The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Scoring well in guest service
by Alissa Johnson
Despite the persistence of the Crested Butte donut hole, Crested Butte Mountain Resort (CBMR) finished the 2015-2016 ski season slightly ahead of last year in several categories. Skier visits were up, lodging performed well, and the ski resort is performing at the top of its class in guest services.
According to Megan Collins, the resort’s marketing communications manager, CBMR saw 3.5 percent more lift scans than last ski season. Lodging was also ahead of last year during every month except January—in January 2015, the resort had what Collins called an exceptionally busy January due to group business that did not materialize for 2016.
“We continue to look for more January opportunities to level out the business patterns throughout the winter months. In the more recent past, March started off a little slow, but finished with a bang not only with all of the Spring Break business, but closing weekend was one for the record books in terms of the numbers of visitors as well as the number of smiles (and sunburns),” Collins said.
According to Scott Clarkson, CBMR’s vice president of marketing and sales, “March was on track to finish up 2 percent ahead of budget for CBMR-managed properties. The last two weeks of March were the strongest in terms of booking increases over the prior year.”
Skier visits across Colorado are up as well. According to the Denver Business Journal, “From opening day through the end of February, skier visits at Colorado Ski Country-represented resorts are up 6.2 percent from a year earlier.”
Colorado Ski Country USA represents 21 Colorado ski areas, including CBMR.
According to Collins, the resort’s work with Guest Research, Inc. also shows CBMR performing in the top 15 percent of ski resorts across the country for guest services.
“Overall, we had a great season. The snow held up well…,” Collins said. “We have continued to see some good growth over the last few years, for which we are very thankful, but it hasn’t been without a lot of work from our team. A big thank you to each and everyone who made it happen up here this winter.
“The resort and the ski industry will always face various challenges, so it is important that we continue to make smart decisions, focus on bringing more guests here on airplanes and show our guests what an amazing place Crested Butte is,” Collins continued.
Specific results from the recent early season pass sale were not available, but according to Clarkson, they exceeded expectations. “The Spring Pass Sale that ended on Sunday far exceeded our expectations, indicating that the snow and weather conditions in March generated momentum and early demand for the 2016-2017 winter season,” he said.
Current rates are good between now and October 7: $669 for an adult Peak Pass and $899 for a Peak Pass Plus.
And, of course, the resort is turning its attention to summer, which officially begins on June 11. The Evolution Bike Park, lift-accessed hiking and the Adventure Park are slated to open at 9:30 a.m., just a little over two months away.
