LAST RESORT
C RESTE D B UTTE
WO R DS: T U C K ER AND RE WS
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LAST RESORT
C R ESTE D B U TTE
WO R DS : T U C K E R AND RE WS
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PHOTO: AARON DODDS
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CRESTED BUTTE
ONE OF THE LAST GREAT MOUNTAIN TOWNS
CRESTED BUTTE WAS THE FIRST PLACE I EVER STRAPPED INTO
we do have a bunch of good bars, but I don't think your wallet
A SNOWBOARD. ACTUALLY, I CLICKED INTO MY SNOWBOARD.
and liver would appreciate that too much.
THIS WAS 1999, WHEN CLICKERS WERE PRETTY RADICAL, OR AT LEAST THEY WERE FOR ME, ACCOUNTING FOR THE FACT
So if you're reading this hoping I'll give you a play-by-play on
THAT I RENTED A BOARD AND BOOTS FOR THE FIRST THREE
what to do if it just so happens to snow three feet the first night
YEARS I SPENT ON A SNOWBOARD. I WAS ONLY EIGHT YEARS
you visit Crested Butte, I'm sorry, amigo, but that's just not going
INTO THIS VOYAGE CALLED LIFE AND I CAN REMEMBER THAT
to happen. What I will let you know is that it doesn't take much
DAY LIKE IT WAS YESTERDAY.
brain power to have a good time at the Butte, if mother nature decides to work in your favor.
Now, it took me a while to get the nuts and bolts up in my old noggin turning, but while I was waiting for that to happen, I decided I didn't want to write something about Crested Butte that would give away all the secret places that I've been shown. And I sure as hell didn't want to piss off all the local ski and board bums that call Crested Butte home, which is the majority o f t h e tow n d u r i n g t h e s n ow y m o n t h s . D u r i n g t h e w i n te r i n
THERE'S ONE FULLY-MAINTAINED ROAD THAT WILL
Crested Butte, if you don't own a pair of skis or a snowboard
BRING YOU TO THIS LITTLE CHUNK OF PARADISE
and don't plan on investing in one, well then, you better get
AND THE SAME ONE WILL GET YOU OUT
yourself some nice, sharp hockey skates or snow shoes because that pretty much sums up the outdoor activities for the winter months. Or you could just turn into a raging alcoholic because
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CRESTED BUTTE PARKS: GOLD LINK PARK GOLD LINK PIPE CASCADE PARK
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ESTABLISHED: 1961 SUMMIT ELEVATION: 12,162' BASE ELEVATION: 9,375' GUNNISON NATIONAL FOREST
VERTICAL DROP: 2,775'
BOWLS: SPELLBOUND UPPER THIRD LOWER THIRD TEOCALLI
TRAILS: 121 LIFTS: 15 SUMMIT: 12,162'
ACRES: 1,547 SNOWMAKING COVERAGE: 297 ACRES LONGEST TRAIL: 2.6 MILES TERRAIN PARKS: 2
R: RANDALL STACY P: AARON DODDS
HALFPIPE: YES ANNUAL AVERAGE SNOWFALL: 300 INCHES
R: RANDALL STACY P: AARON DODDS
P: MATT BERGLUND
Crested Butte was host to Colorado's first X Games
NIGHT RIDING: NO
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L i v i n g i n C re ste d B u t te p u t s a l o t o f t h i n g s i n p e r s p e c t i ve a t THE PEAK OF MT. CRESTED BUTTE LOOKS LIKE
a yo u n g a g e t h a t a l o t o f p e o p l e o u t t h e re wo u l d n ' t h ave a
SOMETHING OUT OF THE MOVIE "HOW THE GRINCH
s i n g l e c l u e a b o u t . Pe o p l e f ro m C re ste d B u t te t h r i ve o n b e i n g
STOLE CHRISTMAS"
i n t h e o u t d o o r s . Yo u l e a r n t o a p p r e c i a t e a n d r e s p e c t t h e m o u n t a i n s a n d e n j oy t h e s i m p l e n e ss a n d s l ow p a ce o f a s m a l l
Crested Butte is a real small town tucked into the Elk
m o u n t a i n tow n . Yo u c a n wa l k d ow n t h e s t re e t o n a ny g i ve n
Mountain Range. There's one fully-maintained road that
d ay a n d , c h a n ce s a re , yo u w i l l k n ow eve r yo n e yo u p a s s a n d
w i l l b r i n g yo u t o t h i s l i t t l e c h u n k o f p a ra d i s e a n d t h e s a m e
you definitely say hello to them, even if you don't know them.
one will get you out. The town survives off of the resort
C re ste d B u t te i s h o m e to m e, s o o bv i o u s l y I ' m g o i n g to t a l k
i n t h e w i n t e r. W i t h o u t t h e r e s o r t b r i n g i n g i n s e c o n d - h o m e
highly about it. But as far as small resort towns go, it is one of
owners and vacationers during the holidays and weekend
t he m ost genuine and fr iendly places I know of.
r o a d t r i p p e r s s e a r c h i n g f o r p ow d e r, a g o o d m a j o r i t y o f t h e b u s i n e s s i n t ow n a n d o n t h e m o u n t a i n j u s t wo u l d n ' t b e a b l e
As far as the resort goes, the Butte has some of the steepest and
t o h o l d o u t . S o yo u c a n ' t h a t e t h e k o o k s t h a t m a k e t h e l i f t
rockiest terrain that Colorado has to offer. Only a few hours away
l i n e s l o n g a n d f i l l u p s e c t i o n s o f t h e r e s o r t f o r a f ew we e k s
from Telluride, Durango and Silverton, the resort definitely holds
o u t o f t h e w i n t e r. I n m y e ye s , yo u h a ve t o t h a n k t h e m j u s t
that southwest-Rocky Mountain feeling. The peak of Mt. Crested
a l i t t l e b i t fo r ke e p i n g t h e l i f t s r u n n i n g . A n d ye s , C re ste d
Butte looks like something out of the movie How the Grinch Stole
Butte has second-home owners and people coming in by
Christmas. It's tall, pointy, jagged and has an almost crooked look
t h e b u s l o a d d u r i n g t h e h o l i d a y s , b u t o n l y a f ra c t i o n o f w h a t
to it when you're heading up the Silver Queen lift. Because Crested
yo u s e e a t re s o r t s l i ke B re c ke n r i d g e , Va i l a n d B e a ve r C re e k .
Butte is so rocky, it takes a good amount of snow to get a lot of the
T h a t i s o n e t h i n g t h a t I l ove a b o u t C r e s t e d B u t t e a n d h o p e
good, steep stuff open. And when I say good stuff, I'm referring to
c o n t i n u e s t o re m a i n t h e s a m e .
taking a ride up either the High Lift T-bar or the North Face T-bar.
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R: STEPHAN BABLER P: MATT BERGLUND
R: JACK KYLE P: MATT BERGLUND
If you hop on either of these T-bars, you will be dropped off at the top of some of the steepest inbound terrain around. If you get off at the halfway point on the High Lift, you can drop in right down
ONE OF THE BETTER PLACES ON THE HILL TO GET
the gut of the run, which is called Big Chute. The name says it all.
INTO A NICE TUCK AND GENERATE SOME SPEED IS
If you take the High Lift all the way to the end of the line, you will
CALLED INTERNATIONAL
have a bunch of different options, but the big, wide-open bowl that everyone knows up there is called the Headwall. It's nice and
mean you're not going to get your kicks. The majority of the mountain
steep, rocky and has cliffs and chutes all over it. This is the spot on
is on the steeper side of the spectrum - plenty of places to haul taters
the mountain where a lot of big mountain competitions take place.
and fly off rollers. One of the better places on the hill to get into a
Now, taking up the North Face T-bar will allow you to access a
nice tuck and generate some speed is called International. The run is
pretty big portion of the mountain. There are plenty of really good
pretty steep in the first place, and with some blind corners and rollers,
runs you can take right off the lift, but if you're willing to put in
it always makes for a perfect run to get the blood pumping.
a little effort and hike from where the lift stops, you can get into some really fun and technical stuff. This lift grants you access to
Th e a m o u n t o f s i d e h i t s , m i n i - b a n ke d s l a l o m s a n d c a t - t ra c k
the entire backside of the mountain and is also where some past
gaps at the Butte is enough to keep any snowboarder happy
Northface Masters events have been held.
for a lifetime. There's a fun run off the Red Lady chairlift called Bubba's Way, which is one of my favorite little gullies on the mountain. This is where I like to gather a bunch of buds and let
Throughout all these years and early seasons spent waiting patiently
loose. It's a really fun single-track-type run with doubles, step-
for the steeps to open up, I've had a good amount of time to explore
ups, step-downs and tight turns. Gotta carry enough speed on
the mountain and find all sorts of different ways to snowboard down
the way out though, you don't want to be wasting time scooching
it. Just because the High Lift or North Face hasn't opened yet doesn't
back to the lift.
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R: JACK KYLE P: AARON DODDS
I could only see someone getting tired of riding Crested Butte if they weren't looking at the resort in the right way. Snowboarding at Crested Butte has taught me how to truly and completely go snowboarding. If you like riding the entire mountain, finding mogul gaps, going fast and having a damn good time, then you gotta trust me - you're going to enjoy your time spent at the Butte.
IF YOU'RE GETTING UP TO THE MOUNTAIN EARLY AND WANT TO GET A QUICK BREAKY BURRITO OR SANDWICH, THE BROWN LABRADOR PUB WILL BE YOUR BEST BET seasons, he has been looking at the perfectly-made parks around
Along with what seems like endless natural terrain, Crested Butte
Colorado and applying his firsthand experience in those parks
has been creating a bigger and better park every year. The first
to build and shape Crested Butte's terrain parks in his own way.
terrain park I can recall in the Butte consisted of a halfpipe with 10-foot-tall walls, a double-barrel rail shaped like the silhouette
If you do end up making the trek to Crested Butte at some point in
of a cartoon whale, two triangle-shaped kickers and a massive
your life, chances are you're not going to want to go hungry while
metal wallride at the end of it all. This existed before I even dared
you're here. You're also going to want to sit down after a good day
to step foot in the terrain park. Over the past few seasons, the
of boarding and have yourself an ice-cold beer. Well that's what I
terrain park has improved greatly. A lot of the man hours put into
like to do after a bunch of hours on the hill, so I'll give you a little
making a better park come from a guy named Christian Robertson.
info on some of the places at the base area and in town you are
Christian is about as good a dude as they come. Along with being
not going to want to skip.
one of my coaches a bunch of years back, he is the owner of some gold duct tape that he brought back to Colorado from the Banked
If you're getting up to the mountain early and want to get a quick
Slalom up at Mt. Baker. He is one hell of a snowboarder and thanks
breaky burrito or sandwich, the Brown Labrador Pub will be your best
need to be given to him for kicking ass every year and making the
bet. They normally have quick breakfast stuff hot and ready so you
terrain park better and more enjoyable. Over the past handful of
can hop on the lift and enjoy your breakfast on the go. You can pop
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back into this spot for lunch, as well, because the Brown Labrador Pub is also a bakery and the staff is always whipping up fresh
A COUPLE GOOD-TIMIN' PLACES TO POP INTO ARE EITHER
croissants, cookies, calzones and tasty soups.
THE TALK OF THE TOWN OR KOCHIEVERS. CLASSIC BARS WITH POOL TABLES, DARTS AND A JUKEBOX
W h e n t h e l i f t s t u r n o f f f o r t h e d a y, I l i k e t o h e a d o v e r t o Th e Ava l a n c h e . Th i s p l a ce i s co n s t a n t l y p a c ke d to t h e b r i m w i t h g o o d p e o p l e h av i n g a g o o d t i m e. Th e m e n u i s m a ss i ve,
When the sun tucks itself away for the day, a couple good-timin' places
b u t s o m e h i g h l i g h t s a re t h e b u rg e r s a n d r i b s . A n d t o wa s h
to pop into are The Talk of the Town and Kochievers. Classic bars with
i t a l l d ow n , t h ey h ave d r i n k s w i t h n a m e s l i ke Th e P a i n k i l l e r
pool tables, darts and a jukebox. What more do you really need?
a n d Ava l a n c h e Wa r n i n g , w h i c h a l ways s e e m to d o t h e t r i c k i n taking the sore bones, aches and pains off your mind. The good
No matter what time of year you show up in Crested Butte, you
p e o p l e a n d wa r m a t m o s p h e re m a ke i t a to u g h p l a ce to b e a t
will have an awesome time. The summer is packed with swimming
wh e n look i n g for a s p ot to d ry o ut af ter b o ard ing .
holes, cliff jumps, mountain climbs, bike rides, skateboarding and tons more, and the winter, hopefully, consumed entirely by never-
N ow i f yo u o n l y h a d a few b e e r s at t h e " Avy, " h o p o n t h e f re e
ending powder. This town that I was extremely lucky to grow up in
l o c a l s h u t t l e b u s , w h i c h i s o n l y a b o u t 1 0 0 fo o t ste p s f ro m t h e
has a real sense of heart still, and I honestly couldn't be happier to
ex i t o f Th e Ava l a n c h e, a n d h e a d d ow n to tow n fo r s o m e m o re
be from Crested Butte. It's where my parents and brother and a few
g o o d t i m e s . O n e p l a ce t h a t a l ways d o e s t h e t r i c k w h e n I ' m
good friends still call home 12 months of the year, and no matter
h u n g r y i s Te o c a l l i To m a l e. I t ' s a s m a l l l i t t l e b u r r i to /t a co s h o p
what, I will always continue to come back.
l o c ate d o n E l k Ave n u e. I t ' s s e t u p l i ke m o st b u r r i to s p o t s , b u t b e c a u s e i t ' s w h a t I g rew u p o n , i t ' s a l ways g o i n g to b e a t o u t
If you feel like traveling and want to spend some time in a truly classic
th e re st .
Colorado ski town, I'm pretty sure you know exactly where to go.
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