Telluride vs Crested Butte
One clear look at snowfall, elevation, and access, so you know which to ski.
Telluride
CO · 13,150 ft
Crested Butte
CO · 12,162 ft
Side-by-Side
| Metric | Telluride | Crested Butte |
|---|---|---|
| Region | Colorado Southern CO | Colorado Southern CO |
| Summit elevation | 13,150 ft 8,725 ft base | 12,162 ft 9,375 ft base |
| NWS forecast bias | Pending grade pending | Pending grade pending |
| Season snowfall | 1" 3 storms | 1" 3 storms |
| Avg storm-day rate | 0.3"/day | 0.3"/day |
| Best storm | 38/100 Tracked | 10/100 Tracked |
| SNOTEL record | 3 storm-days measured | 3 storm-days measured |
| Community reports | 141 TGR posts | 64 TGR posts |
| Nearest airport | TEX | GUC |
| Drive time | 0.25h 6 mi · TEX | 0.5h 28 mi · GUC |
| Access difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Pass | Ikon | Ikon |
Snowfall totals come from each resort's tracked storms. NWS forecast grades read “pending” everywhere: six winters of checking found no per-mountain bias we can honestly correct, so we show the raw NWS number and do not grade it.
The Verdict
StormDrop shows the raw NWS forecast for both Telluride and Crested Butte and does not grade it. Six winters of NWS-against-SNOTEL checking found no per-mountain bias we can honestly correct (it turns on an unresolved snow-measurement question), so we show the number NWS publishes and tell you that is what it is.
Telluride and Crested Butte ran neck-and-neck this season, about 1" and 1" of snowfall respectively.
Telluride is the easier trip — about 0.25h from TEX (Telluride), versus 0.5h from GUC for Crested Butte.
Best for
Telluride — high-alpine, stays-cold terrain topping out at 13,150 ft.
Best for
Crested Butte — chasing the biggest totals — it out-snowed Telluride this season.
Local Knowledge
TGR Community IntelTelluride
Telluride receives significant precipitation from SW flow storms transitioning to NW flow; March storms can dump 16 inches overnight with difficult driving conditions.
Crested Butte
Expect 12"+ snowfall at resort elevation.
FAQ
Does Telluride or Crested Butte get more snow?
Telluride and Crested Butte ran neck-and-neck this season, about 1" and 1" of snowfall respectively.
Is Telluride or Crested Butte easier to get to?
Telluride is the easier trip — about 0.25h from TEX (Telluride), versus 0.5h from GUC for Crested Butte.
Which has the more accurate snow forecast, Telluride or Crested Butte?
StormDrop shows the raw NWS forecast for both Telluride and Crested Butte and does not grade it. Six winters of NWS-against-SNOTEL checking found no per-mountain bias we can honestly correct (it turns on an unresolved snow-measurement question), so we show the number NWS publishes and tell you that is what it is.
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