CBMR sets its focus on capital improvements for mountain

Carrying summer momentum into winter

With the last bike racer across the finish line and snow right around the corner, Crested Butte Mountain Resort (CBMR) is turning its attention toward winter. The resort has planned a host of improvements across all areas of operations, aiming to give guests an even better experience and carry the momentum of summer into the ski season.

“We’ve concentrated our efforts on enhancements that will resonate with our guests,” said Ethan Mueller, vice president and general manager of CBMR. “The new Zipline Tour is a great example; it has been a huge hit this summer and we have no doubt it will offer a memorable winter adventure opportunity.”
According to Erica Reiter, CBMR public relations and communications manager, more than 2,000 people have zipped across the mountain on the new zipline, adding to the activity generated by the Adventure Park in 2010. CBMR has a company policy of not releasing actual numbers, but Reiter also said that rock climbing is up 7 percent over last year, mini golf by 38 percent and lift rides are up 20 percent, thanks in part to the Evolution Bike Park.
The zipline is just one of the recent capital improvements that has gotten CBMR attention from industry experts and from guests. In June, the resort received the Excellence in Energy Efficiency award from Governor John Hickenlooper and the Governor’s Energy Office; CBMR reduced its energy use by 18.9 percent in the first year of its participation in the Colorado Industrial Energy Challenge. And the renovation of the ice bar at Uley’s Cabin has been a boon for destination weddings year-round.
“We’ve had the busiest wedding season ever,” said Reiter. The resort has gone from hosting a handful of services to 17 wedding receptions and eight ceremonies this year. Wedding services has also played host to rehearsal dinners and assisted with proposals—including one that involved a local cop pulling over the soon-to-be betrothed in downtown Crested Butte, lights flashing and sirens blaring.
The hope is that the zipline, which has been adapted for winter use, will generate similar buzz during the ski season. CBMR will offer the only guided zipline tour at a Colorado ski resort, and one of the only winter canopy tour operations in the state. But plans are in store for renovations across the resort.
The Paradise Warming House is being revamped to offer a wider variety of foods, including a salad bar, and the coffee hut on Painter Boy is undergoing a yet-to-be-revealed transformation as well. Demo gear will be enhanced with new high-end gear from Rossignol, Salomon, RAMP, Nordica, Atomic, and 4-frnt, and a new Learn-to-Ride snowboard fleet will be introduced for women and children.
Guests will also find enhanced retail, as a new partnership with Patagonia will bring the innovative outdoor retailer into the resort’s retail outlets for the next two years.
Put in the context of all the improvements undertaken since the Muellers took ownership of CBMR in 2004—including the addition of Mountaineer Square, relocating the Superpipe and terrain park to the Gold Link area and opening up more intermediate skiing—CBMR hopes the continued emphasis on a positive guest experience will keep them coming back.
According to Reiter, CBMR will continue to focus on customers and the guest experience in its promotion of the resort. The goal for this winter, she says, is to increase skier visits 2 to 3 percent over last year, which was 6 percent over the year before.
“Last year we saw a great increase in skier visit numbers and we had a great product out there, whether it was fresh powder or perfectly laid corduroy, so we hope to build off last year, but also be realistic in our projections. On a positive note, we did see success with our growth last year out performing both the state and our local comp set in Monarch and Telluride for skier visit increases,” Reiter said.
CBMR has just released its 2011-2012 packages and specials (see page 13), including last year’s Friends & Family Fly Free program and the Grandest Christmas family promotion. With the ski season right around the corner, CBMR is ready for the snow to fly.