Crested Butte, Colorado

Crested Butte is in the southwest quadrant of Colorado, about 22 miles south of Aspen. The town is located in a spectacular mountain valley at an elevation of 8,880 feet, surrounded by national forest and five wilderness areas. The region is famous for backcountry skiing, mountain biking, alpine hiking, and horseback riding.

Travel: The closest airport is Gunnison (GUC), with year-round service from Denver by United Express. An airport shuttle to Crested Butte can be arranged through Alpine Express by calling 800-822-4844 www.alpineexpressshuttle.com . Rental vehicles are available in Gunnison from Budget, Hertz, and Avis. The driving time to Crested Butte is approximately 30 minutes.

The next choice of airport would be Montrose (MTJ), about 60 miles west.  Crested Butte locals also frequently use Grand Junction (GJT), Colorado Springs (COS), and Denver (DEN). For road trips, allow about 5 hours from Denver, 4 hours from Colorado Springs, 2 hours from Montrose, and 3 hours from Grand Junction.

By foot or horse, allow at least 6 hours over West Maroon Pass from Aspen. Be sure to arrange to have Town Taxi meet you at the West Maroon trailhead or it will be a long walk to town.

Climate and Altitude: Our high-country climate can be quite variable. But usually by late May, days are warming up with high temperatures in the 60’s. Summer days are pleasantly warm, but nights are always cool. In fact, frost is possible at any time of year. September and October bring the spectacular clear days typical of an alpine autumn. Winter begins in early November.

The scenery around Crested Butte is breathtaking. So is the altitude, especially if you arrive from sea level. We encourage our guests to schedule a rest day in Crested Butte before the course start, if at all possible. If you have previously experienced problems at altitude, you may wish to consult your physician about starting the medication Diamox just before your trip. A typical dose is 125 mg every 12 hours for 5 days.  Please call if you need more information or advice on adjusting to altitude.

Course Sites:

The Nordic Center course site is located on the southwest side of Crested Butte on Second Street just 3 blocks from Elk Avenue and an easy walk from all Crested Butte lodging, restaurants, and bus stops. 

Camping is available at primitive sites throughout the national forest surrounding Crested Butte. There is a free campground at Oh Be Joyful approximately three miles northwest of town on the Slate River Road. Primitive camping is allowed at several sites along the road further on. Be aware that the forest service roads may not be open before June, or after October, depending on the weather.

"To Those in the Field"

Course Sites, Travel, & Lodging

Lodging and Food: Like any resort town, Crested Butte has plenty of options for lodging and meals. For information about all of the possibilities, see the Crested Butte Chamber of Commerce web site: www.crestedbuttechamber.com The following inns will give a discount to our students:

Crested Butte International Lodge & Hostel (888) 389-0588  www.crestedbuttehostel.com.

CBMR Properties, Plaza Condominiums. Contact Toni Wilson, 800-634-6646 or 970-349-2904. twilson@cbmr.com

Cristiana Guesthaus (800) 824-7899 www.cristianaguesthaus.com

Elk Mountain Lodge  (800) 374-6521 www.elkmountainlodge.net 

Rita’s Last Resort (970) 349-0445 ritaslastresort.com

Forest Queen Hotel (970) 349-5508 sleep@forestqueenhotel.com

Fire Station #2 course site is a fire and EMS training facility in Mt. Crested Butte approximately 1/4 mile past the ski area bus stop on the left.  The towns of Crested Butte and Mt. Crested Butte are about 3 miles apart and connected by a free shuttle bus service or, for the more energetic, a bicycle path.  The elevation gain from town is about 600’.

The Plaza course site is the conference room located in the lower level of the WoodCreek Condominium building at the base of the ski area at the intersection of Gothic Road and Snowmass Road. Arriving Look for the right turn just before the pedestrian bridge over the road. The free shuttle bus from Crested Butte has a stop in front of the building.