How to Get There

From Denver (198 mi): Take N Broadway and W 8th Ave to W 6th Ave/6th Ave. Freeway. Follow I-70 W to CO-82 in Glenwood Springs. Take exit 116 from I-70 W. Follow CO-82 to N Galena St in Aspen.

Overview

Crested Butte is community located in Gunnison County, Colorado. The former coal mining town is now called "the last great Colorado ski town". Crested Butte is a destination for skiing, mountain biking, and outdoor activities.

History

. The first Europeans to explore the valley were beaver trappers, shortly followed by surveyors. Captain John Gunnison, after whom Gunnison County is named, was one of the early explorers to enter the area. In the 1860s and 1870s coal and silver mines began to open in the surrounding area, and many little mining towns formed. However, when silver mining began to decline, many of these towns failed. Crested Butte, however, was in a better position to survive because it served as a supply town to the surrounding area. When the coal mines closed, the town began to shrink. The town did not revive until a ski area was built on Crested Butte Mountain in the 1960s.

Geography

Crested Butte is in north-central Gunnison County on the west side of the valley of the Slate River, along Coal Creek. Colorado State Highway 135 runs south from Crested Butte 27 miles (43 km) to Gunnison.

Crested Butte Mountain Resort

Crested Butte Mountain Resort is considered an adventure ski destination. It has abundant green and blue groomed trails to more advanced longer trails and the famous extreme limits of the North Face and Headwall. The mountain also features three slope-side restaurants accessible via lift. Summer activities on the mountain include hiking, disc golf, and lift access mountain biking. The town of Crested Butte is known as the origin of mountain biking in Colorado. The lift access mountain bike trails further enhance Crested Butte as a summer riding destination.

This article uses material from the Wikipedia article "Crested Butte, Colorado", and "Crested Butte Mountain Resort", which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0