The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Resort opens lifts, new bike park, demo center
Mountain bikers, mini golfers, all you Adventure Park players rejoice—the resort is open for business starting June 19. There are several new amenities and trails up on the mountain, including the new mountain-wide Evolution Bike Park, a Specialized Demo Center, and the addition of an 18-hole mini golf course to the Adventure Park.
Crested Butte Mountain Resort has made vast improvements to its system of cross-country and gravity-fed trails over the last few years, and that, along with a new Specialized bike demo center, is culminating into the Evolution Bike Park. The park includes more than 25 miles of singletrack cross country and downhill trails as well as a mountain cross track featuring berms and jumps for side-by-side racing. At the base area, the “Skills Zone” features beginner singletrack and a pump track.
According to CBMR, three more trails will be added to the park this summer. Their plans include build-out of a next section of Westside, called Upper Westside, which will tie in cross-country single track (built last year) into the upper zones of the park. This new portion of the trail features winding track through dark forest and alpine meadows. Crews will also construct two new pieces of gravity trail, including Mineral Point, beginning in early July for late July completion. The trail design will have a natural feel, including a mix of natural wood features. The third trail is Psycho Rocks, which is highly technical and features extensive bridging among massive boulders.
The Forest Service, according to CBMR’s Mountain Sports Team Director Drew Cesati, recently approved the new Upper Westside Trail. And on Wednesday, June 16, the resort teamed up with the Crested Butte Mountain Bike Association to build the new trail. “It’s a great testament to the resort and the community coming together to scratch in some great new trail on the resort,” he said.
John Chandler, president of CBMBA, said, “It’s really special up there, what Drew, Christian [Robertson], and their staff are doing is incredible. It’s just what people in the valley need.”
Also new this summer are Twilight Rides every Wednesday evening in July, coinciding with Mt. Crested Butte’s outdoor concerts. The lifts will run until 7 p.m., and a Twilight ticket (available after 4 p.m.) is only $10 and offers extended night riding for individuals or groups.
Annie Dyar, marketing manager for CBMR, is excited about the new offerings on the mountain. “With the new twilight hours on the Red Lady Express to complement the Live from Mt. Crested Butte concerts and extended Adventure Park hours, Wednesday nights on the mountain will offer something for every family member. The extended hours are a great way to kick off the first season of the Evolution Bike Park and showcase the growing network of cross-country and gravity-fed trails.”
Kicking off the mini-golf season on Friday, June 18 is the Flying Gopher Mini Golf Tournament, a fundraiser for the Trailhead Children’s Discovery Museum. It’s a four-person team event culminating with a pizza party complete with Caddy Shack on the big screen—registration is from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. and costumes are encouraged.
On opening day, June 19, unlimited access Adventure Tickets will be only $10, with the park open 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The Adventure Ticket includes unlimited chairlift rides, bike uploads, disc golf and all Adventure Park activities, including bungee trampolines, rock climbing and the new Flying Gopher Mini Golf Course. The weather this weekend is looking great, so get out there and get after it!
