Club
Med Crested Butte, Colorado Rockies
By Odyll Santos
With
bathing suit season not far away, vacationers can frolic
for one more
month amid the Colorado Rockies, enjoying the last of
the snow that
had attracted avid skiers and snowboarders. At Crested
Butte, the powder,
the slopes and the camaraderie made it seem like wintertime
bliss
would never end, with snow season lasting through April.
This
was mid-January at Club Med Crested Butte, a ski village
at the base of the Silver Queen and Keystone mountains,
where everyone, individuals and families, is encouraged
to simply indulge. Ski instructors greeted guests arriving
near midnight, singing, clapping and urging us to get
ready for the fun. It was an invitation to do more than
sit back and relax during a vacation. There were opportunities
for serious adventure here.
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It's
all part of Club Med's drive to persuade vacationers to
experience its vast playground. The economic downturn
and the September 11 terrorist attacks hit Club Med as
it did other tourism related groups, but it's fighting
back. The global tourism company, which has beach and
ski resorts in 40 countries, hopes to inspire people to
live life to the fullest. The key phrase is “Wanna
play," and it's silently asked of everyone who arrives
at Crested Butte. Wanna play? Then get ready to meet the
challenge of the mountains.
So
it was that the next day, the slopes were filled. Longtime
skiers raced down the mountain with glee. Women bonded
with each other in a special ski clinic led by World Extreme
Skiing champion Kim Reichhelm. Teenagers fresh from snowboarding
lessons were eager to show off.
Even those who've never skied before can comfortably hit
the slopes. First-timers learn to slide. Fast learners
are persuaded to ride the lift up the mountain in a day
or so. Club Med Chairman and Chief Executive Philippe
Bourguignon, who flew to Colorado from Paris for this
"Wanna Play" weekend, said novice skiers find
slopes that are easy to tackle as they hone their skiing
skills. "This is the best place to learn, he said.
But
adventure also applies to other activities. If you wanted
something different, you found it in several excursions.
Never mushed with the best of 'em? Dog-sledding with Alaskan
huskies in the forest will give you the opportunity. Feel
the urge to ride high and explore the backcountry? Go
on horseback to Powder Ranch and head up through the snow
to the log cabin. If something a little tamer is more
your idea, there's always a sleigh ride around the Victorian
mining town of Crested Butte.
Naturally,
Club Med offers guests gourmet meals and entertainment,
from shows produced by the resort's dedicated managers
and organizers to performances by visiting acrobatic groups.
My weekend there featured extensive buffets, with attractions
like seared sesame-crusted tuna with ponzu sauce, lamb
chops, wild boar stew and buffalo steak. On one night,
we were impressed by a European group called Les Farfadais,
their musical acrobatics reminiscent of performances by
the famed Cirque du Soleil.
But
there's no doubt that activity is the main focus here.
Other Great
Links:
Club
Med Crested Butte, Colorado Rockies
A
Snowmobiler's Story