Peak performance: Helping Telluride’s staff get around

About Telluride 

Telluride Ski Resort (Telski) is a world-renowned ski destination in the southwest Colorado Rockies, offering 2,000 acres of terrain. The area blends a historic mining town with a modern mountain village—attracting skiers, snowboarders, and sightseers from around the globe. 

The Background 
There’s a reason why Telluride carves out a spot as a top-10 ski destination, year after year.   

The resort boasts 300 days of sunshine and 300-plus inches of snow annually, making it a prime place to shred some powder. And after a day on the slopes, skiers and snowboarders head into the town of Telluride—a mining town turned mountain retreat—for its charming après-ski scene.  

Telski saw an opportunity to deliver the same top-tier experience to employees that guests have come to expect.  To do that, the resort needed to address the rising transportation costs and limited on-site parking. Many staff members had to travel over an hour for shopping and errands. Traditional ride-hailing cost too much and public transit wasn’t an option.  

Resort employees needed a practical way to get around without the burden of car ownership. Telski turned to Zipcar to make mountain life mobility more convenient and sustainable.  

The Solution 

In 2023, Telski partnered with Zipcar to introduce an easy, cost-effective car-sharing solution for its employees.  

An initial fleet of eight vehicles rolled out to two convenient locations, chosen by the resort. To handle Telluride’s rugged mountain terrain, Zipcar opted to bring in four-wheel drive Toyota 4Runners. 

Zipcar also tailored a program with discounted rates to make it more affordable and appealing to employees.  

To promote the new program, Zipcar and Telski co-created flyers with scannable QR codes for quick member sign-up, distributed at the resort and apartments around Telluride.   

The two car-share locations are also available to the public, offering local residents and visitors an easy way to get around and enjoy Telluride’s stunning surroundings.  

The Result 

The program has been a smooth run for both sides, with nearly 1,000 reservations since launch. It’s given resort employees and the public an efficient, flexible transportation options in a region with few alternatives. 

Telski has reduced parking strain, given employees a better way to get around, and introduced the Telluride community to the concept of car sharing. The new car-sharing partnership has played a key role in attracting and retaining seasonal employees, helping ensure the resort remains a top-10 destination for years to come.  

In the summer of 2024, the initiative expanded to the neighboring town of Mountain Village, which faced similar parking challenges and wanted to offer residents and tourists car-sharing access. This expansion helped the town meet its sustainability goals while providing more flexible transportation options.  

As of January 2025, the resort operates a fleet of six 4Runners at two strategically located spots, serving 132 members with an average of 56 reservations per month. Together, Zipcar and Telski have cut carbon emissions by 211,200 lbs.*— a win for the environment and the community.