 Poster: A snowHead
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I have the opportunity to ski there next season...so I would welcome any tips, observations or advice.
Many thanks for any comment.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Steep in places, fairly rocky (i.e. early season isn't great). Quite isolated geographically i.e. You'll drive past other skiing to get there from most airports.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@Dave of the Marmottes, Thank you.....I realize it's a good 5 hour drive from Denver, but aside from that, I know very little. I hope to be going mid- Feb.
Did you spend much time there?
Last edited by Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see? on Wed 29-03-17 12:22; edited 1 time in total
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I was very fortunate to spend three or four days there with my OH who was there on a recce for a photo shoot ( some 15hrs or so ago) and was invited by the Crested Bute Tourist Board.
It really is quite unique in that it is almost La Gravesque as it is so different to it's neighbouring resorts and has a very non commercial feel to the place and is very laid back, I loved the feel to the place.
We stayed up the hill in the main resort and not in the town, and I think the town would be the better place to stay.
We took an internal flight I seem to recall from Denver to Guttensburg (or something like that).
I'm not too sure there's enough terrain to warrant more than a weeks stay though so maybe if flying to the US for two weeks go to another resort.
And we were there right at the end of the season, and the snow levels were massive, though being late in the season we did not score powder.
Will always remember having a wee wee in the urinal having a chat to Michael Keaton.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@Weathercam, Thx for that.
Any tips on where to eat (or anything else, eg. what's the skiing like)?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Old Fartbag wrote: |
@Dave of the Marmottes, Thank you.....I realize it's a good 5 hour drive from Denver, but aside from that, I know very little. I hope to be going mid- Feb.
Did you spend much time there? |
Sorry not skied it, just scoped it when driving past through Gunnison on a summer trip. Know a few people who've skied it a lot and they rate it for US steep inbound skiing (bit like the tougher terrain at Squaw or Taos it sounds lke and a lot of Jackson Hole)
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If do I end up going, I'll report back with my findings.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@Old Fartbag, twas a very long time ago, like I said more atmosphere down the hill (bars & restaurants) in the old town, full of wooden clapper board houses and the like.
As for the mountain, I did lots of double black diamonds through the trees and steeps that were quite impressive.
Don't have too many memories of the pistes but like I said "loved the feel of the place".
And Gunnison was the airport that I was thinking of.
Oh well at least I've skied there 
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Thanks all, for your input - much appreciated.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Well, I skied it, though only for 2 days.
It's so unlike other places I don't know how to describe it. "What's it like?" "Well, Not like any other places I've been to"! 
The pistes are nothing special. But there're many super-steep, cliffty lines I didn't dare to try. The time I was there, condition were not ideal for attempting iffy terrains.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Just back from Crested Butte
The Good
1. Bucolic and quaint little town
2. Due to the conditions, there were very few on the mountain - locals were staying at home and the better known resorts picked up the tourists.
3. We had all bluebird days, bar one
4. There were lots of confidence building runs through the trees
5. We stayed in a beautiful "holiday home" that belonged to one of my Brother's neighbours and which he had organized the use of...and was about 10 min drive to the base area.
6. My back held up
The Bad
1. The length of drive from Denver, though you can fly into Gunnison, which is much closer
2. This year the snow was poor, with little sign of snow making, which meant that rough patches became rougher. I was told that they had used up their allotment of water at the start of the season
3. All of the gnarly areas were closed (steepest skiing in N.America).
4. There were only Chair lifts, some of which were very old school (slow, with no foot rests. There was even one 2 seater, with no safety bar and a centre column that bashed your coccyx, if you weren't lined up accurately).
5. There were no dedicated piste skis available for hire....you were hard pushed to get even an 88mm waist....I suppose the conditions usually don't warrant it.
6. There were few mountain restaurants (3 IIRC)...with the nice one being very expensive
7. The lift pass was expensive (124 Dollars/day), given the amount of skiing available, the lack of snow making, the condition of the pistes and the age of the lifts
Conclusion
If they had normal conditions, the experience would have been quite different, with lots of off piste options, of varying difficulty. As it was, there was limited skiing on hardpack, with the odd patch of sheet ice and brown mountain poking through on the lower runs.
I loved meeting up with my Brother and some of his family, but it was a long way to go for snow that didn't compare with the Alps this year....even if the weather was good and the mountain was empty.
I would have had more fun on my slalom skis, than my Scott The Skis...which is very unusual for Colorado. I was hoping my Daughter would have experienced that famous champagne powder...but it wasn't to be this time.
I may sound a little downbeat, which isn't really the case....but.....
Last edited by And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports. on Wed 1-03-23 20:46; edited 1 time in total
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You know it makes sense.
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Great on a POWder day , steep in the right places
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Old Fartbag..............
Did somebody say Crested Buttte......?
In a good year, a gorgeous place, full of dope smoking (it IS legal in Colorady), IPA swilling, bike riding in the snow, filthy bearded/unshaven hippies/hipsters who board more than ski. Hurrah.
You can truly let your chickens run free when down in the Butte, dude...........................
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| arcsinice wrote: |
Old Fartbag..............
Did somebody say Crested Buttte......?
In a good year, a gorgeous place, full of dope smoking (it IS legal in Colorady), IPA swilling, bike riding in the snow, filthy bearded/unshaven hippies/hipsters who board more than ski. Hurrah.
You can truly let your chickens run free when down in the Butte, dude........................... |
Yup, I saw all of that. What I didn't see was a lot of snow, unfortunately (which I was really looking forward to).
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Quote: |
What I didn't see was a lot of snow, unfortunately (which I was really looking forward to).
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@Old Fartbag, in your post, you said you were hoping to go in mid-Feb. You didn't ask about snow or best time to go...
The main attraction of CB is the super-steep off-piste routes. Those don't get snow covered till Feb AT THE EARLIEST!
So yes, you've been unlucky with the low snow of this year. But you would have missed the best skiing even if this were a normal year.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| abc wrote: |
| Quote: |
What I didn't see was a lot of snow, unfortunately (which I was really looking forward to).
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@Old Fartbag, in your post, you said you were hoping to go in mid-Feb. You didn't ask about snow or best time to go...
The main attraction of CB is the super-steep off-piste routes. Those don't get snow covered till Feb AT THE EARLIEST!
So yes, you've been unlucky with the low snow of this year. But you would have missed the best skiing even if this were a normal year. |
I was tying in with my Brother, so it ended up in Jan to suit his schedule. .
I was not too worried about missing the steepest skiing, as my back has been playing up....but would have liked some powder to play in.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Southern Rockies aren't exactly known for powder. At least not on frequency or amount. (though of good quality if you get lucky on your timing).
Moreover, more snow falls in Feb/March than Jan. So statistically, you're at a disadvantage.
Granted, this year is quite a bit below average. So you were being unlucky.
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I agree with the previous posts, great challenging skiing,super steep, as they are patrolled and avalanche cleared, relatively safe, but mountain savvy needed, cliffs steep drops, convex slopes compares favourably to Jackson Hole, Jackson gets a bit more snow,One needs to be confident in ones ability. Not a place where EGO is not matched by abilty. as fall on a 50' + slope ?.A great town to stay better late Feb?March, Gunnison Airport is 30 mlies from Crested Butte.flights from Dallas,Denver, Chicago,American,United, Delta have regular flights.Some might think limited , the advanced/ intermediate easy a bit limited, a good skier looking for serious skiing Wow At the moment not so good Im there 20 Feb so any body around love to meet up.
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@Kas507866, If my original plan had worked out - I'd love to have met up.....I certainly saw the potential, though I'm not sure my old bones would have been up to the steepest challenges.
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