By the light of the silvery full moon, snowshoe or ski with a Crested Butte Nordic Center guide along the Magic Meadows Trail to a cozy, secluded yurt, where dinner cooked by Crested Butte restaurant Maxwell’s is in its final stages of preparation. With few sounds but the crunchy snow and your own breath (which does get a bit labored), there is little to distract from the stunning alpine views. There are three Moonlight Dinners left for the season: Jan. 30, Feb. 28 and Mar. 30. Cost: $60, which includes trail pass, ski/snowshoe rental and meal; beer and wine extra ($30 kids under 12). Crested Butte Nordic Center, 620 Second St., 970-349-1707, . — Kyle Wagner
Stay: Built in 1919, the Elk Mountain Lodge is a delightful mix of old and new, with a grand piano in the cute sitting room and charmingly decorated bedrooms, many upstairs with views. It is two blocks from the shuttle to the ski area and only two blocks from town’s main drag, which makes it a bit off the beaten path and, thus, quiet. A hearty breakfast — with several cooked items — is included. Rates: Queen in season starts at $169.
129 Gothic Ave., 970-349-7533,
Dine: With dinner covered on the snowshoe tour and breakfast at the lodge, all you need is lunch — and that can be handled nicely at Pitas in Paradise, a small but friendly spot right on Elk Avenue in town. The menu sports many vegetarian and healthy options — if you’ve never had teriyaki tofu, this would be a good one to try — including the Thai bowl (spicy vegetable curry), but the gyro pita also is outstanding, and it’s worth it to save room for the baklava sundae.
212 Elk Ave., 970-349-0897,
Crested Butte is 229 miles southwest of Denver via Interstate 70 west to Colorado 470 west, then U.S. 285 south to Fairplay and Poncha Springs, then U.S. 50 west to Gunnison, then Colorado 135 north.
