Tag: outdoors
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Reflecting on the past and present of Colorado wellness
Hardship would greet Colorado’s early visitors — the likes of John Frémont, a famed explorer whose party was often outmatched by the harsh elements and treacherous terrain. In the early 1840s, tired and hungry in the stormy mountains west of modern-day Colorado Springs, it seemed the next morning was not promised. And yet the morning was…
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This red rock wonderland hides behind a hogback near Denver
Around Denver, people know Red Rocks Amphitheatre. They know the red rocks of Roxborough State Park. They know the related, similarly aged Flatirons in Boulder and Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs. But do they know South Valley Park? Tanner Marshall, a natural resources specialist with Jefferson County Parks and Open Space, offers yet…
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Once feared lost to fire and flood, a new trail to Hanging Lake awaits
That summer evening in 2020, I was following the news like so many Coloradans. Unlike so many of them, I had not hiked Hanging Lake. And I feared I would never get the chance. The Grizzly Creek fire was ravaging Glenwood Canyon, where the turquoise, waterfall-fed pool hung high up from the valley. The fire…
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Concerns over Telluride Ski Resort plans underscore lingering tensions
Proposed upgrades at Telluride Ski Resort have garnered concerns, underscoring tensions in one of Colorado’s most iconic ski towns. The U.S. Forest Service is reviewing letters sent in response to a draft environmental assessment that comes on the heels of a tumultuous winter in town. The resort was late to open amid a ski patrol…
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Costs for hiking, camping proposed for Blue Lakes in southwest Colorado
Fees have been proposed for “one of the most iconic destinations in southwest Colorado.” That’s how the U.S. Forest Service describes Blues Lakes, the chain of aqua-colored waters in Mount Sneffels Wilderness reached from a trail near Ridgway. Next year, hiking Blue Lakes Trail could cost $5 per person and a campsite could run $25…
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6 reasons why we love this Colorado fourteener road that reopened this summer
After a nearly 21-month closure for construction, one of Colorado’s most acclaimed roads is open this summer. Mount Blue Sky Scenic Byway is the highest paved road in North America, climbing to a pinnacle of 14,130 feet. But as the saying goes: It’s not the destination, it’s the journey. Here are six reasons why we…
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Troubled waters: An uncertain rafting season gets underway in Colorado
On the last day of May, along the Arkansas River that he has been paddling for 30-plus years, Mike Harvey found himself in a kayak he would not typically use this time of year: his racing boat, which is longer, narrower and lighter. It was better suited for this very atypical start to summer. The…
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Northern Colorado trail celebrated as ‘final link in a 50-year vision’
A trail dream has come true in northern Colorado. A celebration is set for 9 a.m. June 13 at Timnath Community Park, close to a new stretch of concrete being called “the final link in a 50-year vision.” Indeed, the Poudre River Trail dates back to the 1970s, when Fort Collins officials broke ground on…
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New mountain trail west of Denver recalls major T. rex fossil, historic amphitheater
A trail recently opened on one of the Denver area’s most recognizable mountains ー and “history came alive.” That was the word from Jefferson County Parks and Open Space in announcing T. rex Tooth Trail on South Table Mountain. The trail runs 1 ½ miles along the southern rim of the mountain, providing a “critical”…
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A lesser-known side of Pikes Peak is about to open for recreation
A scenic, remote swath of Pikes Peak is about to open for the season. Starting this weekend, permit holders can pass through the gate of South Slope Recreation Area ー the highly protected, high-altitude chain of reservoirs reached off rugged roads from Teller County. Those permits can be booked for $15 per vehicle at coloradosprings.gov/southslope,…