Helicopter Working To Install Colorado's Newest Ski Lift

It’s presumably been a loud week in Durango, Colorado, where helicopters are installing towers for Purgatory Resort’s new “Colorado Couloir” triple chairlift.

The new chair is slated to open in December of 2026 and will span about 4,200 feet with 1,600 feet of vertical rise. The ride time will be approximately nine minutes. It will connect Purgatory’s Gelande parking lot to the “Top of 6” area, providing another easy way to access the mountain.

The new lift will come with new trails, too. Purgatory says the name and location of the seven new trails and connectors will be revealed later this summer.

“Colorado Couloir will give guests a new way to experience Purgatory this winter,” said Dave Rathbun, CEO of Purgatory Resort. “It expands advanced and expert skiing on the front side of the mountain, creates a new access point from Gelande, and helps us evolve in a way that stays true to what makes Purgatory special.”

Tap or click below to watch b-roll of helicopters in action at Purgatory Resort, Colorado. Keep reading for more.

Watch: Helicopters Work on Colorado Couloir Chair at Purgatory Resort

While the chair is technically new, Purgatory is utilizing chairs, grips, and other machinery from Telluride’s retired Plunge Lift, a nod to the resort’s sustainability efforts in recent years.

The Couloir Couloir chair is part of $7 million in capital improvements taking place at Purgatory this summer. It was originally proposed in 2008 and then reaffirmed in 2019 through an Environmental Assessment.

Stay tuned for a follow-up article after the new trail names are revealed. There’s nothing more fun than looking at new trail maps in July and August, right?

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