Telluride, located in a scenic valley deep in the San Juan Mountains, has long been described as an up-and-coming resort. Now it's arrived. Telluride Mountain Village, a glamorous, ultra-upscale resort development in the heart of the ski terrain, is the perfect counterpoint to the quaint and historic town of Telluride. A transportation gondola links the two communities day and night, eliminating a tedious drive. The ski terrain features fabled steeps and bump runs. Telluride has a small airport, and a larger, more weather-resistant field is in Montrose.

Where: Telluride Mountain Village and Telluride are six miles apart and 65 miles from Montrose and its airport.

In 2008-09, Telluride opened the Revelation Bowl, a European-style section of the resort located directly off the back side of famous Gold Hill and Chair 14, served by a new, locally manufactured Leitner-Poma quad-lift. Situated above tree line, the natural, wide-open bowl offers advanced and expert skiing in an unbelievably scenic setting. Descending into the bowl, skiers and riders will be able to choose ridgelines in either direction, offering steeper pitches and rock features on the far sides of the powder bowl. The center touts an expanse of rolling, advanced terrain with a groomed path for cruising.

What's There: 3,845-foot vertical drop, 125 trails, 2,000 acres, two high-speed gondolas, seven high-speed quads, one fixed quad, two triple chairlifts, two doubles, two surface lifts, two magic carpets, and one of the West's biggest snowboard parks.