Taking the Kids: Back to Crested Butte where memories were made

Yes, it often requires a change of planes to get here, but that can be the case when heading to other larger snow resorts, too, and we've always loved the vibe -- the tiny historic town that is mostly on the Register of Historic Places; the friendly locals who unlike those in other ski towns genuinely welcome tourists.

(Check out the $99 companion-airfare deals into Gunnison, about 40 minutes from the mountain. This deal must be booked by calling Crested Butte Vacations at 1-844-262-2289. Also check out the Lift Ticket to Fly, providing one day of free skiing, a $107 value for adults, at Crested Butte Mountain Resort for each person on the air itinerary going through certain hub cities like Dallas and Chicago. Or check out the Gunnison Getaway package that includes lift tickets and lodging starting at $51 per person, per night.)

"This is a real community," says Wendy Fisher, the champion skier who gives private lessons and teaches in the "Wednesdays with Wendy" clinics twice a month. "We're very appreciative of outsiders coming to town and we embrace everyone," said Fisher, who serves as the mountain's ambassador and is raising her two snow-loving boys here.

Let's not forget a mountain that's not too big offers everything from beginner terrain to some of the most famous extreme terrain anywhere. Those who come in winter love the place so much they return for summer (the area is famous for its wildflowers, hiking and mountain biking.)

There is plenty of off-the-slope action -- snowshoeing (how about a moonlight snowshoe tour?), an Adventure Park at the base complete with bungee trampolines and a climbing wall, a zipline and even the chance to learn to drive a snow cat that grooms the ski slopes.

But as much as we loved the place, we hadn't been back in seven years until now and the memories hit me at every turn -- the junior extreme competitions when my heart stopped at the steep, rocky terrain my daughters were skiing; the Christmases and February breaks where the kids happily raced us down the mountains, their first time on an expert slope and, of course, that first year when Mel decided to stake a claim for her individuality.

The snowboarding, by the way, only lasted one season but Mel's love of snow sports has grown each year -- so much so that she's been spending the season working here, like many recent college graduates.

This trip we're back with Mel's older sister and extended family joining us from California and staying together in a condo.

That it's harder to get here, we agree, seems to add to the appeal. "The beginning of paradise," locals promise. My daughter certainly thinks so. Her job, in fact, is convincing callers to choose this resort.

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Read Eileen's Colorado trip diaries on www.takingthekids.com; Follow @takingthekids on Twitter and Facebook. If you're heading to Colorado with your kids, get Eileen's newest Kid's Guide to Denver, Boulder and Colorado's Ski Country.)