27 Reasons to Love Colorado in the Summer

Everyone knows about our famously beautiful winters, but Coloradans know that our summers are equally stunning—and, dare we say it, maybe just a little bit sweeter.

No. 11

Because no one else's skin has seen the sun in months either
Hey, it's been cold since mid-October 2009. It's not your fault that your belly is blindingly white or that you can actually trace blue veins down your arms and legs. Embrace your pallor with these trappings of summer.

• Tissue-paper-thin T-shirts
  from Stylewarrior; www.stylewarrior.com
• Sundresses
  from A-Line; www.aline-online.com
• Sandals
  from True Love Shoes & Accessories; www.trueloveshoes.com
• Men's shorts and shirts
  from Weekends; www.weekendsboulder.com
• Swimsuits
  from Ahlivv; www.ahlivv.com

No. 12

Because afternoon thunderstorms always catch you off-guard, even though you know perfectly well they're coming
{ ESSAY } A few summers ago we went camping by a lake just outside of Rollinsville—my husband and me, and another couple and their dog. We arrived at the campsite and pulled out the rods for some fly-fishing. More correctly, the three of them fly-fished; I caught tree branches on the bank and cursed. As a bluebird morning stretched into afternoon, we missed (or, more accurately, ignored) the signs of a changing weather pattern: cool bursts of wind, gunmetal-black clouds creeping eastward, the humid smell of rain. The dog was doing a let's-get-the-hell-out-of-here dance; we were thigh-deep in lake water, hoping to pull in a shiny brown. ❖ Of course, that's usually the plotline of a good old-fashioned Colorado rainstorm story. You disregard the signs and plug onward. I'm gonna catch just one more fish. Ten more minutes on this trail, then we'll turn back. Let's just ride over that last ridge. We can totally summit before that front gets here. If you've lived here for even a short time, you already know the end of the tale. An afternoon thunderstorm is inevitable; it's part of the rhythm of life. And unless you have a tent, car, or building to dive under, crouch beneath, or duck into, you're going to get wet. Real wet. ❖ Out at the lake that summer, it ended like it always does: the four of us sprinting to the tents, half-laughing, half-screaming, while bomber raindrops and hail the size of nickels pelted our backs. We wiggled out of our neoprene waders (no easy feat) and into our tents, but it was too late—we were soaked down to our skivvies. But within 15 minutes, the sun was out and our foursome was headed back to the lake to find that fish that got away. —Cheryl Meyers

No. 13

Because there's always another trail to hike, another mountain to climb
The great mountaineer George Mallory once said he wanted to climb Mt. Everest "because it's there." Seems like most Coloradans agree. Our foothills and Flatirons and thirteeners and fourteeners may not reach the lofty heights of the Himalaya, but we still clamber up them—mostly in the summer months—for the sheer glory of doing so.

• Mt. Sherman: At 14,036 feet, Mt. Sherman is one of the easiest fourteeners in the state. Located just 10 miles west of Fairplay, this five-mile (round-trip) hiking trail sees quite a bit of traffic on Saturday and Sunday. Make a weekend of it by camping near Breckenridge the night before, driving to the trailhead in the early morning, summiting by early afternoon, and then having a late lunch in Fairplay.
• La Plata Peak: Camp at the base of this 14,336-foot monster before scaling its Northwest Ridge route, a 9.5-mile (round-trip) scramble. The first part of the hike is relatively easy, but switchbacks, loose scree, and a steep ridge make the end a real thigh-burner.
• Royal Arch: An oldie but a goodie, this short (3.5 miles round-trip), brutal hike begins in Boulder's Chautauqua Park and winds its way up toward the Flatirons through narrow scree fields, multiple switchbacks, and shaded pine forests to a false summit called Sentinel Pass. Here, the trail turns left for the final approach to Royal Arch, a 20-foot rock archway that frames downtown Boulder.
• Chief Mountain: This moderate out-and-back trail (three miles round-trip) meanders through spruce and fir forests before topping out above treeline into alpine tundra. The blown-open vistas at trail's end offer views of the Bear Creek Basin, including Mt. Evans, Mt. Goliath, and Rogers Peak.
• Bear Peak: There are a few ways to approach the second-highest peak in Boulder, but we recommend Bear Canyon, which is the more gradual, although longer, route. At about nine miles round-trip, the hike should take about six hours if you're moving at a decent clip. Trees shade the path, and you'll skip across creek beds every now and again. The last leg is a cardio nightmare, but the views of Boulder, Denver, and the Divide are worth the huffing and puffing.

No. 14

Because concerts sound better on the Rocks
It's little wonder that Colorado's most sacred music venue was once called the Garden of Angels—after all, Red Rocks Amphitheatre's heavenly acoustics make even the most earthbound voices sound like they're channeling a higher power. But when experienced musicians and superior vocalists take the stage between Ship Rock and Creation Rock—the 300-foot monoliths that create the walls of the venue—magic happens.

A Sampling of Red Rocks 2010 Concerts

• Crosby, Stills & Nash June 2
• Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers with Joe Cocker June 1, 3
• Big Head Todd & the Monsters June 5
• Sting June 9
• John Denver—The Tribute/Roy Rivers June 19
• Widespread Panic June 25, 26, 27
• Blues Traveler July 4
• Gipsy Kings July 9
• Barenaked Ladies July 12
• String Cheese Incident July 23, 24, 25
• Michael Franti & Spearhead July 31

No. 15

Because the arts community comes alive
Denver's art scene is a far cry from the highfalutin cultural centers of the coasts. Most Denver-area galleries—eminently accessible and welcoming—are open throughout the year, but the crowds mobilize during the warm months and enjoy walking from one artsy hotspot to the next.

• Santa Fe First Friday Art Walk
  first Friday of every month year-round; 6 to 9 p.m. Santa Fe Drive between Fifth and 10th avenues; www.artdistrictonsantafe.com Don't Miss: Surreal landscape paintings at Brianna Martray Fine Art; vibrant abstract paintings at the C.C. Opiela Gallery; photography from Gina Burg, Jack Acrey, Michael Anderson, and others at Reed Photo-Art Gallery
• Cherry Creek Arts Festival
  July 3 & 4, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; July 5, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Cherry Creek North; www.cherryarts.org Don't Miss: Alan Klug travel photography featuring scenes from Italy, Greece, and France; Loretta Petraitis postindustrial cityscape acrylic paintings; Jeffrey Zachmann's kinetic sculptures and moving metalworks
• Summer Art Market
  June 12 & 13; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Art Students League of Denver, intersection of Second Street and Grant Avenue; www.asld.org Don't Miss: Original art from more than 250 local artists—some of them first-time exhibitors
• Tennyson Street Art Walk and Stroll
  first Friday of every month year-round; 6 to 10 p.m. Tennyson Street between 39th and 44th avenues; www.denverartwalk.squarespace.com Don't Miss: Small canvases at Now ArtSpace; mini-botanical paintings and large landscapes by Kelly Schurger at KMS Studios; sculpted vases and jewelry at Shack Man Glass Studio