For many people in Montrose, Ridgway, and Ouray, winter work means a daily drive over Dallas Divide to Telluride. That commute connects the region’s economy to the success of Telluride Ski Resort, making a labor dispute unfolding there a concern well beyond San Miguel County.
Ski patrollers at Telluride have rejected the resort’s final contract offer and authorized a strike that could take place during the busy holiday season. The union represents 72 patrollers and is part of the United Mountain Workers, a growing labor organization representing resort employees across the West. Negotiations have dragged on for months, and resort officials have said the offer rejected by patrollers was their “last, best” proposal.
Early last week, representatives from both sides suggested the two parties were separated by roughly $100,000 spread over several years. That characterization drew attention because of the potential economic consequences of a holiday strike. However, over the weekend, Telluride Ski Resort walked back that claim, saying the gap is larger than initially described. Ski patrol leaders have also emphasized that the dispute is not just about wages, but includes issues like health insurance, supervisor pay, and long-term retention.
The timing is critical. Flights into the region are already down this winter, even without a strike. Telluride, like many remote resort communities, relies on airline guarantee programs to bring visitors into Montrose Regional Airport from major cities. According to reporting by The Colorado Sun, Telluride Ski Resort is no longer contributing to those guarantees, and bookings are currently down between five and seven percent.
The dispute took on a distinctly local dimension for Montrose in mid-December. On December 10, Montrose Regional Health CEO Jeff Mengenhausen emailed staff saying the Telluride Ski Resort had asked for help during the uncertainty surrounding a potential strike. In that email, he wrote that there was an opportunity for employees to assist by providing ski patrol services, with the possibility of additional pay and a season pass.
KVNF obtained copies of those emails. Six days later, Mengenhausen sent a follow-up message walking back the initial outreach. In that second email, he said Montrose Regional Health did not intend to be involved in labor negotiations and emphasized that the hospital remains neutral in all labor matters.
While ski patrollers have not announced a specific strike date, they have made clear that a holiday walkout remains possible. KVNF News will continue to follow the dispute and its potential economic impacts on Montrose and surrounding communities.
