FORT COLLINS, Colo. — Telluride Ski Resort in southwestern Colorado is set to cease operations on Saturday due to an impasse in labor negotiations with its ski patrol union, according to resort officials. The Telluride Professional Ski Patrol Association has voted to authorize a strike, following months of discussions that did not yield an agreement on wages. Contract negotiations began in June, and no further bargaining sessions are planned before the weekend. As a result, resort management announced that it would not open on Saturday, citing concerns about safety without union patrollers. The duration of the closure remains uncertain, but officials are working on contingency plans to resume operations if the strike persists. The resort is independently owned but participates in Vail Resorts' Epic Pass program, which allows Epic Pass holders limited access to the mountain. The ski patrol union has stated that the responsibility for the closure lies with resort management. The interim safety director and spokesperson for the patrol association indicated that the dispute could be resolved swiftly if management agrees to fair compensation. The union is advocating for wage increases to bring their pay in line with similar positions at other resorts. They are requesting starting wages rise from $21 to $28 per hour, with more experienced patrollers seeking salaries between $39 and $49 per hour, up from current rates in the mid-$30s. The ski patrollers emphasize the high cost of living in resort areas and the critical nature of their work, which includes responding to injuries and managing avalanche risks. Guests affected by the ski patrol work stoppage will be eligible for refunds, as noted on the Telluride website. Advance-purchase lift tickets and ski and snowboard school lessons will be refunded to their original payment method, and unused days on multi-day lift tickets will also be reimbursed. Winter pass holders can receive pro-rated refunds based on the number of days affected by the closure. Ticket sales at the resort are suspended, but staff remains available to assist with refund inquiries. This season, Telluride has faced challenges in opening terrain due to warm early-winter conditions, with only 20 of its 149 trails operational as of this week. The labor dispute occurs amid a trend of organizing among ski patrollers in the Rocky Mountain region, following a similar strike at Utah’s Park City Mountain Resort last winter.