"Ski Free" is back at Crusty Butt!!!

**Steven S. Dallas** · 08-29-2007, 10:28 AM

I love CB; this makes me love it even more.

**El Chupacabra** · 08-29-2007, 11:04 AM

Early season mini-summit?

**dfinn** · 10-21-2007, 08:09 AM

Is a car needed to get around if you're staying in town? I'm looking to do this as cheap as possible. It looks like there's an Avis in town. I'm thinking I could save money by only renting a car to get from DIA -> CB and then back and not have the rental car for the week.

Will I regret not having a vehicle?

**DaveTV** · 10-21-2007, 08:16 AM

Originally Posted by dfinn

Is a car needed to get around if you're staying in town? I'm looking to do this as cheap as possible. It looks like there's an Avis in town. I'm thinking I could save money by only renting a car to get from DIA -> CB and then back and not have the rental car for the week.

Will I regret not having a vehicle?

Dood, rental cars are cheap, go to http://www.cheaptickets.com/ - I may go out myself if the snow is decent...

**The_Hobbit** · 10-21-2007, 08:52 AM

Can be quite boring if neither surface lift is open

**mtnbikerskierchick** · 10-21-2007, 10:00 AM

Originally Posted by dfinn

Is a car needed to get around if you're staying in town? I'm looking to do this as cheap as possible. It looks like there's an Avis in town. I'm thinking I could save money by only renting a car to get from DIA -> CB and then back and not have the rental car for the week.

Will I regret not having a vehicle?

ZERO need for a car in CB- good shuttle every 15 minutes. Not sure if you can do the one-way rental thing, though, sometimes they are a pain in the ass about that. Greyhound is going to have service this winter, I think, if that sounds like an option. Fly into Gunny if you can.

As for CB being boring without the surface lifts, how good is it really going to be most places in early December, anyway? Man-made groomers are pretty much the same no matter where you go, IMO.

**orange** · 10-21-2007, 10:20 AM

Its a shame my schools winter breaks starts the day before this ends...I'd honestly go out from NY for a week and slum it in a hostel with a few friends...bummer.

**Stone-Free** · 10-21-2007, 10:47 AM

I just heard that CB got 14 inches and its still nuking...

**goldenboy** · 10-21-2007, 10:48 AM

Originally Posted by Stone-Free

I just heard that CB got 14 inches and its still nuking...

I wish- 1" last night and snowing lightly. Thursday's storm was good, though.

**forum8fox** · 10-21-2007, 12:08 PM

I hope it's good, my birthday is december 10th and we are planning a trip for the weekend before or after. My friends parents own a condo and a house in the butte so you can't beat free all around minus food, beer, and smoke!

only been to the butte once, a couple years ago when they were doing the extreme comp. first run was epic dropped tiocalli bowl with sick pow nice cliffs etc. hiked up and over to near third bowl and saw tracks out right and assumed we missed the entrance so we ducked the rope and headed way right into third bowl...... sickness went as far right as possible and dropped into a chute bout 5-10 feet wide at most with a rock in the center, had to jump the rock and strait line the chute to this large mound that was a great bank to make the dogleg to the right. from there mandatory 5-15 footer and if you blew the bank you were 30+ feet in the air flying into the trees!

the rest of the run was less eventfull but really sick for sure untill the bottom when we were stopped by the patrol and told that we were in a closed run....OOPS. We almost got arrested and fined 700 bucks but luckily got out of it because I was a liftee at loveland and BSed with the patrol saying that if we knew it was closed we would not have gone there and that we know better because we have been around ski areas our whole life etc... Not recommended.

Props to the patrol there though, I kept seeing the sleds in the steeps and was like damn mad props to the fuckers that have to take some dumb ass out of here.

So how often do they open the goods in december?

**MOHSHSIHd** · 10-21-2007, 12:21 PM

I will be off all t-giving week. Looks like I will be chilling in crusty butt if they get snow.

Where to stay?

**Telski** · 10-21-2007, 01:07 PM

I kind of thought Crested Butte sits in a bit of a snow hole compared to the surrounding mountains. Like Gothic and Irwin Lodge area get dumps while the Butte gets dust.

**bean** · 10-21-2007, 02:18 PM

Originally Posted by Telski

I kind of thought Crested Butte sits in a bit of a snow hole compared to the surrounding mountains. Like Gothic and Irwin Lodge area get dumps while the Butte gets dust.

I was up there a couple weeks ago, it was snowing all around the area and CB just got a trace. Looked outside in the morning and mountains a few miles away were white, CB was indistinguishable from the day before.

**El Chupacabra** · 11-19-2007, 12:48 PM

Bump for possible mid-December vacation planning.

How's the drive from Gunnison to the CB ski area?

**FrankZappa** · 11-19-2007, 12:56 PM

Easy as cake.

Piece of pie.

Half hour, tops.

**El Chupacabra** · 11-19-2007, 01:03 PM

Thanks FZ --

Looking at this now for a possible road trip from Reno for Dec. 12-16; 3 days skiing, 2 days driving. Rodeway Inn in Gunnison = $54/night.

I may reserve the hotel now (fully refundable cancellation), and wait to see what early December brings to Tahoe/ Colorado for snow conditions.

**LIP** · 11-19-2007, 04:25 PM

Originally Posted by El Chupacabra

Thanks FZ --

Looking at this now for a possible road trip from Reno for Dec. 12-16; 3 days skiing, 2 days driving. Rodeway Inn in Gunnison = $54/night.

I may reserve the hotel now (fully refundable cancellation), and wait to see what early December brings to Tahoe/ Colorado for snow conditions.

I wouldn't be planning any trips to CB just yet. Some old friends from there just came through my place and said that there is NOTHING for snow yet.

**Danno** · 11-19-2007, 04:36 PM

Originally Posted by LIP

Some old friends from there just came through my place and said that there is NOTHING for snow yet.

And that is different from the rest of Colorado how?

**Telski** · 11-19-2007, 04:38 PM

Originally Posted by LIP

I wouldn't be planning any trips to CB just yet. Some old friends from there just came through my place and said that there is NOTHING for snow yet.

What do you mean? Some people pay $70 or more to ski on a WROD back East?

Check it out

**timvwcom** · 11-19-2007, 05:27 PM

I have been planning on partaking in the Ski Free promotion as well... I did some checking around online a month plus ago regards hotels in Gunnison, I chose the Quality Inn at 400 E. Tomichi Avenue , Gunnison, CO, US, 81230... http://www.qualityinn.com/ires/en-US...tel=CO074&sid= and have reservations from December 6th to 13th.

It seems a lot closer to the village center of Gunnison than most of the other moderate priced hotels, and pictures look pretty nice for the price. Not visited before but appears to be a Brew Pub, and more nightlife/food choices around there... Trying to be close enough to establishments (so I can partake in the beer without fear of a drunk drive back to the bed), that I can walk... Walking is good when you get lit, but it hurts like hell when someone steps on your knuckles on the walk back home!

I am also now fearful that they may not have enough snow to warrant more than a couple nights stay... Would get old to ski a WROD for a week!!! If I bug out, I will be spending time before and/or after bunking with my buddy and his wife in Idaho Springs, CO then reaching from there. Have my WM free passes to use before the 14th.

**goldenboy** · 11-19-2007, 07:59 PM

Why come to Crested Butte and stay in the average-at-best town of Gunny?

The Grand lodge is $73/night during ski free. The Wood Creek condos are $50/night for 4 ppl. Either way, you're right at the base and can actually enjoy a ski vacation and apres ski and hang in a cool town.

The Grand Lodge is $19 more than the Rodeway in Gunny. But, without commuting 65 miles per day, you're looking at maybe 3 gallons of gas at a bit more than $3/gallon, or $10. Is staying in CB worth ~$10/day? Sure would be for me....

BTW, conditions are actually pretty good on the WROD. They are hoping to have another ribbon to Paradise lodge and the Teo lift by the holiday weekend. At least they're open unlike Aspen/Vail/Steamboat.

**ill-advised strategy** · 11-19-2007, 08:09 PM

last time I went for free ski I slept, literally, in a ditch with a tarp and winter bag and got douched by a plow.

ahhhh the days of my youth.

**HikeforTurns** · 11-19-2007, 10:21 PM

Originally Posted by YetiMan

last time I went for free ski I slept, literally, in a ditch with a tarp and winter bag and got douched by a plow.

ahhhh the days of my youth.

no friends with vanagons?

**timvwcom** · 11-20-2007, 01:56 AM

Originally Posted by goldenboy

Why come to Crested Butte and stay in the average-at-best town of Gunny?

The Grand lodge is $73/night during ski free. The Wood Creek condos are $50/night for 4 ppl. Either way, you're right at the base and can actually enjoy a ski vacation and apres ski and hang in a cool town.

goldenboy, I've gone to the web site for Grand Lodge and all the other online hotel booking spots and the best I'm finding is $130 a night. Perchance the basic rooms are all booked? Or are you quoting cost splitting a room?

On this one I'm booking solo... My Idaho Springs buddy will like stop for a couple days, but I wouldn't ask him to split any of the cost. He and his wife hosted up at the Cordillera (Kobe's favorite place

) outside Beaver Creek for several nights last year.

I get much of my ski lodging free... as my two best friends in the world live in Idaho Springs CO and Sandy UT. So hard for me to justify spending $130 a night on this, especially if the snow conditions aren't dynamite.

If you have some other info on Grand Lodge that would help I'd appreciate it.

**Raps** · 11-20-2007, 07:55 AM

El Chup, you may be able to crash at my buddies place in town if you don't mind the floor? He also has 2 sleds (one is a '08 MTK!) so if you want to do some BC stuff i will probably be doing an afternoon session with him depending on conditions.

On another note:
Tonight while waiting for my flight out of Denver, i met a nice (and very attractive) girl from CB - well after a few beers and a good conversation i got her number and told her i'd be there the 15th and 16th...........so i have some motivation to get down there for some free skiing and now, a hot chick......

Plus the 16th is the AT/ Tele Demo that is traveling around the west......