11:30 am, Apr 19, 2013
In spite of this week's strange snowstorms, the generally warmer, longer days of late indicate summer's return. But what really signals the beginning of summer for us is the return of farmers market season. Here, four Front Range markets that will keep your kitchen stocked with local and organic ingredients until autumn.Boulder: Vendors...
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9:07 am, Apr 16, 2013
Why we love it: Panoramic views of the Front Range, but very close to Boulder. When to go: Anytime—there isn't a bad time of the year to tackle this trek. *** In 1859, Marshall Mesa—5.5 miles south of downtown Boulder—was the site of Colorado Territory’s first coal discovery. The town of Marshall was a rough-and-tumble mining town bigger...
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2:57 pm, Apr 12, 2013
Arapahoe Basin’s Save Our Snow Celebration is made for Coloradans: Powderhounds, environmentalists, and music-lovers alike will appreciate its earth-friendly focus. On Saturday, the resort's base will be transformed into “Green Village," an educational hub set up by sustainability-focused businesses and organizations in the local community. (...
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11:10 am, Apr 3, 2013
This past Sunday, I did something I haven’t done in 15 years: I went to church on Easter. Well, to be fair, it wasn’t church. It was Red Rocks—the 66th annual Easter Sunrise Service at Red Rocks. I’m not exactly religious, but when a group of friends decided to plan the outing, I figured it was one of those things that every Denverite should...
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4:55 pm, Mar 27, 2013
Why we love it: Amazing powder. Backcountry peacefulness. The challenge. The camaraderie. The cold beer. The nachos. The tradition.When to go: Shoot for February or March after a big snowfall and when there’s a considerable base. Avoid early and late season. Without the proper coverage, the trail could be a nightmare of exposed rock,...
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10:00 am, Mar 27, 2013
What if just 15 minutes of your time could help scientists study wildlife, the ocean floor, or climate change? Well you're in luck, because citizen science projects harness the power of everyday folks to collect data for researchers who are trying to understand the natural world. And since Coloradans are known for being an outdoorsy bunch, we are...
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3:59 pm, Mar 26, 2013
I was intimidated. OK, I was frightened as I walked into Woodward at Copper’s 19,400-foot “Barn” facility. The indoor ski and snowboard training facility’s trampolines, foam pits, and a 60-foot-tall sheer ski run (it looked like a vertical drop from below) were enough to scare this 36-year-old skier: I’d never jumped on skis. “It’s actually only...
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9:22 am, Mar 26, 2013
Why we love it: Like yoga, slacklining helps balance, muscle rehabilitation, spiritual recovery, stress, and posture. When to go: Whenever you find yourself between two anchor points. ***I was walking Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro last spring, when I saw three cariocas had strung a flat rope between two palm trees and were trying...
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9:00 am, Mar 19, 2013
Why we love it: It is a history lesson and a get-out-of-the-house opportunity in one. When to go: Go during mud season when much of the High Country is just too soaked for solid hiking. This trek is more likely to have dried up early in the season. (Throw your Yaktraxs in your CamelBak backpack, just in case.) ***You can’t blame a fellow...
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5:50 pm, Mar 13, 2013
Ever wonder what goes on inside an eagle nest? Well, now you can see for yourself. Two bald eagles are nesting at Xcel Energy’s St. Vrain station in Platteville, and the company set up a nest cam to let viewers watch the birds incubate eggs and raise their chicks.Eagles have nested at the massive 6 foot-wide and 5 foot-deep nest for several years...
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3:30 pm, Mar 13, 2013
Good news, hikers and bikers: The Colorado Trail is about to get even more epic. As is, the 486-mile recreational paradise stretches from Denver to Durango (at elevations up to 13,271 feet) through the peaks, valleys, and stunning mountain passes of six wilderness areas and eight mountain ranges. It shares 234 miles with the Continental Divide...
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10:45 am, Mar 11, 2013
Last month, we wrote about adventurers who kayaked the entire length of the Colorado River, from Wyoming to the Sea of Cortez and Mexico, for Colorado College’s State of the Rockies Project. The team was hired a second time to pursue a more research-intensive kayaking mission that would raise awareness of the precarious state of the river. You can...
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3:00 pm, Mar 6, 2013
It's not often that you reach the top of a climb amid one of Colorado's spectacular national parks, stare out upon a beautiful vista, and hear the cha-ching of money. In fact, for many, roaming the Centennial State's exquisite parks is a form of escapism—a way to forget about such things as dollars and cents. And yet, in addition to...
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10:02 am, Mar 4, 2013
If you’ve ever stayed at the Sonnenalp in Vail, then we can safely assume two things about you: You have exquisite taste, and you’re over 55 years old. This Bavarian-themed hotel and spa is a gem in so many ways. From the minute you walk though its doors, the service-oriented staff makes you feel fantastic. It’s family-run, which gives it a warmer...
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11:32 am, Mar 1, 2013
In the back room of Shredder Kids Play & Ski Gym, 10-year-old Felix Hardy bounces on a trampoline with a foam snowboard strapped to his feet. The prop doesn’t look or feel anything like an actual board, but that’s not the point. “Felix is learning air sense awareness,” says his instructor, Palmer Hoyt, head coach of the University of Colorado...
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