Who says you have to hibernate during a Colorado winter?
Well, I do. But not every day. Sure, for some fair-weathered folks (like me) who prefer the other three seasons, when we can golf or garden or go for long, warm-day walks, it’s a great time to get those indoor chores done. Paint a room, reorganize your freezer, caulk the bathtub. Or take up knitting. And take naps — lots of naps.
For others, there are plenty of opportunities to get out and enjoy the beauty of our gorgeous state, and work off all those cookies and pies and cheesy holiday appetizers.
So get out there. Hike, ski, snowboard, snowshoe, skate. Or just look at it all from a car. — Barbara Ellis
Winter hut trips
During the winter, reaching a remote mountain hut — one of the dozens nestled high in Colorado’s mountains — means trekking uphill for miles, often through deep snow, on snowshoes or skis outfitted with skins. But once inside, as the crackling fire quickly warms you up, there’s no better feeling after hours on the trail than dropping your backpack on the floor, taking off your boots and settling in for a few days of peaceful escape.
For nearly a decade, each of my winters has brought at least one trip to a mountain hut for a weekend with a hardy group of friends. These off-the-grid cabins are rustic, usually with no plumbing and reliant upon snowmelt for water. But they offer plenty of comforts away from the distractions of modern life.
Our state is blessed with well-maintained hut systems, including a network of 38 huts managed by the 10th Mountain Division Hut Association. On each trip, we cook group meals, play games and venture out into the backcountry, taking due precautions as we explore and take in the best that a frigid Colorado winter has to offer. — Jon Murray
West Side Books
When the weather outside is frightful, the reading is so delightful. Crawl under a blanket and take advantage of the cold and snow by ensuring your library is well-stocked. West Side Books, located at 3434 W. 32nd Ave. in Denver, is the used bookstore of your dreams. It’s got stacks on stacks of obscure finds sure to intrigue, and a section of the new stuff you’ve been in the market for, too. If you’re looking to giggle and kick your feet, the romance-centric bookstore Spicy Librarian in RiNo (3040 Blake St.) will do the trick. Want to go easy on the wallet? Check out the recent renovations at Denver Public Library’s Central Branch downtown and get some good reads while you’re there. — Elizabeth Hernandez
Comfort food recipes
Winter can be a time for nesting, which to me means cooking and baking and sharing with friends. It’s when I’ll fill dozens of jars of grape jelly, using the juice harvested before the first frost from my backyard vines. (Some end up in Christmas stockings.) Soon after comes a huge batch of red chili, then lentil stew; check out the recipes for them here. In November, of course, there’s Thanksgiving dinner, but it’s also when we hold our annual pierogi-making parties. And December brings Christmas cookies: one batch for book club early in the month and many more baking sessions closer to the actual holiday. In my family, food equals love, and there’s a lot of it go ’round during the winter season. — Barbara Ellis
Fairy lights
The minute the days get noticeably shorter, out come the fairy lights. And they will stay out until that happy day when it’s time to plant the garden. You don’t have to be crafty to put a few pinecones around them or wind them through an evergreen garland — or just shove them in an empty bottle. Then turn off all the other lights, grab a cozy blanket and a warm drink, and snuggle in for a long winter night.
We’ve had our lights for years, long before they got fancy with multi-colors and remote controls. They don’t have to be expensive or elaborate to make your inside days feel just a little magical long after the holidays have passed. — Lee Ann Colacioppo
Balcony House
Whenever I ski at Winter Park, my day always begins at the Coffee & Tea Market in the historic 70-year-old at the Winter Park base. I always order the strawberry and cream cheese croissant, baked fresh daily. My mouth starts watering as soon as I begin the descent from Berthoud Pass. I love the blend of sweet, warm strawberry preserves and tangy cream cheese wrapped in flaky, buttery pastry. The setting is small, intimate and decidedly old-school, too — just the way I like it. It’s a great place for lunch, too. — John Meyer
Fun and games at Thanes Tables
If you want to play some board games with your pals but don’t want to bother cleaning your house or feeding their hungry souls, pack up your game pieces and head to Thanes Table, a bar and grill tucked in an Arvada strip mall. Here, you will find tables large enough to hold the entire setup of your Gloomhaven universe or Star Wars: Rebellion battle. The tables even have enough space for the beer, mead and other cocktails you order as well as Thanes Table’s flatbread pizzas, nachos, pretzel bites and other snacks.
Thanes Tables also offers two private gaming rooms — Moonstone Crypt or Wychwood Forest — where serious gamers can tune out the modern world with dim lighting and murals painted on the walls. The restaurant, which is locally owned, provides some games for those who come empty-handed, and there is a pool table to stretch your arms and legs after a long gaming session. — Noelle Phillips
Thanes Table, 7655 W. 88th Ave., Arvada;
Chief Mountain
Winter hiking is sorely underrated — the trails aren’t crowded, parking is abundant, the views are even more spectacular and, if it’s sunny, you may find yourself at the summit in just a T-shirt and hiking pants (with appropriate layers in your pack, of course — safety first).
My favorite winter hike near Denver is an easy drive even in the snow, and the views are unparalleled: Chief Mountain, clocking in at 2.8 miles and under 1,000 feet of elevation gain.
As an added bonus, you’re minutes from Idaho Springs for a quick post-hike bite at my winter go-to, Westbound & Down Brewing Company. — Beth Rankin
Learn a skill
By the time mid-January rolls around, and the tinsel is mostly extricated from the carpet and holiday leftovers are a distant memory, I need something to look forward to during the cold, dark days before spring returns. While winter sports are probably Colorado’s most beloved cold-weather pastime, if you have a complicated relationship with heights and gravity (me,) or if you don’t want to auction off vital organs to afford lift tickets or spend the better part of your weekend parked on Interstate 70 (also me,) there is still hope.
I fell into the habit of taking a new class or starting a new hobby in winter by accident, but itap now something I anticipate every year. It started with a wheel-throwing pottery class at Broomfield’s recreation center in 2024 and continued with a mozzarella- and burrata-making class at The Art of the Cheese in Longmont in 2025. I loved the novelty of adding fun to my routine and the satisfaction of learning something new, and while I don’t know what this year will hold – making stained glass? Learning pickleball? Agility classes with my dog? – I’m excited to figure it out. — Katie Langford
Pepi’s Restaurant and Bar
After a day of skiing at Vail or backcountry touring on Vail Pass, I’m always hungry. My favorite place to rectify that is Pepi’s Restaurant and Bar, a landmark with Austrian charm in the heart of Vail Village. The late Pepi Gramshammer, an Austrian ski racing star of the 1950s, founded the restaurant in 1964 with his wife, Sheika. I almost always opt for bratwurst (veal and pork) with mashed potatoes, red cabbage, sauerkraut and brown gravy. I also highly recommend stopping in the bar in the afternoon for a warm German pretzel with warm cheese sauce. Sehr gut! — John Meyer
231 Gore Creek Drive, Vail; open seven days a week, 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. then 5:30 to 9 p.m.; 970-476-4671;
Italian comfort food at Coperta
On a snowy winter night in Denver, I love walking to a cozy neighborhood restaurant that has impeccable service, strong cocktails and comforting pasta. Coperta in Uptown fits the bill with seasonal southern Italian pasta dishes, a perfect Boulevardier to sip while watching the snow fall, and straccitella gelato so good, we’ve gone back just to order a pint to-go. It’s as cozy as it gets — exactly what you’d expect from a restaurant whose name means “blanket” in Italian.
As a bonus, you’re right next door to the Horseshoe Lounge, a Denver dive bar classic that’s perfect for a nightcap. — Beth Rankin
400 E 20th Ave.; open 5 to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 4:30 to 8 on Sunday; 720-749-4666;
Cross-country skiing on a full moon
It may sound crazy to go out at nighttime in below-freezing temperatures for a few laps, but since the first time I attended a full-moon cross-country skiing event, hosted by my local Nordic association, I have been hooked. There’s an equally eerie and intriguing magic that comes with venturing into the wilderness beneath the light of a full moon. The snow sparkles and familiar landscapes look entirely new. Though I’m prone to cold, the energy exerted as I traverse the terrain is enough to make me sweat. Couple that with a couple of swigs of whiskey and you’ve got a tradition that only comes around once a moon cycle. — Tiney Ricciardi
Indoor pickleball
Don’t let snow and ice ruin your pickleball game. Take your paddles indoors to keep your skills sharp all year. As the sport’s popularity has grown, business groups have seized the opportunity to convert empty big-box spaces into spaces for courts. A quick Google search of “indoor pickleball Denver” turned up more than a dozen locations from Thornton to Littleton. Some are membership only and charge by the month or year. Many offer hourly drop-in rates, typically for $20/hour. There are even lessons for beginners who may want to start a new hobby over the winter.
Many of the indoor pickleball courts include food and drinks on-site, so you can socialize after the game. Some have giant televisions and provide other games such as ping pong, corn hole or giant Jenga. Most public parks and recreation departments also have indoor courts, although you might have to share court time with basketball and volleyball players. But there’s no excuse to quit playing when winter hits. — Noelle Phillips
Skijoring
If you’ve never witnessed skijoring, the best way to describe it is like a winter rodeo. Professional horseback riders run through a course made of snow while towing a skier or snowboarder who races the clock — all while staying upright and attached to the tow rope. It’s a thrilling competition to watch, especially in rounds where skiers have to hit jumps or do other tricks. Many ski towns throughout Colorado host skijoring events during the winter, including Ridgway, Leadville, Silverton, Estes Park and Pagosa Springs. They’re well worth the trip. — Tiney Ricciardi
Mount Princeton Hot Springs
There’s nothing like the contrast of snow falling in your hair while your body soaks in 100-degree water. Since the pandemic eased up for us to feel safe to travel, my husband and I have visited Mount Princeton hot springs most years. Don’t get me wrong: I love a good soak in a hot tub on any chilly night, but a hot spring never feels better than when you’re half-frozen in the few yards you have to walk from the changing room to the water. — Meg Wingerter
Nuggets games
Say what you will about the Broncos, Avalanche or the hapless Rockies, in my book the Denver Nuggets are Colorado’s best pro team. Scrappy, exciting, in it. And how cool is it that we have the best player in the NBA in Nikola Jokic? It’s great fun to watch him dazzle on the court. Aaron Gordon, Jamal Murray and Christian Braun are strong and healthy; Bruce Brown is back (huzzah); and the additions of Jonas Valanciunas, Tim Hardaway Jr., DaRon Holmes and Cam Johnson add the depth we were lacking in previous seasons. (Bonus: Who doesn’t love to listen to Jokic at press conferences? That charm! That humility!) They’re winners, no matter the score. — Barbara Ellis
