The silence in the San Juans is finally over. After a 13-day standoff that turned one of Colorado’s premier steep-skiing destinations into a ghost town during peak holiday season, the red jackets are suiting up again. The Telluride Professional Ski Patrol Association (TPSPA) has officially ratified a contract with Telluride Ski and Golf Resort (TSG), ending a strike that started on December 27, 2025.
Let’s be real: You can’t run a mountain like Telluride—which scores a solid 72.9/100 on ShredIndex for a reason—without a dialed squad of professionals. We're talking about a resort known for high-consequence terrain, serious avalanche mitigation work, and hike-to chutes that eat intermediates for breakfast. When the people who throw the bombs and haul the toboggans walk off the job, the mountain shuts down. Simple as that.
The Deal: Compromise and Grit
This wasn't a total victory lap for the union, but it was a necessary stand. The TPSPA was pushing for a $28/hour starting wage to combat the insane cost of living in Telluride. They didn't get it. The ratified deal lands closer to $24/hour for trainees. That stings when you look at the price of rent in town versus the price of a lift ticket.
However, it's not all doom and gloom. They secured significant pay bumps for senior patrollers and station leads, and crucially, they got their Supervisors recognized into the Unit. That’s a massive win for retention. If you want a patrol team that knows the snowpack history of every chute on the mountain, you need to give them a reason to stay for more than two seasons.
The TPSPA didn’t mince words in their statement:
"While we are ultimately very disappointed to not address our broken wage structure, we are immensely proud of our efforts that have led to this financial movement."
As the TPSPA posted on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/C11804WLJjO/
The Reopening Plan
Don't expect to be dropping into the Gold Hill Chutes immediately. The mountain has been dormant, and the patrol needs time to wake it up safely. They are following an early-season protocol to get things moving.
Here is the current terrain rollout:
- Saturday (Jan 10): Lift 4 opens. This gives access to Butterfly, Lower Misty Maiden, and Boomerang.
- Next Objective: The Super Loop. This involves opening Lifts 5 and 6 to access See Forever.
TSG confirmed the plan on their social channels: https://www.instagram.com/p/C1185GgLw1e/
Why This Matters
This strike is a wake-up call for the industry. We all love chasing vert and fresh lines, but the safety net that allows us to push our limits is built by these patrollers. When they say the wage structure is "broken," they aren't whining; they're telling us that the current model is unsustainable for the people keeping us alive out there.
If you're planning to head down there to support the reopening and get some turns in, you can find accommodation in Telluride here. Just remember to give a nod to the patrollers. They just fought a hell of a battle to get back to doing the job they love—keeping you safe while you shred.
Stay safe, respect the closures, and let the patrol do their work.
Source: Unofficial Networks
