Guide Exploring Crested Butte, Colorado | SolarTravels.com

<body> Destination Guides Search for a City Destination Guides > North America > USA > Rockies > Colorado > Southwest Colorado > Crested Butte Crested Butte Travel Options Flights Hotels Vacation Rentals Cars • Crested Butte · The Town And Mountain • Arrival And Information • Eating And Drinking • Hotels in Crested Butte CRESTED BUTTE BE THERE NOW Hotels in Crested Butte • Three Seasons Hotel Suites Crested Butte from $109.00 USD • Chateaux Condominiums Crested Butte from $348.00 USD • Redstone Neighborhood Crested Butte from $322.00 USD More Hotels in Crested Butte >> Vacation Rentals in Crested Butte • Redstone Neighborhood Crested Butte from $125.00 USD • The Buttes Condos Crested Butte from $169.95 USD • The Grand Lodge Crested Butte Crested Butte from $139.00 USD More Vacation Rentals in Crested Butte >> READ IT HERE The beautiful Victorian mining village of CRESTED BUTTE , 150 miles northwest of Telluride and 230 miles southwest of Denver, almost died off in the late 1950s when its coal deposits were exhausted. However, the development of 11,875ft Mount Crested Butte into a world-class ski resort in the 1960s, and a mountain-bikers ' paradise two decades later, means that today it can claim to be the best year-round resort in Colorado. The old town is resplendent with gaily painted clapboard homes and businesses, and zoning laws ensure that condos and chalets are confined to the resort area, tucked behind the foothills three miles up the road. The rapid transition from near-ghost town to sporting heaven has lured young people here from throughout the West, to produce an addictive laid-back atmosphere. The town and mountain Despite the presence of a pretty and well-preserved Victorian downtown core, people come to Crested Butte only to head out again into the surrounding mountains where the skiing and mountain biking in particular are world-class. In skiing and Despite the presence of a pretty and well-preserved Victorian downtown core, people come to Crested Butte only to head out again into the surrounding mountains where the skiing and mountain biking in particular are world-class. In skiing and snowboarding circles the Butte is best known for its extreme terrain, with lifts serving out-of-the-way bowls and faces that would only be accessible by helicopter at other resorts. It's no surprise then that the resort hosts both the US extreme skiing and snowboarding championships. That said, there are plenty of long intermediate runs mixed in over the mountain's thousand skiable acres, keeping the slopes accessible to all. Fourteen chairlifts (adult day lift passes $55) link 86 runs, which are usually uncrowded thanks to the resort's isolated location. Cross-country, especially telemark, skiing attracts thousands, while snowmobiling ranks as a great way to rest your legs. For something a little different, try a horseback ride through the snow with Fantasy Ranch ($85; tel 970/349-5425). In summer, mountain bikes all but outnumber cars around the town, especially during Fat Tire Week in July, one of the oldest festivals in the young sport and one that according to local legend evolved from a race over the rocky 21-mile Pearl Pass to Aspen on newspaper bicycles in the 1970s. You can still ride this route - 190 miles shorter than the road - but some of the most exciting trails are much nearer town and include the gorgeous 401 trail with wide open vistas, the Dyke Trail thickly wooded with aspens and the long, varied and occasionally challenging Deadman's Gulch. The visitors' information center can help out with a basic map and route description for main trails, and local bike shops like The Alpineer, 419 6th St (tel 970/349-5210, ), are well-equipped with route maps and rental bikes. </body>