Vaudeville tonight - the 30th - Sheridan Opera House

Tonight, the 30th, our neighbor and namesake - the Sheridan Opera House, has set up a night of fun and smiles - a Vaudeville night as its kick-off to its hundredth anniversary as our neighbor.
Yes, it is tucked in behind us.

• No new snow overnight. The base is at 24", 14" powder this week, 63" total. Snow showers look likely today.

Back to the Vaudeville starting at 8 tonight:

To kick off the Sheridan Opera House's 100th anniversary celebration, the SAF presents a Vaudeville Variety Night during its annual Holiday Concert Series fundraiser. The night will feature can-can dancers, stand-up comedy, a magician and a melodrama featuring local celebrities and more.

Tables will be set up for cocktail seating to recreate the entertainment of the early days at the SOH. Tickets are sold individually or tables (with complimentary wine and champagne) are for sale.

Join in and reserve here at the Sheridan's site.
 

Today: 3 more inches, Shawn Colvin tonight, next door + more

It's the 27th and we received another 3 inches of fresh powder yesterday.

That makes a base of 26 inches and snowfall to date of 60 inches. The runs are looking good.

What's happening tonight for our full house of guests after the last powder run?

Downtown and all around us, we've got

1. - Shawn Colvin tonight in twwo performances. Yes.
2. - An interactive murder mystery over at the Palm. It's a fundraiser.
3. - Dance party - a Full Moon Dance Party, evenwith DJ Sunday, over at the Fly Me to the Moon Saloon.
4. - Jewellery Trunk Show - by Loree Rodkin, opeing tonight and then continuing. Prosecco, strawberries, chocolate, and bangles.

Telluride World Cup 2012-13 Video

Today, we have the finals of the World Cup Ski and Snowboard Cross - set on another 4" of fresh powder brought by the glory of mountain drafts. Go drafts.

These athletes as you will see in the video are other-worldly. You can see the finish line from our roof top hot tubs - that is the joy of one of the downtown Telluride hotels like us - like the New Sheridan.

Community Sponsorship - Skate Night Party

We are sponsoring a community skating night at the Town Park skating rink tomorrow night, the 15th. We are so fortunate to live and work here, it is always an honor to give back to Telluride.

The program on the 15th from 6 to 9PM:
> DJ Antone will be spinning the tunes
> Hot chocolate, hot cider, and cookies
> Skate rentals available at the Nordic Center ‐ (until 9 pm)


Classic Skating Party

As we were looking for  images of what we thought the night might look like, we could not resist this Currier & Ives classic:

SNOW, Yes

Dec 9 - Snow is joining us in Telluride.

8 inches and counting.

That makes a total of 25 inches so far and it's still coming down.

The runs will be riding well for the upcoming World Cup - Ski and Snowboard Cross - starting on Dec 12 and wrapping up with the victors just 3 days later on the 15th. Yes, they are coming from all over the world to our little box canyon.

GAWKING
All of us here at the New Sheridan will be asking for time off to gawk.

2 More Cities with Direct Flights to Our Snow in Telluride

There are now two more ways to get to us and our snow this year.

• Last year we had some of the best snow of Colorado and this year is looking even better as you can see from the snow on the top of the mountains

Now we are easier to get to with Allegiant and its low fares.

• NEW - Phoenix-Mesa (IWA), Saturdays, Sundays and Wednesdays (with varied schedule ) in season - to Montrose.
• NEW - Oakland International (OAK), Saturdays and Wednesdays in season - to Montrose

Winter 2012-2013

9 Different Non-Stop Destinations:

NEW - Phoenix-Mesa (IWA), Staurdays, Sundays and Wednesdays (with varied schedule ) in season.

NEW - Oakland International (OAK), Saturdays and Wednesdays in season

The good old standbys for travel to Telluride’s San Juans’ snow

Atlanta,

Chicago,

Dallas,

Denver,

Houston,

Los Angeles,

Newark

6 Different Carriers:

NEW – Allegiant Air,

American,

United,

Delta,

United Express,

Great Lakes Aviation

Mycology 101 in Telluride

Do you love eating mushrooms, want to know more about their medicinal effect, or consider yourself a fungophile? Then pack your bags and get ready to experience Shroomfest in Telluride this August 16 - 19.  Interest in mushrooms stems from a range of inclinations, from culinary to scientific to just plain curiosity. 

Shroomfest will be celebrating its 32nd year in existence and is run by long-time Telluride resident Art Goodtimes.  Telluride's box canyon serves as the perfect backdrop and location for this annual event.  The San Juan Mountains surrounding Telluride are famous for their bounty of fungal species thanks to summer monsoon rains.  Brought to Telluride in 1981 by Dr. Emanuel Salzman, mycologist Gary Lincoff, medical guru Dr. Andrew Weil, myco-researcher Paul Stamets and others associated with the Denver-based non-profit Fungophile, Inc., the event was initially called Wild Mushrooms Telluride. It was an educational conference with the core objective to educate the public about all aspects of the mycological world.  After some disagreed over the primary objectives and purpose, a few led by the Salzman family and with the help of local mushroom enthusiasts Art Goodtimes and John Sir Jesse, evolved the event into what it is today in Telluride’s spectacular box canyon.

 

This four-day destination event “celebrates everything fungal & entheogenic” and features a multitude of activities that explore the entheogenic, as well as the medicinal, culinary, toxic, cultivation and identification aspects of fungi.  Popular activities range from mushroom lectures given by the most knowledgeable of experts, to cooking with mushrooms and guided hikes with instruction on how to find the freshest (and safest) mushrooms. One of the standout events is the famed mushroom parade down Telluride’s main street.

Interested in getting your shroom-on? Visit the official website here. 

Festivarians Unite for Telluride Bluegrass

Where can you find a banjo, festivarians, and John Fogerty? This trifecta can only be found at the annual Telluride Bluegrass Festival by Planet Bluegrass.  Now in its 36th year, this four-day festival is rich in history, both musical and otherwise. Starting with only 100 participants in 1974, it now draws 11,000 people each year to Telluride.  This year the entire festival sold out in early February. 

Although traditionally the festival focuses on bluegrass music, it often features music from a variety of genres. Notable performers have included Johnny Cash, Robert Plant, Dixie Chicks, Lyle Lovett, Counting Crows, and many more.  Beyond the amazing line-up each year, there is a palpable celebratory spirit in the air that's propagated year-round by festivarians.

What are festivarians you ask?
fes·ti·var·i·an (noun) 1. One who engages in music-related celebration, esp. in beautiful outdoor settings. 2. One who is not afraid of the elements, nor tarp lines at shows and will sacrifice family heirlooms for a live recording of Sam Bush's latest set. 3. One exhibiting extreme intelligence, compassion, and a fondness for good beer. (adj) 1. Of, relating to, or suitable for a feast or festival; festive.

The festivals only last a few days, but the festivarian community is alive and helps you to reconnect with someone you met at last year's festival or a festival ten years ago.  So join us, the festivarians, and celebrate summer solstice in bluegrass style.

Telluride: The Ultimate Family Vacation Spot

A Telluride Colorado family vacation can be great anytime of year, not just in skiing season. A small historic mining town in the 1800s, Telluride has retained its small mountain town charm but is bursting with once in a life time experiences for your family.

At an elevation of 8,700 feet, Telluride has a mild climate, with low humidity and moderate temperatures creating an ideal setting for hiking, biking, horseback riding, golf and river sports. If you're looking for adventure, then check out Telluride Outside. They offer five exciting adventures: fly fishing, 4-WD tours, whitewater rafting, mountain bike tours and photography tours.   Or go on a horseback riding with Ride with Roudy.  They offer custom pack trips or even overnight adventures into the wilderness.

Families can also enjoy many free activities and attractions in Telluride. 

• Gondola Ride: Catch a ride on the free Gondola that connects the towns of Telluride and Mountain Village. Open during ski season and the summer from 7am to Midnight, this scenic ride is a must do. The short, 11 minute ride will leave you speechless as you’re surrounded by 13,000 foot peaks.
• San Sophia Nature Center – At the top of the gondola, visitors can walk to the center, open daily, to learn about hiking and biking trails, weather expectations and local ecosystems. The center also features native wildlife education, children’s nature activities and crafts, and guided interpretive hikes exploring Telluride’s natural flora and fauna.
• RiverTrail walk – Located in town, the RiverTrail is a popular path for both locals and tourists trying to take the scenic route. Stretching along the San Miguel River, this is a beautiful trail that connects the East and West ends of town.
• Telluride Historical Museum - Cozy, intimate and filled with stories, the museum has displays of the mining history of Telluride from the boom days. Located in Telluride, three blocks north from Colorado Avenue on Fir Street, the museum is closed on Mondays. (970.728.3344)
• Telluride Town Park - Town Park is the center of all things fun in the summer. Find the trout pond—where fishing by kids is encouraged—along with the skate park, Imagination Station, basketball courts, sand volleyball courts, horseshoe pits, disc golf course, an outdoor swimming pool and camping sites right on the river.

As a result of its location in the heart of the San Juan Mountains in southwest Colorado, Telluride is an ideal region for year-round family vacations. From nature trails that start right near the New Sheridan to a scenic gondola tour, you are bound to hit upon the perfect activities to make your visit memorable.

Education + Inspiration = MountainFilm

As the skiing season concludes and the town thins out to mostly locals again, an underground swell of anticipation and excitement builds as Telluride looks forward to the upcoming Mountainfilm festival which officially kicks off festival season on Memorial Day weekend.

The festival has established an annual tradition of bringing together filmmakers, environmentalists, educators, students, and mountaineers to the breathtaking box canyon high in the San Juan mountains of southwest Colorado.  The Telluride Mountainfilm festival began in 1979 as an opportunity for climbers and mountaineers to enjoy the Telluride outdoors during the day and watch films about mountains and mountain culture at night. As one of America’s longest-running film festivals, Mountainfilm has evolved over the decades to embrace a much wider and more diverse audience and the programming now stretches to the leading edges of contemporary social, cultural, and environmental issues.

In addition to screening leading independent documentary films from around the world, this Telluride festival starts with its traditional Moving Mountains Symposium, which focuses on a pressing contemporary issue such as energy (2007), water (2008), food (2009) and the extinction crisis (2010).  This year's symposium theme is "Population."

In addition to the great line-up of symposiums that will be held, the festival will also show approximately 75 films, including the premiere of House of Cards, a climbing film that documents Conrad Anker, Jimmy Chin and Renan Ozturk's first ascent of the Shark Fin last October.  Over several days, the diverse selection of films will take you on an odyssey that could encompass music, the far reaches of Morocco's skiing, a story of a family embracing zero-impact living, or dropping new lines in big mountain—all within the same festival.  Films are laced with question and answer sessions and symposiums that provide audiences deeper insight behind these stories and their cast of characters—from historians, athletes, photographers to writers.


The festival also includes art exhibits, book signings, student workshops, and a forum for other non-profit organizations aligned with Mountainfilm’s mission and programming.

For more information, please visit Mountainfilm. 

The Skiing Finale in Telluride

They say all good things must come to an end.  This is only partially true for Telluride.  Blessed with an average of 300" of snowfall each year and over 2,000 acres of skiable terrain, locals and visitors alike get to experience blissful and uncrowded skiing conditions.  By April, powder appetites have been satiated by four months of winter, the spring-break crowds thin to manageable numbers and late-day sun encourages afternoon lounging.

The Telluride Ski Resort officially closes this weekend, April 8th, along with all of the celebratory festivities both in Mountain Village and in downtown.  KOTOfm also hosts their annual aprés-winter block party on Main Street.  This year's theme for the costume contest is "Pink Flamingo."  The Easter Bunny will also be hopping around the base of Lift 4 and around the Sheridan Opera House.

Each season offers its own unique entertainment for outdoor adventurers. This weekend may mark the finale of the ski season, but it also symbolizes the start of spring, summer festivals, and outdoor activities.  Warmer weather and clear skies are perfect for exploring the pristine hiking, horseback riding and biking trails that start right from the valley floor. Winter’s runoff from the San Juan mountains also unveils a playground for boaters, rafters and fly fishers starting from the San Miguel River that runs right through downtown.

No matter what time of year you plan to visit Telluride, there is always a multitude of activities and great outdoor adventures to be had.  Telluride is a year-round outdoor playground for adults. So channel your inner child and start playing.

The Heart of Telluride

It's hard to articulate when something special has that je ne sais quoi.  Telluride is one of those special places that is hard to explain to outsiders unless you've experienced it first-hand. It's of course the beautiful landscape, the gracious residents, all season recreation, the town's history, and the great skiing culture, and yet so much more.

For the avid skier, Telluride represents minimal lift lines, fresh powder, an average of 300 sunny days per year, and lifts that rise straight up from town providing you with access to more than 2,000 acres of some of the world's finest skiing.  Compared to other ski towns, Telluride provides skiers with the unique opportunity to stay in town (versus on the mountain) for easy access to shopping, restaurants, and hotel accommodations while still providing equally as easy access to the slopes.  This unique benefit provides the quintessential ski trip for the entire family.  In this casual, non-glitzy approach, there is no frenzied dash to get on the lift, but rather convivial and varied options from morning to night.

Telluride's quintessential Main Street is by no means cookie-cutter.  The fabric of Telluride is woven through it's local business owners, denizens, and spirit.  It encompasses small town charm with world-class culture.  The New Sheridan Hotel is located in the heart of historic Old Town Telluride with community-driven neighbors such as the Sheridan Opera House and Maggie's Bakery & Cafe.  Devoid of any chain stores, Old Town's clapboard storefronts house independent art galleries, old-time bars, boutiques, historic buildings and an eclectic choice of restaurants. 

Nestled in a box canyon surrounded by majestic, 13000-foot peaks of the San Juan Mountains, Telluride consistently draws people back year after year.  It's year-round residents know why.  This world-class ski town provides a small-town mountain lifestyle that is unmatched anywhere else.  Join us to find out why.

The New Sheridan Hotel: An Artist's Muse

Many use the phrase "blank canvas" metaphorically, but artist Roger Mason selects the New Sheridan Hotel year after year as his literal canvas and Telluride's Main Street as his personal atelier. Mason hails from New York's Hudson Valley and was trained at New York's Pratt Institute.  He found his way to Telluride through music.

In addition to painting, he is also a renowned bass player and played for Peter Rowan at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival back in 1979.  In the 1990s, he toured in a trio with world-renowned violinist Itzhak Perlman playing to crowds at places like Wolf Trap and Tanglewood. Mason also played bass with The Band. Painting is very musical to him, and they both intertwine and fuel each other in an artistic way. 

As an an abstractionist in a realist's clothes, Mason uses the New Sheridan and other familiar Telluride vistas to capture light, color and form over and over again.  More than any other building in town, the New Sheridan Hotel is the embodiment of Telluride's charm and history. So it's no surprise it's one of Roger Mason's favorite subjects to paint. As one of Telluride's oldest establishments, the landmark hotel could certainly be characterized as the spiritual epicenter of the town. Mason has had a running show in the lobby for a decade and dubs it his "world headquarters."

Through his extensive travels throughout the United States and Europe, he channels that inspiration as he stands on Main Street, his local studio.  The town's box-canyon setting offers dramatic lighting with heavy shadows that play upon colorful storefronts, lamp posts, cars, street life, and mountains.  Mason typically draws a steady stream of onlookers when he sets up his easel in front of the New Sheridan.

So the next time you're in Telluride and strolling Main Street, make sure to be on the lookout for that man in the paint-splattered shirt.

Visit www.RogerMason.net for more info.

Feed Your Soul in Telluride

Daylight savings is almost here and that means longer days are on the horizon.  You now have time for that early evening walk after work or time to squeeze in a run, bike ride, or cardio workout.  So no excuses.  In addition to being physically fit, healthy living should be a priority in your life and travel.

Health-conscious travel has been on the rise and destinations known for wellness have become the choice of not only the health-conscious, but also the affluent traveler.  People are seeking more than just spa retreats and healthy food options.  They want to nurture their body, feed their soul, and satisfy their thirst for adventure.  Telluride, a place of natural rejuvenation, provides all of that and much more. 

With an average 300 sunny days per year, you can easily partake in outdoor activities all year round in Telluride.  The New Sheridan Hotel is located in the heart of the historic business district on Colorado Avenue and can easily serve as base camp for all of your healthy outdoor and wellness adventures.  The New Sheridan Hotel has partnered with some of the area's best outdoor activity companies for both winter and summer activities.  From heli-skiing to fly fishing, the opportunities for healthy living abound.

In addition to the outdoor side of wellness, Telluride is a mecca for the alternative healing arts, as well as integrative healing modalities.  Telluride is home to the Yoga Festival which takes place every July and elevates the benefits of yoga with a mission to protect our natural environment.

So whether you grab your yoga mat or skis, make sure to visit Telluride to support your physical, emotional and intellectual body.  Boost your wellness and make healthy living a priority in your life and travel. 

The San Juans Sing in the Summer

Music has become a defining characteristic of Telluride.  Besides hitting the slopes or enjoying the multitude of outdoor activities, locals and visitors alike are drawn to Telluride year-round for the well-known music festivals.  Bluegrass in the San Juans originated back in the 1970's through the annual 4th of July celebration.  By 1974, bluegrass had earned its own weekend. That year the first Telluride Bluegrass Festival and first Telluride Film Festival joined the World AerobaticHang Gliding Festival (initiated in 1972) as the town’s key to year-round prosperity.

Music has served as a cultural conduit to year-round growth for Telluride and particularly during the summer.  There is no better way to launch the summer season than with the Telluride MusicFest in late July.  The hills do truly come alive with beautiful chamber music at these four evening concerts.  Beyond the 39th Annual Bluegrass Festival, the summer is filled with the Telluride Jazz Festival and Telluride Chamber Music Festival in August and the 19th Annual Blues and Brews Festival in September.

We can now add another one to Telluride's lively summer music festival scene.  This past week the Telluride Town Council gave unanimous approval to a request by KOTO Radio to host a two-day music festival in Town Park on August 25-26.  The festival will occupy the weekend between Telluride’s USA Pro Cycling Challenge stage and the Telluride Film Festival, both of which are expected to draw huge crowds to town.  We look forward to hearing what talent KOTO will secure.


Don't forget to stop by our neighbors and friends at the Telluride Music Company when you visit us for any one of these music festivals.  Family owned and operated since 1992, they're located 2 blocks down the street from us and serve as the regions most complete music store, offering a large selection of new released, unique and hard to find music.  You can also pick up your festival tickets there! 

Ski and Support the Telluride AIDS Benefit

The Telluride AIDS Benefit (“TAB”) is a non-profit organization committed to fight, fund, and educate by raising awareness about HIV/AIDS locally and globally. TAB accomplishes this through innovative global programs, their peer education and middle/high school education workshops, and adult outreach through education and events. Their largest event is the Telluride AIDS Benefit, which generates financial support for HIV education programs and for client care in Western Colorado.

One of the contributors to TAB is the Telluride Gay Ski Week (“TGSW”), an annual week-long gay ski event produced by StraightOut Media & Marketing with support from the Telluride Mountain Village Owners Association. This year's 9th annual Telluride Gay Ski Week will take place February 25 - March 3, 2012. As the "Top Gay Ski Week" in the country, as ranked by Gay.com, T-12 is back and better than ever! As always, there will be a full week of events and parties planned, some of which include the Academy Awardswatching party and the popular White Night Party. Join A-List: New York and ski week alum, Reichen Lehmkuhl from LOGO's hit show "The A-List" as he host's the Tuesday Night Dance Party.
 

So get your T-12 full party pass and enjoy an unforgettable weekend set in the beautiful backdrop of Telluride, Colorado, while raising money for the Telluride AIDS Benefit!

Telluride in the Movies

Originally know as a mining town, Telluride is now known for its ski resort and year-round festivals. It has further evolved over the past 30 years and now serves as the backdrop and has been featured prominently in movies. Being home to an international film festival, Telluride is popularly known and adored by industry insiders and Hollywood elite. Although, it is most beloved by the ski film industry, which has experienced a major shift in recent years.

It used to be mostly “ski porn,” repetitive footage of skiers and boarders catching air or charging down difficult terrain, set to pulsating, loud music. Lately, a transformation has started where ski films have been elevated to a cinematic art form.

Two recent releases that serve as great examples of this new school of ski films are:

- Solitaire, Sweetgrass Production/Nick Waggoner’s latest film, which has been earning critical praise and lots of awards and recognition for its beautiful portrayal of backcountry skiing.

- The Art of Flight, by extreme snow boarder Travis Rice and director Curt Morgan, hits more mainstream by telling great ski stories - like when snowboarders had to dive into icy waters high in the Andes of South America to reach their helicopter before it ran out of fuel to fly them out.

This week, The Sheridan Arts Foundation, Telluride Historical Museum and Travis Julia presented Super Cut: 39 Years of Telluride in Ski Movies. This compilation film featured clips of Telluride ski film footage from a variety of a major films produced over the 39 years of resort history. The film, which was compiled by Telluride local Dean Rolley, also featured commercials shot in and around the Telluride area.
 

Through film and other cultural outlets, Telluride has had a notable effect on pop culture. Film's creative and emotional pulse has helped expose Telluride and its beautiful story to everyone who enjoys beautiful terrain, sunshine, and cultural festivals. No longer is it only for ski bums.