The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
New North Village Nordic trail opens soon
Weren’t the mountain bike trails still dry this time last year? After getting whacked by a couple solid winter storms, we’re set up for a “White Thanksgiving” and one of the best openings at Crested Butte Mountain Resort in several years. With 105 acres of terrain open, 20 percent of the resort’s beginner and intermediate terrain is ripe for ripping.
For opening day, the ski area will feature runs off the Red Lady Express lift, Teocalli lift, Peachtree, and the Pine and Aspen Magic Carpets. Off Red Lady, open terrain includes Peanut, Lower Keystone, WHH, Lower Roller Coaster, Tulsa, Upper Smith Hill, Mineral Point, Poverty Gulch, Kubler, Ski Way, and Houston. As for Teocalli, Ruby Access, Lower Ruby Chief, Upper Bushwacker through Paradise access, Meander, and Conundrum. And CBMR staff is working to get the Paradise pod open as soon as possible.
There’s Nordic news on the mountain as well—CBMR has teamed up with the Nordic Center to lay a new 5km Nordic trail just below Snodgrass. Deemed the North Village Nordic Trail, it will be accessed from the Fantasy Ranch stables, where there will be parking available. One portion of the trail will cross town property, and during Mt. Crested Butte’s November 16 Town Council meeting, CBMR’s John Sale came to the council to ask permission to use town property when laying down the track.
“One portion does go across the town’s 17 acres. We are asking permission to use that land for part of this Nordic loop,” explained Sale.
Keith Bauer, director of the Nordic Center, said the new loop will have options for experts through beginners, and is open to skate and classic skiing. “It’s a fairly challenging loop. We’ll be able to make connectors and have easier options for guests and challenging terrain for locals. It would not be a ‘dog’ trail, but it would be part of the Crested Butte Nordic paid trail system.”
To gain access to the trail, people can purchase an Adventure ticket from the resort, which includes lift service, all day use of the Adventure Park facilities, and access to the North Village Nordic trail.
If they are only interested in access to the Nordic skiing, they can get a day ticket in the Adventure Center, or purchase a day ticket at the Nordic Center in town. To rent Nordic equipment, skiers can visit Crested Butte Sports on the mountain, or the Nordic Center and other shops in town. The new trail is mapped out and will be ready to ski once the snow is deep enough to begin grooming and set the track.
This season marks 50 years of skiing and riding at the resort, with opening day kicking-off an ongoing celebration of the resort’s heritage. CBMR will host music all day long on opening day, kicking off a year-long celebration of 50 years of skiing and riding in Crested Butte. Local radio station KBUT will be spinning tunes from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., followed by Drew Emmitt at 2 p.m., and Spring Creek Bluegrass immediately afterward at Butte 66.
Mountain operations crews are working hard to open more terrain as soon as possible. They will move from Red Lady and Teocalli lifts to Upper Paradise, and on to International, preparing the front side and opening the Silver Queen lift for the season.
