Purgatory Resort Lodging

THE MOUNTAIN MESSENGERA Periodic Resort Lodging Newsletter

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

Booking Summary 1

Spring Concert Schedule 1

Wedding & Events Update 2

Activities at a Glance 2

Trip Advisor Reviews 2

New Team Members 3

Marketing Update 3

VIEW ONLINE VERSION

OTHER UPCOMING EVENTS AT

PURGATORY

Snowcat Dinner at Powderhouse

with wine pairings

February 9 & 10

VALENTINES DAY ACTIVITIES

Kids’ Night Out

Snowcat Dining Excursion

AlpenGlow Evening

Snowshoe Tour

Night Rail Jam

February 17

SkiBike Festival

February 23 -25

Locals Benefit Day

February 25

Uncle Clyde’s Run & Slide

March 3

Pond Skimming

March 31

FEBRUARY 2018ISSUE #2

RENTAL PROGRAM BOOKING SUMMARYFrom John Miller, Director of Lodging Services and Lauren Gonzalez, Revenue Manager

The 2017/2018 winter has been challenging with only 47” of natural snow through February 2nd. Sales and Marketing have been working every angle to make the phones ring in reservations. For guests that had confirmed reservations in November & December we offered an opportunity to move their dates to later in the season. This kept the rental revenue on the books for owners and better accommodated guests. Long term and future guest satisfaction is an important focus as we align with ski industry trends.

Current Winter Financials: Overall, in 2017/2018 we have increased paid room nights year over year. While the margins are smaller, our team was very successful booking reservations and providing a quality experience. The snow making team did an excellent job bringing new terrain online, as quickly as possible and continues to strategically adapt to the conditions Mother Nature offers. We have already seen an increase in occupancy year over year, with additional increases in Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR).

Thanks to the efforts of our Call Center and Group Sales teams, 2018 is shaping up to be a great year as we plan for spring and winter bookings. Focusing on a more competitive pricing strategy has allowed us to increase our rates during peak times, and increase occupancy and revenue overall. Summer 2018 is looking great! We have opened inventory to bookings much earlier than usual this year. This has allowed more nights on the books and increased room revenue leading to a booking trend much higher than this time last year. Summer bookings continue to be a focus for the resort as we prepare for even more activities and offerings to bring new and returning guests to Purgatory in 2018!

SPRING CONCERT SCHEDULE - ALL SHOWS ARE FREE ENTRY Visit the events page at SKIPURG.com for more info

Foxfeather - February 10th, 2:30pm – 5:30pm at Purgy’s

Coral Creek - March 3rd & 4th, 3:00pm – 6:00pm at Purgy’s

Back in Black - March 10th, 4:00pm – 6:00pm on the Beach

Aeromyth - March 31st, 4:00pm – 6:00pm on the Beach

“Great works are performed not by strength but by perseverance.”

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

SKIPURG.COM

Page 2The Mountain Messenger

WHAT ARE GUESTS SAYING ABOUT PURGATORY RESORT ON TRIP ADVISOR? For full reviews, visit SKIPURG.com

“Sleigh ride was fun.” Reviewed by Stephanie K “My husband and I have never skied before, but we loved the atmosphere and the sleigh ride offered at the village.”

“Best place to ski in Colorado.” Reviewed by Ron K“I have skied a multitude of places from Colorado to Washington and love Purg the best. It has a small town feel that Crested Butte used to but is not as isolated as Wolf Creek. It is still reasonably priced and all the staff are friendly and helpful. Even with limited snow this season we had enough terrain to ski…”

“Awesome little ski resort” Reviewed by dina z“Unfortunately it was the first year since 1976 this area hasn’t seen snow but we were still able to ski here. Loved this place. Even if you don’t ski there are chairs set up so you can relax with the beautiful scenery. Music plays and various bars are set up in the snow.”

“Little snow, but the staff were excellent..” Reviewed by Adrian F“Stayed here after Christmas, extending to New Years... about 20-22 trails were open (they opened 25 when we left). For beginners, it was mostly limited to the lifts 7 and 9 (Columbine and Graduate)... the trail for Graduate was very crowded (except for New Year’s eve) as no other beginner/greens were available in the upper mountain...”

Scenic Snowcat Tours

Have you ever wanted to ride in a Snowcat? Well now is your chance. Tours run every Saturday and

Sunday, plus President’s Day Monday. $50 per person.

Sleigh Rides by Buck’s Livery

Enjoy a picturesque mountain sleigh ride. Rides available 4:30pm, 5:00pm & 5:30pm

Cost is $25/adults, $15/kids. Call 970-385-2110 to make your reservation today.

Picasso & Vino

Give your artistic side a try. Unwind after a great day on the slopes by painting the unforgettable

Purgatory Mountain scene. February 17th , 5:00pm to 6:45pm, Hoody’s. $32 per person. Advanced Registration required

Tubing

Tubing in the Columbine Base Area Friday through Sunday, Noon – 7pm.

$10 per tube, per hour. Buy tickets at Columbine Base Area.

Dog Sledding by Durango Dog Ranch

Dog Sledding Tours happen Fridays through Mondays, 10:00am to 3:00pm, every hour. A scenic winter wonderland trail

provides views of Engineer Mountain. Call 970-259-0694 to make your reservation today.

PURGATORY ACTIVITIES AT-A-GLANCEVisit our website SKIPURG.com for more activities

SKIPURG.COM

WEDDING & EVENTS UPDATEFrom Karlee Phippen, Wedding Sales Manager & LauraLee Wren, Director of Sales

With the increase in attendance at Wedding Expos and a new presence on The Knot (website for newly engaged couples and a lead generator for venues), the team has increased wedding sales 40% from last year.

The average size of a Purgatory Wedding Reception is 120 attendees, and about 70% of these are considered “Destination Weddings”, meaning the wedding couple and family members are from outside Durango. This will show a nice increase in overnight lodging rentals, as families travel to Purgatory for an event that often extends over a few days.

In addition to traditional wedding ceremonies and receptions, there has been an increase in Proposals on the Mountain, as well as Elopement Packages. Some couples love the idea of getting away for awhile, staying at the Resort for skiing or hiking…and getting a marriage license at the same time. These elopements often turn into an intimate celebration with close family and friends. One elopement this past December was a couple who had been visiting Purgatory for the last three years. They learned to ski while creating an amazing relationship with a ski instructor, and decided they wanted to bring their kids to Purgatory for their elopement. They now plan to make the 14 hour trip every year an annual family tradition.

Events • Menus • Tickets • Lodging reservations and more

THEDMMA.COMHOA Meeting Minutes • Announcements • Financial Reports

Phone: (970) 426-7214 • Fax: (970) 385-2233 • E-mail: mearly@purgatoryresort.com

PO BOX 17000 • Durango, CO 81302

Page 3The Mountain Messenger

WELCOME NEW STAFF MEMBERS TO THE PURGATORY RESORT TEAM

John Wooters - Head Chef at Purgatory Resort

Chef John Wooters grew up in southern Arizona hunting and fishing. While in his early teens, he learned to work with wild game and cooked camp meals using an open fire and local, wild ingredients. John’s interest in cooking and food led him to Savannah, Georgia where he worked for two years in a culinary apprenticeship under a European-trained chef at the Savannah Resort and Country Club.

John used his cooking skills to travel the country, working at the Resort at Squaw Creek, and the River Ranch Lodge in Lake Tahoe, California. He also spent four years in Portland, Oregon working as chef at a historic café on 23rd Street. John returned to his Arizona roots, where he was the executive chef at Tubac Golf Resort and Spa in Tucson for eight years.

Chef John recently moved to Durango and is the new head chef at Purgatory Resort. Some of Chef John’s specialties include Elk Ragout, Beef Pot Roast with Roasted Garlic Mashers & Braised Heirloom Carrots, Grilled Salmon with Butternut Risotto, and much more. His focus is on comfort foods prepared with high quality ingredients that offer big flavor enticing guests to return and try exciting new dishes.

LauraLee Wren - Director of Sales

LauraLee Wren joins Purgatory from the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. A children’s book author on the side, Wren has had a long career in hospitality. Most recently she was proud to be the first employee of Kalahari Resort Poconos, tasked with building a dedicated team for the large Resort & Convention Center. Her professional volunteerism with the Philadelphia Area chapter of Meeting Professionals International included five years on the Board of Directors focusing on Leadership Development and Mentoring.

Free time was spent raising three kids who now reside in Summit County, CO. She also volunteered at Jack Frost and Big Boulder ski areas. When not traveling to USASA Snowboard competitions with her kids, LauraLee can also be found timing races or running race events at her home mountains.

At Purgatory, Wren’s focus as Director of Sales is to develop a strategic plan for expanding Group Lodging and Event Functions in every season. This will include corporate retreats, family reunions, youth groups, weddings and ski clubs. Besides skiing, Wren enjoys sailing, kayaking and hiking with her husband, Sean, and lovable golden retriever, Ollie!

Purgatory recently completed the production of a new video showing first time guests what to do when they arrive at our resort.

Upcoming holiday weekend and Spring Break bookings are up and the resort is launching a large advertising campaign to target more spring break families to spend their vacation here.

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MARKETING NEWS