Good news: Telluride Ski Resort has released its tentative dates for the 2026-2027 season, and the plan is to open on Thanksgiving. Which means you could eat an irresponsible amount of turkey and then ski it off the same weekend, and nobody in your family can say a word about it. A holiday tradition we can really get behind.
Slightly more urgent news: the winter pass sale deadline is November 8, 2026. Buy before then and you save up to 30 percent. Buy after and you pay considerably more for the exact same skiing. That is the whole game right there.
Here is everything you need to know about Telluride lift tickets and season passes this winter, plus a few logistics that will genuinely save you money and time once you get here.
Telluride 2026-2027 Ski Season Dates
- Targeted Opening Day: Thanksgiving, late November 2026
- Targeted Closing Day: Sunday, April 4, 2027
These dates are tentative. Telluride, like every resort in the San Juans, sets a target and then lets the weather have the final say. Early-season opening depends on natural snowfall and snowmaking conditions in the weeks beforehand, and resorts regularly open a few days earlier or later than planned, sometimes with reduced terrain.
Confirm the current date directly with the resort before you book travel around opening weekend. Everything else in this guide holds regardless.
One detail worth knowing if you are coming early: the free gondola between Telluride and Mountain Village is scheduled to start winter service on November 20, 2026, ahead of the lifts, running through April 4, 2027. So the town connection should be up and running before opening day either way.
What "Tentative" Means For Your Trip
If you are planning a trip around Thanksgiving week specifically, a few practical notes:
- Terrain will be limited on opening weekend. Even in a strong year, early season means a handful of runs built largely on snowmaking. Set expectations accordingly, particularly with kids or nervous skiers.
- Lodging is the thing to lock in. Thanksgiving week books out regardless of how much terrain is open, and the town is lovely whether the lifts are turning or not. Book the condo, then watch the snow reports.
- Consider the refundable pass option if your whole trip hinges on the mountain being open. More on that below.
- The gondola runs either way, so Mountain Village, dining, and the town connection are not affected by a delayed opening.
- Watch the resort's snow report through November. Opening announcements typically firm up two to three weeks out.
The November 8 Deadline: Why It Matters
Telluride's winter pass sale ends November 8, 2026, and the resort is advertising savings of up to 30 percent for buying before that date.
Thirty percent is not a rounding error. On a family of four, that difference can comfortably cover several nights of lodging. If you already know you are skiing Telluride this winter, buying before November 8 is one of the few genuinely easy money decisions in ski travel.
Note that this deadline is fixed even though the opening date is not. A delayed opening does not extend the pass sale, so do not wait for an announcement before deciding.
And if you are hesitating because your plans are not firm, keep reading, because the resort now has an answer for that too.
Telluride Season Pass Options for 2026-2027
Unlimited Season Pass
No blackouts, no restrictions, ski any day the lifts are turning. Priced by age bracket, with age determined as of opening day. If opening day shifts, that reference date shifts with it, which is worth knowing if someone in your group is close to an age boundary. Check with the pass office if that applies to you.
This is the pass for people who are here a lot, or who refuse to plan around a calendar.
Limited Season Pass
Meaningfully cheaper, with a handful of blacked out peak days. For 2026-2027, the restricted dates are:
- December 26 to 31, 2026
- January 1, 2, and 16, 2027
- February 13 and 14, 2027
Read that list carefully before you buy. If your trip is a Presidents' Day weekend tradition or you always ski between Christmas and New Year's, the Limited pass will not work and the savings are irrelevant. If you ski January and March, it is an easy win.
Upgrade note: Limited pass products can be upgraded to Unlimited, but only before opening day. Once the lifts start spinning, that door closes. Since opening day is tentative, do not leave this until the last minute. Decide in November.
Weekday Season Pass
For ages 19 and up, valid weekdays only with holiday blackouts. If you have a flexible schedule or you are spending a chunk of the winter here working remotely, this is the value play, and midweek Telluride is a genuinely different and better experience anyway.
Multi-Day Passes and the T-Card
The sweet spot for most visitors. If you are skiing somewhere between four and ten days this winter, a multi-day card almost always beats buying individual day tickets, and it comes with a feature worth understanding:
Direct-to-Lift with Resort Charge. You do not reserve days in advance and you do not stop at a ticket window. Your flat rate covers your first days, and each additional day is charged automatically at a discounted rate off the adult window price via a card saved to your account. You walk up, you scan, you ski. It is the closest thing to friction-free lift access in Colorado.
One rule to know: there is a one season pass product per person limit. You cannot stack a 10-Day Pass and a T-Card.
Nervous About Committing? The Refundable Season Pass
Genuinely useful, and more relevant than usual given the opening date is not locked. When you buy your 26/27 Telluride season pass, you can add a Refundable Season Pass through Spot:
- Cancel for any reason. Injury, weather, work, or simply changing your mind. No covered reason required.
- No claims paperwork. Submit the request, no documentation needed.
- 100% back before the season starts. Once it begins, refunds start at 90 percent and prorate down through February 28, 2027.
- Refunds issued in under 24 hours.
Without it, the standard policy is firm: passes are fully refundable before the season starts, and after the lifts open the resort does not consider refunds or credits for unused pass products. So if there is any wobble in your plans, the insurance is worth a look.
Day Lift Tickets and Half Days
Buying day tickets? Buy online in advance. The resort is explicit that advance purchase gets you the best rate, and window prices on the day are always the most expensive option available.
Better still: any advance purchase made more than three weeks before your arrival gets mailed to your home address for free. You arrive with your pass already in your pocket and go straight to the lift while everyone else queues.
Half days exist. Afternoon half-day tickets can be bought in advance or any time during the day, with lift access starting at 12:30 p.m. Handy for arrival days, departure days, or a first day at altitude when your body files a complaint around lunchtime.
Refund policy on tickets: full refunds before the ticket start date, none for partially used tickets, and none for weather. Colorado is Colorado.
Does Telluride Take the Epic Pass?
Yes. Telluride is an Epic Pass partner resort, so Epic passholders get access here. Depending on how many days you are skiing and which Epic product you hold, an Epic multi-day option can sometimes beat a Telluride multi-day ticket. Worth doing the math on both before you buy. Details are on the resort's Epic partnership page.
Where to Pick Up Your Pass
Skip this entirely by having your pass mailed. If you cannot, here is where to go:
Heritage Plaza Office, Mountain Village
Beneath the gondola station in Heritage Plaza
Fall: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday to Friday, October 6 to 31, 2026
Winter: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., daily, November 2, 2026 to April 4, 2027
Lift 8 Mountain Sales Office, Telluride
At the gondola station in town, adjacent to the base of Chair 8
Lift 7 Mountain Sales Office, Telluride
At the base of Lift 7, next to the free Carhenge parking lot
Winter hours for the two in-town offices were still being finalized at publication, and office schedules can shift alongside the opening date, so confirm before you make a special trip.
Two Money-Saving Details Most Visitors Miss
Your pass card is reloadable. Keep it.
Telluride season passes and day tickets are reloadable RFID cards. If you skied here last season, do not throw the card away. Anything you buy loads straight onto the existing card and you go directly to the lift on arrival. Lost, damaged, or forgotten cards mean a $5 replacement fee and a stop at a sales window you did not need to make.
Parking in town is free.
The Town of Telluride offers free parking at the Carhenge Lot at the base of Lift 7. Mountain Village parking, by contrast, is paid across the Gondola Parking Garage, the Meadows Lot, and the Heritage Parking Garage. Over a week-long trip that difference adds up, and it is one of several quiet arguments for basing yourself in town.
Telluride Lift Ticket FAQs
When does Telluride open for the 2026-2027 season?
The resort is targeting Thanksgiving in late November 2026, with a targeted closing day of April 4, 2027. These dates are tentative and weather dependent. Confirm with the resort before booking travel around opening weekend.
When is the deadline to buy a Telluride season pass?
November 8, 2026. The resort advertises savings of up to 30 percent for purchases made before that deadline. This date is fixed regardless of when the mountain opens.
What are the blackout dates on the Limited Season Pass?
December 26 to 31, 2026; January 1, 2, and 16, 2027; and February 13 and 14, 2027.
What happens if the opening date changes?
Pass sale deadlines and blackout dates do not move. Age brackets are determined as of opening day, so that reference point shifts with the date. If your trip depends on the mountain being open, consider the Refundable Season Pass through Spot.
Do I need a reservation to ski at Telluride?
No. Reservations are not required for any Telluride season pass or multi-day card. Go direct to the lift and scan.
Can my lift tickets be mailed to me?
Yes, free of charge, for any advance purchase made more than three weeks before your arrival date. Tickets bought alongside ski school products are the exception and are printed at lesson check-in.
Is parking free in Telluride?
In the town of Telluride, yes. The Carhenge Lot at the base of Lift 7 is free. Mountain Village parking is paid.
Are Telluride season passes refundable?
Fully refundable before the season starts. Once the lifts open, the resort does not consider refunds or credits for unused pass products unless you purchased the optional Refundable Season Pass through Spot.
How do I contact the Telluride pass office?
Call (970) 728-7517 or email the resort directly. Buy passes and tickets at shop.tellurideskiresort.com.
How far ahead should I book lodging for ski season?
For Christmas, New Year's, and Presidents' Day weekend, six to nine months out. For January and March, three to four months. Ski-in ski-out and larger units go first, every year.
Contact Lodging In Telluride
We are 100 percent locally owned and have been welcoming guests to Telluride since 2006. Our team lives here and skis here, so if you want an honest answer about which property actually puts you closest to the lift you will be using, just ask.
Phone: 888-998-6471
Email: Send us a message
Office: 300 S Mahoney Drive, Unit C11, Telluride, CO 81435
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Browse winter rentals, check current specials, or see everything we manage. Book direct for the best available rate.
Buy the pass before November 8. Book the condo before someone else does. See you on the mountain.
Season dates, pass details, deadlines, and policies are sourced from Telluride Ski Resort and accurate as of publication. Opening and closing dates are tentative and subject to weather and conditions. All pricing and terms are subject to change. Confirm directly with the resort before purchasing.