Photo: Crested Butte Mountain Guides Alpine Touring in Crested Butte, Colorado Highlights:
Includes:
Trip Number: 09075A Price: $2495 Deposit: $200 Capacity: 10 Leader:
The Trip Unfortunately, this trip has been cancelled. If you have questions, please contact us. Photo: Crested Butte Mountain Guides Join the Sierra Club and Crested Butte Mountain Guides for an opportunity to explore the extensive backcountry surrounding the town of Crested Butte. Nestled in the West Elks, Crested Butte offers a variety of backcountry opportunities for novice to advanced skiers. Crested Butte Mountain Guides has been operating for 10 years and is known for providing some of the best alpine touring and backcountry avalanche awareness opportunities in the United States. Crested Butte Mountain Guides supports and operates under the guidelines set forth by the American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA). All Crested Butte Mountain ski guides have AMGA Ski Guide training or certification. Crested Butte is a charming little ski town of just over 2,000 people nestled on a dead-end road at the foot of the Elk Mountains. Although known for it's abundance of un-groomed extreme lift-served skiing at Crested Butte Mountain Resort, the area also boasts some of the most easily accessible and least crowded backcountry skiing in all of Colorado. Right out our backdoor we have five different valleys to choose from, all a short 5-10 minute drive form town, with ski options that are able to suit all ability and fitness levels. Home to over 300 days of sunshine a year and some of the lightest and driest powder skiing on the planet, the Crested Butte backcountry is an undiscovered and undisturbed gem high in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado.
 Photo: Crested Butte Mountain Guides Day 1: Arrive at the Denver International Airport no later than 8:30 a.m. or the Gunnison-Crested Butte Regional Airport in Gunnison no later than 1:30 p.m. Our van will arrive in Crested Butte at approximately 3 p.m. After checking in at our hotel we will have a welcome meeting to go over trip outline, goals, and other logistics. We will then have dinner as a group at one of Crested Butte's many delicious local restaurants. Day 2: After a breakfast at the Old Town Inn, we will rent Alpine Touring equipment, if needed. The rest of the day will be spent discussing avalanche awareness and backcountry protocols in both field and indoor instructional sessions. Throughout the day, will become more acquainted with the gear, as well as getting in the snow to investigate avalanche conditions and rescue protocols. Day 3: We will begin with a tour into the backcountry to Red Lady Glades, a beautiful aspen forest. The glades are located up Kebler Road, on the edge of town, where we will work on uphill and downhill backcountry techniques. This tour will roughly cover 2,000 feet of climbing/descending and takes about 4-5 hours. Day 4: Today, we will go for a longer tour in the backcountry to Coney's Ridge. We will travel on Washington Gulch Rd until it is no longer plowed, where we will start skinning. The trek to Coney's Ridge is beautiful and the open ridge offers a variety of skiing opportunities. Throughout the day we will focus on specific skiing techniques and questions from the group. This tour will roughly cover 4 miles of distance, about 1,400 feet of climbing/descending per lap, and takes about 6-7 hours.  Photo: Crested Butte Mountain Guides Day 5: We will leave for the historic mining town of Gothic to stay in a backcountry hut. These huts are deluxe and beautifully equipped with running water and indoor bathrooms. The tour to the hut is approximately 3 miles and takes about 3 hours. After getting situated in the hut, we will explore some of the surrounding area. After a full day of traveling, be prepared to sit back and relax in the cozy hut while the guides prepare your meals. Day 6: After a hearty breakfast, we will further explore the surrounding area. We will go on a longer tour to White Mountain or Zachery's depending on the ability of the group and weather conditions. After touring, we'll head back to the hut for one more night to relax and enjoy a great dinner. Day 7: After another guide prepared breakfast, we will head out on a wonderful tour up Snodgrass Mountain, which offers several options for skiing. Depending on conditions and group desires, multiple laps may be taken on the way back to the trailhead. After returning to the hotel and enjoying the hot tub one last time, we will dine together in another of Crested Butte's delicious restaurants. Day 8: After breakfast, we will return any rented equipment and begin our trip back to the Gunnison-Crested Butte Regional Airport in Gunnison arriving no later than 11:00 a.m. or to the Denver International Airport arriving no later than 4:30 p.m. Note: Trips can be adjusted to reflect the ski skill levels of the participants. Ski itineraries are subject to change, depending on skiing abilities, interest, snow and weather conditions, etc
The trip includes seven nights' lodging, all breakfasts, lunches and four of seven of the dinners. We will be staying at the Old Town Inn in Crested Butte, Colorado for five nights and a beautiful backcountry log hut located nestled within the mountains surrounding Crested Butte for two nights. The inn is located within Crested Butte, approximately an hour's drive from Gunnison, and offers very comfortable rooms, delicious breakfasts and a very inviting hot tub. All transportation is provided on the trip: van pick-up from the Denver International Airport or the Gunnison-Crested Butte Regional Airport; all the travel to various ski destinations; and a final van drop-off at the Denver International Airport or the Gunnison-Crested Butte Regional Airport at trip's end. Standard arrangements are for double-occupancy rooms for all participants. Private rooms are also available, but numbers are limited, so reserve yours early. The cost for a private room upgrade for the duration of the trip is $500. Please indicate your preference for private rooms to the leader and he will inform you of options and payment details.
A minimum skiing ability of intermediate to advanced is suggested. Skiers should be able to ski rolling terrain, and control speed and direction with at least a basic snowplow. Most of the terrain we'll cover is not too steep, but good balance and a familiarity with varied snow and trail conditions are necessary. Participants should be in good physical shape. As noted above, the various ski trips will range from 4 – 8 miles. Participants may also take non-ski rest days on their own at the inn or the hut. Conservation The town of Crested Butte is facing a serious conservation issue today. As in so many wild areas, the clash between preservation and human use is evident in many ways. An industrial mine on Mt. Emmons (Red Lady) is proposed to open mining molybdenum, just a few miles outside of town. This mine, situated in the middle of the Coal Creek drainage could seep or spill heavy metals and other pollutants into Coal Creek, contaminating our municipal water supply and the Slate River . Toxic tailings could cover more than 200 acres in the first 10 years of operation, and the disposal dumpsite at the headwaters of Ohio and Carbon Creeks could permanently damage water flows, disturb critical elk habitat, and destroy precious recreation areas.
See the How to Apply for an Outing section for more details on registering for this trip and details about our Reservation and Cancellation Policy. The payment of a deposit does not confirm you as a member on the trip. Participants must be approved by the trip leader. After signing up for this trip, you will be sent a confirmation packet containing approval materials (Participant Approval Questionnaire, Medical Form, Liability Release Form). Each applicant (including those on the waitlist) must fill out these forms and promptly mail them to the trip leader. The leader will review the approval materials and notify you of your acceptance in a timely manner.
General Notes About Sierra Club Trips
|
Rob White has been a member of the Sierra Club since high school and has been interested in preserving and protecting the outdoors for as long as he can remember. After obtaining a master's degree in park and recreation administration, he accepted a position at Rocky Mountain National Park as a ranger/naturalist. He now works with the Colorado State Park system as a park manager. Rob continues to hike a great deal in Rocky Mountain National Park.