Best time to ski Purgatory
From Durango via US 550. Status: Opening day Nov 20 (announced by the resort).
Quietest: Tuesdays and Wednesdays, especially in March. Busiest: Saturdays, plus Thanksgiving weekend, Christmas to New Year's, New Year's weekend, MLK weekend.
This week at Purgatory
Crowds by day of the week
Typical non-holiday weeks this season, from the SkiWhen crowd model.
Holidays and school breaks to know
| Period | Dates | Expect |
|---|---|---|
| Thanksgiving weekend | Nov 26–29 | Packed |
| Winter break (CO) | Dec 21–25 | Busy |
| Christmas to New Year's | Dec 26–Jan 1 | Packed |
| New Year's weekend | Jan 2–3 | Packed |
| MLK weekend | Jan 16–18 | Packed |
| Presidents' Day weekend | Feb 13–15 | Packed |
| Spring break (est.) (CO) | Mar 15–19 | Busy |
School break dates marked (est.) are estimates.
Month by month
| Month | Quiet days | Packed days |
|---|---|---|
| December 2026 | 18 | 2 |
| January 2027 | 19 | 5 |
| February 2027 | 19 | 2 |
| March 2027 | 22 | 0 |
| April 2027 | 12 | 0 |
Calmer mountains nearby
Wolf Creek, Monarch Mountain usually draw smaller crowds than Purgatory on the same day.
Questions skiers ask
When is Purgatory least busy?
Tuesdays and Wednesdays outside holidays and school breaks, especially in March.
Is Purgatory busy on weekends?
Yes. Saturday is usually the busiest day of the week at Purgatory. Arrive before the lifts open or go on a weekday.
When is Purgatory busiest?
Saturdays, plus thanksgiving weekend, christmas to new year's, new year's weekend, mlk weekend.
Will Purgatory be busy this weekend?
Check the live 7-day crowd forecast for Purgatory on SkiWhen. It updates every morning with snow and weather.