TELLURIDE – One-hundred years ago the San Juan Mountains were populated by tens of thousands of people living all throughout the ranges. The transportation and supply infrastructures to support these populations were better back then than they are today, and they supported far greater numbers of people.

Forty years ago, Senior Mahoney, Johnny Stevens and a few others had a vision of Telluride Ski Area which harkened back to a full San Juan Range scope and scale such as the miners had. In recent decades those of us who have skied the San Juan backcountry and have traveled the interconnect systems in Europe have often dreamt of what an interconnect system might look like right here in the San Juans.

Following is an outline of a vision that I shared with Dave Riley and Chuck Horning in 2009. It’s as possible as it is audacious. It was well received at Telski. I humbly offer this bold plan now to your readership. I encourage readers to pull out their maps and open their imaginations. Read this well and with vision. I look forward to a live presentation of the idea in public forum in the near future.

The San Juan Range Interconnect


The proposed San Juan Range Interconnect is a transportation system comprised of rail, road, mining tunnels and chairlifts encircling the Western San Juan Mountain Range. One hundred years ago, an interconnect system comprised of railway, stagecoach and mine tunnels serviced industry and commerce throughout the San Juan Mountain Range. While the auto routes have been improved, the railroads and mine tunnels have largely been abandoned.

An extraordinary opportunity now presents itself. By revitalizing the rail right of way and tying in with auto routes, chairlifts and mining tunnels, an interconnect system unprecedented in the Americas could be realized.

Rail: This idea is modeled after classical ski industry interconnect systems of the Alps in which rail transportation plays a central role. Revitalizing the Galloping Goose Rail right of way as a modern light rail system is central to the San Juan model. Modern rail connecting Silverton, Durango, Dolores, Rico and Telluride is possible due to the existing rail right of way. New rail linking Telluride, Ridgway and Ouray could make a San Juan loop nearly complete.

Mine Tunnels and Chairlifts: Two significant mining tunnels exist which if brought online would bring Ouray and Red Mountain Pass into the system, thus completing the loop. The first presently existing tunnel connects the Telluride Idarado Mine with the Camp Bird Mine above Ouray. Transporting skiers and tourists to a Camp Bird based chair lift system via this existing tunnel would expand the Telluride Ski Area into the Mount Sneffles range vicinity. Lifts from Camp Bird could access Governor, Yankee Boy and Marshall Basins, potentially reaching as far as Imogene Pass.

The second presently existing and functional tunnel utilized in this plan runs from the Telluride Idarado Mine to the Red Mountain Pass Idarado Mine. A lift system based at the Idarado/Red Mountain facility could access all of Red Mountain Pass. To the east, this includes Red Mountains One, Two and Three, Cement Creek, Prospect Basin and skier access as far as Silverton Ski Area. To the west, this includes, Commodore Basin, Black Bear Pass, Tri-Co, Telluride and No-Name Peaks, Black Bear Pass and a tie-in with Imogene Pass.

With the addition of one lift rising out of Ouray, skier access between Silverton,

Telluride, Ouray, Red Mountain Pass and the Sneffles Range is accomplished.

Other Chairlifts: To complete the Interconnect System, a series of chairlifts is built within a perimeter bound by Silverton, Molas Pass, Durango Mountain Resort, Rico and Telluride. One lift from Silverton rises to the south rim above South Mineral Creek. This provides access to miles of North facing terrain in South Mineral. A second lift rises from South Mineral high into Ice lakes Basin. Ice lakes basin alone is world class above tree line bowl and chute skiing, and it provides access to Trout Lake and Ophir Pass. Another lift reaches into the Grand Turk and Sultan vicinity. This would open astounding pitches of up to 4,000 vertical feet and bring skiers within reach of Molas Pass. Yet another lift departs Durango Mountain Resort towards Molas pass accomplishing a tie-in with the Silverton area system. From Durango Mountain area another lift goes towards Scotch or Barlow Creeks near Rico. A commensurate lift rises from Rico to meet the Durango Mountain lift. In this way Rico and Durango Mountain are effectively connected. Final lifts from Trout Lake and Ophir Pass complete an unprecedented interconnect with Telluride as the commercial epicenter.

In this model no lifts are proposed within the Ophir valley itself.

Collaboration – Public and Private: The above described interconnect is no pipe dream. It is not only feasible but perhaps necessary for long-term sustainability and growth of the economies of Telluride, the surrounding region and the state of Colorado. The economic and societal implications for town, region and state are untold. This plan fuels the next tourism, real estate and general economic boom for Southwest Colorado, and indeed, the state. It further is an unprecedented model in North America which would revolutionize the North American ski industry

Collaboration between private and public sector and residents of the regional communities is required to realize this plan. Intergovernmental cooperation is required at township, county, state and federal levels.

Public works projects, such as a rail interconnect of this scope, historically have succeeded in America during times of economic duress. Numerous national highway and rail projects requiring collaboration between public and private sector were all accomplished by the Works Projects Administration during the Great Depression. In this way economic incentive funds may be available. If properly presented, to all levels of government, funding and support from all levels may be achieved.

This having been said, a viable interconnect is possible without the rail link. Current highways combined with chairlifts and mining tunnels will suffice. However, the revitalized historic rail loop would be a worldwide tourism draw, a four-season insured transportation system, a sustainability coup, an environmentalists dream come true, a construction industry juggernaut and would fuel a regional real estate boom, all of unprecedented proportions.

The scope of such projects can be viewed as the largest regional economic engine since the mining boom.

Private sector collaboration also is required to realize the interconnect. The primary business relationship to be forged is that of Telski and the Idarado Mining Company. The Camp Bird and Red Mountain Pass mining tunnels are pivotal links in the interconnect. To my knowledge, both tunnels are serviceable at this time. It is not insurmountable to upgrade such tunnels to service tourism and transportation, as is done to great success in Italy and Switzerland. Idarado stands to realize a permanent income stream from the current defunct mines. Telski can be the catalyst that brings the town, the mine and the ski area into a long-term mutually beneficial collaboration such as has never been accomplished to date.

Obstruction versus Opportunity: Though the interconnect idea is not new, the founders of Telluride ski area had it in their long term ideals, we rarely hear it discussed. The scope of the idea could be considered daunting to the point of being unreasonable. This plan obviously has many obstructions and could take a lifetime to come to fruition if at all. However, no great plan has ever succeeded by saying “It can’t be done.” Perceived legal, physical, monetary and other obstructions should all be seen as opportunities for great industrious work for lawyers, engineers and fundraisers. The timing may now be ripe for this concept to seriously discussed and implemented.

If Telski leadership promotes an undaunted visionary perspective every apparent difficulty can be seen as fueling more jobs, work, industry and opportunity. Until the current leadership, no owner of the Telluride ski resort has embraced this visionary stance. Those of us in the community who have dreamed of the possibility rarely gave it voice. We haven’t had the leadership to rally behind to date. From the management perspective I have heard the corollary view.

I believe the San Juan Interconnect to be an idea which can galvanize all camps public and private, industry and preservationist, local, regional and national behind one visionary endeavor. I believe it can yield highest and best use of public and private lands, and that it will produce prosperity and benefit for all parties, and that it will do so for generations to come.

Preliminary Implementation: The timing today may be ideal for preliminary implementation of such a plan. Telski currently has visionary ownership and management. The United States Forest Service has requested a new Master Plan be drafted for the ski area. Regional redevelopment and master planning for future economic and environmental sustainability is an up and coming issue. Federal funds for economic revitalization and infrastructure development may be available. If a draft of this idea were included in the new Telluride Ski Area Master Plan the concept would officially be put forward at the federal level. This would be notice for all concerned. It would spur the process of realizing such a vision, and it would secure Telski as the originator and catalyst of this unprecedented plan.