Archive Record
Images
Metadata
Accession number |
2020.4 |
Catalog date |
2020-01-28 |
Catalog type |
Archive |
Condition |
Good |
Date |
11/01/1980-04/19/1981 |
Dates of Creation |
November 1, 1980 |
Imagefile |
008\202043.JPG |
Notes |
Purgatory Ski Area opened back in 1965, providing the town of Durango with a new ski area. The ski area was the idea of Chet Anderson, who worked for the Forest Service, and Ray Duncan, whose family was in the oil business. Both were avid skiers and wanted to make the sport more accessible to the Durango area. The name Purgatory stems from the Spanish Escalante Expedition during the 1700s, when one of the members fell into the swiftly flowing Animas River somewhere near site of the ski area and perished into its waters. Group members declared "El Rio de Las Animas Perdidas en Purgatorio," which translates to "The River of Lost Souls in Purgatory." The 1980s were busy for Purgatory, installing additional lifts, cutting more expert terrain, and developing onsite hotels and condos. After falling into financial trouble in the 1990s, Purgatory was back on its feet by 1995, with skier numbers topping 80,000. In 2000, the ski area was sold to Cobb & Gary Engle of Florida, who formed a new company called Durango Resort Limited Liability Corporation. They also changed the name that year from Purgatory to Durango Mountain Resort, to better associate the ski area with the town. Today, Purgatory/Durango is mostly an intermediate mountain, with ample wide trails, and offers skiers uncrowded slopes. |
Catalog Number |
2020.4.3 |
Object Name |
Brochure |
Scope & Content |
1980-1981 ski season Ski Purgatory : The Colorado Connection brochure, Paper, Color, Multi-fold, Brochure opens up to information on Durango, Southwest Colorado, Lodging and ski rates, a trail map, dining information, summer tourism, the ski school and more, The verso folds out to a Purgatory poster focused on winter and snow sports, The poster appears to have been sponsored by Colorado Ski Country USA, Verso has information on the "Air Tour" or various flight opportunities to visit |
Search Terms |
1980-1981 ski season Ski Purgatory, The Colorado Connection brochure Purgatory Resort Durango, Colorado Southwest Colorado Lodging and ski rates Trail map Ski school Colorado Ski Country USA Air Tour |
Status |
Digitized-Shelf |
Subjects |
1980-1981 ski season Ski Purgatory, The Colorado Connection brochure Purgatory Resort Durango, Colorado Southwest Colorado Lodging and ski rates Trail map Ski school Colorado Ski Country USA Air Tour |
Title |
Ski Purgatory : The Colorado Connection |
Year Range from |
1980 |