Crested Butte, Colorado
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Often called The Last Great Colorado Ski Town, Crested Butte is a small resort town located in Gunnison County, Colorado. A former coal mining hub, Crested Butte is now a destination for skiing, mountain biking, and a variety of other outdoor activities. The Colorado Legislature has designated Crested Butte the Wildflower Capital of Colorado.
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Geography
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Location of Crested Butte, Colorado
Crested Butte is located at 38°52'10" North, 106°59'1" West (38.869409, -106.983645)Template:GR.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.8 km² (0.7 mi²). 1.8 km² (0.7 mi²) of it is land and none of it is covered by water.
The town of Crested Butte lies at an elevation of 8,885 feet (2,700 m) above sea level.
Demographics
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there are 1,529 people, 692 households, and 253 families residing in the town. The population density is 843.4/km² (2,183.1/mi²). There are 930 housing units at an average density of 513.0/km² (1,327.9/mi²). The racial makeup of the town is 97.19% White, 0.26% African American, 0.92% Native American, 0.72% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.46% from other races, and 0.46% from two or more races. 2.75% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 692 households out of which 19.1% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 28.9% are married couples living together, 5.1% have a female householder with no husband present, and 63.3% are non-families. 28.3% of all households are made up of individuals and 1.4% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.21 and the average family size is 2.69.
In the town the population is spread out with 13.5% under the age of 18, 11.5% from 18 to 24, 55.6% from 25 to 44, 17.5% from 45 to 64, and 1.9% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 31 years. For every 100 females there are 124.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 131.9 males.
The median income for a household in the town is $41,250, and the median income for a family is $49,118. Males have a median income of $27,386 versus $23,073 for females. The per capita income for the town is $26,789. 11.4% of the population and 2.7% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 3.5% of those under the age of 18 and 0.0% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
History
The East River Valley where Crested Butte is located was once used as a summer residence by Ute Native Americans. However, they were quickly displaced when white explorers first entered the area. The first Caucasians to explore the valley were beaver trappers, followed by surveyers. Captain John Gunnison, after whom Gunnison County is named was one of the early explorers to enter the area.
In the 1860s and 1870s coal and silver mines began to open in the surrounding area and many little mining towns formed. However, when silver mining hit on hard times, many of these towns failed. Crested Butte was in a better position to survive because it served as a supply town to the surrounding area.
The other industry that supported Crested Butte was ranching.
When the coal mines closed, the town began to shrink, and eventually the local high school was closed. Students had to travel to Gunnison to go to high school. The town did not revive until a ski area was built on Crested Butte Mountain in the 1960s.
In 1993 the Crested Butte Academy opened in Crested Butte, bringing a private high school into town. In 1997, the Crested Butte Community School was opened, and Crested Butte finally had a public high school again.
Cyprus Amax Minerals Co. owns mining rights for molybdenum on Mount Emmons near Crested Butte and as molybdenum prices rise, the town is fighting to prevent a molybdenum mine from being opened.
In 2004 Crested Butte Mountain Resort was sold and the locals are hoping the new owners will invest more in the ski area than the previous ones.
Winter activities
The primary winter activity in Crested Butte is skiing or snowboarding at nearby Crested Butte Mountain Resort in Mount Crested Butte, Colorado. Mount Crested Butte rises to 12,162 feet (3,700 m) above sea level. The ski area base is at 9,375 feet (2,860 m). 14 lifts serve 1,058 acres (4.2 km²) of terrain. 448 acres (1.8 km²) of the terrain are double black runs. The large amount of extreme skiing terrain at Crested Butte has attracted the US Extreme Skiing Championships and the X Games. The longest run on Mount Crested Butte is 2.6 miles (4.2 km) long.
The town of Crested Butte itself has a Nordic Center which has an ice skating rink as well as miles (km) of groomed cross country skiing trails.
Summer activities
Crested Butte is one of the locations where mountain biking is claimed to have started and in fact, the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame is located in Crested Butte.
Other popular summer activities in Crested Butte include hiking, camping, whitewater rafting, and fishing.
Crested Butte hosts a number of summer festivals, including an Arts Festival, a Wildflower Festival, and a Rubber Ducky Race.
External links
- Visit Crested Butte (http://www.visitcrestedbutte.com/)
- Crested Butte Chamber of Commerce (http://www.crestedbuttechamber.com/)
- Crested Butte Wildflower Festival (http://www.crestedbuttewildflowerfestival.com/)