Other ski towns will disagree of course, but you have to admire the confidence of a place that describes itself as “the last great ski town in Colorado” - it’s up against some stiff competition after all. Crested Butte has a self confessed quirkiness - it’s described as a surf town in the mountains - and the influx of hippies in the 60s and 70s made sure this former mining town has its fair share of free thinking and non-conformist attitude.
One way that the town is following the crowd though is when it comes to real estate, figures from a local agent show Crested Butte surpassed an average selling price of $2million for the first time, with a price per square foot of $9000. The average sales price in CB south eclipsed $1 million for the first time as well - a thirty percent increase over the year as a whole.
Jenna A. May - Bluebird Real E
What’s behind the surge of interest in property in Crested Butte?
There are a lot of factors in play - obviously the figures must be read in the context of the flat 2020 market - but there are other reasons that Crested Butte is becoming so popular. As a response to the pandemic, people are shifting perspective - work life balance has never been more important, and the lure of living near the clean mountain air, as well as having the things you love right on your doorstep is increasingly irresistible. Why choose Crested Butte though ? Is it really the last great ski town in Colorado?
Crested Butte has been independent for almost 70 years
Whilst it’s now part of the Vail family of resorts, the ski corps recognised that the independent spirit of Crested Butte is it’s greatest draw and they’re determined to “honour the history” of the town. Initial opposition to corporate involvement has given way to relief. An independent spirit will only propel visitors so far up the mountain, and investment in infrastructure such as the lifts and base area is increasingly welcomed.
What does Crested Butte offer skiers and snowboarders?
Time for some mountain facts - the ski area offers:
- 15 lifts
- 121 trails
- Vertical drop of 3062ft from the peak, 2775ft from the lift
- 1547 skiable acres
- 297 acres of snowmaking
- Longest trail of 2.6 miles
- 234 inches of snow each year
- Elevation of 3,707 at summit
The trails are a good mix with something for everyone from beginner to advanced.
What about snowboarders?
Two terrain parks offer a space to train your skills. Ten Peaks progression park offers a place to test out new tricks before moving on, while lower twister terrain boasts 3 jumps between the 25’ and 35’ range.
What does Crested Butte offer summer visitors?
Mountains don’t sleep out of season and neither does Crested Butte - there’s over 30 miles of single track mountain biking, with everything from lift served downhill to cross country for all skill levels. A team of bike guides are available to help those less confident too. If you want something a bit more chilled, then a scenic chair ride on the Silver Queen express is ideal and of course there are acres of hiking trails to explore.
If you can tear yourself away from the slopes you’ll find plenty of activities such as disc golf (the course at CB is one of the top ten in the country) and archery. There’s an adventure park for kids, complete with tin cup mining and gem panning, as well as top-notch kids summer programmes.
Wildflower Capital of Colorado and old school charm
Crested Butte is famed for stunning displays of wildflowers - visitors flock to enjoy the Wildflower festival in July, and to walk and admire the swathes of colour throughout the season. It’s another jewel in the crown of this year round town.
The town has retained much of it’s mining town charm. Colourful false fronted buildings play host to a variety of independent boutiques and galleries and the town is fiercely proud of it’s “no chain store “ policy. Community wise you’ll find regular events covering every interest including food, music and the arts, and it almost goes without saying that there’s a superb choice of bars and restaurants to suit every taste from fine dining to honest family fare.
Property for sale in Crested Butte
Whether Crested Butte is the last great ski town in Colorado will always be subject to debate. One thing we are sure of is that we have some superb properties available at the moment and because we’re a ski property portal you can be sure you’re seeing the best of what is available without having to trawl every agent’s website. There's a range of properties from something like this, two bedroom condo with great access to local schools, and huge potential for creating your own style.
If ranch style living is what you crave then this exceptional ski in-ski out property on Black Diamond trail is hard to beat. Features like the ceiling to rock fireplace and vaulted ceiling work with sumptuous interiors to create a space that is luxurious as it is spacious. Perfect for anyone seeking to own a magical piece of this unique and characterful ski town.
Property Alert Service
Property is moving pretty fast at the moment and signing up to our property alerts is a great way to stay ahead of the market. We’ve put together useful resources like our investment guides, to help you get to grips with the town as a whole, plus we’ve a range of useful articles about resort town living and relocation if you’re looking to make a more permanent base in Crested Butte.
Apr 22, 2024
