Colorado Purgatory does not suck

[Dave Petersen]

I thought they changed the name to Durango Mountain Resort? Or did they change it back?

Remember Tamarron Resort from back in the 70s?

 

[SBrown]

I thought they changed the name to Durango Mountain Resort? Or did they change it back?

Resort sold last spring, new owner immediately changed the name back, and it started snowing and hasn't stopped. Well, sorta.

 

[Dave Petersen]

I just checked my archives - Tamarron resort operated from 1976 to 1986. Only one chair -- if I am remembering correctly the movie "Avalanche" was filmed there.

 

[Dave Petersen]

 

[Jeff N]

I just checked my archives - Tamarron resort operated from 1976 to 1986. Only one chair -- if I am remembering correctly the movie "Avalanche" was filmed there.

They filmed a movie about an avalanche here? You sure about that?

 

[Dave Petersen]

They filmed a movie about an avalanche here? You sure about that? View attachment 1677

Pretty sure -- that's what made me laugh about the whole thing. I think they just used the lodge.

It was one of those typical plots where they built a new resort on a dangerous spot even though they were warned by a local.

I was a teen when it came out. Now I want to buy it on amazon so I can watch it again. Pretty bad movie but I like seeing all of the old ski equipment.

Clip from the movie:


Pic from the web of Tamarron Resort:

 

[Dave Petersen]

Clip from the movie Avalanche - note the logo...

 

[SlideWright]

Heh, heh. The likelihood of an avalanche burying Tamarron (now the Glacier Club) and the movie is laughable. It's a beautiful area and golf courses. Interestingly, there has historically been a 'weather line' at Tamarron/Glacier Club from the lower Animas Valley/Durango and the lower part of the Upper Animas Valley/mountain conditions. Beyond Purgatory is Silverton being the head waters of the Animas and Northern San Juan weather.

 

[Jeff N]

Pretty sure -- that's what made me laugh about the whole thing. I think they just used the lodge.

It was one of those typical plots where they built a new resort on a dangerous spot even though they were warned by a local.

I was a teen when it came out. Now I want to buy it on amazon so I can watch it again. Pretty bad movie but I like seeing all of the old ski equipment.

Clip from the movie:
View attachment 1680

Pic from the web of Tamarron Resort:
View attachment 1681

You have to wonder what arrangement was reached to film such a movie there. Mt Crescent has more vert. Hell, the old ski are in my neighborhood has more vert- and if you had a film crew down here, they could have gone so many better places where you wouldn't have to screen in alpine backdrops.

 

[Dave Petersen]

Heh, heh. The likelihood of an avalanche burying Tamarron (now the Glacier Club) and the movie is laughable. It's a beautiful area and golf courses. Interestingly, there has historically been a 'weather line' at Tamarron/Glacier Club from the lower Animas Valley/Durango and the lower part of the Upper Animas Valley/mountain conditions. Beyond Purgatory is Silverton being the head waters of the Animas and Northern San Juan weather.

Interesting trivia I came across about the movie "Avalanche" -
During filming, Styrofoam was used by the special effects crew to augment the 'snow effects' of the avalanche. As this was shot in the winter, it wasn't until the spring thaw that the town of Durango discovered that the Styrofoam was everywhere in town. By then the company was long gone

 

[SlideWright]

It was a rough day when the snow stake was maxed out:

 

[SlideWright]

Over 12" Christmas snow surprise on top of 2' this week and no one here:

 

[Carl]

I need to get to that part of Colorado.

 

[jgiddyup]

Cool memories for me from Purgatory. I took up skiing at Crescent Hills Iowa in 1981 and then moved to Salt Lake City with my parents for the 81/82 season (jackpot).

I joined the Navy in summer 82 and due to being stationed overseas most of the time my only skiing until 1989 was one day each at Crystal Washington and Alyeska Alaska.

In 89 I was stationed in florida, got a reenlistment bonus and took half of it to go skiing out west for a month. Two friends and I spent 12 days at Purgatory as my first ever western ski trp and had a blast. Even got to Telluride for one day and an amazing all day snowmobile trip another. Good times






I'm the dork in the middle

 

[Dave Petersen]

"I took up skiing at Crescent Hills Iowa in 1981 and then moved to Salt Lake City with my parents for the 81/82 season (jackpot)".


Ha @jgiddyup - I am headed to Mt. Crescent (formerly Crescent Hills) in about an hour. I learned to ski there in '75 when I was a kid. Breckenridge is my "local" mountain hill since we have a timeshare there and I have an epic local pass -- Crescent is my "local" Midwest hill. I also enjoy hitting up other Midwest ski areas.

 

[kimmyt]

Picture of a billboard at Purg I took a few years ago on a Southern CO road trip that always makes me giggle. Unfortunately, the snow down there wasn't too great that season (snow hammered T-ride and Monarch but Durango got left out of the whole system sadly) and we didn't get to really experience the mountain. Could tell it would be fun if the snow was good.

IMG_0153

• kimmyt
• Jan 15, 2016

Funny but true billboard at PurgaRango

 

[Jeff N]

Clip from the movie Avalanche - note the logo...

View attachment 1682

You may be interested to know this film is on Netflix, in the form of episode 4 of the rebooted mst3k!

I couldn't locate a single shot outside the Durango area. All the skiing was shot at Purgatory. Most off of chair 1. Paradise and Gelande made up the race course. Compared to the quality of the rest of the film, there is a surprisingly good cliff drop of the cliff under chair 3.

The only ski scene I couldn't place at Purg was the (ridiculous) scene where the ski racer hotshot jumps into a tree to dodge an avalanche. Could be skiers right of Styx...