Plenty of Winter Fun for Non-Skiers in Gunnison-Crested Butte, Colorado

Sleigh-ride dinners, snowcat driving, cooking classes, concerts & more

GUNNISON-CRESTED BUTTE, Colo. (November 12, 2011) - There is plenty of fun for those who don't want to hit the slopes or Nordic trails when the Gunnison-Crested Butte Valley turns into a skiing and snowboarding mecca.  These options also work well for visitors looking for a diverse winter vacation that includes the likes of dog sledding, cooking classes, spa experiences and more.

Board a Sleigh or Dog Sled

Enjoy a unique dining experience where getting there is half the fun.  Ride in an open sleigh pulled by a snowcat to the on-mountain Uley's Cabin at Crested Butte Mountain Resort for a gourmet dinner. Sleigh-ride dinners are available Wednesday through Saturday evenings.  For information and reservations, call (970) 349-4554 and visit http://www.skicb.com/.

There is nothing quite like the freedom of being pulled by a team of dogs in the thick of mountain terrain capped with snow.  Dog sledding with Lucky Cat Dog Farm is one of those lifetime experiences not to be missed.  Visit www.luckycatdogfarm.com or call (970) 641-1636 for details about lunch tours and short tours.

Hop on a Horse

Just because it's winter doesn't mean you have to hang up your saddle.  Fantasy Ranch Horseback Adventures offers a one-hour ride with a stop for hot cocoa from its Almont stables. Go to http://www.fantasyranchoutfitters.com/. 

Drive a Snowcat

Ever dreamed of getting behind the controls of a snowcat?  Through Crested Butte Mountain Resort's Snowcat Driving Experience, offered in conjunction with Prinoth, learn basic operational and safety information before taking a snowcat for a spin on a closed course. For times, dates and costs, call (970) 349-4554 or visit http://www.skicb.com/.

Sample Suds & Rum

Taste local microbrews at The Eldo in Crested Butte and the Gunnison Brewery in Gunnison.  There's a Gunnison Valley Rural Transportation Authority bus that runs between the towns, so no need to drink and drive!

Brice and Karen Hoskin have moved their growing, award-winning Montanya Rum distillery from Silverton to Crested Butte.  They have opened a tasting room and distillery at 130 Elk Ave. in Crested Butte's historic powerhouse building, where they pour award-winning, obsessively-crafted high mountain rum via samples and a sizable and distinct cocktail menu.  Light appetizers also are served.  Visit www.montanyadistillers.com for information and great drink recipes.  Daily hours are 11 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.  

Stir it Up

Mike Busse, owner/chef of Garlic Mike's Italian restaurant in Gunnison and 2009 winner of the local Chefs on the Edge competition, hosts demonstration-style classes at Interiors with Oohs & Aahs' demonstration kitchen in downtown Gunnison. Or gather your own group of at least eight participants to book a class that promises to be entertaining, tasty and full of zest.  Busse also has been named the people's choice winner for best chef in Gunnison every year since 2001.  To inquire, contact Mike at (970) 641-2493 or mikegarlic@aol.com.  Also visit http://www.garlicmikes.com/.

Soothe Spirit, Mind, Body

With 11,000 square feet, Elevation Spa is the largest spa in the area and offers a wide range of treatments and a salon in the slopeside Elevation Hotel.  Mt. Crested Butte also has a spa located in the Grand Lodge, only steps away from the base area.  For information, go to http://www.elevationspa.com/ and http://www.skicb.com/ (click Lodging and Grand Lodge).   

Metamorphosis Spa & Salon in Gunnison provides the perfect chance to spend a day or half-day getting a spa treatment, manicure and new hairstyle. Find out more at http://www.gunnisonsalonspa.com/.  There also are many independent massage therapists who have offices in Crested Butte and Gunnison and will bring their services directly to your vacation home, condo or hotel.  For a complete listing visit http://www.crestedbuttewellbeing.com/.

There is an active yoga community in Gunnison-Crested Butte with Yoga for the Peaceful offering a wide variety of choices listed at http://www.yogaforthepeaceful.org/.  New this year is the Yoga Rocks the Butte from Feb. 10 - 12, 2012, with yoga, kirtan, dance, onsite spa services, a green festival, marketplace and more planned.  Visit www.yougarocks.info.

Take to the Ice

Try your hand at ice fishing on Colorado's largest body of water, Blue Mesa Reservoir near Gunnison, with local outfitters who can make this effortless and fun.  For guided trips, contact High Mountain Drifters at Gene Taylor Sporting Goods Fly Shop at http://www.highmtndrifters.com/ or (970) 641-1845.  New this year is the 3 Stage Ice Fishing Contest, with tournaments on the first Saturdays of January, February and March.  Go to www.gunnisonchamber.com for information. 

Gunnison's indoor ice rink at Jorgensen Park Event Center (with a covered outdoor rink and small pond just outside) and the outdoor Big Mine Park Ice Rink (covered) located at the Crested Butte Nordic Center offer skate rentals and the opportunity for all ages to take to the ice in a different fashion.  Go to http://www.cityofgunnison-co.gov/ (click on Parks & Rec) and http://www.cbnordic.org/. 

Enjoy No-Hassle Fun & Adventure

Crested Butte Mountain Resort's Adventure Park features bungee trampolines, rock climbing, miniature golf and a lift-served tubing hill.  New this year is the Crested Butte Zipline Tour, a guided tour that includes five ziplines and three suspended bridges that have been uniquely adapted to accommodate winter operations. Check out all the options at www.skicb.com.

Or enjoy a day at the Gunnison Recreation Center's entire facility for only $4 for kids ages 5 - 17 and $6 for adults; kids under 5 are free.  There is an indoor pool with slides, rock climbing wall, gym, gymnastics room and game room.  Visit http://www.cityofgunnison-co.gov/.

Capture the Culture

Theatres, art centers and museums can help feed your creative side. Crested Butte Mountain Theatre, established in 1972, presents several productions each winter and spring.  For tickets and a performance schedule, visit http://www.cbmountaintheatre.org/. 

Crested Butte Center for the Arts offers a Winter Season series of concerts, art classes and rotating art exhibitions, while the Gunnison Arts Center hosts theatre productions, art exhibitions, art classes and more year-round. For information, go to http://www.crestedbuttearts.org/ and http://www.gunnisonartscenter.org/.

The Trailhead Children's Museum, located at the ski base, is a place where younger kids can enjoy hands-on exhibits and programs in the arts, sciences and creative play.  New this year are daily drop-off art and science classes provided by The Studio Art School and the Garden to Grocery Healthy Living exhibit.  Go to http://www.trailheadkids.org/.

While shopping and dining on Elk Avenue, stop at the Crested Butte Mountain Heritage Museum. Walking through the museum's front door is like stepping back into an old-fashioned hardware store. A large gift shop and memorabilia from the former Tony's Conoco occupy the front, while a train display, the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame, and interesting exhibits about mining, ranching, skiing and other local history draw visitors to the back.  Visit www.crestedbuttemuseum.com.

Snowshoe Under Sun & Moon

Crested Butte Mountain Resort offers daily snowshoe tours on ski area trails with a guide at 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.  Snowshoes, poles, water, a light snack and a lift ride are included in the cost for the two-mile outing.  Also check out the daily snowshoe tour of Snodgrass Mountain from 1- 4 p.m. that includes transportation. 

During the ski area's Moonlight Snowshoe Tours on Dec. 10, Jan. 9, Feb. 7, March 8 and April 6, enjoy the thrill of snowshoeing moonlit mountain trails after being transported by a snowcat.  The cost for all tours is $75 per person.  For information and reservations, call (970) 349-4554 or visit http://www.skicb.com/. 

The Crested Butte Nordic Center will be offering pre-scheduled snowshoe tours for the first time during the 2011/2012 season on Tuesdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.  The tours cost $65 per person and will take participants to the beautiful Gothic, Washington Gulch or Slate River areas.  The Nordic Center also plans to introduce a marked snowshoe trail amongst its trail system.

Amazing dining is only a snowshoe (or Nordic ski) away during Full Moon Yurt Dinner Tours offered at the Nordic Center's Magic Meadows Yurt on Jan. 7, Feb. 7 and March 8. Doors open at 6 p.m. and dinner prepared by local personal chef Tim Egelhoff is served at 6:30 p.m.  The cost is $65 for adults and $30 for children (under age 12) and includes a trail pass and equipment rental (alcohol and gratuity are extra).  For reservations and information, call (970) 349-1707 or visit http://www.cbnordic.org/.

Vacation Packages

Nestled amongst the pines and peaks and under a star-filled sky, dinner at the Magic Meadows Yurt and two nights at the luxurious Inn at Crested Butte is the perfect combination. This package for two includes lodging, ski or snowshoe rentals and trail passes, and dinner at the yurt for $508.  Taxes are not included and package is based on availability.  Visit www.GunnisonCrestedButte.com/packages for the details and reservation information.  Visit www.cbnordic.org for a schedule of yurt dinners. 

At Elevation Hotel & Spa, receive Half Off Every Second Night (even over the holidays). Rates are slashed in half for every second night (e.g., 4th night, 6th night, 102nd night, etc.) for travel between Dec. 16, 2011 and Jan. 28, 2012.  This deal is subject to availability, cannot be combined with any other offer, and is valid only on new reservations.  To inquire about the Book Early and Half off Deals, call (800) 810-7669 and visit http://www.skicb.com/.

Visitor Information & Personalized Vacation Packages

To find out more about Gunnison-Crested Butte's calendar of events or to book other personalized vacation packages, call the Gunnison-Crested Butte Tourism Association's toll-free line, (800) 814-8893, or visit http://www.gunnisoncrestedbutte.com/.  Find the Tourism Association on Facebook at www.facebook.com/gcbta or follow us on www.twitter.com/gcbta.  The Gunnison-Crested Butte Regional Airport is served year-round by United Airlines and during the winter season by American Airlines and Continental Airlines.

About Gunnison-Crested Butte, Colorado

Gunnison-Crested Butte is nestled among almost two million acres of pristine wilderness in southwest Colorado.  Winter sports enthusiasts know the area for its world-class alpine skiing and snowboarding at Crested Butte Mountain Resort, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and ice fishing.  Gunnison-Crested Butte is also a haven for outdoor summer activities.  In the warmer months, visitors can choose from recreational activities such as hiking, climbing, mountain biking, boating, whitewater rafting, kayaking, fly-fishing, camping and horseback riding.  Year-round visitors enjoy distinctive restaurants, unique shops and stimulating cultural opportunities, and have a wide range of lodging options - from rustic inns to guest cabins and bed-and-breakfasts to full-service resort hotels. 

Gunnison, county seat and a real western town, is home to the Gunnison-Crested Butte Regional Airport, Gunnison Whitewater Park, Gunnison Valley Observatory, Pioneer Museum and Western State College, which offers bachelor's and master's degrees in liberal arts and sciences and pre-professional fields.  Both Crested Butte and Gunnison have thriving historic central business districts packed with shopping and dining opportunities. 

Recognized as the "Official Wildflower Capital of Colorado" by the Colorado Legislature and one of the National Trust for Historic Preservation's "Dozen Distinctive Destinations" in 2008, Crested Butte is 28 miles from Gunnison and the site of rich mining, ranching and skiing heritage and home to the Crested Butte Mountain Heritage Museum and Mountain Bike Hall of Fame.  Only three miles up the road is the resort village of Mt. Crested Butte, home to the ski area, an active base area, the area's conference center, and outstanding hiking and biking trails. 

Marble is located in the Upper Crystal River Valley along the Elk Mountains and is the gateway to nearby Crystal, home to one of the most photographed mill sites in the country. Marble has seven sites on the National Register of Historic Places and is the location of the Yule Marble Quarry.

In Gunnison County, visitors will find the Curecanti National Recreation Area, where dinosaur fossils were recently discovered; the Blue Mesa Reservoir, Colorado's largest body of water and home to the largest Kokanee salmon fishery in the United States; and The Black Canyon of the Gunnison, one of our country's newest national parks.  Gunnison County includes the quaint and historic towns of Pitkin, Gothic, Tin Cup, Marble, Powderhorn, Almont and Crystal, plus the better-known communities of Gunnison, Crested Butte and Mt. Crested Butte.  Gunnison County is part of the West Elk Loop and Silver Thread Scenic & Historic Byways.

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For a Word file of this press release, click on the link below.

Contact:                       Beth Buehler, Public Relations Director                                    

                                    Gunnison-Crested Butte Tourism Association               

                                    (970) 349-1168 or bethbuehler@qwestoffice.net

                                    http://www.gunnisoncrestedbutte.com/