Nestled deep in the Gunnison Country in Colorado, Crested Butte is one of America's most stunning mountain resorts.

Originally a mining town at the end of the 19th century, Crested Butte still proudly maintains its 'Old West' feel, with the historic town centre lined with the charming facades of the last one hundred years.

Now more famous for its sublime skiing than its gold panning, the Colorado ski resort is typically American – big and impressive.

The Rocky Mountains span hundreds of miles across America's Mid-West, and have been a favoured destination for skiers the world over for many years.

Crested Butte itself revels in the 1,000 plus acres of perfect skiing terrain that surrounds the town – and with skiing and snowboarding the main industry in the town, visitors of all levels will enjoy the slopes.

However, with fifteen chair lifts servicing around 2,700 feet of mountain, Crested Butte offers some of the most extreme runs in America – attracting some of the best skiers in the world.

Although somewhat off the beaten track for many winter sports enthusiasts, the "Last Great Colorado Ski Town" is surprisingly easy to get to - just 28 miles from Gunnison Crested Butte Airport in the midst of the Elk Mountains.

The town's central historic area lies just three miles from the mountain, with free shuttle buses to and from the old west town to the slopes.

With 121 trails, Crested Butte offers plenty of opportunity for all, although many of the slopes are aimed at intermediate and advance-level skiers.

The superpipe is located at the top of the Forest Queen area, offering a 17 degree slope for the experienced enthusiast.

Crested Butte prides itself on catering for all holidaymakers, from the seasoned skier to the family in search of a fun, relaxing break.

On-mountain activities range from guided tours to a dinner buffet at 10,000 feet, whilst off-mountain activities include dog sled tours and horseback riding around the district.

Apres-ski – always a highlight of a day's skiing – is fully catered for in the resort, with over 35 different restaurants and 26 bars providing plenty of choice for the worn-out skier to relax or party the night away in.

Mexican, French, Asian, American, seafood and vegetarian menus are all available, along with an award winning pub complete with homemade draught beers.

The resort has only just opened for the winter season (November 19th) – much to the delight of skiing enthusiasts who began hurtling down the crisp clean snow as soon as possible.

Come December, the resort hosts the Jeep King of the Mountain Snowboard World Championships – generally considered the most prestigious professional snow racing series in the world.

Spectators pile in from all over the world to watch the experts contend head-to-head for a share of the $450,000 prize.

As the season commences, many lodges and accommodation will be booked up quickly, although there should be no shortage of rooms in the old town.

So whether it’s a relaxing holiday or a white-knuckle ravaging of the slopes you're after, Crested Butte and its olde worlde charm can deliver - attracting thousands of winter sports enthusiasts back year after year to the heart of the Colorado Rockies