There are dozens of mountain towns that offer great access to particular winter activities. But whether your favorite winter sport is skiing, fat biking, Nordic skiing, ski mountaineering or venturing into the unknown, there is no better location than Crested Butte for all-around winter training.
Crested Butte is home to some of the country’s top winter athletes, and we were able to catch up with a few of them to discuss why they have decided to base their training out of this small Rocky Mountain town.
Eric Larsen: Polar Explorer and Expedition Guide
Eric Larsen may be the ultimate “winter badass”. Over the past 15 years, he has travelled into some of the most remote and wild places left on the planet including being the first person to ever reach the North Pole, South Pole and summit Mt. Everest in a single year.
For a man who braves the most extreme winter elements, training in a true winter environment is an important aspect. “Crested Butte offers the best and most consistent winter conditions anywhere in Colorado,” explains Larsen whose expeditions have required him to ski, fat bike, climb and paddle; and he chooses Crested Butte as his winter training ground. “The easy access to a variety of fat biking, Nordic and backcountry skiing, and mountaineering terrain is unparalleled.”
Wendy Fisher: Olympic Skier and World Extreme Freeskiing Champion
World Champion, Wendy Fisher, is an icon in the sport of big mountain freeskiing. Her successful skiing career has included multiple segments in popular ski films, two Extreme Freeskiing World Titles and a spot on the 1992 U.S. Olympic Ski Team.
“Crested Butte is a mecca for an outdoor enthusiast. It is not hard to find ways to help elevate your training and fitness here,” describes Fisher. “Skiing in Crested Butte was a game changer for me. I came here with a solid skiing background because of my racing career, but this place made me even better. I developed a technique that suits all conditions, all the time. I am a much more well-rounded skier now.”
Stevie Kremer – 3x Winner of the Elk Mountain Grand Traverse
Access and variation are two keys to Stevie Kremer’s daily training regime. As a professional trail runner and ski mountaineering athlete, Stevie claims that you need to be ready for anything: new courses, changing weather and the mental challenges that accompany these endeavors. As a multiple winner of one of the country’s top “SkiMo” races, the 40-mile Grand Traverse – a race that begins in Crested Butte at the stroke of midnight and finishes 7-16 hours later in Aspen – it is apparent that Stevie knows what it takes to train.
“Crested Butte is the ideal playground because it has trails immediately out of town, and within a short drive the access is like no other place I’ve ever been,” exclaims Kremer. “No matter what kind of training I need to get in, Crested Butte offers so much in terms of mountains and trails, you don’t even feel like your training!”
