Lift Operating Hours: 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. daily
Winter Lifts: 15
Winter Trails: 121 Total
Difficulty
18% Beginner
29% Intermediate
21% Advanced
32% Expert
Lift Served: 2,775 vertical ft (846 m)
Overall: 3,062 vertical ft (933 m)
Requires a Short Hike to Peak
Skiable Acres 1,547 acres (626 hectares)
Snowmaking 297 acres (120 hectares)
Longest Trail 2.6 miles (4.2 km) Peak to Treasury
Average Snowfall 234 in/year
Elevation Summit: 12,162 ft (3,707 m)
Base: 9,375 ft (2,856 m)
Winter Season Dates: November – April
North America has many excellent ski resorts that gained global reputation due to their magnificent views, breath-taking slopes, and quality skiing experience to winter sports enthusiasts, beginners, and just a memorable experience to sight-seeing visitors.
About 20,310 people per hour can be accommodated by 15 lifts that run to the Mount Crested Butte in Gunnison County, where the Crested Butte Mountain Resort ski resort is located.
Skiers and snowboarders can enjoy the 121 trails with the bonus of seeing the views of the surrounding Elk Mountains in every direction. Expert skiers find the best and epic backcountry terrain in Mount Crested Butte, and visitors can indulge in its more than 1500acres (626 hectares) skiable area.
A short hike from the High Lift heads to the mountain’s peak at over 12,100 feet. The ski resort’s base is at the mountain’s western edge. There are two learning lifts out of the base – Peachtree, and Westwall – provide access to beginner and low-intermediate terrain.
ACCESS TO THE TERRAIN
Visitors access to most of the mountain’s terrain is done via one of two high-speed quads at the north end of the base area. The Red Lady Express lift on the north gives access to additional beginner terrain, lifts and trails on the mountain’s north side, and the Painter Boy.
The Silver Queen Express lift to the south runs from the base up to near the Peak’s bottom. It also gives access to advanced intermediate terrain and several black runs. From Silver Queen’s top area, skiers and riders can take a catwalk to Paradise Bowl or access several south-facing chutes, including Forest and Peel.
The Headwall, above the top of the Silver Queen Express, is an area of double-black-diamond chutes above the Paradise Bowl. Only via the High Lift, you can access these chutes. It also provides access to the Peak.
Paradise Bowl below the Headwall is a mostly intermediate section of the mountain. Intermediate bowl skiers are allowed on several blue trails like Forest Queen and Ruby Chief. The Paradise Express lift gives access to the trails in this area, the resort’s NASTAR course, and a ski cross. Teocalli, A double chairlift services some additional trails to the west of Paradise during peak periods.
The East River trail pod is below Paradise Bowl, serviced by the East River Express lift. It consists primarily of additional blue trails like Floresta and Black Eagle, and continuations of several trails from Paradise Bowl, a few mogul runs. Another runout for riders is the East River that leaves the Extreme Limits chutes off North Face. It is needed to ride Paradise to exit as it is a very remote area.
To the Red Lady’s north is another small peak with both of Crested Butte’s triple chairlifts. Painter Boy allows access into this area from Red Lady and other points of the mountain; and services beginner and low-intermediate trails.
Gold Link To the northwest, accesses additional low-intermediate runs and access to the resort’s superpipe. A fixed-grip quad, Prospect, allows access to other trails to the east of Gold Link.
FREE SKIING AT CRESTED BUTTE
Crested Butte Mountain is considered the birthplace of freeskiing and is known for offering extreme and diverse terrain. It has contributed to the revolutionizing of skiing with the start of free ski and Telemark skiing extremes competitions. Crested Butte is home to many revolutionary skiers such as Seth Morrison and FIS Alpine Ski World Cup and Wendy Fisher, Winter Olympics athlete, and even extreme sports film production company Matchstick Productions.
SUMMER
The resort also claims that they created the mountain biking sport in Colorado as the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame used to be in Crested Butte before it has moved to Fairfax, California, in 2014. The lift that provides access to the mountain bike trails further enhances Crested Butte’s reputation as a summer riding destination.
Other popular summer activities here include hiking, backpacking, rock climbing, whitewater rafting and kayaking, four wheelings, disc golf, and fishing.
FESTIVALS
Crested Butte is also home to unique festivals and parades throughout the year. These include Torchlight, New Year, Winter Carnival, Butte Bash College Ski Week, and Mardi Gras during the winter months. During the Spring, Extreme-Board Fest, Slushuck, and Flauschink are some festivals. On the other hand, the Crested Butte Bike Week, Music Festival, International Film Festival, 4th of July, the Wildflower Festival, Alpenglow Concert Series, Festival of the Arts, and Ball Bash are some you can witness during summer. The Fall Fest, Vinotok, and Paragon Peoples’ Fair are held during fall.