Hesperus is a single lift resort just outside of Durango, mainly known for its night skiing. For one lift, Hesperus does have a variety of terrain, although it is not great for beginners. The entire mountain is mainly blues and blacks with a few green cat tracks that lead to lower greens on the mountain. This makes Hesperus the perfect place for Fort Lewis College students to get some late laps in after class. Especially with college nights on Friday ($19 with ID), it is also affordable for college students.
In fact it is very affordable in general, with $39 lift tickets and free skiing for kids ten and under, Hesperus is very family friendly and affordable. The resort also provides free lessons for kids just learning how to ski. This is a great resort for families who want to get into the sports, but may not have the means for the big theatrics of the bigger I-70 resorts.
When skiing Hesperus, I got lucky that it snowed during the day so the snow was great! Most night skiing can be icey and of course once the sun goes down, quite cold. Hesperus is only open during the day on the weekends but open for night skiing Thursday through Monday. Thus, Hesperus has the rare opportunity to be open when the sun is setting. Who wouldn’t want to be skiing during the sunset? This is due to the fact that, unlike other resorts that have night skiing, Hesperus does not close down and re-open for night skiing, but instead stays open all day into the night.
The entire mountain is open for night skiing, but not every aspect of the mountain it lit up. Some runs are more lighted than others, which makes the runs with less light, even more of a challenge. This could be fun for some but scary for others. The runs are short and the lift is slow, but the people by far make up for it.
Every lift ride I shared with another skier or boarder was filled with friendly conversation and high spirits. The locals were great and made for a fun atmosphere, you could tell it is a locally driven resort. There were a handful of college students skiing with friends, trying to destress from the day and enjoy the snow as well.
Base Elevation – 8,188 ft
Peak Elevation – 8,888 ft
Number of Lifts – 1
Number of Trails – 26
Total Terrain – 60 acres
Easiest Terrain (Greens) – 19%
More Difficult Terrain (Blues) – 31%
Most Difficult Terrain (Blacks) – 42%
Expert Terrain (Double Blacks) – 8%
Resort Hours – Thursday-Friday 4pm-9pm, Saturday 10am-9pm, Sunday 10am-5pm, Monday 4pm-9pm
Pricing: >$
Lift Tickets –
Adult: $39 (Full Day), $33 (Half Day), $33 (Night Skiing)
Teen(13-20)/Senior(60-69): $33 (Full day), $25 (Half Day), $25 (Night Skiing)
Children (11-12): $28 (Full Day), $21 (Half Day), $21 (Night Skiing)
Senior (70+)/Children(10 and under): Free
Associated Season Passes – Power Pass
Lessons –
Adult(21+) & Youth (20 and younger)-
Group Full Day: Adult – $60 Youth – $60
Group Half Day: Adult $30 Youth $30
1 Hour Private: Adult $40 Youth $30
2 Hour Private: Adult $65 Youth $55
4 Hour Private: Adult $125 Youth $10
Rentals –
Adult SKi Package: $22
Adult Skis: $18
Adult Board Package:$29
Adult Board: $19
Youth Ski Package: $18
Youth Skis: $13
Youth Board Package: $25
Youth Board: $15
For more information visit https://www.ski-hesperus.com/
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