Go ahead Crested Butte, make my day

This field has a fearsome reputation, but don't let Crested Butte intimidate you, writes PETER MEECHAM. It's perfect for family holidays and skiers of all abilities.

It's hard to shake off a reputation - Clint Eastwood and Crested Butte ski area in Colorado are both testament to that. Said to be imposing, tough, and uncompromising, they are to be tangled with by only the most wily and brave.

So it was with a mixture of excitement and fear that I drove towards the Club Med ski resort at the foot of the mountain that is legendary in the skiing fraternity.

My self-doubt only intensified as we drove through the small and picturesque Victorian-era township of Crested Butte - which is just the sort of place you could imagine Eastwood as a high plains drifter seeking respite from a winter storm.

Only a few kilometres away, the rugged outline of the ski area mountain towered over the snow-covered valley, which was crisscrossed with wooden fences that kept in herds of cattle and horses. Coming over the hill we were greeted by the breathtaking site of the Club Med Hotel, standing at the foot of the lifts, which stretched up over the famous terrain of Mt Crested Butte.

As soon as we arrived in the palatial Club Med resort I realised that of course this couldn't be an expert-only domain. Family groups wandered through reception to large dining areas and children revelled in group activities organised by the staff.

After checking in, we dined in style in one of the adults-only restaurants, where parents can share an intimate evening away from the children if they wish. Retiring to my enormous room I spent a fitful night dreaming of the skiing to come and struggling with my breath in the thin dry air up here at 2800m.

Resisting the temptation to stuff myself with the sumptuous delights at the buffet breakfast turned out to be an inspired decision, as we spent the morning carving arcs behind the fabulous Anne Huber, a Club Med instructor who was brought from Switzerland for this, Club Med's first year here.

A quick tour of the beginner and intermediate slopes made me realise that the ski area has a good amount of terrain for the developing skier or boarder.

However, the real skiing at Crested Butte lies at the top of the 3600m mountain and over on the legendary North Face where, every year, some of the world's top freeskiers do battle in the US Extreme Skiing Champs, which were on the weekend we visited.

Huber took us down some of the gnarly 45-degree-plus slopes so we could witness these modern-day outlaws performing some stunning displays of smooth skiing mixed with unbelievable bravery as they pushed each other to the limit of the super-steep terrain.

Grungily dressed freeskiers with huge sideburns and duct tape holding their clothing together screaming encouragement to colleagues leaping off 18m cliffs wasn't what I envisaged when leaving Club Med that morning - but it will rate as one of the most memorable experiences I've had while skiing.

After a few more runs down through bumps the size of VWs and evenly spaced trees on steep slopes, we rested our weary legs in front of a raging open fire outside the hotel as the sun set over the mountain behind us.

That night we indulged in the magnificent food of the buffet family restaurant before taking in the Club Med show, put on by staff and which guests are encouraged to join. After singing myself hoarse and expending my supply of drink tickets (a strange Club Med phenomenon where you buy a book of tickets and give them to the bartender instead of cash) I retired to bed.

The next morning my thumping headache evaporated as we sliced through the falling snow - exploring more of the 470 skiable hectares of Crested Butte that the 14 lifts give access to.

The light powder swirled up around us as we bounced down through wide open slopes into glades of trees, trying to mimic the magic feet of Anne Huber and the smooth style of Thierry Piekar, our charming French guide who accompanied us from Club Med Australia.

After a fantastic day finding fresh tracks through the light powder that had settled, it was with a fair amount of disappointment that we drove away from the Mt Crested Butte.

Just as Eastwood's appeal has broadened as he gets older, Crested Butte also has matured into a fine place where you can take the whole family to enjoy great fun and skiing for all ages and abilities.

The children will be safe and supervised, whether skiing or not, and you can get on with having a real ski holiday.

And believe me, as soon as you look into the steely eyes of one of the freeskiers that frequent Crested Butte, you'll know that this mountain will never stop offering you challenges.

* Peter Meecham was a guest of Club Med.

skicb.com

Visit Crested Butte

Case Notes

WHAT TO TAKE: Apart from the usual clothing and equipment for skiing, consider taking medicines (particularly prescriptions), warm lounging clothing, casual clothing, swimsuit (for hot tub or pool), warm pair of winter boots/shoes, extra socks and gloves, sunscreen, sunglasses, lodging information/confirmation, backpack (helpful on long ski days).

PRICES: Depending on the time of year, prices a night at the Crested Butte resort range from $240 to $340 for adults. Children's prices (aged 4 to 11) are $192 to $272. Prices include accommodation, three meals a day with unlimited wine (sometimes beer and softdrinks), kids' club, ski passes and lessons. Airfares, transfers and ski equipment cost extra.

NEAREST AIRPORT: Gunnison Airport is 50 minutes from Crested Butte by car or shuttle.