Telluride Plunge Express: Colorado’s Most-Needed Lift Experience Improvement Finally Arrives

Telluride’s Plunge lift services some very demanding mogul terrain, now with a much more reasonable 6.5 minute ride time.

Background

This past winter, Telluride received what was probably the most overdue lift replacement on the mountain. This remote Colorado resort replaced its slow, fixed-grip Lift 9, also known as the Plunge lift, with a brand-new high-speed quad in what’s generally the same alignment. This upgrade has broadly improved the Telluride experience, although a few consequences have resulted from the installation.

Telluride’s frontside trail map, with the Plunge Express upgrade highlighted in red.

The Experience

When it comes to riding the new Plunge lift, the experience is a monumental improvement over the old one. The ride time has gone down from an agonizing 13 minutes—which was among the longest anywhere in North America—to a much more palatable six-and-a-half. Lift 9 services a significant percentage of Telluride’s expert-level below-treeline terrain, and this upgrade makes it much more enjoyable to lap long, demanding bump runs. And while Telluride has never seen notable lift lines, the new Plunge setup has helped spread crowds away from other lifts, especially in upper-mountain areas.

The Plunge lift upgrade has helped spread crowds away from other Telluride lifts.

However, the Plunge upgrade did result in one important casualty—Giuseppe’s Restaurant. This small but wholesome restaurant at the top of the old Plunge lift was removed as part of construction, and never got restored. The nearest indoor on-mountain restaurant is now a fair detour away at either Gorrono Ranch or Allred’s, which can be a bit of a pain for those spending time in this area at the resort. At least the outdoor benches adjacent to Giuseppe’s still exist, so guests are still able to take a seat and soak in the stunning high-alpine views.

Ultimately, there’s no doubt that the Plunge upgrade has been a major net positive for Telluride. The restaurant loss is a disappointment, but we’d still take enjoyable, repeat laps on the high-speed Lift 9 over the old setup any day. Few other resorts offer terrain with the same combination of stunning views and cardio-including bumps as Telluride’s Plunge area, and thanks to the new, modern lift, we expect guests to no longer take this sort of terrain for granted.

A view of the incredible San Juan Mountains from the top of the Plunge lift.

Considering a ski trip to Telluride this year? Check out our full Colorado ski resort rankings, as well as our comprehensive Telluride review from the 2021-22 season (a refreshed 2022-23 review will be out shortly). You can also check out our Telluride review in video form below.