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Telluride Opens While Patrollers Enter Second Week of Strike

Originally posted on Powder | By Izzy Lidsky | Last updated Jan 5, 2026 2:17 PM ET

Telluride's unionized ski patrollers, known as Telluride Professional Ski Patrollers Association (TPSPA), officially went on an Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) strike on December 27, 2025.

Months of contract negotiations with Telluride Ski and Golf came to an impasse over a wage increase when TPSPA rejected Teleski's Last and Best Final Offer on December 8th.

As TPSPA hung up their patrol jackets and locked their lockers, Telluride announced that the resort would be closing on December 27th due to the strike. In a social media post announcing the closure, the resort noted that they would continue to work on a plan to reopen safely as soon as possible and that they did not know how long the strike would last.

Leading up to the patrol strike, employment listings for temporary ski patrollers were posted to the resort's job portal, citing a "potential labor dispute with the Communication Workers of America Local 7781, United Mountain Workers."

The listing required applicants to have a current Outdoor Emergency Care or Emergency Medical Technician Basic certification and a minimum of one year of ski patrol experience. Experience in avalanche mitigation, beacon search/companion rescue, and high-angle rescue is listed as a 'plus.'

Keep reading for more on this developing story.

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A December 25th update from TPSPA cited that the union had dropped fundings asks for healthcare ($120k), an increased gear stipend ($15,400), and reduced wages ($84k), for a total of a $220k reduction in asking cost to TSG.

These costs would be spread over the duration of a 3-year contract. The update noted that recent offers placed TSPSPA's asks and the company's figures only $64k apart.

On January 4, 2026, TSPSA posted an update to its social media page that Telluride Ski and Golf had emailed a new offer to the union, but that the new offer did not include more money, but rather 'moved it around.' The offer, which was posted along with the update, included a base rate of $41/hour for Station Leads, which was in the union's last request, a complexity pay bonus of $1.50 for all hours worked, including overtime, paid out mid season and end of season, a three year contract, and annual increases tied to cost of living adjustments in year two and three of the contract.

As the strike hit day ten, Telluride reopened Lift 1, Meadows Carpet, and Vista Carpet on Monday, January 5, 2026.

TPSPA President Graham Hoffman told the Telluride Times that there are four Telluride patrollers who are ineligible for the union and are expected to work during the strike period. "We understand the position they are in and offer them nothing but support. These are our friends," said Hoffman.

The resort reportedly has contingency EMS and patrol staff working to cover the small terrain opening while the strike continues. Telluride had four of 17 lifts and two of its 149 trails open on Monday, January 5, 2026. The map below shows the small section of terrain currently in operation.

TPSPA set up a GoFundMe on November 23rd to support patrollers financially during the strike, as they don't receive any pay from Teleski during the strike period. The fund has a goal of $360k in order to cover the costs of basic needs such as groceries, rent, fuel, child care, medical costs, and more for patrollers.

As of January 5, 2026, the fund has raised $149,218.

Telluride's ongoing strike over the busy holiday season is reminiscent of Park City's ski patrol strike last winter, which started just after Christmas and lasted twelve days.

The TPSPA strike is a developing story, and POWDER will continue to update readers.

This article first appeared on Powder and was syndicated with permission.

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