Telluride Ski Resort Reopens After Strike Ends

Telluride Ski Resort in southwestern Colorado began reopening Friday after its professional ski patrollers ended a strike by approving a new contract, allowing full operations to resume this weekend following a nearly two-week closure.

The Telluride Professional Ski Patrol Association, representing about 72 members, voted Thursday to accept the deal, which resort officials described as a fair compromise. Negotiations had dragged on since June, when the previous contract expired. The union sought significant wage increases to address what it called a broken pay structure, including raising starting pay from $21 an hour to $28 for new patrollers and boosting rates for experienced staff from as low as $30 to nearly $50 per hour. The group also pushed for cost-of-living adjustments and the inclusion of supervisors in the bargaining unit to promote retention and long-term career paths.

Tensions escalated in November when the union unanimously authorized a strike. In December, members rejected the resort owner's final offer, prompting the walkout on December 27. Resort owner Chuck Horning shut down most operations during the peak holiday period, leaving only beginner areas staffed by...