Featured Imagery: Matt Berglund
Calling all pow chasers: Now is your time to make the journey to Crested Butte. Ullr is about to unleash winter in full force on this beloved mountain town, with a promising storm system approaching this Thursday and Friday. Forecasts are calling for an impressive 12-20 inches of snowfall in just 12 hours, with the storm expected to persist into next week.
With 90% of the mountain open for the season, Crested Butte’s legendary terrain is primed for a much-needed refresh. The incoming storm will blanket the resort and the surrounding Elk Mountains with blower pow, meaning bottomless turns and perfect conditions for getting sendy.
Stay up to date on rental and ticket info, terrain and lift operations, snow conditions and more at Crested Butte Mountain Resort’s website (CBMR).
What To Know Before You Go
The bulk of the storm is projected to fall on Thursday night, so we highly recommend arriving in Crested Butte during or before Thursday’s daylight hours. If you plan to arrive after Thursday, stay up to date on road conditions with CDOT or follow along on their Instagram channel for live updates from the road.
One of the quirks of planning a ski trip to such a remote area is that there is only one road between Gunnison and Crested Butte during the winter months via CO-135. Although it doesn’t happen often, the potential for road closures during heavily concentrated snow storms do exist, so planning ahead and keeping a Plan B in your pocket is highly advised.
If you are looking for a last-minute place to stay, we recommend using Visit Gunnison and Crested Butte’s tourism website for their complete list of available accommodations. Gunnison and Crested Butte are approximately 30 miles apart making either town a great home base for your visit to CBMR. The Gunnison Valley RTD system offers a flawless travel experience to and from the resort with their free bus service. The first bus leaves the Gunnison Recreation Center at 5:21am and operates every half hour with the last bus departing the Mt. CB Transit Center at 11:30pm—leaving plenty of time to get a full day of skiing in plus ample time for après.
Between Valentine’s Day falling on Friday and President’s Day rounding out the three-day weekend through Monday, there is no shortage of events to keep you occupied once the lifts stop spinning. Shake your ski legs off with The Motet at the Center for the Arts on Friday night or cozy up with your sweetheart for a showing of Oscar Nominated Short Films at the Majestic Theater on Saturday. Whatever strikes your fancy—the options are endless this weekend in CB.
Need more help planning your trip at a moment’s notice? Check out our complete Skiers Guide to Crested Butte, which features everything you need to know for your trip this weekend. From travel logistics and accommodation options to insider tips on scoring fresh tracks, we’ve got you covered.
*Note for Epic Pass Holders: While Full Epic Pass and Epic Local Pass holders have unlimited access to ski Crested Butte without blackout dates, Epic Day, Epic Keystone Plus and Keystone Crested Butte 4-Pack Pass holders have some restrictions with Presidents Day Weekend. Be sure to review your specific pass’ restrictions at epicpass.com prior to hitting the road.
