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Telluride Ski Area
I recently dropped off a frame to some clients (and now good friends) of mine in Ridgeway, CO. They had invited me to stay a couple of days and I gladly took them up on their offer. If you have never been to Ridgeway, Ouray, Telluride, or the Dallas Divide area, you must try and get there. I think that the northern end of the San Juan Mountains that exist in that area, are some of the most beautiful and rugged mountains in all of CO, if not the world. I was able to stay with Jim and Celia Clark for a couple of days and take advantage of some runs on the slopes of Telluride Ski Area and some much needed plein air time behind the easel.
The first day I was there, last Tuesday, was an
absolutely stellar day, relatively warm (warmer than the previous days due to a Canadian sent Arctic cold front) not a cloud in the sky, and no wind. I was excited and couldn’t sleep, so I got up around 6:30 and drove to Telluride. The sun was not quite up, but the sky was bright and warm. By the time I arrived in Telluride, Wilson Peak was receiving some sun across the many gulleys and ridges of its majestic North side. I got a bite to eat at Maggie’s and in talking to the Barista/Bartender/Telluride cutie, Teresa, got some invaluable information about where to go on the mountain to get the BEST views!! After finding a ROCKSTAR place to park at the bottom 
of lift 7 I loaded up my easel, put on my snowboarding gear, grabbed a stick of Juicy Fruit, bought a lift ticket ($92.00) and headed up the mountain.
I took ton of pictures as I traversed across the enormous mountain with my 40lb plein air pack. I finally settled on a scene looking SouthWest at Mt. Wilson from the top of the Prostpect Bowl Express lift. I knocked out a little 8X12 in the next hour or so and gave out about 20 brochures to interested
people. I then toured the mountain again to the top of Gold Hill Lift (the place where Teresa had promised good views). On the chair ride up, I was so excited and wanted to share some of it with my wife, Laura. I reached in to my pocket for my cell phone and SLIP, it was falling the 40 or so feet to the ground. DOH!! At least it wasn’t my KEYS. “I was sick of that phone anyway,” I told myself and, “if someone turns it in to Lost and Found, I’ll take it for the numbers.” To get to the top and go back down to try to find it would be a wild goose chase, not to mention missing the oportunity to paint some more.
Well, Teresa was right, and I ended up spending the rest of the day painting not once, but twice from the top of that lift. Both were my typical “microcosm” views that I adore painting. Selling the “bigness” of CO by depicting an intimate portion of the side of a mounain, is one of my favorite things to 
attempt in a plein air painting. After that, worn out and starting to get a bit cold at 12,400 ft above see level atop an exposed ridgeline, I packed up my stuff and made my way off the mountain. That night at the Clarks’, over some of the finest chile I’ve tasted, we visited about the days work, some art history, how Carravagio either directly or indirectly influenced every painter that has lived after him, and hit the sack early.
Next day was no different, excited. Up at 6:30 again on my way to Telluride. This time I didn’t by a ticket because they have a gondola version of public transportation that is free to the public. I got to the top of where the Gondola transfers to go from Mountain Village to Telluride proper and got out for some photo opportunities. This time I got Wilson from the Ski area at FIRST LIGHT! Got some pics of that then headed back down the gondola back to Mountain Village. I did a painting there of the Mountain Village Gondola exchange area. And then went to Lost and Found to get my phone back!! The sky was starting to haze up and I was ready to head on home (about a 3 hour drive). On the way home I figured I’d paint if I found a suitable spot (more like when I found). I found a turnoff that took off south from HWY145 up the Fall Creek drainage. It wasn’t long before I saw this little scene and. Now I was officially ready to head on home. Got back just in time for dinner, but not before taking a few pics of the rock formations around Blue Mesa Reservoir. .. Til next time. Let me know your thoughts!!
5 Responses to “Telluride Ski Area”
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Josh-
These Telluride pieces are great. You should go back when the aspen are turning in late September; an amazing sight!
Hey Josh,
I was one of the kids from Minnesota who met you up on top of the mountain while you were painting. Looks like they all ended up beautiful pieces, job well done!
Cheers
Thanks for checking in guys. Garret, it was a beautiful day wasn’t it!! Telluride in late September is definitely something to behold.
hello Josh! It was such a pleasure meeting you on Friday at the Sheridan and sharing that amazing sunset on the river trail. I can’t stop looking at the Tride ski area paintings… you really capture the beauty that keeps us here. I truly hope to see you back here soon!
Wow, Josh!!! All of these are fabulous. What an adventure. You be careful out there. I am old enough to be your mother, so I can say these things.