9:40 am, Aug 8, 2012
When the weather turns cold, I head to Glenwood Springs. There's something deliciously decadent about soaking in those steamy, geothermal waters while there's snow on the ground. Plus, it's close to Aspen, one of my favorite hangouts. After banging myself up on the slopes (this North Carolinian hasn't quite perfected her snowboarding skills), I...
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3:50 pm, Aug 6, 2012
Olympian, World Champion, and Ironman triathlete Julie Dibens has eating down to a science. The rest of us, not so much. But traveling is the one variable that can muck things up for just about anyone. Long layovers, flights or desolate rest-stop restaurant choices can make it tough not to snack or justify a plate of chili fries. We asked the uber...
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11:15 am, Aug 2, 2012
Looking for a few last-minute day trips or weekend jaunts with the kids before school starts back? Pack up the car and head out on a real-life Jurassic Park adventure (minus the menacing T-Rex). Here are five spots where you can see some of the best-preserved, most extensive fossil collections in the country. 1. Dinosaur Ridge:...
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9:00 am, Aug 1, 2012
The Buckskin Pass trail, which winds between the Maroon Bells and Snowmass creek, is a favorite in the Aspen area. Leading up and down spectacular divides, and across the Four Pass Loop, this trail is easily accessible to both hikers and backpackers. But its popularity has taken a toll on the terrain, as erosion nibbles away at steep and...
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3:30 pm, Jul 31, 2012
Why we love it: The climb is just steep enough that you'll feel it in your calves the next day, but short enough that you can tackle it in the morning and spend the afternoon strolling around nearby Aspen. When to go: The parking lot fills up quickly, so head out around 8 a.m. You'll nab a parking spot, and the trail will be yours (with the...
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8:42 pm, Jul 26, 2012
Sunrise at Ice Lakes (near Silverton).
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1:00 pm, Jul 25, 2012
You may have noticed the new heart-shaped Colorado flag logo if you follow the Colorado Tourism Office on Twitter or Facebook. It's part of their new initiative, "Share the Love," to help boost the state's tourism after a fire-y summer.As part of the "Share the Love" campaign, several hotels, lodges, and parks across the state are...
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3:00 pm, Jul 24, 2012
You’d expect Coloradoans to get outside a lot, and some of us do. We head up to the mountains on the weekends, or log our daily runs on neighborhood paths. But all too often, washing the car or sanding the deck hijacks our hiking plans—and that’s a habit The North Face is trying to change by handing out free State Park passes and other goodies...
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11:00 am, Jul 23, 2012
I’m usually a one water-bottle bike ride kind of girl, which means the stakes are low, the climbs aren’t too high, and it’s a 15-minute rescue for my boyfriend if something breaks down (including me). So, when I was invited on a group bike trip that involved 150 miles of riding with 8,000 feet of climbing over the Continental Divide in two days—a...
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9:00 am, Jul 18, 2012
Before we were famous for ski resorts and microbrews, mining was Colorado's claim to fame. In fact, it's what originally brought most European settlers to the area. And it wasn't just prospectors who headed west in search of quick riches. Thousands of savvy businesspeople came with them to peddle everything from shoe shine to moonshine.When...
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10:40 am, Jul 17, 2012
Why we love it: We often miss out on the full glories of the night sky because we live in an urban center. Night hiking fixes that. When to go: At night, of course. Bring a friend and a flashlight to be safe, but on a full moon (the next one is August 1), you’ll have enough light to see your shadow on the trail. Set off about 30 minutes...
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10:30 am, Jul 13, 2012
For me, summer is sipping a cold drink while soaking up views of the water. Finding this nirvana can be difficult in landlocked Colorado but, recently, I found a tiny slice of heaven on Lake Dillon's marina. Pug Ryan’s Lakeside Tiki Bar isn’t much to look at. A large wooden deck with umbrella-covered tables attaches to a small gray...
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10:40 am, Jul 12, 2012
In Colorado, it is easy to stop as soon as you see the biggest peak and proclaim, "I'll do that one." The same notion ran through my mind the first time I saw Winter Park's Trestle Bike Park (read my story about it in the July issue). What I didn't know was that just a few minutes up the road lay this hidden gem of a downhill park...
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1:15 pm, Jul 11, 2012
Take a look at most adventurers' bucket lists, and you'll probably find hot air ballooning high on the list (pun intended). I'd crossed it off mine a few years ago on a gorgeous flight over the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia. Recently, when one of my besties came to Colorado to celebrate his 40th birthday, we decided to give it another go....
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9:38 am, Jul 11, 2012
Everything about a bike is personal. The height of your seat, the texture of your handlebars, the distance from your right foot to the pedal. So can you really get comfortable on a resort rental? The folks at Solaris Residences in Vail have implemented a new program that will allow you to enjoy your vacation on your own custom set of wheels—...
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