When Colorado gets cold and the snow starts to fly, the options for enjoying the outdoors aren’t limited to skiing and snowboarding. And for those who prefer their winter escapes to come with a side of cocoa and a spa robe (or a cocktail and live music), the possibilities are just as enticing. Here are eight great ways to get away in the wintry West.
The escape: Sleigh ride along the Roaring Fork River near Aspen
Make it happen: Aspen Carriage and Sleigh will pick you up in a carriage from your Aspen hotel and transport you to their one-horse open sleigh — or a larger rig, depending on your group size — where you’ll be bundled in blankets and whisked away. The ride lasts about 60-75 minutes, includes hot chocolate or hot apple cider, and winds through forests, across rolling white meadows and along the river, during the day or starry, starry night. Info: aspen carriage.com, 970-925-3394
Cost: $275 for small or medium sleigh (up to four adults; $375 for large sleigh (up to seven adults); 20-minute group rides also available, $35 adults, $20 12 and younger
Make it even better: Aspen Carriage will drop you off back at your hotel, but instead, have them pull up at Brexi Brasserie (411 S. Monarch St., 970-925-2838, brexiaspen.com), which serves French-inspired comfort food — think onion soup au gratin, roasted chicken and a warm chocolate truffle cake — to match the cozy interior.
If it’s a grown-up night out, follow up with a cocktail at the hip but still comfortable Eric’s Bar (315 E. Hyman Ave., 970-920-6707, ericsbaraspen .com), where you can slip into a banquette backed by an oversized pillow and a single-malt scotch. If the kids are along, get a good night’s sleep and go ice skating ($17.20 adults, $15.20 ages 2-17, $3 skate rentals) at the Lewis Ice Arena in the Aspen Recreation Center (0861 Maroon Creek Road, 970-544-4100, aspenrecreation .com).
The escape: Snowshoe Brainard Lake in the Indian Peaks Wilderness Area, near Ward
Make it happen: Take Colorado 72 into Ward and turn west onto the Brainard Lake Road. Travel 2.5 miles to the entrance, where in winter you park before the closed gate. There are several trails here, but when the snow is deep, it’s hard to follow any one path, and there’s really no need to — just be sure to stay off designated cross country ski tracks if you’re in snowshoes, and make your own way (don’t forget a compass or GPS, and water). You can go 2 miles or 7 miles on gently climbing slopes, all the while enjoying views of Mount Audobon and the surrounding Roosevelt National Forest.
Cost: No fee in winter
Make it even better: If you’re doing this on a weekend, swing by Brainard Cabin for some hot chocolate, which is handed out for free by Colorado Mountain Club volunteers. (Get there: 2.8 miles along the road from the gate; a wooden post marks a footpath 200 feet east to the cabin.)
Stop in Nederland on the way home for a bellyful of barbecue courtesy of Wild Mountain Smokehouse & Brewery (70 East First St., 303-258-9453, wildmountainsb.com), which whips up six sauce options (check out the serrano-based, Texas-style Atomic) and a hearty house-brewed Oatmeal Stout.
The escape: Mush your own dog sled team near Breckenridge
Make it happen: Good Times Adventures puts the good time in your canine-led adventure along the Middle Fork of the Swan River, with views of Sheep and Wise mountains in a pretty alpine setting. The guide-led mush allows everyone in your group — up to six — to get a chance at taking turns leading the team and riding in the sled or an attached sleigh. Info: snowmobile colorado.com/dogsled, 800-477-0144
Cost: $70 adults, $35 ages 3-8
Make it even better: You’ll come off the sleds hungry, and Mimi’s Fried Pies (411 S. Main St., 970-547-8330, mimisfriedpies.com) come out fast. This small, unassuming little shop in the heart of downtown Breck is as welcoming as it gets, and when they hand you a hot “meal” pie ($4.95) filled with beef, vegetables and gravy or chicken and broccoli in a cream sauce, you may never leave. Save room for a chocolate dessert pie, too.
Speaking of chocolate, Blue Sage Spa (224 S. Main St., 970-453-7676, bluesagespa.com) offers one of the more delectable treatments around: the Decadent Chocolate Therapy ($145 for 90 minutes), where you are coated in, yes, chocolate, which is slathered on as a tannin-packed, espresso-infused scrub. You’re then slicked in a cocoa-butter-rich hot-fudge mask. No calories, and you leave feeling very well-moisturized.
The escape: Snowmobile around Steamboat Springs
Make it happen: Steamboat Snowmobile Tours takes you and their fleet of Polaris Trail touring snow hounds up on Rabbit Ears Pass, on Dunckley Pass by the Flat Tops Scenic Byway or through the Routt National Forest in the Elk River Valley, with options in each for beginner through expert riders to explore a variety of terrain and get away from the rest of the vrooming hordes. Info: steamboatsnowmobile.com, 877-879-6500
Cost: Starts at $105 per driver for a two-hour tour, and goes up from there, with lunch, full-day and sunset as options. Free shuttle pickup from town available an hour before scheduled tour.
Make it even better: The Porches (2096 Indian Summer Drive, 866-992-0600, theporches.com) are perfect for a group, with fully stocked houses featuring four or five bedrooms situated between the slopes and town. Huge porches, check, and heated garages, but even better is the centrally located “Barn” for guests, with its heated outdoor pool, hot tubs, billiards, kids games, fitness center and steam room. Rates run $550-$1,595 a night in winter, depending on dates and size.
You can make your own meals in the Porches’ kitchens, but if a craving for killer burgers strikes, swing by Big House Burgers & Bottlecap Bar (2093 Curve Plaza, 970-870-8500, big houseburgers.com), where you can build your own with an astounding array of toppings or go with one of their fabulous creations (we like Saul’s Slammer, open-faced on Texas toast with a fried egg, jalapeño-pepper jack, green chili and bacon). Onion rings or their shoestring fries? Tough call.
The escape: Backcountry ski at a private yurt in Eagle County
Make it happen: Two Hidden Treasure Yurts sit at 11,200 feet on New York Mountain, and getting there is half the fun. The other half is deciding what to do when you arrive. Build a fire in the wood-burning stove, spike some hot cocoa with peppermint schnapps and hang out on the deck to watch the sunset? Strap on the skis and hit Glade 3, which will likely be packed with untouched powder? Snowshoe above timber line? Whatever you do, it’s better with your group of up to 16 (each yurt sleeps eight). Info: backcountry-colorado-yurt.com
Cost: $200 a night ($375 a night for both yurts)
Make it even better: On your way to the yurts, stop in at the Marketplace (One Willow Bridge Road, 970-477-4370, marketplaceonmeadow drive.com), which has everything from fresh-baked artisan breads to fresh produce and an impressive collection of wines that will make a rustic retreat all the more enjoyable.
On the way home, a good way to put off the Interstate 70 slog is a few hours at the Minturn Saloon (146 N. Main St., 970-827-5954, minturn saloon.com), which makes top-notch Mexican food, as well as a mean margarita from its extensive tequila menu.
The escape: Tube in Fraser near Winter Park Resort
Make it happen: Colorado Adventure Park is ideal for all ages, which makes it a good family option for when everyone needs a break from the slopes. Ages 3 and up can tube on a variety of slopes from slow to fast; at the bottom, a magic carpet is ready to take you back to the top. Little ones ages 6 and up can check out the “Snow Scoots,” snowmobiles they can zoom along on a groomed track in an open meadow, and don’t forget your sled, because that’s free. The park is open 10 a.m.-10 p.m. daily through April 18 (weather permitting), and there’s stadium lighting at night. There’s also a warming hut with free Wi-Fi and snacks for sale. Info: coloradoadventurepark.com, 970-726-5779
Cost: $16 an hour for tubing (second hour half- off); Snow Scoots $10/10 minutes. Combination pricing available.
Make it even better: Hernando’s Pizza & Pasta Pub (78199 U.S. 40, 970-726-5409, hernandos pizzapub.com) is perfect for groups looking to load up on carbs before heading out into the snow. Kids are happy with the thick-crust pizza, but s’ghetti is a good choice, too, and Hernando’s has hot chocolate and ice cream sundaes for extra incentive to clean plates.
The unique Rocky Mountain Chalet (15 County Road 72, therockymountainchalet.com, 866-467-8351) is a hostel, yes, but it also has comfortable, family-friendly suites and a communal kitchen where you can whip up meals — huge money savings — and the ski bus stops within walking distance for a 10-minute ride to the slopes. Rate start at $149 a night in winter.
The escape: Cross country ski through Rocky Mountain National Park
Make it happen: RMNP is a completely different world in winter from its crowded, noisy summer self. Strap on the nordic skis and head to Wild Basin or the Kawuneeche Valley, both of which offer a variety of trails for all skill levels (most leaning toward intermediate and above, although there are a few beginner options in Kawuneeche). Expect to see mule deer and maybe elk, but few other moving creatures. Download trail maps from the park’s website. Info:
Cost: $20 for a seven-day vehicle pass; $40 annual (RMNP only); $80 national parks pass
Make it even better: Time spent in Estes Park is never wasted, and the three-day Winter Festival, Jan. 13-15, is a good time around which to plan your excursion — not to mention that the 17th annual Winter Trails Day, a free event that includes the opportunity to try snowshoeing for free, is also being held Jan. 14, and coincides with the fee-free weekend at RMNP. Warm up with wine and beer tastings and a chili cook-off, along with live music from local bands and an old-fashioned barn dance. More info at estes parkwinterfestival.com.
If you’re bringing along the family or a group, consider YMCA of the Rockies Estes Park (800-777-9622, ymcarockies.org), which has cabins that sleep up to 18. All have fully stocked kitchens and allow pets ($10 fee per night), and some have fireplaces. the larger vacation homes and the central lodge are possibilities, as well. Rates start at $99 a night for cabins and lodge rooms in winter; $229 a night for vacation homes.
The escape: Winter hiking near Colorado Springs
Make it happen: Because it can be so easy to get in and out of several hiking spots in the Colorado Springs area, and the weather often cooperates so nicely, it’s good to have a few treks in mind for getting out there at the last minute. Two top options: Aiken Canyon Preserve and Cheyenne Mountain State Park. Aiken Canyon is easily accessed off Colorado 115 (at mile marker 32; visit nature.org). Once there, amble along a 4-mile, mostly level loop through a well-preserved foothills ecosystem managed by the state land board and The Nature Conservancy. Cheyenne Mountain State Park is located on JL Ranch Heights Road of CO 115 from Exit 135 off Interstate 25 (parks.state.co.us/Parks/CheyenneMountain). This scenic spot has 20 miles of trails in its 1,680 acres. Both offer trail maps on their websites.
Cost: Aiken is free; Cheyenne $7 daily
Make it even better: Stay at the reasonably priced and conveniently located Cheyenne Mountain Resort (3225 Broadmoor Valley Road, 800-588-0250, cheyennemountain.com), which has dining right on-site and plenty of its own property to wander around (see Room Report, Page 8E). Rates start at $129 for a room with a view, $109 for courtyard.
Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (4250 Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Road, 719-633-9925, cmzoo.org) is also nearby, and once you’ve warmed up after hiking, you can head over in the evening for Electric Safari, this zoo’s holiday lights display, which runs Friday-Dec. 11 and Dec. 16-Jan. 1 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. In addition to checking out this unusual zoo’s setup — the paths wind up and around in a uniquely natural setting against the mountain — you can feed and get up close to the giraffes, watch the hippos get fed and soar overhead on the Sky Ride, and there are also pony rides and Santa visits this time of year at night. Cost is $8.25 adults, $5.25 ages 3-11, under 2 free.
Kyle Wagner: 303-954-1599 or travel@denverpost.com
