It's evident driving up to the ski area the snow gods have been good to this former mining town. More than 17 feet of snow has fallen on the slopes and in the town, less than two months into the season. You can hardly see the houses for the snow piled high in the old town of Crested Butte. Elk Avenue is where you'll find all the shops and restaurants, but if you venture off a block or two, you'll be amazed residents can even find their front door. Conditions are stellar on the mountain. The powder is plentiful, the groomers are doing their job to provide perfect corduroy cruisers, and the steeps are fat and fluffy with snow. Crested Butte has plenty of easy and intermediate runs. They also specialize in double black diamond, extreme terrain along cliffs and chutes. These runs are very clearly marked, and if you are hesitant at all, don't go there. We took a trip up the High Lift T-Bar and I instantly regretted learning how steep Paradise Cliffs and Big Chute really are. These runs are easily avoidable, though, with plenty of options available at Crested Butte. Access to the mountain is easy from many of the lodges along the base area. We stayed at the Grand Lodge and it was an easy walk to the Adventure Center, which is the new name for the Ticket Office. Make sure you bundle up, as temperatures dip low this time of year in Crested Butte and especially in Gunnison. This is the norm. The good thing is not many are hearty enough to tackle these frigid temperatures, so there were no lift lines, and the slopes were empty on the Sunday morning I skied.