Things to do / Travel Guide
Yes, your assumptions are correct: the Colorado Rockies region offers every snow-related activity within the realm of human capacity and creativity. Skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, sleigh-riding, ski biking, dog sledding, and more. The country's sophisticated snow experts confirm: the Colorado Rockies region offers some of the nation's best powder, slopes, and swanky ski scene. The après-ski nightlife, the ski resort restaurants, and ski-in/ski-out lodging, all are world-class. Posh and upscale ski resort areas in Aspen, Vail, Breckenridge, and Telluride have often been dubbed the “Beverly Hills of the Mountains,” and the less-discovered ski areas near Durango and Crested Butte offer some of Colorado's best-kept skiing secrets.
Winter does, indeed, cast the Colorado Rockies in an enchanting light and the region glitters with more than just the wealth of its most moneyed residents and visitors. White snowflakes twinkle like diamonds beneath a crisp, winter sun; the world's rich and famous stop at upscale, slope-side shops on their snow-capped versions of Rodeo Drive; snow-weary skiers lounge with aperitifs in front of crackling lodge fireplaces. But when the spring weather melts the region's snowy veil, a new kind of alpine paradise emerges. The country's best ski slopes become the country's best mountain bike trails, ski lifts become the best summer scenic overlooks, vineyards once again claim the valleys, and fish take back their streams.
In fact, the Colorado Rockies have always claimed the attention of more than just the skiers among us. Teddy Roosevelt once fancied Glenwood Springs, the Glenwood Hot Springs, in particular. Donald Trump and Tom Cruise love Telluride, while Kevin Costner, Oprah Winfrey, and Jack Nicholson among others adore Aspen. Patricia Schultz in her New York Times bestseller “1,000 Places to See Before You Die” mentions them and adds Vail, the Million Dollar Highway, and the Durango and Silverton Railroad to her list of worldwide must-sees. Hollywood found the town of Durango delightful, as it was featured in National Lampoon's Vacation, Around the World in Eighty Days, City Slickers, and Cliffhanger. But it isn't only the accolades and praises heaped upon the Colorado Rockies by the rich, famous, and well-traveled that makes this region exquisite. It isn't just the fact that millions of tourists, skiers and non-skiers alike, pour into this alpine paradise year-round that sets it apart. The Colorado Rockies is a region so rich in beauty, so replete with recreation that it will enchant almost anyone with its fairytale finesse.
The Colorado Rockies' list of “largests” and “tallests” give an adequate, if only precursory, introduction to the region's mammoth reputation. Grand Mesa is the world's largest flattop mountain, and, at close to 12,100 feet high, Independence Pass is considered one of the highest paved mountain roads in North America. Telluride is encircled by the largest cluster of Fourteeners (14,000-foot peaks) in the U.S. Blue Mesa Reservoir is the largest Kokanee salmon fishery in the country. Leadville, at nearly 10,400 feet, is the highest incorporated city in the United States and the Leadville, Colorado, and Southern Railroad narrow-gauge train is the highest in the country. Mt. Ebert is Colorado's tallest peak (elevation: 14,433 feet), and the San Juan Mountains and San Juan National Forest are home to some of the largest elk herds in Colorado.
But this is only the beginning of the region's riches: thousands of gold- and silver-seeking settlers once flooded the region when some of the largest and most prolific mines in the world were unearthed in the Colorado Rockies in the mid-1800s. In fact, the world's largest silver nugget (close to 2,000 pounds) was found in Aspen.
Marveling at all of these largest and tallest claims-to-fame, looking at the region's snow-peaked, sun-dappled summits, and ogling the unspoiled scenery and jagged, jutting skylines are certainly favorite Colorado Rockies pastimes.
Master the Monarch Crest Trail, voted by Bicycle Magazine as one of the top five rides in the U.S., through San Isabel and Gunnison National Forests. Have a posh picnic in Palisade and palate Carlson Vineyard's award-winning Fat Cat Muscat. Fish for brown and rainbow trout in the Gold Medal waters of Animas River or the lower Gunnison River. Head out on a hair-raising four-wheel-drive (4WD) Jeep jaunt over the Colorado Rockies' most treacherous and scenic alpine back roads. Unearth some of the region's rare finds as you dig for dinosaur bones in Grand Junction, or pan for gold outside of Breckenridge. Paddle the placid waters of Twin Lakes and peer up at the majestic Mt. Ebert. Suspend yourself in a summer gondola tram over Vail Valley for jaw-dropping views of the Sawatch Mountain Range.
When you've done that, mosey over to Monarch Pass, take the Monarch Aerial Tram up to 12,000 feet, and give some of the proudest Fourteener summits a good look in the eye. Ride the vintage, steam-powered Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad along rocky cliff ridges, amidst the fir and spruce of the San Juan National Forest. Grab your binoculars and scan the red sandstone horizon of Colorado National Monument for bighorn sheep, black-chinned hummingbird, and juniper titmouse.
And when you've taken in those sights, take a scenic hike, ride, or drive along the South Rim of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison River to discover the dark depths and towering sheer walls of one of the United States' narrowest canyons. Float gently above Roaring Fork Valley in a wicker-basket hot air balloon schooner or dash across snowy hills toward your gourmet dinner in a dancing, prancing winter sleigh. Ponder the plethora of wildflowers along Crested Butte's pleasant pastures, or pick a bouquet of sublime lavender columbine, Colorado's state flower.
This is just a sampling of what the Colorado Rockies region offers. Take a vacation in the region and you will discover for yourself the many treasures that line its slopes, trails, roads, and waterways. Travelers the world-over agree: the Colorado Rockies' superlative beauty and outstanding recreation opportunities make for an excellent vacation at any time of year.
The Colorado Rockies region is on Mountain Time, two hours behind Eastern Time and one hour ahead of Pacific Time.
Altitude Sickness
Nearly all of the Colorado Rockies towns are close to or above 8,000 feet in elevation. The Southwest Colorado towns of Durango, Montrose, and Northwest Colorado's Grand Junction, however, are at 6,500 feet or below. If you ascend to heights of more than 8,000 feet too quickly, you might experience an oxygen deficiency potentially causing a headache, dizziness, or nausea. To prevent this, ascend about 2,000-3,000 feet a day.
Ticks
Ticks can be a real nuisance in the Colorado Rockies. Prevalent in backcountry areas during spring, summer, and fall, you can easily avoid ticks by wearing shoes at all times, tucking long pants into socks, wearing long-sleeved shirts, and spraying a DEET repellant on your clothes.
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