More Than Skiing

There's not much else besides skiing and snowboarding to do outdoors in Colorado in the wintertime, right?  Wrong.   There are lots of outdoor activities you can do, and most of the time you will warm up quite nicely doing them, too.

Apex

Go for a hike.  Traction devices come in quite handy during winter hikes.  They range from $15 yak-trax to $60+ ice blades (and then there are the full-blown crampons, for some serious ice hiking / climbing) to keep your footing secure on slippery trails.  With a little added traction on your feet, your options are endless.   There are trails all around town.  On the West side, there is Apex trail, Eldorado Canyon, Alderfer / Three Sisters trails, and lots more.  On the East side, there is the Platte River trail, Cherry Creek trails, Castlewood Canyon State Park, Barr Lake, etc.  Want to get out of town?   Hanging Lake is amazing to see when the falls are partially frozen and the winter wonderland surrounds you between the red walls of the canyon.

 

Try snowshoeing.  Did you know that snowshoeing burns almost 500 calories an hour?  That's about as much as cross-country skiing.  You don't have to go far to snowshoe, either.  There are multiple places around town where you can rent snowshoes, or check Craigslist for deals, too.   While the roads are mostly empty on a snowy day, you can just walk down your street to the nearest park and walk around.  Take the pups, they will thank you for it.  Deer Creek trails are popular with the snowshoeing community after some of the fresh, white stuff falls.  The views from the summit are worth the extra effort it takes to get there.  Even if you don't make it all the way to the lookout point, there are breathtaking scenes all around.  Just remember to look up from your feet every once in a while to take it all in.  For a shorter trek, Green Mountain is just a little over one mile to the summit, but it is steep.  Want to go a little further from the city?   Head to Kenosha Pass near Bailey, or Mayflower Gulch near Breckenridge.

Take a spin on ice skates.  When was the last time you went iceskating?  There is no place better for iceskating than Evergreen Lake.  They have both figure skates and hockey skates for rent, and eight acres of groomed ice on this 40-acre lake reserved for skating.  Check with them before you go, since they are known to close on occasion when the ice warms up too much to be safe.   Otherwise, they are mostly open from November until the end of March.  (Opening this year is scheduled for December 19th, due to the late arrival of winter.)  Bring your own skates and save.

Options to play outside in the Colorado winters are endless.  State parks tend to be less crowded this time of year, too.  Whether your thing is cross-country skiing through Rocky Mountain National Park, or ice fishing on gorgeous Gross Reservoir, just get outside.  This beautiful state has so much more to offer in winter than just skiing and snowboarding, so why not give it a try?  Wear layers and bring sunglasses and get out and explore!