DURANGO, Colorado — A company that operates a ski area on U.S. Forest Service land has yanked the season ski pass of a woman who criticized changes to its operating schedule.

Excerpts of a Nov. 2 letter published by The Durango Herald quote Purgatory at Durango Mountain Resort CEO Gary Derck saying he refunded the $539 paid by Lauren Slaff so she could find a resort that better met her expectations.

Slaff had raised concerns in a Herald article that the resort was reducing the season's ski days. Derck said the new schedule actually extended the number of ski days by three weeks.

A message left for a resort spokesman by The Associated Press wasn't immediately returned Thursday.

Slaff said she moved to Durango from New York City 2½ years ago largely because of the nearby ski area.

___

Information from: Durango Herald, http://www.durangoherald.com