Since Epic Pass Deal, Crested Butte Seeing More Visitors From Colorado's Front Range
CRESTED BUTTE, Colo. (CBS4) - Business is booming in Crested Butte. Over the President's Day holiday weekend, nearly every hotel room in town was booked.
However, since Vail Resorts took over Crested Butte Ski Resort, the small town feel hasn't worn away.
Something that also hasn't changed since the Epic Pass deal was finalized: the lift lines. CBS4 found during a visit there that they still don't really exist at the resort.
"I think it's the same old crested Butte it's always been," local skier and Crested Butte spokesperson Will Shoemaker said.
There was some concern around this unique corner of Colorado of how a corporation would change the vibe. So far, that's not really happening.
"Crested Butte will always be the funky town at the end of the road," Shoemaker said.
With the mountain now available to Epic passholders, business owners will tell you they are seeing a bump in their weekend traffic from Front Range weekend warriors.
"I've met a few on the ski lift from the Front Range that have said to me, 'I've always wanted to check out Crested Butte because it sounds like a really great place. I never made it happen before, but now I have the opportunity to make it happen with the Epic Pass,'" he explained.
That bump in visitors is good news for small town businesses who are used to big crowds on holiday weekends, but are used to a slower pace on other weekends.
Vail Resorts is already making some upgrades to make this mountain easier to navigate.
"We do have a new lift this year. That is one of the things that's new since Vail Resorts purchased us," Shoemaker said.
If you're wondering, they have about 97% of the mountain open, and of course, they're pushing hard to open up 100% very soon.