Retaining its local charm and adventurous spirit, Crested Butte is known as Colorado’s last great ski town. This big-time mountain with a small-town feel offers relief from the stress of the typical “hustle and bustle” with its remote location deep in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado. Crested Butte offers some of the friendliest people, a laid-back atmosphere, all while providing some of the most amazing skiing and snowboarding landscapes in the country.
About Crested Butte
Crested Butte offers a relatively small 1,167 acres of ski-able area which falls far below the average for Colorado ski resorts, but for Crested Butte it’s all about quality versus quantity. Beginners will be introduced to an abundance of open ranges to cruise down comfortably as they get used to the feel of the snowflakes crashing into their goggles. But don’t sleep on this top-rated and highly touted mountain because it is more than just a resort full of bunny hills. The upper portion of Mt. Crested Butte lays out a steep terrain filled with a wide range of different environments including chutes, bowls, and mandatory cliff jumps!
Quiet Little Mountain Town
One of the most attractive characteristics of Crested Butte is the detachment from the other, busier ski towns. This little piece of paradise offers an escape from the more touristy destinations while maintaining an authentic ski resort atmosphere, sought out by skiers and boarders everywhere. Aside from the die-hard locals, there is no one to get in your way as you fly down the steep mountain, floating on top of ankle-deep, fresh, and pure-white powder.
Crested Butte Mountain Resort is known to play generous hosts to those visiting on the opening day of ski season by offering free lift tickets. Also, as a closing day tradition, Crested Butte was famous for folks only skiing in their birthday suits. Even though this kind of conduct is no longer endorsed, you can still strip down to a bikini or shorts and have at it.
Experience Local Culture
Off of the slopes, Crested Butte has bountiful choices for dining and shopping. This little mountain town is somehow home to over 30 distinct bars, 6 different pizza places, and tons of quaint little, locally-owned stores to shop in. Whether you are stopping by The Secret Stash for a slice of Asher’s Pie or dropping in at “The Eldo” for some live music, Crested Butte has plenty to offer away from the mountain.
There are also plenty of options for lodging in Crested Butte, from charming hotels to cozy bed and breakfast bungalows, the mountain has everything to offer. Crested Butte’s signature lodge, Mountain Square, is located in the heart of town and is just a few paces away from the ski lifts, hiking trails, and shopping too. Grand Lodge features 226 comfortably spaced and affordable, hotel rooms and suites ready for any family with a room full of ski gear. The Plaza is only 100 yards away from the Silver Queen quad lift and offers condominium features in a hotel-like atmosphere.
The genuine sense of community in Crested Butte is what separates it from the other ski resorts in Colorado. The locals that live, work and play in Crested Butte welcome visitors as if they were friends or even family. As growth and changes have been coming to the mountain, the stubbornness of the town to keep to its true nature is the guiding reason that Crested Butte will remain “Colorado’s last great ski town.”