A Postcard from Crested Butte, Colorado
Our second home in the mountains is perfect. We have the town and mountains nearby, fun people to meet, and a feeling of being welcomed each time we come back. Truth is, we need to be here full time to do everything on our recreation list. Come help us do it!
About Crested Butte, Colorado
Where do you begin to write about a town that has everything? In winter, the best skiing and winter sports; in summer, unmatchable hiking and golf. And all this set in a charming historic town unsullied by overdevelopment or pretension. In short, as their own website states, Crested Butte is clearly one of the "last great Colorado ski towns." This is the time to get your second home here, while the getting is still good.
While the list of recreational activities for the whole family can leave you breathless, the scenery is what steals your heart away. In the winter, the covering of snow on the mountains and town creates magic. In summer, wildflowers take over, and every angle of the mountain is enticing. No wonder mountain biking fever sets in during this season. Then there's the town itself. A turn of the century mining town, the ambience and Victorian feel has been lovingly preserved to create a sense of being in another time altogether. Even the small details are well taken care of. For example, if you have a second home here, you don't need a second car, as there is ample shuttle service to the mountains. There's even an Adaptive Sports center for skiers with special needs. Crested Butte is creating a model for just how good a town can be.
An Average Lifestyle in Crested Butte
Relaxed, casual, friendly and in love with nature would characterize residents of Crested Butte. Biking is a way of life, as is hospitality. Dress is casual, and sunshine is plentiful. Basically, people live a no-frills, genuine way of life in the mountains.
Local History
Crested Butte is famous for its wonderful skiing and its outstanding fishing and hunting, but it also has a rich history that adds something majestic to this little ski town. Crested Butte was first visited by fur trappers in the early 1800's. By 1870, silver was found in streams and Crested Butte became a hub to nearly forty thousand miners all trying their luck. The mining boom lasted for twenty years and then left Crested Butte to become a fishing and hunting spot. Now, 100 years later, Crested Butte has become a mecca for those seeking the best in vacation homes, ski vacation rentals and resort locations
Housing
The choice ranges from condos to villas; single homes to cabins. A vigorous rental market is a great support for the vacation home owners who may choose to visit only a few times a year.
Most housing is in the town of Crested Butte, while the resort is 3 miles up the mountain in the town of Mt. Crested Butte. As far as recreation, fun and good value, the towns are two sides of the same golden vacation coin.
Median Home Costs (Census 2000): $301,100
Things to Do in Crested Butte
At a base elevation of 7,700 feet and rising to 14,000 feet plus, Crested Butte offers skiing for every skill level.
Even the most advanced skier can take advantage of guided helicopter ski tours which are never the same twice.
Winter Sports
Snowboarding, dog-sledding, ice-skating, snowcat skiing and more
Nordic Skiing
Telemark Skiing
Dirt Biking
Tennis
Snowmobiling
Summer Sports
Hiking, camping, mountain biking, rafting, fishing, kayaking, skateboarding
Visit the West Elk Wilderness
Drive the Scenic Byways to the top of Rockies
Photograph wildlife
Watch the Extreme Skiing and Snowboarding Championships
Enjoy fishing in the lakes and rivers
Golf at a Robert Trent Jones golf course
Town and Countryside Sleigh Rides
Summer Horseback Riding
Cultural Activities in Crested Butte
Center for the Arts
Western Slope Summer Music Festival
Chamber Music Festival
Alpenglow Concerts
Mallardi Cabaret Mountain Theater
The Rubber Duckie Race J
Special Events
Iron Chef of Crested Butte
Readers in the Rockies
Fat Tire Bike Week
Tennis Tournaments
Cattleman's Days (in the City of Gunnison)
Crested Butte Triathlon
Dansummer
Crested Butte Summit Hike
Crested Butte Reel Fest
Alley Loop Nordic Ski Race
Mardi Gras Celebration and Parade
Telemark Extremes Grand Traverse (Ski Race from Crested Butte to Aspen)
Location
Colorado Rocky Mountains, in Southwestern Colorado in Gunnison Valley
Elevation: 8,885
Distance to other major cities
Gunnison: 30 minutes (30 miles)
4 hours to Colorado Springs (197 miles)
4 hours to Denver (231 miles)
Lakewood: 141 miles
Getting To Crested Butte
Gunnison Crested Butte Airport (28 miles) or by car
Weather
According to the local chamber, Crested Butte has "brilliant sunshine, low humidity and moderate temperatures."
Annual Average Temperature: January: high of 37; low of 5 below zero. July, high of 85 low of 37.
Population
Population 1,529, with an estimated .2% growth rate
Median Age, 2000: 30.6
Economics
Median Household Income: $41,250
Principle Industries: Tourism, Recreation