Dolores School District Starts Ski Club Registration, Trips to Purgatory

Dolores School District announced on November 17 that registration has opened for the 2025 to 2026 Dolores Ski and Snowboard Club, a program for students ages 8 to 18 that organizes day trips to Purgatory Ski Resort. The district posted trip dates for January 9, February 6, and February 13, 2026, and set a bundled price of 70 dollars per student per day. That fee covers bus transportation, lift ticket, equipment rental and lessons. Students who already hold a valid Purgatory pass and bring their own equipment may register without buying the full package.

The club is open to students with parent and staff chaperones welcome, and the district provided registration links, liability waiver instructions and contact information for program coordinator Karen Batson at kbatson@dolores.k12.co.us or by phone at 970 882 7288. The district also supplied guidance on lesson preparedness to help families and students arrive ready for instruction and safe participation.

For local families the program represents a compact way to access winter recreation that often requires arranging separate transportation, lift tickets and rentals. By bundling those elements, the district reduces time and planning costs for parents and guardians, and creates an affordable per day price point for school age participants. The option to sign up without the package for students with existing passes also allows flexibility for repeat riders and families that already cover gear costs.

Economically the club routes spending toward regional recreation and hospitality sectors. Group trips to Purgatory place demand on the resort for lift services and lessons, and may increase local purchases for food and ancillary services. School organized transport concentrates visitor flows on specific dates, which can help the resort and local vendors plan staffing and inventory. For the district, operating an extracurricular program with bundled logistics may be more efficient than managing disparate family arrangements and could support higher participation rates that enhance program sustainability.

From a policy perspective the program underscores how small school districts can expand extracurricular offerings to promote physical activity and student engagement while balancing liability and supervision. The requirement for liability waivers and the invitation for parent and staff chaperones indicate attention to risk management and community involvement. Long term, sustained access to organized recreational programs can influence youth sport participation patterns, family decisions about residency and community cohesion around seasonal activities.

Residents interested in signing up should follow the registration links on the district post and complete required waivers, or contact Karen Batson at kbatson@dolores.k12.co.us or 970 882 7288 for more information. The district encouraged early registration to secure spots on the January and February trips.