The most snow in Colorado, by a considerable margin, on a pass in the San Juan mountains where storms coming up from the southwest hit first and unload.

The area is family owned and deliberately undeveloped. There is no lodging, no village and no real estate, just lifts and a lodge, and the ticket prices reflect that. The terrain covers a good range of open bowls, glades and groomed runs, with hike to terrain along the ridge.

Pagosa Springs, forty minutes west, has hot springs and is the usual base. South Fork is on the other side.

The pass road can close in a storm, which is a reasonable price for the snow it brings. Locals plan around it.