 Crested Butte has become so associated with the "extreme" scene in the past decade that would-be visitors might not be aware of the mountain's excellent intermediate terrain. The word itself conjures up images of a hard-charging atmosphere in which people play hard and party hard. Well, that may be true at times, but Crested Butte-the mountain and the town-have a gentler side. The laid-back locals might like wild untamed terrain but the town they live in is authentically Western and about as far removed from frenetic urbanism as one can get. The resort is a little harder to reach than those along the I-70 corridor But it's just over 30 miles from the Gunnison/Crested Butte Airport, which now has winter jet service, and by no means isolated. The mountain rises dramatically from the surrounding plain, lending credence to the extreme moniker. But a peek at the trail map tells a different story. About 45 percent of the terrain is rated green or blue. The Gold Link and East River lifts serve predominantly intermediate terrain-some ten trails in all-and there are even longer cruisers of the Paradise Express quad. All told there are 340 acres of intermediate terrain. Beginners have a number of good, long runs to enjoy, but may find the green circle stuff a bit steep. In other words, never-evers should take lessons and stick to the Peachtree lift. The majority of beginner terrain is accessible from the Keystone Express quad, with Houston probably the easiest green after the learning terrain. If you're unsure, take one of the mountain's free tours, available at all ability levels. Single black diamond terrain is concentrated off the Silver Queen lift, where the runs are long and often bumped-up. But the best skiers and riders head to the double diamond bowls and glades. Get there by turning right off the Silver Queen lift (for one area) or turn left and drop down a bit to the High Lift to access a second area. The greatest expanse of truly difficult terrain requires riding the North Face lift, from where you can drop or traverse into areas that, while named, have myriad lines. All these steep lines require a good amount of natural snow to provide decent cover, and so are better later in the season. A 370-foot long ½ pipe with 85-degree walls and a terrain park are located on Bushwacker off the Teocalli lift. There are five bars or restaurants on the mountain, another eight in Mt. Crested Butte, the resort's "village," and 28 three miles away in Crested Butte. But a majority of the pillows are in Mt. Crested Butte or the Prospect ski in/ski out residential area. Crested Butte may have more fine dining choices than any other town its size, but there are enough family-style places to keep the food budget under control. Après-ski and nightlife tend to meander from bar to bar, although you're not expected to hit all two-dozen plus in an evening. The town's excellent shuttle system just might tempt you to try.
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Ski Report
Colorado