Telluride Patrollers Strike to Push for Higher Wages in Affluent Mountain Town

Hadisur Rahman, JadeTimes Staff

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Image Source: William Woody / The New York Times / Redux file

Tony Daranyi, a 27-year veteran ski patroller at Telluride Ski Resort, helped launch a labor action that briefly shut down one of the state's premier resorts during peak holiday season. Daranyi, an EMT with advanced avalanche forecasting and explosive mitigation training, said the current pay does not reflect the risks and specialized skills his team brings to the mountain.

Patrollers at Telluride earn about $32 an hour for experienced workers, with newer patrollers making around $21 an hour. The disparity, coupled with the high cost of living in one of America’s most expensive housing markets, prompted the strike that began December 27 and halted significant portions of the resort’s operations.

The wage concerns are part of a broader regional trend in Western mountain towns, where patrollers are increasingly organizing for higher compensation. Similar actions have occurred at Park City, Utah, and Keystone, Eldora, and Arapahoe Basin in Colorado. The United Mountain Workers union, which now counts roughly 1,000 members, argues that wages have not kept pace with rising housing costs and living expenses in resort communities.

Daranyi, who previously led the Telluride union, emphasized that the issue transcends a single resort. “This is about more than Telluride ski patrol. It reflects what’s happening in all mountain communities and nationwide with income inequality,” he said.

Industry observers note that patrollers’ expertise makes them hard to replace. Their duties include first aid, guest rescues, and avalanche control, often under extreme weather. The job’s physical demands and potential dangers underscore the push for improved wages and benefits, including healthcare provisions and equipment allowances.

Harvard University data reveal that home prices in Telluride have surged, with local homes averaging about \1.5 million and rents around \8,000 a month, intensifying the financial pressure on workers who must live nearby or commute in severe winter conditions.

Negotiations between Telluride’s resort representatives and the Ski Patrol Union resumed over the weekend, but as of Tuesday no agreement had been reached on the contract, which expired this summer. Telluride’s official communications indicated a productive meeting and a revised offer aimed at bridging the gap, though details remain undisclosed.