This Colorado Ski Resort Is Quietly Offering $9 Lift Tickets This Winter
At a time when a single day of skiing at some major Colorado resorts can cost well into triple digits, Purgatory Resort is going in a very different direction and we love it.
The southwestern Colorado ski area says lift tickets for the 2026-27 season are currently priced below $50 on 95 scheduled operating days, representing about 70% of its planned season and on select dates, tickets start at just $9.
Purgatory uses demand-based pricing, so prices vary by date and generally increase as demand grows. According to Purgatory’s lift ticket page, eligible $9 advance-purchase tickets also come with $10 in Purgatory Cash that can be spent at the resort.
That means some skiers will effectively receive more in resort credit than they paid for their lift ticket.
Children 12 and younger can also ski free throughout the season with the Power Kids Pass, which has no blackout dates. Purgatory lists the free children’s pass among its 2026-27 ticket and pass options.
Purgatory is scheduled to open Friday, Nov. 20, weather permitting.
A New Lift Opens 40 Acres of Steep Terrain
Cheap lift tickets are only part of what is changing at Purgatory this winter.
The resort plans to debut the Colorado Couloir lift, which will open about 40 acres of new advanced and expert terrain. The expansion includes five new trails, gladed tree skiing and two connector trails linking the terrain with the rest of the mountain.
The lift will also provide a new route to the upper mountain from the Gelande parking area. Skiers and snowboarders starting there will be able to ride directly to the upper mountain and access Purgatory’s backside terrain without taking the shuttle previously required from the parking area.
Construction on the lift has been progressing throughout the summer. In July, helicopters began flying lift components into the steep, roadless construction site. By early September, crews had installed the lift towers and completed work on the top terminal.
Purgatory CEO Dave Rathbun said the combination of new terrain and low ticket prices is intended to give skiers more reasons to visit southwestern Colorado this winter.
“Colorado Couloir is bringing new advanced and expert trails and gladed tree skiing to one of the steepest parts of the mountain. We’re keeping lift tickets affordable, and with new nonstop service from Houston, there are some good reasons to start planning now.”
More Snowmaking for Beginner Terrain
Purgatory is also adding snowmaking coverage to another 13 acres on Divinity Trail.
The expanded system will stretch from the top of Twilight Chair, Lift 4, to its midway loading station. The resort expects the additional snowmaking to help connect beginner terrain with the base area earlier in the season while providing more consistent coverage throughout the winter.
The project continues Purgatory’s recent focus on beginner skiing. OnTheSnow named the resort the No. 1 ski area for beginners in North America in its 2025-26 Visitors’ Choice Awards.
New Nonstop Flights From Houston
Getting to Purgatory will also become easier for skiers traveling from Texas.
United Airlines will begin seasonal nonstop service between Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport and Durango-La Plata County Airport on Dec. 19. The airport is about 50 minutes from Purgatory.
According to Durango-La Plata County Airport, flights will operate Wednesdays and Saturdays through March 27, 2027, using 70-seat Embraer E-175 aircraft.
The Houston route joins existing year-round nonstop service to Durango from Denver, Dallas-Fort Worth and Phoenix.
For skiers more interested in price than air service, however, the simplest number remains the most eye-catching: $9 for a day of skiing at a Colorado resort.
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