Roost the Butte returns this weekend

Races, expo and festival planned

Last April, Crested Butte Mountain Resort (CBMR) teamed up with X-Games snowmobile event organizer Joe Duncan of 357 Consulting to kick off the first annual Roost the Butte snowmobile competition and festival. Roost the Butte was a great success and returns this weekend, January 18-19.

The event is open to all snowmobilers with the proper equipment who want to compete in the various events, and enjoy the excitement of snowmobile mayhem on the ski resort.
“Crested Butte is home to some of the best snowmobile riding opportunities in the state making it a perfect location for our event,” says Mike DePalma, Rocky Mountain Snowmobile Racing race director and promoter. “Combine that with the fact that Crested Butte Mountain Resort is a great host for us, and we are going to have an incredible event. Crested Butte has a beautiful mountain that gives us the opportunity to set up exciting tracks for the riders and spectators alike. It is sure to be a good show at Crested Butte, one of the best of the season, and one not to be missed.”
With the goal for this event to bring the snowmobile community together with multiple disciplines, Roost the Butte will feature four different events with multiple classes for each event. Saturday will consist of SnoOvals and SnoCross and will take place at the North Village meadow near the Fantasy Ranch Stables. The excitement will move to the base of the Gold Link lift on Sunday for HillCross and HillDrag events. A food vendor tent will be set up at each venue so spectators and racers can truly enjoy the event.
“With the Winter X-Games around the corner, we are hoping to pull some exceptional talent for this year’s Roost the Butte,” says Scott Clarkson, vice president of sales and marketing at CBMR. “Professional racing teams such as Team LaVallee will be on-site throughout the week to test their sleds and calibrate them to elevation. There will be an excellent opportunity to watch these pros at work on Saturday and Sunday with exhibitions happening between the Roost the Butte events.”
Registration for the two-day event starts at $25 per person. Competitors can register on Friday, January 17 from 6-9 p.m. in the WoodStone Grill inside the Grand Lodge Hotel and Suites or at the venue on the mornings of the events. Discounted lodging is available for all registered competitors at the Grand Lodge Hotel and Suites. For more information visit www.skicb.com/roost.
Spectators are encouraged to ride the bus to get to the venue. Mountain Express operates a free shuttle to the Snodgrass Trailhead from the bus loop at the Lodge at Mountaineer Square. Parking will be limited on Saturday, so riding the bus will be the easiest way to access the North Village event venue.