Nestled into the rugged Denver Mountains, it’s hard to imagine a prettier ski town - a real ski town of actual skiers, not a constructed village filled with tourists. The houses, shops and restaurants, quaint and colourful, step right out of your ski town dreams. You get the feeling that life revolves around skiing and not skiing around life. Crested Butte is where you can come to see some born and bred American skiers who know what’s up. Whether they have been in Crested Butte for generations or just a few seasons, you can tell that the people love their town, their mountain and their lifestyle. Super friendly, say hey, and you will for sure be able to talk skiing until the wee hours of the morning over beers chased by jagermeister.
Crested Butte has more double blacks per run capita than any other ski hill I know. The entire top portion of the mountain is a cascade of chutes, labeled with the two shiny diamonds that act like Pavlov’s bell and get the saliva going. Try them all. The mountain is very natural and not metrosexually over-groomed. Leave your new skis at home, or just give in and let them be “broken in”. Don’t underestimate this mountain because of its small size. It may be little but it’s fierce and feisty. The top crest is steep, menacing, and often powderlicious. Little hikes out to the side, open doors to even more runs and windows to terrain opportunities rarely seen in-bounds. Runs, accessible by chairlift here, are only available by hike, skin or cat at other mountains.
Talk to the locals. They’ll give you a heads up and a cheer when you make some nice turns. The community vibe extends to visitors. Head to the bar at the base for a beer and some Après skiing snacks. You’ll get the sense that everyone else knows each other. They do. There are a lot of families; little Billie is probably the 6th generation skier among his brood. A lot of families head out on the slopes all together to enjoy the day. A ski bus picks you up at the mountain and brings you back to town. Ride around as it drops the families practically at their door as you question yourself for the fourth time why you live in an urban high-rise and not a wooden A-frame in a ski town.
There are a few bars, it seems two main ones for late night festivities - one favours snowboarders and the other skiers, at least if you go by clothing choices and stereotypes. But don’t ignore the smaller, local haunts. Pull up to the bar and you’ll be sure to graduate right through from Crested Butte 101 to 404. Be prepared to be drunk under the table.
There are also great restaurants. Try the yummy Mexican or the deep deep fried Southern or grab a slice.
The Crested Butte Boutique Inn and Spa was amazing. It’s a great place to stay with a classic saloon. Perfect for a weekend of romance with your skiing-better-half.
One of my all time favorite places, Crested Butte is tony-the-tiger terrific. It encompasses what skiing is all about or should be anyway. A great town, with great people who like to ski double blacks all day and then talk about it all night over shots.
