BLISTER Moves to the Gunnison Valley

BLISTER, one of the most trusted review publications in the outdoor sports industry, has revealed its relocation to Crested Butte and the Gunnison Valley in its 18/19 Winter Buyer’s Guide.

We started talking to BLISTER’s founder, Jonathan Ellsworth, in the spring of 2018. He was starting to eye a new home. We were excited about the opportunity to recruit him and his team to the Gunnison Valley. Conversations began in earnest.

Our pitch was simple: we are the very best location in the Rocky Mountains to test gear. We have more miles and a greater variety of mountain bike trails than any other valley in the Rockies. Our ski mountain has some of the best inbounds steep terrain in the lower 48, but it’s also known for being rocky and tough on equipment. Our mountain may put a hurting on your skis, but that high degree of challenge is critical to really put a ski or snowboard through its paces properly and test its durability. The guys from ROMP Skis agree!

We also offer access to hundreds of miles of trail running routes, sport and trad climbing, and a lot of Colorado’s best fishing. Crested Butte is the Nordic Ski Capital of Colorado and home of the Fat Bike World Championships. We’re obsessed with playing outside and doing it at the highest level and we take our equipment very seriously. His staff will fit right in and he’ll be able to hire some great local talent as his business grows.

After a couple of months of conversations and introductions, Jonathan was ready to take the plunge and make it official. We’re thrilled to have him here as he and his team are poised to take BLISTER to the next level. We look forward to working together on many projects to stimulate positive change in the Gunnison Valley.