Irwin, CO – After eight years in hibernation, snowcat skiing and riding is returning to Irwin, near Crest Butte, this winter as the former Irwin Lodge operation is being reborn as CS Irwin.nCS Irwin will operate two custom snow cats this winter, transporting 10 guests a day in comfort and style. Participants will meet daily at the company’s Belleview Avenue location in Crested Butte for a light breakfast and fitting of custom Wagner skis before boarding the “Tucker” at 7:45 a.m. for the 40-minute ride to Irwin, made ultra-comfortable with leather seats, large picture windows, a large flat-screen TV and a surround-sound stereo system.

“No other snow cat or heli-skiing guests have the luxury of being picked up in a first-class snowcat and returned to the town where they are staying,” says Director of Operations, Alan Bernholtz, a former mayor of Crested Butte. “Last winter, Irwin received more than 525 inches of snow, beating every ski resort in the state by more than 90 inches.”

Upon reaching the restored Movie Cabin in Irwin (built in 1979 for the filming of “Mountain Family Robinson”) and receiving a safety overview, guests transfer into an equally luxurious high-speed Prinoth Bison cat with custom cabin that takes them on eight to 12 runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. CS Irwin’s terrain spans more than 1,000 acres of private property and Gunnison National Forest, and can accommodate anyone who can ski or ride at least an intermediate slope. A gourmet lunch is served midday in the Movie Cabin.

The first Tuesday of every month, CS Irwin features cat skiing with freeskiing legend Wendy Fisher. The season will run from Dec. 15, 2010–Apr. 30, 2011.
For more information visit www.csirwin.com.

The first-ever CS Irwin Randonnee Race, part of the COSMIC (Colorado Ski Mountaineering Cup) series, will be held on Dec. 11 at 10 a.m. The course will include 5,000 vertical feet of climbing in the race class and less in the recreational class, with divisions for men and women.

Registration costs $50 (includes pizza and beer at the Brick Oven) and is limited to 50 racers for this first year. Racers must get to Irwin on their own by snowmobile, skis or snow cat (a $40 round-trip ride is available to the first 23 who request it). Register at www.csirwin.zapevent.com and call (970) 209-5803 for information.