Colorado Mountain Living Shopping The Rockies Travel: Colorado Mountain Living Shopping The Rockies Travel
by maribeth
Comments Off on Mt. Evans: A Fine Summer Outing on One of America’s Fourteeners
Mt. Evans: A Fine Summer Outing on One of America’s Fourteeners
My Friends and Me at Some 14,000 Feet
There’s a lot of talk about fourteeners in Colorado, especially in the summer when some people make it a goal of hiking a bunch of them. Fourteener refers to a mountain at least 14,000 feet tall. Colorado claims fifty-three of them and yes, there are folks that miraculously manage to climb them all. Some are known to be fiercely challenging, characterized by scree fields and dramatic precipices that have proved to be many mountaineers’ demise, especially on the descent.
I’ve always thought I’d like to climb one some day, however, I think I need to hone my hiking skills more for such an endeavor. (A six-hour climb to the summit of a fourteener is about what’s required for even the easiest.)
So when my hunny expressed his desire to go to Mt.Evans, one of the Rocky Mountain state’s most renowned fourteeners, last weekend, my ears perked up. It didn’t matter that a stop at this Front Range mountain would require a significant detour from the rest of our itinerary. I was mainly happy that he wanted to visit something since he’s the kind of guy that would much rather hike, ski or climb a mountain. Touring in the most touristic sense of the word typically eludes him.
Colorado Hotels & Lodging Mountain Living Restaurants Spas The Rockies: Colorado Hotels & Lodging Mountain Living Restaurants Spas The Rockies
by maribeth
Comments Off on Back to Normal at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs
Back to Normal at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs
Poolside Luxe at The Broadmoor
What a difference a day makes. It sounds trite but boy, does it ring true.
A week can make even more of a difference. This past week of moisture—day after day of hard driving rains and good soaking showers—has changed the look of Colorado measurably. Although some of our grasses, bushes and shrubs were burned beneath the pounding sun of late spring and early summer, most of our flora has perked up and as I gaze outside my window here in Telluride, the scene appears lush and verdant.
Double Beauty
Today in Colorado Springs, the most destructive fire in the history of Colorado has been declared fully contained. There’s not a trace of smoke in the air (actually there hasn’t been for days). With the monsoonal flows of July and August seemingly settling in throughout the state, I can almost hear every Coloradan breathing a collective sigh of relief.
Now don’t be scared off by the word monsoon! Ours are nothing like what you would expect on the other side of the earth. In the Rockies during most of July and August, you wake up to blue skies that typically cloud over in the afternoon, just enough to give our glorious landscapes a good watering. By late in the day, the sun usually reappears, affording us spectacular sunsets and an abundance of rainbows. This doesn’t happen every day although typically it occurs just enough to keep our mountain-scapes green and fresh.
So in case you haven’t fully absorbed my message, I can tell you now is a great time to visit colorful Colorado. If you want to help those that have suffered from the tremendous outbreak of wildfires we recently experienced, plan a trip to Colorado. If you already have a trip planned, plan another. With all the national news coverage of the fires, you can bet the state’s tourism has been slammed. I wish CNN and others would now broadcast that this great Western state is looking mighty fine and that blooming wildflowers have replaced blooming wildfires.
Colorado Hotels & Lodging The Rockies: Colorado Hotels & Lodging The Rockies
by maribeth
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The Hotel Denver in Glenwood Springs: Where Casual Elegance Meets Western Charm
The Hotel Denver in Glenwood Springs
There’s nothing like a good, hot soak and then tucking yourself beneath a cozy quilt. Here in Colorado we can do that all year round. Yes, we’ve been experiencing record-breaking heat like most of the rest of the country. Yet no matter how hot it gets, you can always count on it cooling down to delightful temps during our summer evenings. (Even beneath a blazing sun during the day, it’s rarely unbearably hot since our humidity is so low.)
Beguiling Views Inside and Out
So here’s one of the best places in the Rockies for lolling yourself into a super relaxed state: The Hotel Denver in Glenwood Springs. Check into this historic hotel for a taste of elegant travel from day’s gone by. I fell in love with this charming property years ago, and now that it’s been restored to its quiet splendor and uplifted with today’s modern amenities, it’s a real gem. Wood furnishings, antique lamps, tawny colors and exposed brick distinguish the rooms of this boutique hotel, each as unique and heartwarming as the many quilts you find here. (Some of these beauties are even for sale at reasonable prices downstairs in the lobby!)
Colorado Four Corners Hotels & Lodging Music & Dance The Rockies: Colorado Four Corners Hotels & Lodging Music & Dance
by maribeth
Comments Off on Sultry Summer Evenings at Durango’s Rochester Hotel
Sultry Summer Evenings at Durango’s Rochester Hotel
The Rochester Hotel & Bar in Durango, Colorado
It’s been feeling like summer around here in southwestern Colorado and there’s no rain in the forecast (sadly since we really do need the moisture). But it’s a great time for enjoying the outdoors, day and night.
Courtyard at The Rochester
Our nicest mountain towns put on summer concerts in unparalleled settings throughout the summer, although most of these happenings don’t begin until July. In Durango, however, you can get a jump on these memorable musical evenings by attending one of the Wednesday June concerts hosted in the courtyard of The Rochester Hotel. Their lineup kicks off tonight with the oh-so talented (and oh-so cute!) Alex Maryol, the soulful Santa Fe bluesman. Happy hour begins at 4 p.m., music from 5:30-7:30 p.m.
The courtyard at The Rochester will be sizzling with musical events every Wednesday in June. Click here for the complete schedule. There you’ll also see other doings announced such as art exhibitions and special parties. To me, The Rochester Hotel & Bar rates as one of the most fun and dynamic places of lodging in this fiery Western town. I’ve always found their courtyard to exude a sultry feel, so I’m sure this is a great place to spend a warm Rocky Mountain evening. Keep in mind, too, that Durango’s temps soar higher than those of Telluride, Aspen and Vail, so partying in the town’s numerous outdoor venues is a huge part of their summer scene.
And if you love old westerns, definitely plan a stay or at least a good look around at The Rochester. For more about this lovely hotel and this bastion of western movie-making tradition, read Durango, the San Juan Skyway and the Western Movie Culture of the Four Corners Region According to Fred Wildfang. There you’ll also hear writer and historian Frederic B. Wildfang talk about this terrific destination of the West and the outlying area.
Note that The Rochester Bar is open Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 4 to 7 p.m. You can find The Rochester at 726 E 2nd Avenue in Durango, just one block up from main street; tel.: 970-385-1920.
Alex Maryol at The Rochester Hotel Courtyard
Hotels & Lodging Restaurants Spas The Rockies Utah: Hotels & Lodging Restaurants Spas The Rockies Utah
by maribeth
Comments Off on Stein Eriksen Lodge: A Rocky Mountain Classic Where Sunday Brunch Astounds
Stein Eriksen Lodge: A Rocky Mountain Classic Where Sunday Brunch Astounds
An Arrival Circle Fit for an Olympian at Stein Eriksen Lodge
Since I moved to the Rockies nearly ten years ago, I’ve been cultivating a short list of renowned resorts that I’ve wanted to discover. (Anyone that reads this blog with any frequency knows that I love fine hotels and more importantly, the ambiance they create.) Let me see. There’s The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, Sonnenalp in Vail and Sundance and Stein Eriksen Lodge in Utah. These are what I consider to be the crème de la crème of the old, established Rocky Mountain resorts and by the time I post this story, I will have experienced all of them. (Feel free to let me know if I’m missing any from this grouping! Yes, I know there are some great lodges in Montana and Wyoming, but I’ll save them for another day.)
There’s a reason these establishments have been world-renowned for decades. Actually at each, you can count many reasons, the biggest one perhaps being that it’s easy to create memories at these properties, unique moments that remain with you forever thanks to the overall feel of the resort. Details such as fresh flowers, hand-carved furnishings, a saloon with a creaky wooden floor and the uniforms sported by the people that work there also help to transport you to a different place.
Restaurants Skiing & Snowboarding The Rockies Utah: Restaurants Skiing & Snowboarding The Rockies Utah
by maribeth
Comments Off on Spring Skiing at Snowbird
Spring Skiing at Snowbird
Snowbird’s Iconic Tram
You know what’s great about sore legs? Afterward—once they’re no longer sore—they feel strong and toned.
That’s how mine are feeling today and I’m loving it. I had quite the workout over the weekend, maybe the biggest of the season. It’s no wonder. I met up with my oldest brother, Frank, and skied with him, some of his buddies and my hunny for two days in Snowbird, Utah. With them, I pushed the limits of my comfort zone on one of the best mountains in the West. And what an initiation it was into the big leagues. These guys don’t mess around.
Mineral Basin: One of Our Favorite Spots on the Mountain—Just Like Skiing on a Glacier in the Alps
Steve and Me on Our Last Day of the Ski Season at Snowbird
I had heard about Snowbird, Utah for years, mostly from Frank who goes there nearly every year. I was eager to discover it, especially since most of the ski resorts in Colorado have ended their seasons. I love spring skiing in April once Telluride has closed and normally meet up with another brother, David, and his wife, Geri, in Aspen. Or I head to Vail. Although this year I was smart to pick Snowbird since this extraordinary mountain still boasts a near ninety inch base.
And whoa, what snow! We didn’t see a single bare spot. They have enough to push around until well into May. “Continuing our tradition of offering the longest ski season in Utah, Snowbird is prepared to stay open for skiing and snowboarding as long as the snowpack permits,” says Dave Fields, V.P. of Resort Operations.
Colorado Mountain Living Skiing & Snowboarding Telluride The Rockies: Colorado Mountain Living Skiing & Snowboarding Telluride The Rockies
by maribeth
Comments Off on Springing Forward on Fresh Snow Beneath a Colorado Blue Sky
Springing Forward on Fresh Snow Beneath a Colorado Blue Sky
Life Can Be a Cakewalk, Especially in Telluride on Such a Glorious Day
Wow, I can’t believe it’s been over a month since I posted a story. Where does the time go? It flies by as fast as the ski season itself, every year. This week heralded the arrival of spring, however, I’d be just as happy to be plunged into the depths of winter where the snow varies from fluff to buttery soft. Oh well, can’t turn back time. So for now, I’m embracing the soaring temperatures and highly changeable ski conditions while my anticipation for the next fabulous spring snowfall lingers.
We’ve had a great winter here in Telluride, particularly since mid-January when the storms began to roll in one after another right up through early March. I guess this largely explains my eclipsing from my blog. I’ve been teaching skiing a lot, so much so, in fact, that I was clobbered twice with horrific colds that set me back on all fronts. Yes, that’s the bane of most ski instructors, getting sick during the season, yet it happens with great frequency. We’re out there putting on hopefully a super cheery face and attitude—carrying a class or even just one person—throughout freezing temperatures and sun scorching days. Day after day after day. It’s not unusual to work fourteen days in a row during busy times—that’s bell to bell, making sure that our charges are safe, happy and achieving their goals. Our throats take the biggest beating since we are required to use them often, sometimes to the point of excessive strain such as when we have to yell TURN, TURN, TURN or the dreaded STOP!!!
Beauty Colorado Hotels & Lodging Skiing & Snowboarding Spas Telluride The Rockies: Beauty Colorado Hotels & Lodging Skiing & Snowboarding Spas Telluride The Rockies
by maribeth
Comments Off on Pick a Spa, Pick a Ski Destination
Pick a Spa, Pick a Ski Destination
Outdoor Pool at The Peaks Resort & Spa
You’re missing out on a good chunk of fun and relaxation if you think your whole mountain experience has to be all about hitting the slopes. Sure, there’s nothing like spending day after day in the fresh air, carving perfect turns on buttery snow or picking through exquisite, diamond-shaped moguls. Yet even the most die-hard skiers and boarders need a day off. Or maybe just a half day. Or how about a couple days off? It’s supposed to be a vacation after all. You don’t want to feel like you need a vacation after your vacation, do you? How about après-ski—don’t those moments represent some of the best of your whole ski vacation? Those delicious hours of the day don’t have to be all about drinks at the bar.
