Crested Butte

From WikiSki

Overview 

Crested Butte Mountain Resort plenty of snow dumps all season long spread out over 1,160 acres. There's a "go-for-it, wahoo..." attitude that prevails among friendly, loose skiers who favor its terrain. There's plenty of space for all abilities, but hot skiers and riders will want to know there are more double-black diamond ski trails than any other resort in Colorado.

Contents 1 Location 2 Pros 3 Cons 4 Contacts 5 Planning 5.1 Getting There 5.1.1 Driving Directions 5.2 Accommodation 5.2.1 On Mountain 5.2.2 Off Mountain 5.3 Lift Tickets 5.4 Ski School 5.5 Equipment Hire 6 Resort Facilities 6.1 Getting Around 6.2 Parking 6.3 Activities 6.4 Dining 6.5 Bars & Entertainment 6.6 Shopping 6.7 Children 7 Ride Guide 7.1 Beginner Areas 7.2 Groomed Runs 7.3 Off Piste 7.4 Out of Bounds 7.5 Cross Country 7.6 Parks & Pipes 7.7 Bumps 7.8 Powder Zones 7.9 Sheltered Runs 7.10 Snowplay 8 Other 8.1 Weather 8.2 Geography 8.3 History 9 Resources 9.1 Maps

Location

Located near the center of the state, Crested Butte is easy to get to no matter where you're coming from. And the drive through the mountains is nothing short of extraordinary. Drive time from Denver is 4 hours, and a just under 4 hours from Colorado Springs.

Pros

1. Varied terrain
2. great town
3. Shuttle bus service from mountain to town#

Cons

1. Hard to get to.

Contacts

P.O. Box 5700

Mt. Crested Butte, CO 81225

Phone: 800-544-8448

Planning

Getting There

Driving Directions

From Denver From Denver International Airport, take interstate 70 west, exit to highway 470 west, highway 285 south to Fairplay then Poncha Springs, highway 50 west to Gunnison, then highway 135 north into Crested Butte.

From Colorado Springs Take highway 24 west to highway 285, highway 285 south to Poncha Springs, highway 50 west to Gunnison, then highway 135 north into Crested Butte.

From Montrose Take highway 50 east to Gunnison, then highway 135 north into Crested Butte.

From Texas And Oklahoma Take interstate 25 north through Trinidad to Walsenburg, highway 160 west to Alamosa, highway 285 north to Saguache, highway 114 north to highway 50, highway 50 west to Gunnison, then highway 135 north into Crested Butte.

From Arizona - Phoenix Take interstate 17 to Flagstaff, north on highway 89, highway 160 to Cortez, north on highway 145, highway 62 to Ridgway, highway 550 north to Montrose, highway 50 east to Gunnison, then highway 135 north into Crested Butte.

From California And Southern Nevada - Los Angeles - Las Vegas Take interstate 15 to Las Vegas, interstate 70 to Grand Junction, highway 50 east to Montrose and on to Gunnison, then highway 135 north into Crested Butte.

From Northern California And Utah - San Francisco - Salt Lake City Take interstate 80 to Salt Lake City, interstate 15 via highway 6 and interstate 70 to Grand Junction, highway 50 east to Gunnison, then highway 135 north into Crested Butte.

From New Mexico - Santa Fe - Albuquerque - Taos From highway 285, take highway 160 west to Alamosa, highway 285 north to Saguache, highway 114 north to highway 50, highway 50 west to Gunnison, then highway 135 north into Crested Butte.

Accommodation

On Mountain

Three hotels on the resort. About 50 hotels, inns, bed and breakfasts, up to four bedroom homes, and condominiums offering approximately 6,000 rooms within a 3-mile radius of the slopes. Some ski in/out and some within walking distance.

There are several main on mountain lodges available including:

1. Mountaineer Square
2. Elevation Hotel & Spa
3. Grand Lodge
4. Condominiums

Off Mountain

PLEASE EDIT

Lift Tickets

Tickets can be purchased at the resort and tickets of 2 or more days can be ordered on line.

Adult Lift Prices
Ages 18 to 64

Days Skiing	On Mountain	Online
Half-day	$62	N.A
Full-day	$82	N.A
2 of 3 days	$164	$156
3 of 5 days	$246	$234
4 of 6 days	$328	$312
5 of 7 days	$390	$351
6 of 8 days	$468	$421
7 of 10 days	$546	$491

Child Lift Prices
Ages 7 to 12

Days Skiing	On Mountain	Online
Half-day	$31	N.A
Full-day	$41	N.A
2 of 3 days	$82	$78
3 of 5 days	$123	$117
4 of 6 days	$164	$156
5 of 7 days	$195	$176
6 of 8 days	$234	$211
7 of 10 days	$273	$246

Teenager Lift Prices
Ages 13 to 17

Days Skiing	On Mountain	Online
Half-day	$56	N.A
Full-day	$74	N.A
2 of 3 days	$148	$133
3 of 5 days	$222	$211
4 of 6 days	$296	$281
5 of 7 days	$350	$315
6 of 8 days	$420	$378
7 of 10 days	$490	$441

Senior Lift Prices
Ages 65+

Days Skiing	On Mountain	Online
Half-day	$47	N.A
Full-day	$62	N.A
2 of 3 days	$123	$117
3 of 5 days	$185	$175
4 of 6 days	$246	$234
5 of 7 days	$293	$263
6 of 8 days	$351	$316
7 of 10 days	$410	$369

Ski School

Group and private lessons available for all ages.

Equipment Hire

Equipment hire is available on mountain and the Crested Butte Rental shop has undergone a complete overhaul for the 08-09 season.

You can also book your equipment hire before you arrive. Ski Rental suppliers offering this service include

   * Rentskis,
   * Christy Sports &
   * Black Tie 

These companies often offer big discounts over walk in rates, save you time in the rental store and also ensure you secure your preference for gear or special sizes - before you go.

For a comparison of online ski rental stores in Crested Butte Crested Butte Ski Rentals

Resort Facilities

Getting Around

Crested Butte has and taxi service and an convenient shuttle service.

Parking

PLEASE EDIT

Activities

The Mountain Concierge in the new Adventure Center at Mountaineer Square can book many valley-wide activities and adventures, including Last Tracks Dinners, Sleigh ride Dinners, Cross country skiing, Guided Snowmobile Tours, Guided Backcountry Ski / Snowboard Tours, Winter Horse Trail ride, Horse drawn carriage rides, Tennis lessons, Dogsled Tours, Spa Services and more.

Dining

More than 40 restaurants and bars.

Bars & Entertainment

Several Bars and pubs can be found on and off mountain.

Shopping

Shopping is available on mountain and in the area around Crested Butte.

Children

PLEASE EDIT

Ride Guide

Beginner Areas

PLEASE EDIT

Groomed Runs

PLEASE EDIT

Off Piste

PLEASE EDIT

Out of Bounds

PLEASE EDIT

Cross Country

PLEASE EDIT

Parks & Pipes

Terrain Parks

2:

DC Canaan Terrain Park (2600 foot long) located under the Paradise Lift includes jumps of various shapes, sizes and sequences and rail features for intermediate to advanced riders.

Kid's Park located off the Painter Boy lift this beginner park features smaller hits and features including rails, tabletops, rolls and a mini halfpipe.

Superpipes: 1:

DC Superpipe located at the top of Forest Queen. 55 feet wide, 18 feet high, 17 degree slope

Bumps

PLEASE EDIT

Powder Zones

PLEASE EDIT

Sheltered Runs

PLEASE EDIT

Snowplay

PLEASE EDIT

Other

Weather

PLEASE EDIT

Geography

PLEASE EDIT

History

The Gunnison Country, one of Colorado and the American West's most beautiful mountain regions, has a fascinating history. Located on the Western Slope of Colorado, the Gunnison Country includes high alpine valleys and parks, some of the finest hunting and fishing in the nation, 14,000-foot-high mountains, and a rich history in mining, cattle, and recreation.

Ute Indians were native to the Gunnison Country, with the Los Pinos Indian Agency located thirty miles southeast of present-day Gunnison. While the Indians roamed through valleys and mountains, fur traders or "mountain men" made their appearance as early as 1810. These rugged beaver trappers gained great wealth by selling pelts at high prices. Explorers and surveyors, such as John Fremont, Ferdinand Hayden, and John Gunnison, were next in the area, surveying overland trails and railroad routes.

The decade of the 1860's brought placer miners to the many streams of the Gunnison Country, and several million dollars of gold were panned out of Washington Gulch, the Crystal River, Armstrong Gulch, and Gold Creek. In 1874, Sylvester Richardson, a utopian dreamer, founded the Gunnison colony near the Gunnison River in an alpine valley 7700 feet in elevation. Richardson's dreams of an agricultural community faded because of a 70-day growing season, so early residents turned to ranching. Soon, irrigated hay meadows appeared in the Gunnison Valley and the region became famous for its cattle.

The late 1870's and early 1880's in the Gunnison Country saw an enormous silver-mining boom. Between 25,000-40,000 people flocked to the region. Smelters were built. Two major narrow-gauge railroads arrived, and one mining camp after another appeared, with 3,000-4,000 people in each. The greatest of the silver camps were White Pine, Irwin, Tin Cup, Gothic, and Pitkin. When the silver panic of 1893 hit, these camps were barely able to stay alive.

The two great towns of the Gunnison Country - Crested Butte and Gunnison - had more than just silver to rely upon. They were railroad, smelter, and supply towns. After the turn of the century, cattle, coal, and the creation of Western State College in Gunnison sustained the region. Always a great recreation center, the Gunnison Country today is famous because of skiing at Crested Butte, outstanding hunting and fishing, and other outdoor activities.

Resources

PLACE LINKS TO RESORT WEBSITES HERE LINK EXAMPLE - PLEASE EDIT

• ski.com.au
• Crested Butte Website

Maps

PLEASE EDIT