If you’re searching for the spirit of the old west, you’ll find it at every turn in Crested Butte, Colorado. This historic mining town of about 1,500 residents is a year-round destination for outdoor lovers, history buffs and travelers seeking uncommon destinations. Crested Butte is unlike most of Colorado’s ski towns; as you explore local … Read more
Beyond the sleepy hamlet of Lake City, pavement ends and the forest road I follow turns to dirt. Mountains define our state and provide its identity. Within Colorado’s rectangular borders, the Rockies thrust their highest summits. Peaks form backdrops for our cities, provide venues for our recreation, control our weather, capture our water and furnish … Read more
Park Hyatt Beaver Creek Resort and Spa is as close as one can stay to Beaver Creek Ski Resort. In fact, the ski lift is just outside the door where the ski valet hands guests pre-warmed boots. Upon entering the 190-room hotel, guests find themselves in the Antler Hall, a large gathering place with fireplaces, … Read more
At resorts and ski areas in Colorado, and across the country, lift operators make the chairs go ‘round. So don’t duck the ropes and don’t grumble when they ask for your pass on an icy day. Just smile, help your kids on the lift and be happy that you don’t have to hike up the … Read more
Smile! It’s springtime in the Rockies, when snow is deep, temperatures are mild, days last longer and sun shines stronger. Best of all, you can sleep in while the snow softens to a cushy carpet and ski or ride later into the afternoon. Colorado resorts celebrate spring with an alpine version of the backyard party. … Read more
About a dozen skiers stood on top of Gold Hill Ridge at Telluride Ski Resort on a brisk December weekday. We stamped our feet and huffed into our mittens while gaping at the expansive scene: a series of 13,000- and 14,000-foot peaks set against a light azure sky. But we weren’t thinking of the view. … Read more
What to do when friends or relatives come to visit? Here is where Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper takes his guests when they come to town. goColorado What is your favorite bar or night spot? John Hickenlooper The Bluebird Theatre is an opportunity to experience great music in a locally owned venue that’s in the center … Read more
In 1965, Sherman Poppen bolted two skis together to make a snow-riding surfboard for his daughter. Dubbed a “Snurfer,” the design achieved instant popularity, and a manufacturer sold more than a half million of them the next year. The new winter sport it sired soon evolved into what we now call snowboarding. Early snowboards were … Read more
“Yah, yah, yah, yah” robustly sings the lively—but not rowdy—crowd gathered around an oom pah band during Vail’s Oktoberfest. Robust smells of grilled bratwurst and spit-roasted pork blend with lively strains of Bavarian music, while visitors dance to the lively beat on the Vail streets. Vail is a famous ski destination in the winter, but … Read more
A rich blue sky envelops me. Sun streams onto my face. The air holds still and clear. Nothing invades my space — no trees, no structures and no people — just the sky and pristine snow, soft under my ski boots and thick on mountains as far as I can see. I’m on top of … Read more