Our Telluride Summer Series Part 1: Planning Our Trip

Telluride, Colorado is known in history as the world’s first city to produce and transmit “alternating current,” an electric current used by power supplies to produce wide-spread electricity. It’s also the spot where infamous criminal Butch Cassidy committed his first bank robbery. Today, this former silver mining camp is known mostly for its stunning views, outdoor activities, and world-class shopping and dining experiences.

Telluride is a quiet favorite of reclusive celebrities for a reason: it’s difficult to get to and it’s hard to stay there. At more than 9,000 feet elevation, the Telluride Regional Airport is the highest regional airport in the United States. Commercial pilots are hesitant to land there due to high wind conditions and the extremely rugged mountain terrain that surrounds the airport. Furthermore, visitors of Telluride will find lodging, shopping, and dining quite expensive, and the high altitude does significantly impact the body. However, if you plan and budget appropriately, it is certainly a worthwhile trip.

How to Get There

For this trip, I flew private for the very first time. It was a wild experience, and I was super thankful for the opportunity! Most folks coming to Telluride will use major airlines services and fly to Montrose, CO (MTJ). If you are concerned about altitude sickness, I suggest spending a day or two in Montrose to allow your body time to adjust to the altitude before traveling to the even higher elevation in Telluride, if time allows. However, if you must continue on, it is only an hour-and-a-half to two-hour drive into Mountain Village from Montrose. You can either rent a car or take advantage of the many private transportation options available. It’s a beautiful, scenic drive!

Where to Stay

During most of my visits to Telluride, I have stayed at a friend’s private residents in Mountain Village. Mountain Village is a mostly residential town located just on the other side of the San Juan Mountains from Telluride. Residents and visitors staying in Mountain Village can take a free 20-minute Gondola Ride into Telluride, seven days a week starting at 6:30 a.m. until midnight. It is one of the most unique forms of public transportation in the country!

The Peaks Resort & Spa is a great option for staying in Mountain Village. It has a large variety of options, from standard rooms to penthouse residences. The resort can also accommodate groups and special events, like Weddings. My favorite part of this resort is that it’s home to Colorado’s largest spa! Absolutely nothing beats relaxing in the outdoor hot tub while taking in the stunning snow-capped peaks of the San Juan Mountains.

If you absolutely must stay in-town, the New Sheridan Hotel is an option just up the hill from where the Gondola stops in Telluride. The Sheridan has a great brunch at The Parlor and a lovely rooftop bar to sip on an infamous Flatliner. Even if you don’t stay at the Sheridan, make reservations for a nice dinner at The Chop House Restaurant for the very best steak in Telluride – the truffle fries are a major plus!

You can certainly check out AirBnB options in Telluride, or in the summer, there are lots of campsites and camping opportunities as well. You can truly have as luxurious or as “rugged” a vacation as you’d like!

What to Bring

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To see these crystal-clear Rocky Mountain views, you will travel to more than 9,000 feet in elevation – 10,000 is some places! Altitude sickness is definitely a real thing. Unfortunately, I have personal experience with this, so I know firsthand that it is extremely important to prepare your body for the change in elevation. Here are just a few things I had with me to help me prepare for the rocky adventure.

1. Your Emotional Support Water Bottle

Consuming large amounts of water, starting a week prior to your trip, can really help prepare your body for the shift in altitude. I try to drink at least one of these during the workday, and when I’m prepping for Telluride, I make it two.

2. A High-Quality Moisturizer

The lack of humidity in Telluride felt glorious, but it left my skin feeling reptile-like. I absolutely swear by the Ahava Daytime and Nighttime moisturizer. This is the same set that I bought in Israel ten years ago… and I’m still using it! It feels like your skin is taking a big drink of water. Chapstick and sunscreen are also absolute musts. You would be surprised how quickly you burn out there, even when it isn’t hot.

3. Anti-Nausea Medicine

Between the turbulence from the airplane ride through mountain air, the windy roads up the peaks, and the dizziness from the altitude, there are so many opportunities to get motion sickness in the mountains. I know from experience. Bonine is the superior non-drowsy over-the-counter motion sickness medication. Some folks swear by Sea-bands acupressure bands for motion sickness.

4. Additional Oxygen

Especially in those first couple of days, extra oxygen is super helpful while your body is adjusting to the altitude. The personal residence we stayed in had an oxygen machine available for us to use as needed. Many medical facilities in Telluride have them available to rent for the duration of your trip. We used these for an on-the-go boost while hiking or doing physical activity.

5. A Medium-Weight Rain Jacket

Don’t let the temperatures on your Weather App fool you – the weather can be a little bit all over the place in the summertime in Colorado. 60 degrees feels much warmer when there is no moisture in the air, and when you’re active it can feel quite warm. Yet, even in July, many places still have snow on the ground. I loved having a medium weight rain jacket. It was waterproof for random rain, the perfect amount of warmth, and not too heavy to carry around. I’ve had my Land’s End since high school, but this one is really similar!

I hope you enjoyed Part One of my Telluride Summer Trip Series! Keep an eye out for Part Two, when I will break down our entire trip itinerary! Are there any travel must-haves I missed? Let me know in the comments!