perform high-angle grooming, making expert trails more available to those who prefer to ski hard and fast on corduroy snow. Lovers of powder and bumps need not worry, the resort has made sure to keep a portion of each of these new groomed runs in a natural “steep and deep” state. This adventure mix appeals to more experienced skiers who are both young and old.

For those with seasonal or no experience with skiing, Durango Mountain Resort’s beginner ski program enhancements will help you feel comfortable, ski well and have a good time.

“New rockered skis help beginners by reducing the likelihood of crossing their ski tips,” says McNulty. “This gives them more confidence.” The resort offers rockered skis as well as a variety of ski lengths, and skis that make it easier to turn and stop. Pair the new equipment with their excellent lessons, and you’ll be riding the lift in no time. Kids as young as 4 and adults of any age can learn the fine art of skiing in one of their ski schools.

For those seeking big air, cool tricks and more social runs, Durango Mountain Resort’s new mini-terrain park delivers.

“The rails will be shorter and closer to the snow,” says McNulty. “It will help those new to terrain parks get a feel for what it’s like to be on the rail.” For those who already know the ins and outs of rails, flat boxes, half-pipes and jumps, one of their other large terrain parks located on Pitchfork and Paradise will keep you busy all winter long.

The beauty of Durango in winter is unforgettable, and when you make Durango Mountain Resort your winter base camp, sleigh rides, making snowmen and moonlit snowshoeing are everyday activities.

It’s easy being active here, the snow makes it all the more fun and Durango Mountain Resort is so close that you can visit more than once to take advantage of everything they offer.