Turning 30 has had me thinking all of the things I’d like to experience and try in life! Having embarked on a new decade, I decided it was time to take my love of trying new things to a whole new level! Hence snowmobiling!!! I can’t remember where I saw snowmobiling, but when I saw it I thought, “yep that’s what I’m going to do!” The Google search began and I landed on a snowmobiling center 4 hours away in Crested Butte. Although I grew up in Colorado, I had never been to Crested Butte (at least not that I can remember) and this presented the opportunity, not only to travel to a new place (which is another goal of mine), but to explore my Colorado backyard. It’s truly sad how we can take for granted the places we live/lived. No matter what state or country you grew up in, my advice is to always explore what’s around you. With exploration, comes a new sense of appreciation for your city/town/state. Not to mention, it’s a lot less expensive than flying somewhere.
Arriving in Gunnison
I called up some of my friends/family and told them a few weeks in advance so that way we could all budget and quarantine before going on this little adventure. My friends and I headed out to the mountains Friday night after work. I had a class for grad school so they all listened in on my class while we drove to Gunnison. One thing I love about driving somewhere (4 hrs or less lol) with friends is that it’s an opportunity for deep conversation, brainstorming and advice on how to enrich our lives. It’s one of those simple things that just make your heart melt.
We arrived at our Airbnb and immediately felt right at home. My sister found the place and it’s a new-build, barely a year old (finished February 2020). My sister and one of my friends are very into interior design and we’re very impressed with the fixtures and the style of the home. It had modern appliances, heated floors and gorgeous light fixtures. I’ve personally named it the Modern Mountain Home. I’ve linked the Airbnb here so that you can check it out yourself!
The Morning of:
Also if this is your first time using Airbnb, you can use my referral link and can get a discount off your first booking!
Saturday morning we woke up to the smell of coffee and the sound of acai bowls being blended. After relaxing, thinking and reading, it was time to get ready for snowmobiling. The drive from Gunnison to Crested Butte is about 30-35 minutes with gorgeous views along the way. We arrived in Crested Butte at the base of the ski resort, which is where you check in to get your helmet and other necessary gear for snowmobiling (helmet, Snow boots, goggles etc.). Action Sports is taking the necessary precautions to prevent the spread of covid-19 by only allowing one family in the office at a time, masks are required, and they sanitize all of the equipment and gear after each use. Not only are they practicing COVID-19 precautions, but they equip you with a tracking device, should an avalanche occur, they are able to find you.
After getting fitted for boots and a helmet, there’s about a 15 minute drive from the ski resort to the beginning of the snowmobile tour. Once we arrived at the head of the trail, snow was falling and you could see the snowmobiles backdropped with the snow capped evergreens on the mountain ahead. We met our tour guide Bobby and he gave us a set of instructions and we were on our way. I did advise. There are two types of tours that you can do: one is the self-guided tour where you drive on your own and figure out your own trails. The other is with a tour guide. I recommend going with a tour guide because they know of more trails with scenic views and the best spot for pictures. Our guide took us to an open field and we were able to freely ride around. This was hands down one of my favorite activities I’ve ever tried. I usually get you don’t need to be an adrenaline junkie to enjoy it.
We snowmobiled for 2 hours and our guide led us through different trails with surreal terrain and views.
Snowmobiling FAQ’s:
- How cold was it?
- Pretty Cold! Especially if you’re a passenger. Make sure you bundle up. (See what I wore below). If you’re a driver, the snowmobile handles can be warm but still bundle up. Snow pants and snow boots are a huge help!
- How much does it cost? It is definitely on the more expensive side so make sure you save up/budget. (Prices subject to change due to company prices)
- Guided Tour: Riding doubles ~ $140/ per person
- Guided Tour: For singles ~ $170/ per person
- The self-guided tour is less expensive but not by much.
- How early should we arrive?
- About an hour early to the office. Consider the time it takes for you to get fitted for your gear and the tracker, and driving to the snowmobile path.
- How big of a group can you have?
- It depends, I’d definitely call a few weeks in advance for groups larger than 6 (3 doubles) or if you have more than 3 singles as they need to make sure they can account for enough snowmobiles for your party.
- You will also pay 1/2 the total price on the day you confirm.
- Everything you need for Snowmobiling (Also at the bottom of this post is everything I wore):
- Winter Gloves
- Snow pants or Ski Bib/Overalls
- Winter Coat
- Snow Boots (You can also rent for additional cost)
- Long Johns or Thermal Underwear ( I use Heat Tech by Uniqlo)
- DOT Approved Helmet (provided by Snowmobiling Center)
- Face Mask (I also love these by Everlane) or Ski Mask (I had a face mask but Ski Masks are warmer for covering head, mouth and neck.
- Ski Goggles (Can rent from the center for an additional cost)
- How old do you need to be to drive?
- 16
- Does Crested Butte have a lot of things open? Restaurants, things to do etc.?
- Due to COVID there are a few things open for outdoor seating. Definitely check the COVID guidelines. I recommend doing outdoor activities and getting take out so that you stay safe and keep others safe. It was also nice making meals in our AirBnb.
- Can children go snowmobiling?
- Yes! We had my little cousin with us who was 4 years old. She loved it so much she fell asleep on the ride! HA! Just make sure they’re super bundled up. The children will ride in the front.
If you want to go extremely fast, then you can choose to leave the kids at home.
- Yes! We had my little cousin with us who was 4 years old. She loved it so much she fell asleep on the ride! HA! Just make sure they’re super bundled up. The children will ride in the front.
- What company did you go with?
- We went with a company called Action Adventures. They’re located in Crested Butte. You check-in, sign waivers, and get your gear at the office in the ski-town of Crested Butte and then drive up to the snowmobiling trail head which is about 15 minutes away.
WHAT I WORE
Thank you for following along on this journey! I hope you will be able to take your friends and family on this adventure. Let me know how your snowmobiling experience goes in the comments!
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