All area codes for numbers below are 970.
Gunnison Valley Hospital: 641-1456
Gunnison Sheriff's Dept.: 641-8000
Gunnison Fire Dept.: 641-8000
Crested Butte Marshall's Office: 349-5231
Crested Butte/Mt.CB Fire Dept.: 349-5333 (Business hours) or call Gunnison Dispatch at 641-8000

Snow Report

• 349-2323 or 1-888-44-BUTTE
• www.skicb.com. Click on The Mountain, then click on Snow & Grooming Report.
• www.skimonarch.com. Click on snow report.
• Road Conditions: www.cotrip.org or
  1-877-315-7623. For road conditions (weather closures) and construction information.

Where to Rent Cribs, High Chairs, Pack & Play, etc.

• Mommy & Me, 311 Fifth St., Crested Butte 349-5855
• Check with your hotel/property management company when you make your reservation. Most have cribs.

Where to do Laundry

Hint: Travel with a "stain stick." Rub it onto stains while you travel until you have a chance to wash clothes.

• CB Laundry - 615 Teocalli, Crested Butte, 349-0582
• High Country Laundry - 700 N. Main St., Gunnison, 641-3894
• High Country West Laundry - 221 W. Hwy. 50, Gunnison, 641-6374
• One Stop Wash - W. Hwy. 50, Gunnison, 641-5869

The Mountain Express

• 349-7318
• Free Shuttle between towns of Crested Butte and Mt. CB (the ski area)
• Free Shuttle from outlying condos on Mt. CB to the ski area
• Kids love to ride the bus!
• Winter schedule ends early April
• New shuttle route around perimeter of Town of Crested Butte
• For ADA paratransit transportation call 349-5616

The Mountain Express bus service basically runs every 15 minutes between the base of the ski area on Mt. Crested Butte to/from the Town of Crested Butte. The shuttle's first pick up is at 7:16 a.m. at the 4-way stop in the Town of Crested Butte, and the last drop-off is at midnight on Mt. Crested Butte at the bus stop by the base of the ski area. The bus service also has routes around the various condominiums on Mt. Crested Butte that will take you to and from the base of the ski area. From there you can ski, or transfer to the shuttle which will take you to the Town of Crested Butte.

Check with your property management/ hotel for a bus schedule. There are excellent maps available at the Chamber of Commerce for a visual of the routes and times.

Overnight Ski Storage

Get it! There is absolutely no easier way to ski with kids than to have your equipment stored overnight as close to the base of the ski area as possible. Most ski shops have overnight storage included with ski rentals.

Park and Ski

The closest parking is at the base of the ski area in the Crested Butte Mountain Resort paid parking lot. Parking is $5.00 per day. If there are four or more people in a car, parking is free. A free shuttle runs from the parking lot to a drop off at the base area. We recommend taking the shuttle if you are hauling gear and you have kids.

The next best parking is in the Town of Crested Butte. The actual walking distance from the bus stop to the ski area is closer than if you park your vehicle in the CBMR lot. The bus stop at Elk Ave. and 6th St. (the 4-way stop) has parking and the bus stop at Elk Ave. & 2nd St. has a parking lot close by on Elk & 1st St. And it's free.

Public parking on Mt. Crested Butte includes:

• Immediately past Treasury Rd. on the right, off of Gothic Rd. But it's a trek to the base area.
• Snowmass Rd. (parking lot) behind Wood Creek Plaza. Short walk up stairs at Silver Ridge Condos.
• There are a few 1 1/2 hour parking spaces accessed through the CBMR parking lot near the Grand Lodge, which are close to the base area. This area is monitored and tickets are written with a fine if you exceed the time limit.

Kids World

Crested Butte Mountain Resort has a ski school for kids located in the Whetstone Building at the base of the ski area called "Kids World."

• Make reservations for rentals and lessons in advance especially during peak seasons (Christmas & Spring Break) www.skicb.com or 1-800-600-7349 or 349-2259
• Rent equipment at Kids World. You can store equipment there too.
• If you are renting equipment, do it the night before your first day of skiing. Kids World is open until 5 p.m. and you will avoid lines in the morning. If you do get there in the morning, allow at least 30 minutes for equipment rentals.
• Store your children's skis/boots at Kids World overnight every night. Then all you have to do is get dressed and go there.
• If your children are older and capable of skiing to and from the Whetstone Building, you can store their equipment with yours at another location.
• Kids World Drop Off - This is the easiest way to get to Kids World! If you are driving to the ski area, you can drop off your kids and equipment at the Kids World Drop Off. From the Town of Crested Butte, drive up to the ski area on Gothic Rd. Turn right on Snowmass Rd. between the Elevation Hotel and the Plaza at Wood Creek. Take an immediate left behind the Elevation Hotel, and then an immediate right into the parking area behind the Whetstone Building. On the far right side of the Whetstone Building, you will see a large, rectangular sign hanging from the deck railing above that reads "Kids World Drop Off." The drop off area has a 10-minute parking limit. Please don't inconvenience other parents and kids by parking there any longer. You must leave your flashers on while you are unloading your little skiers so that your vehicle will not get towed. Drop off your children and their gear and park elsewhere.
• Torchlight parades and tubing are all out of Kids World in the Whetstone Building.
• You can tote equipment around on a flat plastic sled. We recommend a "toddler sled" for little ones because they fall out of the flat plastic sleds. A toddler sled has a higher back side and it is higher around the sides. Remember, there is no sledding allowed at the ski area on Mt. Crested Butte. (There is a sledding hill in the Town of Crested Butte at the Nordic Center. See activity section for more details.)

Checklist for Skiing

• Helmets are required in lessons for children 12 years and under.
• Make sure your children have warm clothes, such as thermal underwear, fleece, snow pants, warm socks, a hat, a jacket that breaks the wind, waterproof mittens, goggles or sunglasses, and sunscreen with SPF 15 or more.
• Mark clothing. Initial their helmets, hats, coats, gloves, ski pants, etc., with
  a permanent magic marker.
• Snacks. Kids use a lot of energy when they ski and they will probably need a snack at some point. If you can carry water with you, that would be great, or stop at a warming house to re-hydrate with some water while skiing.
• Slow down. As with everything else involving your children, you must be patient. There's a lot of toting stuff around, putting on winter clothes, taking off wet winter clothing, and forgetting things. Make yourself a checklist of what to bring before you leave home.

Kids 6 and under ski free. Although there is no charge, a waiver must be signed and an actual lift ticket must be worn. This can be handled at the lift ticket window or office.

Public Restrooms

Mt. Crested Butte

• Gothic Building at base of ski area
• Treasury Building at base of ski area
• Bus Stop on Mt. Crested Butte
• Municipal Building lowest level (Town Hall) Crested Butte
• End of Chamber of Commerce Building at 4-way Stop (Elk & 6th St.)
• Behind Fire Station on Third St., between Elk Ave. & Maroon St.
• Old Town Hall, Paragon Gallery, Second St. and Elk Ave.

Gunnison

• Jorgensen Park/Chamber of Commerce (Hwy. 50 on WSC side of town)
• Legion Park
• Hartman Rocks
• Meadows Park, located on street behind City Market and Wal Mart

Winter Parking Regulations for the Town of Crested Butte

The Town of Crested Butte is historically a pedestrian oriented town. The streets were designed for walking, not for cars. These days there are lots of cars parked all over town. The town has adapted parking rules for the winter for the following purpose: Snow plowing. It is easier and quicker to get the streets clean if all the cars are parked on the same side of the street overnight. If it doesn't snow for six months, the same rules apply. Visit www.townofcrestedbutte.com for more information.

• Remember: Park tonight for tomorrow.
• The easiest way to manage is to read the posted signs.
• Local papers also have the parking regulations published weekly. Cut out a copy of the regulations and place it on your refrigerator.
• It is imperative that you discuss parking with your property management company if you are renting in Crested Butte.
• If there is a blizzard, you will be ticketed and your car will be towed if you are parked on the wrong side of the street.
• Before you go to bed, ask yourself: "Do I park on the same side of the street as the house tonight, or across the street from the house tonight?"
• Don't assume that where everyone else is parked is correct! Double check.

Gunnison

Although much of the information
provided in our winter issue concerns
skiing and Crested Butte, Gunnison should not be overlooked. There are fabulous shops in downtown Gunnison and great restaurants. Western State College has programs including music, theatre, and art. The Gunnison Arts Center has movies, art displays, theatre, and classes. The bowling alley in Gunnison has been remodeled with an automatic score board, automatic bumpers for kids, and is now non-smoking. Visit www.nps.gov/cure for further winter activity information at Blue Mesa Reservoir. Please see our activity section for more to do in Gunnison.

Parks

Beginning in late March, it is sometimes possible to take your kids to the parks in Gunnison (once the snow has melted). There is a large park on Hwy. 50 - Jorgensen Park - located near the Chamber of Commerce with a swing set, slides, etc. Meadows Park is located on Colorado St. behind City Market and Wal Mart and is good for toddlers.

Remember - it will be windy until the snow melts. Dress your children appropriately. As the snow thaws and the sun rises higher in the sky,
you can move up the valley to the park in CB South which now has a climbing wall.
Mountain Kids Magazine Online features maps of all the parks in Gunnison and Crested Butte.

Water

Water flowing from the snow melting
is enticing but dangerous. Vigilant supervision near rivers, lakes, and any water flowing from the snow melting is mandatory. Irrigation ditches may be dry one day and the next day flowing fast and deep with freezing cold water. They are extremely dangerous. Keep away at all times.

Helpful Websites

• Gunnison Tourism Association
  www.gunnisoncretedbutte.com
• Crested Butte Mountain Resort
  www.skicb.com

Second Language Assistance

• Multicultural Resource Center
  Ellen, 641-7999, 12 languages
  225 N. Pine St. Suite D, Gunnison
  o Sheriff Dispatch 641-8000, List of interpreters
• Gunnison Valley Hospital
  641-1456, List of medical interpreters

Assistance en Français

Si vous ne comprenez pas bien l'anglais, et vous avez besoin d'un traducteur, vous pouvez téléphoner un des numéros suivants pour une liste de gens qui peuvent vous servir d'interprète:

• Multicultural Resource Center (Le Centre de Ressources Multiculturelles)
  Ellen, 641-7999, 12 langues
  225 N. Pine St. Suite D, Gunnison
• Dispatch (L'expéditeur de la Police)
  641-8000, Liste d'interprètes
• Gunnison Valley Hospital (L'hôpital de Gunnison)
  641-1456, Liste d'interprètes en médecine

Vous devez dire en anglais: "I don't speak English. I need a French interpreter."

Asistencia en Espanol

Si no comprenden bien al inglés et ustedes necesitan un traductor, pueden llamar por teléfono a uno de los locales siguientes para una lista de intérpretes:

• Multicultural Resource Center (El Centro de Recursos Multiculturales)
  Ellen, 641-7999, 12 lenguajes
  225 N. Pine St. Suite D, Gunnison
• Dispatch (El Expedidor de la Policía)
  641-8000, Lista de intérpretes
• Gunnison Valley Hospital (El Hospital de Gunnison) 641-1456, Lista de intérpretes en medicina

Deben decir en inglés: "I don't speak English. I need a Spanish interpreter."

Deutsche Beistand

Nennen Sie bitte die Telefonnummern unten, wenn sie hilfe mit der übersetzung brauchen:

• Multicultural Resource Center (Multikulturelles Quellenzentrum)
  Ellen, 641-7999, 12 Sprache
  225 N. Pine St. Suite D, Gunnison
• Dispatch (Sheriff-Absendung)
  641-8000, Dolmetscher sind auf abruf und verfugbar nötigenfalls
• Gunnison Valley Hospital (Gunnison Valley Krankenhaus) 641-1456, Medezinische Dolmetscher sind auf abruf und verfugbar nötigenfalls

Ich spreche kein Englisch. Ich brauche einen deutschen sprechenden Dolmetscher. "I don't speak English. I need a German interpreter."