Since Telluride is only about an hour for Ouray, it make sense for us to go check it out, plus my friend really wanted to go – thus part of the basis for the long weekend. While a work issue delayed our morning, we eventually grabbed a quick breakfast and hit the road. The drive itself was a mix of changing weather, with intermittent rain and dry patches, leaving us to wonder what the day would hold. We were in for a wild ride.
Our first inkling of a chaotic day came when we passed through Ridgway. We spotted a vibrant farmers market and decided to make a quick stop. We barely had time for one fast loop before the sky cracked open, a downpour was imminent, making us walk fast back to the car. We continued our drive to Telluride, still holding onto hope for a clear afternoon.
We found a street parking for just $2 for three hours, a small victory that was immediately undermined. We walked a single block, and a torrential downpour, followed by an equally aggressive hailstorm, sent us running for shelter. We huddled under a small tree, laughing nervously, before making a mad dash back to the car. My jeans were soaked, though my waterproof sneakers were thankfully a savior. Worried about the rental car getting damaged by the intense hail, we pulled into a more sheltered spot downtown and watched in awe as the sky dumped buckets of ice. It was the wildest hailstorm I’ve ever experienced, and even stood outside to watch and listen to it.
The storm ended, the clouds parted, the sun came out, and the air warmed up. I changed into the dry capris I had wisely packed in my day bag, and we headed for the free gondola, along with what seemed like everyone else who had also been waiting out the storm.
The gondola is a phenomenal public transit system, connecting the main town of Telluride with the resort-filled Mountain Village in just 12 minutes.
After the chaos, we decided a drink was in order to collect our thoughts. We got off at Mountain Village, which felt very much like the resort town of Vail, and found a place for an underwhelming, overpriced small pizza, they were out of the beer we wanted. This day wasn’t going as planned, which was a tough realization to swallow, given we didn’t have any concrete plans to begin with.
The turning point of the day was getting off the gondola at the top of the mountain. Someone had made a collection of tiny snowmen from the hail, and seeing them after the day’s events made me smile. It was a simple, joyful moment that shifted the mood. We took a short walk at the top, which gave us a spectacular view of the town of Telluride nestled in the valley below. While I had originally thought we might hike one of the trails down, the ground was far too wet, so we completed our round-trip gondola ride.
Back in Telluride, we spent the next hour or so popping in and out of a few shops, but our hearts weren’t really in it. I couldn’t shake the feeling that Telluride, while undeniably beautiful, felt a bit pretentious and the people a little snooty. My friend had hoped to see a specific waterfall, but without any prior research, we were unprepared for the hike, lacking proper shoes and water, and didn’t have a high-clearance vehicle to drive farther up the road. Defeated, we turned the car back toward Ouray.
The drive home, however, offered a chance for redemption. As we passed through Ridgway, we spontaneously decided to stop at the hot springs, a perfect antidote to our soggy, chaotic day. You can read about that liberating experience here. We arrived back at our lodging, showered, and had a wonderful dinner at the Outlaw, where great food and conversation brought our day to a much-needed, pleasant close.
I left Telluride with a renewed appreciation for planning. While a trip like this doesn’t need to be structured down to the minute, having a few planned activities or a clear goal for the day can make all the difference. Without one, we ended up wasting much of our time, a lesson I won’t soon forget.