Telluride vs Crested Butte
One calibrated, SNOTEL-backed look at snowfall, forecast accuracy, and access — so you know which to ski.
Telluride
CO · 13,150 ft
pending
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 accuracy grade | Pending limited verified storms | F 100% overpredict |
| Calibrated season snowfall | 8" 18 storms | 1" 16 storms |
| Avg storm-day rate | 0.4"/day | 0.1"/day |
| Best storm | 39/100 Tracked | 13/100 Tracked |
| Verified storms | 143 SNOTEL-verified | 170 SNOTEL-verified |
| Community reports | 151 TGR posts | 109 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 and NWS grades come from the same SNOTEL-verified data on each resort's own page. Blank or “pending” cells mean the data is still being verified — we never fill them with estimates.
The Verdict
Crested Butte carries a verified NWS accuracy grade of F; Telluride's grade is pending on limited verified storms.
Telluride got more snow this season — 8" of calibrated snowfall versus 1" at Crested Butte. Telluride also averaged 0.4"/storm-day.
Telluride is the easier trip — about 0.25h from TEX (Telluride), versus 0.5h from GUC for Crested Butte.
Best for
Telluride — chasing the biggest totals — it out-snowed Crested Butte this season.
Best for
Crested Butte — Ikon pass holders who want calibrated numbers before booking.
Local Knowledge
TGR Community IntelTelluride
SW flow storms favor Telluride, Crested Butte, Monarch, and Wolf Creek over Front Range resorts.
Crested Butte
Crested Butte receives inconsistent snowfall from major storms due to geographic positioning between storm tracks.
FAQ
Does Telluride or Crested Butte get more snow?
Telluride got more snow this season — 8" of calibrated snowfall versus 1" at Crested Butte. Telluride also averaged 0.4"/storm-day.
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?
Crested Butte carries a verified NWS accuracy grade of F; Telluride's grade is pending on limited verified storms.
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