The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Silver Queen Lift opens Saturday
By Alissa Johnson
With the ski season officially underway, Crested Butte Mountain Resort is focused on opening more terrain and preparing for the holidays. December room nights are up over last year, and the Silver Queen Lift starts running this Saturday.
According to Erica Mueller, the resort’s director of innovations and relations, December room nights are up nine percent over December of last year.
“As we get closer to the holidays, we really begin filling up on December 24, and we will be full between December 28 and January 1 in lodging, which is typically the peak visitation for the resort and town. Guests arrive just after the holidays and stay through the New Year,” Mueller said.
This Saturday, December 5, the Silver Queen Lift will start running. Upper International, Keystone, Windy Gap, Triangle and Upper Park will be open, and Mueller expects lower International to open a day or two after that.
Paradise Lift is also open and Mueller said that Teocalli Lift is closed during the day but fired up at the end of the day as needed to help beginners out of the area. Additional lifts will start coming on board around December 12.
As for Opening Day, Mueller said things went well and as expected.
“We get between 3,500 and 4,000 skier visits every opening day and that’s what it was again this year. It was busy and it was good,” Mueller said. Lift lines were long, she acknowledged, but people had a good time and the season is off and running.
