When the building at the bottom of the Chondola and Sunshine Express was approved in 1994, it was approved as a ski-school lunchroom. For most of the years since, people have known it as Big Billie's, the family lunch counter at The Meadows known for soup, chili, burgers and hot chocolate. This winter it goes back to its first job.
On Sept. 17, the Mountain Village Town Council approved a conditional use permit for Telluride Ski & Golf. The main floor of Big Billie's becomes a dedicated Kids Ski School facility, and public food moves outside to a seasonal food truck on Lot OSP-35-C. The permit runs through the ski season and expires April 4, 2027. Telski's representative said the arrangement fixes a short-term problem. The permanent answer for the building is what the town is really waiting on.
A Building Returning to Its 1994 Purpose
Telski's application says the restaurant space will be "converted into a dedicated Kids Ski School facility." It argues that a single central meeting spot next to the main kitchen will let children "spend more time on the mountain and less time traveling between facilities." The application also mentions a healthier menu for ski-school participants. Under the old layout, the ski-school lunch area was in the basement. The new plan moves it to the main floor.
In practice the two groups trade floors. The children move upstairs. The lower level becomes lockers, overflow tables and a general lounge. Telski's Steve Swenson told council that public seating for people buying from the truck will be in that basement.
Here is how the base changes from last season to the plan for this one.
| Winter 2025-26 | Winter 2026-27, as approved | |
|---|---|---|
| Public food | Big Billie's, indoor counter service | The Little Pink Truck, outdoors on OSP-35-C |
| Hot food hours | 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. | Generally 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. |
| Public seating | Inside the restaurant | Big Billie's basement, per Telski; no tent |
| Ski-school lunch | Basement | Main floor |
| Permit horizon | Ongoing restaurant use | Expires April 4, 2027 |
The Truck, and What Isn't Known Yet
The operator is The Little Pink Truck, a family-owned food truck and catering company from Grand Junction. According to the application, it has been operating for more than eleven years. The truck is about 8.5 by 28 feet, needs a 50-amp electrical hookup and runs on propane from two 100-pound tanks. Its proposed hours start two hours earlier than Big Billie's hot-food service did last winter. Big Billie's served coffee and hot chocolate before lunch.
The approval materials don't include a menu for Telluride. The truck's general online ordering page lists grilled cheese and pulled-pork sandwiches and a veggie wrap, mostly at $13, plus an $8 kids' grilled cheese. That gives a rough idea of the price range, but it is not a promised menu. For comparison, Big Billie's menu from November 2025 listed a $9 hot dog, a $10 classic grilled cheese and a $14 single burger.
The start date is also unknown. Telluride Ski Resort is targeting a Nov. 26, 2026 opening and an April 4, 2027 closing, and it notes that dates depend on conditions. Last season Big Billie's opened Dec. 4, 2025, a date the resort called snow dependent. No first day has been announced for the truck. The resort's dining page, last updated in July, still lists Big Billie's as a family restaurant, because it was written before council voted.
The Tent Council Dropped
The original proposal included a 15-by-24-foot engineered fabric shelter on a temporary wood deck, "similar in design and appearance to the seasonal deck utilized at High Camp." It would have seated about 20 people, with more picnic tables in front of the truck. Council approved the permit unanimously as a one-year trial, but only without the tent. The town's recap says the structure is limited to seating only, with no permanent tent.
Council members raised concerns about losing indoor restaurant seating, accessibility, food-service capacity, affordability and the lack of a long-term plan. Councilmember Harvey Mogenson said a permanent structure would be the long-term solution. Tobin Brown, an alternate on the Design Review Board, called Big Billie's "a 200-seat restaurant facility." The permit takes that capacity out of public use for a season. Swenson's reply to council explains why the approval is limited to one year:
"We're trying to solve a shorter-term issue with making sure we're handling our ski school and our kids properly. We don't have a long-term plan right now."
Mayor Scott Pearson defended the approval by pointing out that ski-school children are also visitors.
Conditions That Will Shape the Winter
The approval comes with conditions that people using The Meadows base will notice this winter:
- Snow and ice. Telski has to keep the area clear of snow and well maintained. Swenson acknowledged ongoing ice problems near the building. He said there is a drainage issue and no heated walkways, and that Telski maintains the area. The application promises that pedestrian areas will be groomed regularly for safe, accessible access.
- Distance from the lift. The site is more than 35 feet from the Chondola.
- Fire and permits. The draft conditions require a building permit, two fire extinguishers and compliance with NFPA 96, 58 and 10 for the truck.
- Removal and cleanup. Temporary materials have to be gone within two weeks of expiration, and no later than April 18, 2027. Disturbed ground has to be revegetated.
- A long-term plan. Telski has to bring council a long-term plan for review when the permit expires.
The fifth condition is the one that will decide the building's future. Whatever Telski proposes for the building after April 4 will go through the same council review this truck did.
Sit-Down Lunch Within Walking Distance
Anyone who wants an indoor table can walk from The Meadows to Mountain Village Center and the restaurants near the gondola. The town's business directory lists all of the following for winter service:
- Tracks Café & Bar: counter service steps from the gondola and Lift 4. Breakfast 8 to 11 a.m., lunch and dinner 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- The Pick: burritos and bowls you build yourself, daily 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Crazy Elk Pizza: pizza, salads, sandwiches and soft-serve at Mountain Village Plaza, daily 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- Tomboy Tavern: at the base of the ski mountain, lunch 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and dinner 5 to 9 p.m.
- Black Iron Kitchen + Bar at the Madeline: a full sit-down menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
- Alloy Kitchen: the former The View at Mountain Lodge Telluride, 457 Mountain Village Blvd., which reopened under the new name in summer 2026 with Chef Lonnie Shepard running the menu.
Heritage Plaza, a short walk from the gondola, has more options. One of them is Dolce, which Riki and Mariana Carolei opened on Jan. 1 in the former Diggity Doggs space. Riki cooks Argentinian-style barbecue, and Mariana handles pastry and desserts. None of these directory pages is dated for 2026-27, so it makes sense to confirm hours once the season starts.
What Happens After April 4
The permit also ties into other town business. Council's 2027 draft budget lists possible snowmelt system installations among its planned capital projects, and a more detailed draft of that budget will be presented at the Oct. 7 budget worksession. The next regular council meeting is Oct. 15. The conversation about the building's future will open when Telski submits the long-term plan that council required as a condition of this permit, due by the time the permit expires April 4, 2027.
Decisions like this one shape how a base area functions for years, and they rarely show up in a property listing. O'Neill Stetina Group follows Mountain Village council and design review files closely, including what comes next for the Big Billie's building. If you own near The Meadows or are weighing a purchase there, schedule a private consultation and we will walk you through what is on the town's calendar.
