Leadville or Crested Butte??!! (sale, house, buy)

[bongo]

Yes, they both have groomed nordic trails, which is a top priority since it's harder to find than downhill. It has to be groomed since we are skate skiers.

I've lived in Steamboat, Ft Collins, Manitou, Durango, Trinidad, La Veta, Alamosa, Aguilar, Trujillo Creek, so you can see I must love Colorado LOL

Leadville sounds pretty dismal for living. My husband was just there for a couple of days & was amazed at the lack of actual snow removal. We've only been there in the summer. He was told there is a high rate of alcoholism in Leadville & was concerned regarding crime.

We are bicyclists & hear that CB is a bike town & folks don't even lock them up.

We are spoiled living in Red Lodge, Montana right now where people leave tools & everything out untouched. We might get some DWIs especially during the harley rally but that's about it here. Safest place on the planet probably.

Hearing views of others is very helpful you guys.

[Lugnuts]

Originally Posted by bongo

LOL!

Well now there's a brilliant thought. MrBongo worked as a liftie for years at the volunteer-run ski area of Arctic Valley north of Anchorage. Trouble is, now that he is retired, all he wants to do is telemark ski. I don't know if HE will think it's a brilliant idea LOL.

Crack that whip and put that Slacker back to work!

[snofarmer]

For me, Crested Butte wins hands down.
It's one of my favorite places in Colorado.

[bongo]

Originally Posted by Lugnuts

Crack that whip and put that Slacker back to work!

As long as he can telly-ski while working.... LOL!

[Droppin By]

I live in CB and have visited/day tripped Leadville a few times. I can't imagine living in Leadville.

The Nordic Center in CB does a great job grooming the trail system, with a partnership with CBMR for the Snodgrass area. The downhill skiing is phenomenal. The pass price is steep but there are no crowds to speak of and there are quite a few ways to get yourself a free pass. Working even part-time for CBMR will get you a pass. You could always try to be a "pass" volunteer for the Adaptive Sports Center -- commit one day a week to volunteering on lessons and get a Gold Pass and base area locker. Back to the price of the pass, consider that it's pretty much only locals/Gunnison County folks buying them. The Epic Pass may only be $700 or so, but pretty much everyone on the front range, Summit County and Eagle County buy that pass. Tons more people = sell your passes at a lower rate. And then you deal w/ ridiculous crowds!

CB is an amazing place to live year-round. Summer business is catching up to, and last year may have surpassed, winter business in terms of money spent and number of visitors. The summer options are hard to beat with hiking, biking (both are lift-served), fishing and camping options galore. I've never locked up my townie bike...every once in a while it will disappear for a night or two only to be found either back in its place or at the 4-way bike rack. I wouldn't leave a $2k+ road or mountain bike unlocked, but that's common sense I think. Enough people with wandering eyes and hands visit this place in the summer. Heck, last fall a friend had her brand new, unmounted skis stolen off her semi-enclosed deck.

[bongo]

Thanks, Droppin By!

Nothing like C-D for locals' on-the-scene reporting!

[Idlewile]

Originally Posted by Droppin By

I live in CB and have visited/day tripped Leadville a few times. I can't imagine living in Leadville.

The Nordic Center in CB does a great job grooming the trail system, with a partnership with CBMR for the Snodgrass area. The downhill skiing is phenomenal. The pass price is steep but there are no crowds to speak of and there are quite a few ways to get yourself a free pass. Working even part-time for CBMR will get you a pass. You could always try to be a "pass" volunteer for the Adaptive Sports Center -- commit one day a week to volunteering on lessons and get a Gold Pass and base area locker. Back to the price of the pass, consider that it's pretty much only locals/Gunnison County folks buying them. The Epic Pass may only be $700 or so, but pretty much everyone on the front range, Summit County and Eagle County buy that pass. Tons more people = sell your passes at a lower rate. And then you deal w/ ridiculous crowds!

CB is an amazing place to live year-round. Summer business is catching up to, and last year may have surpassed, winter business in terms of money spent and number of visitors. The summer options are hard to beat with hiking, biking (both are lift-served), fishing and camping options galore. I've never locked up my townie bike...every once in a while it will disappear for a night or two only to be found either back in its place or at the 4-way bike rack. I wouldn't leave a $2k+ road or mountain bike unlocked, but that's common sense I think. Enough people with wandering eyes and hands visit this place in the summer. Heck, last fall a friend had her brand new, unmounted skis stolen off her semi-enclosed deck.

Great info!

[ColoradoNative2]

You are off on ski pass prices in Crested Butte. They offer discounts if pass is purchased by certain times in the year. I never paid near $1400 in the 9 years I've lived in Crested Butte. Two very different towns. Crested Butte delivers at a much higher level in the downhill and Nordic realms, and the summer is even more hopping with festivals, outdoor activities, concerts, etc. Altitude is not as high for the town of CB if that is a consideration. If you like Taos, you will fit into CB well. CB was just named one of the Top 12 Small-Town ArtPlaces.

[bongo]

Originally Posted by ColoradoNative2

You are off on ski pass prices in Crested Butte. They offer discounts if pass is purchased by certain times in the year. I never paid near $1400 in the 9 years I've lived in Crested Butte. Two very different towns. Crested Butte delivers at a much higher level in the downhill and Nordic realms, and the summer is even more hopping with festivals, outdoor activities, concerts, etc. Altitude is not as high for the town of CB if that is a consideration. If you like Taos, you will fit into CB well. CB was just named one of the Top 12 Small-Town ArtPlaces.

My husband is in Crested Butte right now & found out the ski area website prices are NOT what locals pay with the early discounts. So we are looking out for discount prices. Whew! What good news & thanks for confirming that, ColoNative.

[Droppin By]

Yes -- the $1400 listed on the site isn't generally what's really paid by locals. Those who make a late decision to move to town or procrastinate on buying or hold out hope that they'll land a pass-providing job are the ones who pay full price. Right around $1k I think is still typical w/ the early purchase discounts. I believe they've said they'll announce early-discount prices in May? this year. Usually it comes out around late March/early April but they've been pushing it back. Rumors about the resort being sold are going around, but those rumors come and go every year as well, so who really knows.