Top 10 Ideas for a Winter Girlfriend Getaway in Gunnison-Crested Butte, Colo

There is nothing quite like the freedom of being pulled by a team of dogs in the thick of stunning 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.

2. Go to dinner … on a sleigh

·        What better way to go to dinner with your gal pals than on a horse-drawn sleigh at Lazy F Bar Ranch south of Crested Butte?  Enjoy a scenic, 35-minute ride to a rustic 1950s cabin overlooking the East River and indulge in a five-course meal that most importantly includes five kinds of homemade desserts.  Visit www.lazyfbarranch.com or call (970) 641-0193.

·        Another option is hopping on an open sleigh pulled by a snowcat at Crested Butte Mountain Resort (CBMR) ski area and dining at Rustica Ristorante in the Paradise Warming House.  Savor a four-course dinner featuring a full bar and handpicked wine list to complement the evening.  Call (800) 810-7669 for reservations and prices or visit www.skicb.com.   

3. Moonlight ski & snowshoe tour will leave you star struck

·        Join the Crested Butte Nordic Center on a Full Moon “Dessert at the Yurt” Ski & Snowshoe Tour to Magic Meadows with warm drinks and delectable desserts served along the way.  The last tour will be offered on March 10 beginning at 7 p.m. The cost is $25 per person, and equipment rentals are available for $15.  Lunch and brunch at the yurt also are available.  Go to www.cbnordic.org or call (970) 349-1707.

4. Bond with your skis and your buddies

Set up a ski or snowboarding clinic just for you and your gal pals at Crested Butte Mountain Resort to learn and laugh together.  Go to www.skicb.com or call (800) 544.8448.   

5. Create a colorful memory on monthly ArtWalk Evenings

Visit the wide array of art galleries in downtown Crested Butte any day of the week, but the art scene really comes alive during ArtWalk Evenings held on the last Thursday in February and March from 5 – 8 p.m.  Light refreshments, music and on-site artists are featured at many of the locations.  For more information, visit www.awearts.org.  

6. Go to the theatre or tap your toes at a concert

·        Crested Butte Mountain Theatre, established in 1972, will be presenting “Rabbit Hole” in February, and “Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure” in March.  For tickets, call (970) 349-0366 or visit www.cbmountaintheatre.org. 

·        Crested Butte Center for the Arts offers a Winter Season series of concerts and regular art exhibitions.  For more information, call (970) 349-7487 or visit www.crestedbuttearts.org

·        The Gunnison Arts Center hosts theatre productions, art exhibitions, art classes and more year-round.  For information, call (970) 641-4029 or visit www.GunnisonArtsCenter.org.

7. Make your own tracks to dinner
Ride the Red Lady Express Lift at CBMR and ski, snowboard or snowshoe to an extraordinary gourmet dinner at the Ice Bar & Restaurant.  Start off with a cocktail on the patio at a bar made from ice and watch the sunset before going inside for a relaxing and delicious dining experience.  A member of the professional ski school or ski patrol will escort you back to the base area with headlamps to light the way. Call (800) 810-7669 for reservations and visit www.skicb.com.

8. Ice skate, sled and cross-country ski all in one place

Stop being an adult for a morning or afternoon and relive childhood memories while ice skating and sledding with your girlfriends at the Crested Butte Nordic Center.  Skates and sleds are available for rent, and the Nordic Center is the launching point for many great cross-country skiing trails with instruction and ski rentals available.  A Learn to Skate Ski for Free clinics will be offered at 1 p.m. on March 5.  Call (970) 349-1707 or visit www.cbnordic.org.

9. Head to the spa or let it come to you

For spa lovers, we have fantastic news.  The slopeside Elevation Hotel and Spa in Mt. Crested Butte reopened for the winter 08/09 season as a fully-renovated property with a brand new, luxury, 11,000-square-foot spa and fitness center.  Look for nine treatment rooms, a full range of spa services all using environmentally friendly products, women’s and men’s locker rooms with steam showers and saunas, a full-service hair and nail salon, a state-of-the-art athletic fitness equipment room and a juice, smoothie and herbal tea bar.  Visit www.elevationhotel.com or call (800) 810-SNOW.  The Grand Lodge in Mt. Crested Butte also has a spa, and many lodging properties have masseuses on call to set up right in your condo or room or in on-site treatment rooms. 

10. Go gourmand at laid-back cooking classes

After a day outdoors or at the spa, what could be a better conclusion than cooking classes?  Two of the Gunnison-Crested Butte Valley’s most popular chefs offer hands-on workshops.

·        In downtown Crested Butte, Keely Murphy shows aspiring chefs how to make hearty soups, amazing chocolates, French and Italian cuisine and much more at her catering kitchen.  Arrangements Catering & Events offers a schedule of classes and custom classes for groups of eight people.  Call (970) 349-0956 or visit www.arrangementsandevents.com.

·        Mike Busse, proprietor of Garlic Mike’s Italian restaurant, hosts approximately two classes per month at Interiors with Oohs & Aahs’ demonstration kitchen in downtown Gunnison.  People also may gather their own group (minimum of 12) to book their own class.  To find out more, call (970) 641-2493 or go to www.garlicmikes.com

Visitor Information & Personalized Vacation Packages

A wide variety of lodging types are available from cozy bed and breakfasts, historic lodges, spacious condos and easy-going hostel to boutique and full-service hotels.  For tourist information, a calendar of events and great deals on vacation packages, call the Gunnison-Crested Butte Tourism Association’s toll-free line, call (800) 814-8893 or visit www.GunnisonCrestedButte.com.  The Gunnison-Crested Butte Regional Airport is served year-round by United Airlines with
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