Telluride is located in southwestern Colorado. Originally, it was a silver mining camp. The town was founded in 1878 as “Columbia” but was renamed the following year as Telluride for “gold telluride,” for ores of the chemical element tellurium. While gold tellurides were not found there, other ores of metals such as lead, zinc, and silver were. Present day, Telluride is an all-season resort where you can ski in the winter and turn to hiking and biking in the summer. Geographically, it sits in a box canyon, which affects the approaches to Telluride Regional Airport (KTEX). The town is at an elevation of 8750 feet MSL, and the airport is even higher at 9070 feet MSL. Surrounding mountains reach over 13,000 feet MSL.
Telluride Airport is perched atop a manmade mesa, with mountains encircling it north, east, and south. Notably, there are drop-offs at both ends of the runway. However, to ensure safety, both runway ends are equipped with EMASs (Engineered Material Arresting System) beyond the thresholds, allowing for quick stops and providing security.
