Intermediate Skier's Guide to Purgatory Resort

If you're an intermediate skier, Purgatory might be the best mountain in Colorado for you. Around 45% of the terrain is rated intermediate, and the quality of those blue runs is excellent. You're not stuck lapping the same three trails all day — there's enough variety across different aspects and elevations to explore for a full week without repeating.

Why Purgatory Works for Intermediates

The blue runs at Purgatory are long, well-groomed, and confidence-building. The pitch is consistent — you won't hit a sudden steep section that makes you question your ability. You can carry speed, practice carving, and work on technique without worrying about unexpected terrain changes or intimidating drop-offs.

This is a mountain where intermediate skiers can genuinely improve. The runs are forgiving enough to let you push your comfort zone without punishing mistakes. If you're working on parallel turns, edging, or speed control, Purgatory's blues give you the canvas to practice.

The frontside blues offer excellent views of the village and the surrounding San Juan Mountains. The backside blues — accessed via Hermosa Park and Legends lifts — are slightly more narrow and playful, with lightly gladed areas that introduce you to tree skiing without the commitment of full glades.

Best Blue Runs at Purgatory

Columbine is the classic frontside cruiser. It's wide, groomed daily, and perfect for warming up in the morning or cooling down at the end of the day. The pitch is consistent top to bottom, and the run is long enough to get into a rhythm.

Legends on the backside is where intermediate skiers start to feel like advanced skiers. The run has more character than the frontside groomers — natural rolls, a few bumps if you seek them out, and tighter turns through the trees. It's still rated blue, but it's on the confident end of intermediate terrain.

Hermosa Park area offers a network of blues that feel more remote than the main mountain. The runs here are less crowded, the scenery is stunning, and the snow quality often stays better longer because fewer people ski back there.

Upper Pitchfork is the bridge between blue and black. It's technically a blue run, but the top section has a steeper pitch that challenges intermediate skiers. If you ski this comfortably, you're ready to try easier blacks.

Progression Strategy: Getting Better at Purgatory

Start your day on the wider, mellower blues near the base to warm up. Columbine, Lower Hades, and the runs off Twilight are perfect for getting your ski legs under you and dialing in your technique.

As your confidence builds through the morning, work toward steeper blues higher on the mountain. Upper Pitchfork, Paul Bunyan, and the blues off Lift 4 have more vertical and require more aggressive edge control.

By mid-afternoon, you might find yourself eyeing an easy black. The transition from blue to black at Purgatory is gradual. Several runs marked black — like Hades or Catharsis — are barely more aggressive than steep blues. They're a great first step into advanced terrain.

Taking the Next Step: Blue to Black

The jump from intermediate to advanced is less about courage and more about technique refinement. Here's how to make that leap at Purgatory:

Ski the steep blues confidently. If you can cruise Upper Pitchfork or Legends without hesitation, you're ready for blacks.

Hit a few mogul turns. Bumps build naturally on some blue runs as the day progresses. Picking a line through three or four bumps on a run you know well develops the quick-turn, edge-control skills you need for advanced terrain.

Take a lesson. Even experienced intermediates benefit from a half-day with an instructor. A good coach identifies specific technique improvements — weight distribution, pole planting, hip rotation — that accelerate your progression. Purgatory's instructors are skilled at coaching intermediates through the plateau where you feel stuck.

Ski with someone better than you. Watch how advanced skiers move — where they put their weight, how they initiate turns, how they manage speed. You'll absorb more by following a skilled skier for a few runs than you will from years of solo laps.

Conditions and Timing

Morning groomers are the best time to work on technique. The snow is firm, the edge hold is excellent, and you can really feel your skis carving clean turns. This is when you dial in fundamentals.

Midday softening happens as the sun warms the slopes. The snow gets a little softer, a little more forgiving. This is ideal for pushing your comfort zone — trying a steeper run or a new section of the mountain — because falls are softer and mistakes are less punishing.

Afternoon slush on spring days is some of the most fun skiing you'll ever do. Soft, forgiving snow that lets you arc big, fast turns without worrying about catching an edge. Intermediate skiers often have breakthroughs in spring conditions because the snow is so confidence-building.

Avoiding Crowds

Purgatory's intermediate terrain is spread across the entire mountain, so you're never trapped in one congested area. That said, some tips for avoiding crowds:

Ski the backside. Hermosa Park and Legends see fewer people than the main frontside runs. The lifts are slower (older fixed-grip chairs), but the payoff is quieter runs and better snow preservation.

Hit the frontside early. Everyone starts on the frontside, so if you want freshly groomed Columbine or Lower Hades, get there when the lifts open.

Mid-week is magic. If you can ski Tuesday through Thursday, you'll have the mountain largely to yourself. Weekend crowds at Purgatory are manageable compared to I-70 resorts, but weekdays are noticeably quieter.

Gear Considerations for Intermediate Skiers

All-mountain skis are perfect for Purgatory. You don't need specialized equipment — a good set of intermediate all-mountain skis (80-90mm underfoot) handles groomed blues, occasional bumps, and even light powder.

Get your skis tuned. Sharp edges make carving easier and more confidence-building. A fresh tune at the start of your trip is worth the $30.

Layering matters. Intermediate skiers tend to generate less speed and body heat than advanced skiers, so you might get colder on the lift. Bring an extra mid-layer you can add or remove.

Where to Stay

Both of our Purgatory townhomes — Basecamp and Timberline — are right across from the resort with free shuttle access to the lifts. After a long day working on your technique, the hot tubs, fireplaces, and full kitchens make for a perfect recovery evening.

Basecamp sleeps eight and has a pool table downstairs. Timberline sleeps six and has three bedrooms. Both have EV chargers, high-speed wifi, and ski-in/ski-out convenience. Check availability at purgatoryunlocked.com.

Why Intermediate Terrain Matters

Intermediate skiers are often overlooked in ski marketing — resorts focus on powder hounds and expert terrain or beginner-friendly family slopes. But intermediate is where most skiers live, and it's where the most growth happens. You're past the survival stage and into the refinement stage, where every run can make you a better skier.

Purgatory respects that. The mountain is designed for intermediate skiers to thrive, explore, and push their limits without feeling out of their depth. Whether this is your first intermediate season or your tenth, Purgatory has the terrain to keep you challenged and progressing.

See you on the blues.

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