Crested Butte Resort Guide

On the Slopes

Beginners - Head up the Red Lady Express for a whole host of lovely green runs to get your confidence up.

Intermediates - For those wanting to get lots of vertical, the fast East River and Paradise lifts will allow for some long runs with minimum lift time.

Advanced - The advanced terrain here is not for the faint-hearted. Once you get up to the expert terrain, there are very few groomed runs to be used as a bailout, so don’t take the warnings lightly. If you are unsure, hire a guide or be prepared for some heart-stopping lines that end in a cliff jump! You will often have to do a bit of hiking but the results are worth it.

General

Childcare - The resort nursery has three options for young children based on age and whether or not you want them to ski:

• Baby Bears (2 months to 15 months) - the Baby Bear programme is staffed by qualified individuals and offers two to one infant to attendant ratio.
• Cuddly Bears (16 months to 3 years) - the Cuddly Bear programme is for non-skiing children. Each day includes organised activities, arts and crafts, games, snow play, and quiet time.
• Snowy Bears (2 to 3 years) - for toddlers who want to add an on-snow experience in a one-hour private lesson. Ski equipment is included during lesson time only. Parents need to provide proper ski clothing.

For older children, the ski school is located at Camp CB at the ski base area in the Whetstone building. 

Transportation - With the Crested Butte Town Shuttle and Crested Butte Mountain Express, there's no need for a car. The shuttles run the 3 miles between Mt. Crested Butte and the historic town from many convenient locations, and it's free.

Supermarkets - There are a couple of shops in the ski village that sell basic sundries. For a bigger grocery store, head to Clarks Market in downtown Crested Butte.

Bars and Restaurants

The town of Crested Butte is three miles from the ski village and is definitely worth visiting for a few evenings out. The town is accessed by the free village bus which runs until midnight. Alternatively, there is a reasonable selection of restaurants, bars, cafes and other amenities in the ski village.

Restaurants - For a relatively small resort, there is a great choice of places to eat - from sushi to sandwiches and some pretty great pizza. The town of Crested Butte has a surprisingly large number of restaurants but there are also a couple of good choices in the ski village if you don’t want to stray too far from home, including the Secret Stash for pizza.

Après ski - In support of its reputation for a great night out, there are more than thirty bars in Crested Butte. On the mountain, finish your day with a beer in Butte 66 on the sundeck, and there is live music almost every night at places like the classic Eldo bar.

Activities

• Adventure Park - climbing wall and bungee trampolines.
• Snowmobiling - ride the top snowmobile trails in the Rocky Mountains. Colorado Adventure Rentals offers 2-hour, half-day and full-day snowmobile rentals.
• Crested Butte Mountain Heritage Museum - experience the heritage of the immigrant miners and their families who survived harsh mountain winters living a simple life.
• Cross Country Skiing - 50 kilometres of track groomed for classic and skate cross-country skiing or guided backcountry tours.
• Dog Sled Tours - take a ride with friendly dogs through the snow.
• Ice Skating - A free town shuttle journey to the Big Mine Ice Rink in the town of Crested Butte. Skate rentals are available. Opening hours vary, so call ahead.
• Winter Trail Rides - Journey through the snow on horseback. You might even encounter elk, mule deer, big horn sheep, and bald eagles.
• Winter Zipline Tours - speed through the air for a different view over the resort.
• Sleigh Ride Dinner - take a sleigh to Uley's Cabin for a French-inspired dinner in the woods.
• Uphill Skiing - skin up the mountain - "earn your turns". Available pre- and post- lift opening hours, with one route open all day.
• Fat Biking - big tyres make it easy to grip onto the snow - a great workout.
• Magic Meadows Yurt Dinner Experience - cross-country ski or snowshoe into the wilderness, to a yurt where you will be served a 5-course dinner with live music and drinks.