Greg Hope Is Lucky Enough To Call One of America’s Most Iconic Ski Towns Home
While last season may have been one for the record books in many parts of the West, the storms seemed to have forgotten about Colorado for the better part of the winter. I caught up with Telluride local Greg Hope to chat about his season and what it means to live the dream in one of the most iconic Colorado ski towns.
Hope was born and raised in Telluride, a town of roughly 2,500 mountain-loving individuals. Surrounded by some of Colorado’s tallest and roughest mountains, the San Juan Range, the skiing is steep, gnarly, and oftentimes very dangerous. The town, founded by gold miners in 1878, sits at the end of box canyon and is characterized by an eclectic group of locals that want to keep Telluride free from much outside influence.
As a skier, Hope’s riding can be summed up in two words: fast and aggressive. Some of his favorite lines in the area are the kind that require some serious mountaineering skills to access, let alone ski. Think super narrow couloirs, with a mandatory rappel in and out of them. The terrain around Telluride hides some of the best of this kind of skiing in the country, and Hope knows his way around. However, he is just as happy ripping laps inbounds on a pow day with some buddies.
Check out Greg Hope on Outside TV's Locals.
What was it like growing up in one of the most iconic ski towns in the world?
I was very fortunate to grow up in Telluride. Having the ski resort so close along with a community that loves skiing I was able to ski more than most. I have the world to thank my family. They kindled my love of the mountains and outdoors and support my skiing. It is definitely a different place to grow up than most. I went to a small private school with a graduating class of four kids. This school had ski PE at least two days a week through the winter and allowed me to really follow my love of skiing. I will say I never really thought of it as that iconic, even though we have in my opinion the best mountains and incredible athletes but because of the attitude of people here. It is not as much of a scene as some of the other iconic resorts like Jackson or those in Little Cottonwood Canyon. The people here just love skiing and the incredible place we live.
Run us through a typical day in the life of Greg Hope.
Wake up, have a quick bite either at home or grab something at BIT (Baked in Telluride). Meet my ski buddies at the base of the resort. From there, ski all day. Depending on conditions, we’ll ski the resort, go out the gates, or go for a tour. After skiing, we eat too much food. If it has snowed, I’ll go to work shoveling, if not try to work on something else. At night, it’s probably just relaxing playing cards or something of the sort.
What are you favorite spots in town to grab a beer and a bite to eat?
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If I am grabbing a beer, I would say normally I end up at the local watering hole, the Last Dollar Saloon also known as "The Buck.” You can normally find at least someone you know there. If not, I’ll head to the Sheridan Bar to play some pool. Being a resort-based economy we have ton of great food for a town of about 2,500 people. After skiing I like grabbing a bite at Oak. Located at the base of the resort in town it serves great southern food, a 2 dollar Schlitz, and there’s always people talking about their ski days. Brown Dog is another staple for food, with award winning pizza in a fun sports bar. There is a wide range of food for all your wants.
Tell me about working with Cam on the Locals project. It was Cam’s first time in a heli, what was that like?
It was super fun working with Cam on the project…it’s always inspiring to work with fellow athletes. He was excited to take it all in and to try whatever was put in front of him, like when I showed him the ropes of touring in the San Juans. He was super easy to hang out with which in turn made it fun to show him around skiing and to introduce him to a lot of the people and places that make Telluride special. It was Cam's first time heli skiing, which is always an inspiring sight and was really fun for me to be apart of. Seeing their excitement was contagious, and as always, a good bonding experience.
In your words, what makes Telluride worth it, what sets it apart from other ski towns?
There is nowhere else like Telluride. The San Juans are rugged and beautiful mountains that are also remote. The town is right in the middle of them. I can walk out my door to the ski resort to see people, can easily head the other way and with very little time and effort be alone in the outdoors, whether it be skiing, fishing, hunting, biking, hiking, etc. There is a lifetime’s worth of stuff to do in these mountains. What really separates it is the community; it is very small and close-knit. Everyone looks out for one another and are advocates of preserving our natural beauty and keeping the sense of community alive.
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