Lovely Leadville

Leadville, Colorado

Biking Fun In and Around Leadville

Delaware Hotel: The Grande Dame of Leadville

While I’m enjoying some time with my parents in the Adirondacks, I’ve been marveling at the Facebook posts from friends and contacts in Colorado—an avalanche of images documenting the recent snowstorm across the Rockies. The first big snow always creates a stir, mostly since this indicates that ski season is only a handful of storms away.

From my viewpoint here in upstate New York alongside a glorious lake that I took a dip in just the other day (not intentionally mind you, but that’s another story), I shiver at the idea of snow. Yet when I think twice, the thought of it does excite me—even from afar—mostly because I do love to ski and also because there’s nothing like a crisp, white snowfall to top off an autumnal scene. The trees have barely begun to change in Colorado, so these sugar-coated panoramas will only intensify within the upcoming weeks.

To me, fall, a terrific season for hiking, biking and touring, may best be savored in a quaint town steeped in history, surrounded by an abundance of natural beauty. This describes a good number of destinations in Colorado, however, here I’m focusing on Leadville, an old mountain town I visited last summer and enjoyed immensely.

A Room and Shopping Showcase at the Delaware

Make Delaware Hotel your base, a historic gem built in1886 by three brothers from the state of Delaware that had headed west to make their fortunes. This was a boom time for this town located at the top of the Rockies at an elevation of 10,152. Mining was driving the economy full on which lead to the expression “Denver was built on the money of Leadville.” Leadville’s population reached a high of 35,000 during its heyday and nowhere do you see more evidence of that than at the Delaware Hotel. If you tuck yourself away into this “crown jewel” of Leadville for a couple nights, it will be easy to imagine what life was like during these rambling days when Old West grit and Victorian elegance melded to form the look and spirit of the era.

Part museum, part gallery, part country inn, as you look around Delaware Hotel, know that most everything is for sale. Armoires, paintings, mirrors, dressers, even baby carriages, confessionals and lots of other types of unusual memorabilia line the hallways of this high-ceilinged establishment. Gail Dunning, the owner of the hotel, works with pickers, estate auctioneers and individuals to curate her collection of furnishings and accessories showcased here. “Some people have even bought the bed they’ve slept in,” she says. “Antiques and history have always been near and dear to us,” she explains as she pauses for a moment in her Victorian era costume to give me a tour. The lobby boasts a lot of display—from mounts of bighorn sheep to costumes you can step into for picture taking—along with a railcar-sized selection of merchandise for retail. “That’s how they did it in the 1800s,” Gail explains, pointing to glittering glass cases chockfull of jewelry and objets.

One of Many Collectibles for Sale at the Delaware Hotel

Continue your antiquing at Aspen Traders down the street, another terrific address for unusual antiques and collectibles. You’ll seize the best trip-down-memory-lane experience at Silver Dollar Saloon, a bar/restaurant smelling of stale booze and burnt popcorn, that provides a wondrous visual treat of pot pourri from the past one hundred years. Don’t miss this conglomeration of mountain mementos and kitsch.

Leadville of today is populated and visited by some of the heartiest mountain enthusiasts of them all. The Leadville Race Series organizes and promotes trail runs and mountain bike races known as the Leadville 100, both grueling endeavors that draw people from all over the world every August to test their mettle at nosebleed heights. More tourism-oriented visitors prefer Leadville Boom Days, three days of fun, food and recreation that take place the first weekend of August. Expect barrels of emphasis on mining, guns and good old-fashioned American fun.

For me, I’m just happy to poke around an old town like this, especially one that seems to be experiencing a revival. Plan to have lunch at Showdown (also on the main street), a recently-opened, brightly painted mountain bistrot that serves fresh and delicious food such as salads, quiche and sandwiches.

Old West Serenade by My Guy at the Delaware

Melanzana, a showroom/workshop/boutique, blooming with colorful and comfy, quality made clothing, handmade in Leadville out of Polartec fabrics beckons right next door.

Before you head out of town, peek into the National Mining Hall of Fame and Museum, a must see in order to appreciate the history and future of mining for this town and what it means to the surrounding area. Not surprisingly, the gift shop here offers a goldmine of fun gift ideas from books on the history of ghost towns, to smart T-shirts and rocks worthy of a budding geologist’s attention.

Leadville, a member of the Historic Hotels of the Rockies, practically folds up in winter, however, you still have almost a month and a half to embrace it during one of the best times of the year. Delaware Hotel is open daily through October 10, weekends October 10-November 4 and December 13-April 1 and daily through the Christmas/New Year’s holidays.  Be sure to poke in there to spend a night, do a little shopping or just breathe in a whiff of times gone by.

Thank you to the Delaware Hotel, Peak Communications, Steve Sunday and my trusty iPhone for the images furnished in this post.

Leadville and the Surrounding Area: Top of the Rockies