Lifts set to roll into new season Wednesday

Wear a costume and win a prize

Believe it or not, a new ski season starts this coming week. Crested Butte Mountain Resort will open for the ski season the day before Thanksgiving. The warm temperatures and light precipitation pattern this fall has made for a typical November opening. You can expect to ski and ride the runs off the Red Lady Express Lift on opening day. Lower Keystone, Peanut, Warming House Hill, Bubba’s Skiway and Houston should all be open Wednesday morning.

The recent snowfall, along with colder temperatures for snowmaking, is providing hope for the future. CBMR hopes to expand the trails on the Friday after Thanksgiving with the Lower Ruby Chief terrain opening off the Teocalli Lift. From there, it is up to the weather gods.
The ski area hopes to keep the early birds entertained by providing music, movies and games for those brave enough to snag one of the first chairs of the season. KBUT will broadcast live from the deck of Butte 66 that overlooks the Red Lady Express Lift.
If you are in a Crested Butte sort of costume mind-set, you might win a prize. Judges will be combing the slopes on Wednesday awarding prizes to those in costumes. The prizes include a pair of Max Mancini’s Rossignol “The System” skis, a Rab puffy jacket and Mammut pack from Thin Air Sports.
CBMR chief operating officer Ken Stone admits the Thanksgiving holiday isn’t the biggest weekend of the season, but this one is looking okay. “As you probably know, Thanksgiving weekend is typically not a very strong holiday for skiing in Crested Butte. Our occupancy is pacing the same as the last two years for the properties we manage,” he said. “Our booking pace for December is down 9 percent compared to last year. Airline load factors are up 5 percent for December, but flat on passengers due to the reduced capacity this year. There is no Chicago flight this year.”
The large jets start regular service in and out of the Gunnison-Crested Butte Airport on December 17.
Stone said to keep in mind these numbers are being compared to last year, which was not a growth year. “We have been running aggressive marketing programs and special packages, which is reducing our yields,” he explained. “We are going to have to continue to look at unique ways to attract a greater share of the regional and destination markets.”
Stone did say that various season pass sales are significantly up over last year “primarily from the regional markets such as Montrose, Grand Junction and Denver.”
He said the CBMR sales team just completed a successful trip to the Front Range. “The team just returned from the Denver Ski Expo and our pass sales were up 50 percent,” said Stone. “We have a new pass called the Getaway Pass, which includes one night of lodging and two days of skiing for two people for only $250. The pass also allows you to add additional nights of lodging at a 15 percent discount and additional ski days at 25 percent off.  It has exceeded all of our expectations in sales at the regional ski shows.”
In the immediate future, word is that the ski patrol will begin some avalanche control on the Big Chute and Headwall area to clear out the weak snow left from October snowfall. This should help set up the steeps when we get the first big storm.
 The resort is touting the early December opening of the completely restructured Ice Bar at Uley’s Cabin. The old Twister Warming House has been completely renovated and enlarged and can now seat up to 60 people.
Put away the bikes, people… it is almost time to hit the slopes.