The staff was terrific, very down-to-earth. This isn't Vail (but who says it has to be!). It's a jewel undiscovered by the masses, and I hope it stays that way.

We chose to hit the longest green runs we could find, just to scope out the place. There were some speedy sections, requiring some sharper turns than would be expected. Towards the end, the runs increased their vertical drop, and with a lot less snow to cut against, they could easily become treacherous.

We were able to enjoy lunch at the resort and had some choices for places to sit and relax when needed, but we found the resort at Purgatory/Durango less family-friendly and more demanding than nearby Wolf Creek.

The entire mountain is below the tree line, so the runs go through spruce and aspen forests. The scenery of the high peaks of the surrounding San Juan Mountains is spectacular. The people, both visitors and workers, were cheerful and friendly.

My only complaint was that we didn't get any fresh snow.