Telluride

At the southern tip of the Rocky Mountains, tucked into a canyon ringed by the soaring peaks of the San Juan Mountains, lies the tiny historic mining town and holiday destination of Telluride, which, twinned with its modern purpose-built 'alter-ego', Mountain Village, perched 9,500 feet (2,895m) up the mountain-side, forms one of America's most spectacular ski resorts.Telluride sports a dozen or so blocks of quaint Victorian homes and clapboard storefronts, around a pedestrianised core. A unique feature of the twinned towns is the three-stage gondola system, which provides the only access to high altitude Mountain Village. Visitors take the swift, scenic and free ride to the elegant, contemporary resort town, marvelling at the panoramic views of some of Colorado's most magnificent mountain peaks. While Telluride provides the picturesque historic atmosphere, Mountain Village, founded in 1987, provides modern recreational and accommodation options for discerning guests, with luxury hotels and condominiums, sophisticated boutiques, eclectic restaurants, a championship golf course, conference centre and a world-class spa. The attractive, upmarket modern facilities and stunning setting have ensured that Telluride/Mountain Village is not just a winter sports destination with eminently attractive ski slopes, but popular all year round as a mountain holiday destination. It is easy to see why the Ute Indians in days of yore cherished this valley and its guardian peaks as sacred territory.