There comes a time every spring when I’m ready to trade my ski boots for a pair of sandals. But, before I do, I cram in a few more trips to the High Country to get my fill of powder play (snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, oh my!) before it all melts away. This year, though, the snow is less of a draw than a certain pizza joint: Crested Butte’s Secret Stash.

Earlier this season, my husband and I headed to the mountain town to check out its famed 55-kilometers of groomed cross-country ski trails. After a day of punishing ourselves into shape, we needed an extreme dose of energy-replenishing carbohydrates. The answer? Pizza, of course.

We’d heard rave reviews about Secret Stash, an eatery that opened in 2002 and is part Tiki bar and part Grateful Dead emporium. The pie menu is eclectic, with options like the New Potato Caboose with potatoes, bacon, green onions, and sour cream. We ordered the Figalicious pie (pictured; figs, blue cheese, and pancetta).

And while I was leery about blue cheese on a pizza—with no sauce!—we couldn’t stop eating the slightly tangy concoction. The figs’ sweetness balanced out the saltiness of the pancetta. The crust was chewy but thin enough to really let the toppings show off.

We ate the whole thing right there and then. I like to think it was because we were so hungry from our workout but, really, we just couldn’t stop. Hours later, when we were tucked into a cozy hotel room during a storm, I considered warming up the car, heading back to town, and ordering another pie. I’m still thinking about it, even though I’m more than 200 miles away.

21 Elk Ave., Crested Butte, 970-349-6245

Follow senior editor Natasha Gardner on Twitter at @natashajgardner or on Pinterest.

Natasha Gardner
Natasha Gardner
Natasha Gardner is a Denver-based writer and the former Articles Editor for 5280.