Crested Butte Mountain Resort facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Crested Butte Mountain Resort |
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Crested Butte in 1988
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 Crested Butte Mountain Resort
Location in Colorado
Crested Butte Mountain Resort
Location in the United States
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| Location | Gunnison County, Colorado, USA |
| Nearest city | Crested Butte, Colorado |
| Coordinates | 38°53′59″N 106°57′54″W / 38.89972°N 106.96500°W |
| Vertical | 3,055 ft (931 m) |
| Top elevation | 12,170 feet (3,710 m) |
| Base elevation | 9,115 feet (2,778 m) |
| Skiable area | 1,547 acres (6.26 km2) |
| Runs | 121 23% beginner 57% intermediate 20% advanced/expert |
| Longest run | 2.6 miles (4.2 km); Peak to Treasury |
| Lift system | 16 (4 high-speed quad chairs, 2 quad chair, 2 triple chairs, 3 double chairs, 3 surface lifts, 2 Magic Carpets) |
| Terrain parks | 2 |
| Snowfall | 300 inches (7.6 m) per year |
| Snowmaking | 282 acres (1.14 km2) |
| Website | http://www.skicb.com |
Crested Butte Mountain Resort is a popular ski resort located in Gunnison County, Colorado, United States. It's known for its amazing skiing and snowboarding terrain.
Contents
History of Crested Butte Ski Resort
Crested Butte Mountain Resort first opened its doors in 1960. Two friends, Fred Rice and Dick Eflin, bought a ranch on Mount Crested Butte. They received permission to build the resort the next year.
Early Days and First Lifts
The resort faced challenges during its first ten years. One of the very first lifts was a T-bar at the base. In 1963, Crested Butte built a special gondola. It went from the base all the way up the mountain. This was only the second gondola in Colorado. The three-person Silver Queen Gondola was known for being a bit small. It was replaced in 1973 by a new bubble double chairlift.
Growing the Mountain: New Lifts and Terrain
Over the years, more chairlifts were added to help skiers explore the mountain. In 1969, the Twister double chairlift was built. It helped skiers reach more challenging trails. The Peachtree chairlift was also added. It still helps beginners learn to ski today.
In the late 1970s, new areas of the mountain opened up. The Teocalli double chairlift was built in 1979. This gave access to more intermediate trails. The Paradise Bowl also opened, offering fun intermediate runs.
Modernizing with Faster Lifts
The resort continued to grow and improve. In the 1980s, faster triple chairlifts like Gold Link and Painter Boy were added. These lifts helped skiers get to beginner and intermediate areas more quickly.
In the 1990s, Crested Butte got its first high-speed lifts. The Silver Queen Express, a fast quad chairlift, replaced the older bubble double in 1992. This made getting up the mountain much quicker. Two years later, the Paradise double chairlift was also upgraded to a high-speed quad. These faster lifts made skiing even more enjoyable.
New Ownership and Continued Upgrades
In 2004, a company called Triple Peaks, LLC, bought Crested Butte. They continued to upgrade the resort. New lifts like the Red Lady Express and Prospect were added. These lifts helped open up even more terrain. In 2018, Vail Resorts announced plans to buy Crested Butte. This was a big step for the resort's future.
For the 2019 season, the Teocalli lift was replaced. A new fixed-grip quad chairlift was installed. It now ends closer to the top of the Red Lady Express.
Exploring Crested Butte Mountain
Crested Butte's main area is at the bottom, called the base. From here, two learning lifts, Peachtree and Westwall, help beginners. They can practice on easy trails.
Main Access to the Mountain
To reach most of the mountain, you take one of two fast chairlifts. The Red Lady Express goes to the north side. It helps you reach beginner trails and other lifts. The Silver Queen Express goes high up the mountain. It takes you to advanced intermediate and expert trails. From the top of Silver Queen, you can also find challenging runs.
High-Altitude Adventures
Above the Silver Queen Express is an area called the Headwall. This area has very difficult, double-black diamond trails. You can reach them using the High Lift, which is a T-bar. This lift takes you to an elevation of 11,875 feet! It also gives access to the very top, the Peak, if you want to hike.
Paradise Bowl and Beyond
Below the Headwall is Paradise Bowl. This is a mostly intermediate area. It has wide-open blue trails like Forest Queen. The Paradise Express lift helps you explore this fun area. It also leads to the North Face T-Bar. This T-bar takes you to the "Extreme Limits" terrain. These are very challenging double-black diamond trails.
Further down from Paradise Bowl is the East River area. This section has more blue trails and some bumpy mogul runs. It's a bit more remote, offering a quiet skiing experience.
North Side Trails
To the north of the Red Lady Express, you'll find another small peak. The Painter Boy triple chairlift takes you into this area. It has beginner and low-intermediate trails. The Gold Link triple chairlift goes to more low-intermediate runs. It also leads to the resort's superpipe, a special area for freestyle skiing. The Prospect quad chairlift opens up even more trails in this area.
Terrain Aspects
- North-facing slopes: 45%
- West-facing slopes: 45%
- East-facing slopes: 10%
Crested Butte Today: An Adventure Destination
Crested Butte is famous for its exciting and varied terrain. It's even considered one of the birthplaces of freeskiing. This is a style of skiing that focuses on tricks, jumps, and extreme terrain. The resort has helped start competitions for freeskiing and Telemark skiing. Many famous skiers, like Seth Morrison and Wendy Fisher, have called Crested Butte home.
Crested Butte Mountain Resort is a true adventure spot. It has gentle green trails for beginners. It also has longer blue trails for intermediate skiers. And for experts, there are the famous "Extreme Limits" areas like the North Face and Headwall.
The mountain also has three restaurants you can reach by lift. In the summer, you can enjoy hiking, disc golf, and mountain biking. The nearby town of Crested Butte is known as the origin of mountain biking in Colorado. This makes it a great place for summer bike rides too. The town also has many unique shops, restaurants, and fun things to do at night.
