2021-12-03 10:45:25
Skiers and snowboarders aren’t the only outdoor adventurers doing snow dances in anticipation of white winter months. Colorado’s brilliant sun-soaked skies, pristine powder-filled valleys and iconic snowcapped peaks make it a proverbial winter wonderland, beckoning all to discover its spectacular landscape. Snowshoeing & Cross-Country Skiing Discover fluffy, snow-covered trails and peaceful stands of evergreen and aspen trees. Dozens of Nordic centers, including many at the ski resorts, are a great way to get started with rentals and trail maps. For more intense endeavors, try a hut trip! Where to Go: Vallecito Lake • Breckenridge • Crested Butte • Keystone • Vail • Telluride • Aspen/Snowmass • Leadville • Frisco • Walden • Eldora near Nederland • Gunnison • Beaver Creek • Silverthorne • Tabernash • Durango • Grand Lake • Steamboat Springs • Granby • Winter Park • Glenwood Springs • Kremmling Plan: COLORADO.com/NordicCenters & COLORADO.com/HutTrips Adaptive Winter Activities Adaptive sports centers in Winter Park, Crested Butte, Steamboat Springs, Keystone, Breckenridge, Telluride, Aspen, Beaver Creek, Durango and Eldora offer lessons in accessible alpine skiing, snowboarding, ski biking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, ice climbing and more. Fat Biking Fat biking allows cyclists of all levels to keep their wheels spinning no matter the season. Fat tires ride atop the snow and can go just about anywhere. Rent/Tours/Trails: Tomichi Cycles in Gunnison • Golden Bike Shop • Evergreen Bike Shop • Front Range Ride Guides in Boulder • Cycles of Life in Leadville • Pagosa Mountain Sports • Absolute Bikes in Salida • Front Range Ride Guides in Fort Collins • Purgatory Nordic Center in Durango • Winter Park Resort • Howelsen Hill Nordic Center in Steamboat Springs • Lory State Park near Fort Collins Plan: COLORADO.com/SnowBiking Uphill Skiing Uphill skiing bypasses the lifts and climbs to the top of each run under one’s own power before schussing back down — because some people like to do things the hard way. Check ski areas’ sites for uphill hours, routes and passes. Where to Go: Eldora • Loveland • Arapahoe Basin • Aspen Snowmass • Ski Cooper • Breckenridge • Copper Mountain • Crested Butte • Keystone Resort • Powderhorn • Steamboat • Sunlight Mountain • Monarch Mountain • Vail Mountain • Beaver Creek Resort • Purgatory in Durango • Telluride • Winter Park Plan: COLORADO.com/Uphill Horse-Drawn Sleigh Rides Warm blankets, crisp air and the jingle of bells tinkling to the stride of the horses are hallmarks of Colorado sleigh rides. So are elegant dinners, local wines, roaring fires and decadent desserts. Dude ranches are some of the best places to find fun sleigh rides. Where to Go: Fraser • Frisco • Steamboat Springs • Granby • Wolcott and Edwards (both near Vail) • Durango • Pagosa Springs • Lake George • Keystone • Breckenridge • Aspen Plan: COLORADO.com/SleighRides Ice Skating From locales with far-as-the-eye-can-see mountain views to urban and resort settings surrounded by shops and restaurants, our outdoor ice rinks bring back-to-basics joy. Where to Go: Town Parks: Lake City • Lyons • Colorado Springs • Denver • Evergreen • Lakewood • Loveland • Ouray • Estes Park • Pagosa Springs • Nederland • Louisville • Aurora • South Fork Colorado State Parks: Golden Gate Canyon in Golden • Highline Lake in Loma • Jackson Lake near Fort Morgan • Cherry Creek in Aurora • Paonia • Sylvan Lake near Eagle • Vega near Collbran • Boyd Lake in Loveland • Eleven Mile in Lake George Resort Villages: Keystone • Breckenridge • Beaver Creek • Winter Park • Kendall Mountain in Silverton • Snowmass • Crested Butte Plan: COLORADO.com/OutdoorIceSkating Ski Biking Try another way to experience the beauty of winter and also get your adrenaline flowing: It’s simply a bike with the wheels replaced by skis. Many ski areas offer lessons, and the bikes’ three-point stance make it easy to pick up. Where to Go: Purgatory Resort in Durango • Winter Park Resort • Vail Mountain • Keystone Resort • Steamboat Ski Resort • Telluride Ski Resort • Snowmass • Copper Mountain Resort Plan: COLORADO.com/SnowBiking Snow Tubing Get a giggle-inducing thrill while zooming downhill on an inner tube or sled at the speed of light. Most of these spots have lift-served hills that save your energy for more runs. Where to Go: Ski Resorts: Copper Mountain • Snowmass • Winter Park • Purgatory and Hesperus in Durango • Vail • Steamboat • Keystone • Echo Mountain in Idaho Springs • Kendall Mountain in Silverton • Monarch Mountain near Salida Adventure & Tubing Parks: Frisco • Pagosa Springs • Fraser • Granby Town Parks: Loveland • Boulder • Aspen • Telluride • Leadville Plan: COLORADO.com/SnowTubing Urban Experiences Holiday concerts, performances and markets, lighting events, brew fests, ice rinks, restaurant weeks and shopping destinations make winter in the city merry and bright. Where to Go: Find yourself in the charming and diverse neighborhoods of Denver (COLORADO.com/DenverNeighborhoods) and the downtown areas of Grand Junction, Boulder, Fort Collins, Colorado Springs, Pueblo, Aurora, Lakewood, Loveland, Greeley and Longmont. See page 64 for other ideas. Bonus: All are within easy reach of the other activities described in this section. Plan: COLORADO.com/UrbanExperiences Ice Fishing The main season is December to late February, when the ice is typically sure. Pop into a tackle shop for advice on places to go, bait to use and safety tips. Where to Go: Taylor Park Reservoir in Crested Butte • Wolford Mountain Reservoir in Kremmling • Chambers Lake in Walden • Eleven Mile Reservoir in Lake George • Trinidad Lake State Park • Crawford Reservoir • Lake Granby • Twin Lakes Reservoirs • Evergreen Lake Plan: COLORADO.com/IceFishing Winter Coasters Whiz down hundreds of vertical, powdery feet, riding switchbacks and loops along the way. Where to Go: Steamboat • Purgatory Resort in Durango • Snowmass • Copper Mountain • Breckenridge • Vail Dog Sledding Barking dogs eagerly speed you along the trail, and within moments of launching your dog-sledding expedition, you’ll experience a rush unlike any other. Where to Go: Vail • Durango • Breckenridge • Winter Park • Steamboat Springs • Oak Creek • Leadville • Snowmass • Pagosa Springs Plan: COLORADO.com/DogSledding Wildlife Watching Moose, deer, marten, ermine, jays, woodpeckers and owls move to lower elevations when snow arrives. Several winter festivals safely celebrate many of these creatures. Where to Go: All State and National Parks (page 33) and all Colorado Birding Trails Winter Festivals: Lake Pueblo Eagle Days (Feb.) • Barr Lake Bald Eagle Festival in Brighton (Feb.) • Colorado Springs Bighorn Sheep Day (Feb.) • Lamar’s High Plains Snow Goose Festival (Feb.) • Monte Vista Crane Festival (March) • Walden Greater Sage Grouse Tours (April) • Georgetown Bighorn Sheep Festival (Nov.) Plan: COLORADO.com/WildlifeTripIdeas BACKCOUNTRY SAFETY BE SURE TO RESEARCH YOUR DESTINATION (AND HAVE A PLAN B), PREPARE FOR WINTER TRAVEL, CHECK THE AVALANCHE FORECAST, CARRY PROPER EQUIPMENT AND GET TRAINING OR GO WITH A GUIDE. Want More? COLORADO.COM/WINTER-ACTIVITIES
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