What’s New this Summer & Fall in Gunnison-Crested Butte, Colorado

Sailing Adventures, Zip Lines, Film Festival & Eateries

GUNNISON-CRESTED BUTTE, Colo. (May 5, 2011) - There's already plenty happening in Gunnison-Crested Butte, Colo., but its always refreshing to announce new additions over the past year or so such as film and yoga festivals, a heritage restaurant and high-end pub, and sailing, zipline and biking adventures.

Festivals

Films, discussions and merriment are on tap for the new Crested Butte Film Festival taking place during one of the prime leaf-viewing weekends of fall, Sept. 29 - Oct. 2.  Look for Academy Award nominees, films from Cannes and Sundance and many unknown gems.  There will be documentary, feature and short films, with most being Colorado premieres.  Tickets for each film are $10 or various passes are available.  The festival kicks off on Sept. 29 with "Sneak Peek Gunnison" with a double feature of movies showing at the Gunnison Arts Center and the Ruby Theatre, located on the campus of Western State College of Colorado.  For information, visit http://www.crestedbuttefilmfestival.org/ or call (303) 204-9080.  

Activities & Attractions

Crested Butte Mountain Resort's (CBMR) new Crested Butte Zip Line Tour guided tour will debut in mid-June and include five zip lines and a series of features, such as an "Indiana Jones Bridge," net climb and spiral staircase.  The tour will be available during the summer and winter seasons, making it the only guided zip line tour at a Colorado ski resort and the only winter canopy tour in the state.

The zip lines will range in length from 200 feet to 380 feet long, and the platforms are approximately 10 feet by 10 feet, accommodating 8 participants and two guides at one time.  The course will be located in the Peachtree area of the mountain, near the base area, and the tour is expected to take one-and-one-half to two hours and begins at a practice area.

The resort's Adventure Park and Zip Line Tour will open for the summer season on June 18 and be available from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. throughout the summer. The Adventure Park will close for the summer season on Sept. 5, but the resort will continue offering tours on weekends through the fall for leaf-peeping opportunities. For information and pricing visit http://www.skicb.com/.

Scenic River Tours' Zip Lines new zip lines are located at the outfitter's Taylor Canyon office near Almont.  A session starts with a safety orientation, fitting of equipment and demonstration on a practice zipline.  Then it's up to the first launch platform located 60 feet above the ground, where you fly through the air to a sky ranger guide on platform two.  Both ziplines are approximately 70 yards long, and the course takes approximately one hour.  The cost is $30 per person or $25 per person if packaged with a raft trip or climbing adventure offered by Scenic River Tours.  Participants must be at least 48 inches tall and 60 pounds, be in good physical condition and have no fear of heights.  Call (970) 641.3131 or visit http://www.scenicrivertours.com/.

Sail Western Colorado is offering sunset sails, sailing adventures, instruction and certification on Blue Mesa Lake, Colorado's largest body of water located west of Gunnison in Curecanti National Recreation Area.  Blue Mesa Lake has 96 miles of shoreline to explore and encompasses 41,972 acres.  Consistent southwesterly winds that begin building in the morning provide ideal sailing conditions on this picturesque mountain lake.  Elk Creek Marina is the base for most of Sail Western Colorado's trips on Blue Mesa, but arrangements can be made to sail out of Lake Fork Marina to access the western portion of the lake as well.  Visit http://www.sailwesterncolorado.com/ or call (970) 901-5360.

Food & Drink

Gunnison

Twisted Fork, 206 N. Main St., serves homemade Asian/American-influenced dishes Tuesday through Saturday from 4 - 9 p.m. along with a traditional Sunday brunch.  Menu items include grilled tuna steak, stir-fried pork tacos, fried rice, noodle dishes, burgers, grinders, lettuce wraps, spring and winter rolls, dumplings and more.  In the fair-weather months, guests can enjoy an outdoor patio.  Call (970) 641-1488 or visit www.twistedfork.net.

Anejo Bistro & Bar, located nearby at 107 S. Main St., offers a new twist on traditional Mexican food.  Look for traditional favorites such as tamales and rellenos to a build-your-own taco or burrito bar and a wide variety of dinner combo plates. The eatery serves lunch and dinner, and has the taco and burrito bar open until midnight on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.  Call (970) 641-1427.

The new Tic Toc Diner at 323 E. Tomichi (U.S. Highway 50) looks so cheerful on the outside with a red and white exterior that it easily draws you in for breakfast and lunch. Dinner will be added in time for summer, and the deck will open the end of May.  The wide range of offerings suits any taste, ranging from traditional bacon and eggs breakfasts to meatloaf, guacamole tostados, Greek gyros and more.  Owners Jordan and Sonya Roberts also own the Tic Toc Diner in Lake City.  Call (970) 642-0444.

Crested Butte

Brice and Karen Hoskins are in the process of moving their growing Montanya rum distillery from Silverton to Crested Butte. Work is underway to locate the distillery and a tasting room pouring "award-winning, obsessively-crafted high mountain rum" on Elk Avenue.  The couple also is relocating Mountain Boy Sledworks to Crested Butte.  Visit www.montanyadistillers.com for information and great drink recipes.

Experience the Old World charm and cuisine that the founders of Crested Butte brought to the mountains at The Old Croatian Restaurant, located on the first floor of the historic 1882-era Forest Queen Building at 129 Elk Ave. in downtown Crested Butte.  Dine on authentic Croatian cuisine such as fresh-baked old world breads, traditional soups, hearty stews, rich Croatian wines and mouthwatering entrees.  For reservations and information, (970) 349-0236.

West End Public House, located across the street from The Old Croatian at 201 Elk Ave., opened in time for ski season by the owners of East Side Bistro.  Expect tasty comfort food such as house-made sausages, mini duck tacos, lamb sliders, clam chowder, macaroni and cheese, burgers, fried chicken, pork chops, steak, and fish and chips all served in the atmosphere of a high-end pub. Call (970) 349-5662 or visit http://www.westendpublichouse.com/. 

Trail Update

The locals who ride area trails join in on work days organized by Gunnison Trails and Crested Butte Mountain Bike Association (CBMBA), the oldest mountain bike club in the world. Last year, the 7.9 mile Aberdeen Loop at Hartman Rocks Multi-Use Recreation Area in Gunnison was rerouted to improve trail conditions and reduce human impact on Gunnison sage-grouse.  The new version follows the ridges above the drainages and contours the wide open, sage-covered hillsides and is a cross-country rider's dream.  There also are additional trail segments off the new bridges at Highways 50 and 135 at Gunnison River crossings.

In the Crested Butte area, Budd Trail is a new 1.4-mile loop and K.B. Connector is a half-mile enhancement of new and reopened trail, both part of the Lower Loop Trail. This year, a new series of trails will be started on Smith Hill northeast of Crested Butte above the Slate River.

For the 2011 season in Mt. Crested Butte, Crested Butte Mountain Resort (CBMR) hopes to expand Evolution Bike Park trail offerings for gravity-seekers and those newer to the sport.  A trail off the Goldlink zone is being proposed that will meander through dense aspen and pine forest and promote more natural riding features made from local materials and wood bridging.  CBMR also hopes to improve cross-country riding options, including proposed completion of Westside Trail following a two-year build-out offering a new access route to the base and five miles of winding trail.  Crews also would tie in Lower Meander to Meander and Gothic Road to provide technical riding while overlooking the East River Valley. Aside from new construction, crews will put finishing touches on Pyscho Rocks (downhill trail) and reopen existing on-mountain trail networks with improved features and signage and buffed-out berms.  Two twilight riding nights will be offered at Evolution Bike Park on Wednesday and Friday from 5 - 7 p.m.  Dates will be announced soon.  Watch http://www.skicb.com/.

Visitor Information & Personalized Vacation Packages

To find out more about Gunnison County or to book personalized vacation packages, call (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 and during the winter season also 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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Photo: Courtesy of Scenic River Tours 

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

Contact:                       Beth Buehler                                        

                                    Gunnison-Crested Butte Tourism Association               

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

                                    http://www.gunnisoncrestedbutte.com/