Lift Tickets Will Be Less Than $50 for 70% of the Season at Purgatory Resort, Colorado
Another Colorado ski resort has announced its targeted opening day for the 2026/26 winter season. Purgatory Resort, just north of Durango, will open on Friday, November 20, 2026, conditions permitting. Lift tickets will be surprisingly affordable, too.
Currently, lift tickets to Purgatory will run skiers less than $50 for 95 days of the 26/27 season, with some days costing just $9. Kids aged 12 and younger will also be able to ski for free at Purgatory this season, thanks to the Power Kids Pass. Lift ticket prices increase based on demand, so snag those cheap tickets while you can.
Perhaps more exciting than the mountain’s opening day is its new lift and terrain expansion, which is set to debut this winter. The Colorado Couloir lift will take skiers from the Gelande parking area directly to the upper mountain, giving a new way to access both the upper mountain and backside terrain.
In total, the addition of the new lift will add roughly 40 acres to Purgatory’s footprint, including five new advanced and expert runs, more gladed tree skiing in one of the resort’s steeper sections, and two connector trails that tie the area to the rest of the mountain.
A blog post on the lift installation called the new terrain “steep, technical, unapologetic high-alpine skiing. We’re talking glades, tight chutes, and some of the most challenging terrain Purgatory has ever offered.” The lift was initially planned to open for the 2025/26 winter, but installation was slowed by the regulatory process, delaying the opening to the 26/27 season.
Purgatory Resort
For the 2026/27 winter, Purgatory has also expanded its snowmaking operations by 13 acres. Snowmaking now extends to Divinity Trail from the top of Twilight Chair to its mid-station. This expansion will ideally connect beginner terrain to the mountain’s base area earlier in the season and provide more consistent conditions throughout winter.
Travelers will also have more ways to reach Purgatory, thanks to a new non-stop flight option on United Airlines. Starting December 19, a non-stop flight will run from Houston to the Durango-La Plata County Airport on Wednesdays and Saturdays through March 27. Skiers can also take nonstop flights from Denver, Dallas/Fort Worth, and Phoenix to Durango-La Plata, which is only 50 minutes from Purgatory.
You can see a full list of projected opening dates for Colorado resorts here.
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