Telluride closes downhill bike park for 2026 following longest ski patrol strike in US history

Telluride Ski & Golf Resort (Telski) has announced the closure of its downhill mountain bike park for the entire 2026 season. Citing an extensive upgrade to Lift 4, Telski stated the necessary construction would preclude summer operations. This decision follows a winter season significantly disrupted by the longest ski patrol strike in U.S. history, although the resort maintains the strike is unrelated to the bike park closure.

This development arrives amidst a period of significant labor unrest for Telski, whose ski patrol unionized in 2022 and engaged in a protracted strike over pay and benefits. While Telski attributes the bike park closure to infrastructure improvements, local sentiment, as reported, suggests skepticism, viewing it as a potential consequence or retaliatory measure following the winter's industrial action. The closure removes a significant summer attraction and revenue stream for the resort, impacting both local businesses and the broader mountain biking community.

Ultimately, whether a genuine operational necessity or a convenient consequence, Telluride's decision leaves mountain bikers without a key destination and reinforces the notion that labor disputes often have far-reaching, and sometimes unexpected, collateral damage.