SubscribeCurrent Magazine Cover

Reasons to Love Denver

5280 December 2012

Searching for Home from the Back of a Horse

Love and longing in the rugged landscape of the West.

2012 Holiday Gift Guide

From the latest gadgets to gorgeous fashion finds to whimsical toys for the kids, we’ve got the perfect present for everyone on your list this year.

Reasons to Love Denver

Beneath the Surface

The United States holds enough oil and gas to power the country for hundreds of years, and Colorado is at the center of the search for energy resources. Using a controversial process called hydraulic fracturing—better known as fracking—and new drilling techniques, oil and gas companies are able to extract these previously inaccessible fossil fuels. These technologies may be the biggest step yet toward securing our energy independence. But at what cost?

Jeanne Assam is Still Waiting

Five years ago this month Jeanne Assam shot a gunman at New Life Church in Colorado Springs and saved countless lives. She was called a national hero and lauded by President George W. Bush. It looked as if her life would change forever. But before Assam could move forward, she first had to confront herself.

An Angel Silenced

Sixty-five years after her death, Emily Griffith’s legacy still influences Denver.

Beyond the Ropes

Poaching fresh powder in Jackson Hole Mountain Resort’s famous backcountry.

What’s In A Name?

Speeding down groomers or carving through powder, we follow trail after trail on our way to the bottom of the mountain. But where did the runs get their names? In honor of Vail Mountain’s 50th anniversary, we took a look at the origins of some of the resort’s 193 trails.

When Dreams Come True

Strange Designs

Weirder is better at Moxie Sozo. 

Naughty List

Getting coal in my stocking was a lesson I didn’t know I needed. 

Shoe-In

Specialty Brand

A self-described Telluride ski bum builds custom skis.

The Doctor Is (Always) In

Direct primary care, an innovative health-care model, gains a foothold in Colorado.

In The Bag

Got Snow?

Predicting the weather is an elusive skill and often a thankless job. But Boulderite Joel Gratz has a reputation for delivering accurate forecasts. Gratz’s website, opensnow.com, is a go-to resource for powder-hounds.

The Last Ski Shop

Bottle Rocket

Denver’s craft beer boom shows no signs of slowing down.

Escape Route

Downhill Slide

Before there was skiing, there was sledding—and getting your winter kicks meant racing with abandon down a neighborhood hill on a plastic saucer. We tracked down five Colorado sledding hills fit for a family excursion or unleashing your inner child—or both.

Olde Town Arvada

A quick shot west of Denver on I-70, Olde Town Arvada is worth an afternoon of exploring as much for the eclectic dining and retail as for the chance to say you were hanging out at the site of Colorado’s first gold strike. Stroll through history—this is also the hometown of the guy who invented the automobile turn signal—and enjoy a slice of Main Street America, Colorado style.

Ski Buddies

Are There Really Glaciers in Colorado?

‘Tis the Season

A Colorado spruce heads to Washington.

Make Scents

Bundle Up

Go For Baroque

Skip the sequins this holiday season and ornament yourself in rich fabrics, burnished metallics, and jeweled accessories.

Second String

Entrées may have menu star power, but often it’s a restaurant’s side dishes (ahem, Mangiamo Pronto!’s garbanzo-celery salad) that keep us coming back for more. In fact, it’s not unusual for us to make whole meals out of sides (small plates!). Next time you visit these eateries, save room for the supporting cast.

Slow Food

Sometimes reviving a family tradition, like making Norwegian lefse, isn’t quite as sweet as it sounds.

Food Memories

Muy Bueno is more than a cookbook—it’s a snapshot of one family’s culinary heritage.

Higher Learning

The cookbook for college kids.

Snack Attack

Chips and dip get a reboot at Harman’s Eat & Drink

How to Open a Bottle of Champagne

Sabato Sagaria, master sommelier and food and beverage director of Aspen’s Little Nell Hotel, on how to pop the cork. 

Fooducopia’s Wild Mushroom Omelet

A Sandwich That Speaks for Itself

Ba Le’s banh mi delivers on flavor. 

The number of tea cookies Gateaux sells daily during the month of December.

Comfort Zone

At Charcoal, chef Patrik Landberg dishes up refreshingly straightforward bistro cuisine.

Sign Up For Our Newsletters

All things Colorado delivered straight to your inbox.

Sign Up