Tucked high up in the West Elk Mountains, you’ll find the Gunnison Valley, one of the most spectacular places in all of Colorado. Including tiny Crested Butte and Mt. Crested Butte in the north and larger Gunnison and even smaller Almont in the south, the Gunnison Valley is a wide swath of beautiful open space with a few vibrant communities tucked in. It’s the kind of place you can go to and just be.
This winter, the entire Gunnison Valley has come together to offer the Gunnison Getaway. It’s the best ski deal in all of Colorado. Starting at $68 per person, per day, you can stay in Gunnison or Almont and ski Crested Butte. Yes, that price does include your lift ticket and your room. No, it’s not too good to be true.
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The vibe in Gunnison is somewhere between college town and ranch town. As you stroll through downtown you’ll definitely see some students from Western State. You’ll probably see some cowboys, too. Owing to the fact that Hartman Rocks offers some of the best desert mountain biking in Colorado, you’ll also see more bikes, and bike shops, than you would expect in a city of Gunnison’s size.
LODGING
Participating hotels in the Getaway include inns, motels, cabin rentals, and even a hostel. Most offer complimentary breakfast. If you’re craving espresso or something heartier, Main Street in Gunnison has everything from coffee shops to classic diners. All have great food. There is a free bus that makes 13 trips from Gunnison to Crested Butte every day so you don’t even need to drive up to skiing.
THE SKIING
The North Valley is home to the famed Crested Butte Mountain, with steep terrain the likes of which you won’t find inbounds at any other resort in the lower 48. Thirty-five percent of the mountain’s acreage is extreme, double-black diamonds. While other resorts hide the best stuff outside backcountry gates, very little is off limits in CB. If you spend enough time poking around off the North Face Lift or High Lift, you will find something steep enough or exposed enough to scare you. If you’re not looking to get butterflies, Crested Butte also has Colorado’s best grooming, a couple of terrain parks, and the country’s oldest ski-up Ice Bar and youngest Umbrella Bar.
APRES AND DINNER
Enjoy the après scene at the base area, but some of our favorite dinner spots in the whole valley can be found in Gunnison. With everything from some of the best pizza places on the entire Western Slope to Asian fusion, small plates, and classic Italian, you’ll be psyched with your dinner options. The newly opened High Alpine Brewing Company should start serving their own beer within the next month, but in the meantime they have a rotating tap list of some of Colorado’s best beers. On many weekend evenings, you can find live music at one or more of the bars in town.
Take advantage of the Gunnison Getaway this season for a one of a kind ski vacation at a one of a kind price.
