Let’s face it: Crested Butte Mountain Resort is simply off the list for a lot of people. It’s “a pain to get to,” and all that black ink staring up from the trail map—it’s No. 10 in Challenge—can be intimidating. For the rest of you, that’s all you need to know before hopping in the truck and pointing the snow tires straight up Highway 135. Sure, the famed double-black drops of Teocalli Bowl and Extreme Limits are “darn-right knarlieee,” but CBMR does have a softer side: The swooping Paradise Bowl is a great place for anyone to cruise and chill, as are those blue patches off the East River and Teocalli lifts. Many more blues are planned for the Snodgrass Mountain expansion, though that project is still under Forest Service review. Meanwhile, some of Crested Butte’s recent base-village upgrades (and new focus on customer service) have not gone unnoticed or unappreciated: “Everyone has a smile and seems happy to help.” Put that on your list.
/ What’s New /A base-area Adventure Park (ice rink, bungee trampolines and a climbing wall) plus a lift-served tubing hill should up the fun quotient; a new learning area for the ski school should ease congestion.
/ Don’t Miss / The beloved Ice Bar, revamped and open for slopeside socializing
/ Mandatory Run / Rambo, just below Powder Rock Glade, is said to be the steepest cut run in North America. It’s worth at least a peek over the edge.
