Welcome to Ballerado. Find out if you have Mile High swagger.

Our Annual Winter Guide takes on a new form.

Test your snow cred with a Colorado-inspired quiz. Check off each of the activities you’ve done and tally your score. Are you legit? Or should you start working on your Rocky Mountain reputation?

#1) Have you seen the Lighted Man and horse-drawn snow-shovel races at Steamboat Springs’ Winter Carnival? steamboat-chamber.com

Yes
No

#2) Have you listened to the crack of big horn sheep butting heads during mating season? Georgetown’s Bighorn Sheep Festival is Nov. 14. wildlife.state.co.us/viewing

Yes
No

#3) Have you skied more than 5 Colorado ski resorts? (There are 26 total.)

Yes
No

#4) Have you gone snowmobiling? Grand County has 300 miles of snowy trails. grand-county.com/snowmobiling

Yes
No

#5) Have you skied by candlelight? Around the holidays, many ski areas sponsor nighttime runs with skiers holding candles, creating a beautiful light show and a lasting memory.

Yes
No

#6) Have you cross-country skied? Rent gear and take a lesson at any ski area’s Nordic Center. Add 10 points if you’ve done the “hut-to-hut” trail with the 10th Mountain Division Hut Association (it’s 350 miles!). huts.org

Yes
No

#7) Have you seen The Nutcracker? bncdance.com/the-nutcracker

Yes
No

#8) Have you visited the Colorado Ski Museum and Ski Hall of Fame?

Yes
No

#9) Have you been stuck in traffic on I-70 on a Friday night or a Sunday afternoon?

Yes
No

#10) Have you explored a winter wonderland on snowshoes? Tip: Rocky Mountain National Park offers free beginning and intermediate level snowshoe tours with a ranger. rocky.mountain.national-park.com/cal.htm

Yes
No

#11) Gone ice fishing? Grand Lake offers some of the best in Colorado. grand-county.com

Yes
No

#12) Slipped on your icy steps?

Yes
No

#13) Have you been to the National Western Stock Show? Jan. 9–24. nationalwestern.com

Yes
No

#14) Have you soaked in the vapors at Glenwood Hot Springs or one of many other natural hot springs in the state? hotspringspool.com

Yes
No

#15) Have you shouted “MUSH!” from the runners of a dogsled? dogsledrides.com/colorado.php

Yes
No

#16) Have you been ice sailing or ice boating in Georgetown with the folks at windisfun.com?

Yes
No

#17) Have you been behind a dog, a horse or even a snowmobile and gone skijoring? Literally “ski driving” from the original Norwegian sport.

Yes
No

#18) Have you skated at one of the area’s outdoor ice rinks?

Yes
No

#19) Have you watched ice climbers at the frozen waterfalls in Ouray’s Ice Park? ourayicepark.com

Yes
No

#20) Have you gone sledding, tobogganing or tubing?

Yes
No

#21) Have you sipped hot chocolate (or hot toddies) in the back of a one-horse open sleigh?

Yes
No

#22) Have you stood in the freezing night air on New Year’s Eve to watch fireworks? denver.org/metro/features/new-years-eve

Yes
No

#23) Have you attended the International Snow Sculpting Championships in Breckenridge? Jan. 26–31. gobreck.com

Yes
No

#24) Dug your car out of a snowbank?

Yes
No

#25) Have you watched the ESPN Winter X-Games or the Outdoor Life Network’s Gravity Games?

Yes
No

#26) Have you been to downtown Denver or downtown Boulder’s annual Christmas parades?

Yes
No

#27) Have you gone antiquing in Telluride? Its history as a Victorian mining town ensures there are treasure troves waiting to be discovered.

Yes
No

#28) Have you sipped an adult beverage après ski at one of Steamboat’s warm-up spots?

Yes
No

#29) Have you seen the millions of twinkling lights at Denver’s Zoo Lights? denverzoo.org/zoolights/index.asp

Yes
No

#30) Have you ridden the Rail Yard at Winter Park, which includes replicas of Colorado’s State Capitol building and Red Rocks? skiwinterpark.com

Yes
No

CALIFORNIAN
(0–6 points)
We don’t want to make you feel bad, but really? Are you visiting? Are you trying NOT to experience this awesome state? Tip: You’re in need of a road trip. We suggest Grand Lake, it’s an one-stop winter wonderland.

TRANSPLANT
(7-16 points)
Not too shabby! You’ve put in effort, skied a few slopes and sucked in steam at the hot springs. Still, you need some work. Tip: Visit Ouray. It’s gorgeous and an icy adventure that will leave you breathless.

LOCAL
(17-30 points)
Congrats, you local you! You have native pouring from your North Face jacket. You likely drive a Subaru with a ski rack and Left Hand sticker. Tip: Keep on keepin’ on. See powderaddiction.com for more fun!

~*~
A Guide to Riding, Gliding and Stomping

It’s not all about Vail and Aspen. Often, the best parts of winter are silent, glistening trails and family forays to sledding hills.

Snowshoe Trails
Heil Valley Ranch: Right near Lyons, this beloved area includes 15 miles of trails.

Brainard Lake Loop: The Indian Peaks area is popular for a reason: It’s absolutely beautiful. You’ll have no problem finding a good trail in the area and the loop is a nice five-mile hike.

Rabbit Mountain: Well used by mountain bikers and hikers in the summer, Rabbit Mountain has backcountry trails perfect for an afternoon of snowshoeing.

Rocky Mountain National Park: The east side of the park has some miraculous options. Though high winds can make your hike a bit daunting, there are tremendous payoffs…not to mention sliding down a bunch of untouched slopes.

Eldorado Canyon: Best part is, it’s right in your backyard. Try out Rattlesnake Gulch Trail or Fowler Trail; either will likely have the most snow throughout the winter.

Chautauqua Park: This Boulder icon, nestled between the Flatirons and the city, is perfect for an in-town snowshoe jaunt.

Cross-Country Skiing
North Boulder Park: This path is wonderfully groomed by the Boulder Nordic Club, and it’s become a great local stop for those who prefer a prepared trail. And because it sits in the shadow of Mount Sanitas, it stays snowy longer than other Front Range tracks.

Eldora Mountain Resort’s Nordic Center: While there are trail fees here, this is really the prime nearby location for cross-country skiing. Beautiful, peaceful and designated for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.

Betasso Preserve: Start at the east trailhead and enjoy a moderate 3.2-mile incline: a peaceful backcountry.

Caribou Ranch: With more than 2,000-acres of backcountry, Caribou Ranch is good for summer and winter escapism. Check out the DeLonde Trail and the Blue Birds Loop for good snowshoeing and cross-country skiing.

Sledding Hills
Superior: The open space just south of High Plains Drive along the western side of McCaslin Boulevard is a top sledding destination. Long runs plus high speeds equals…just be careful. Let’s just say, when you feel the need for speed, you know where to go.

Louisville Recreation Center: The Louisville Recreation Center has numerous sledding spots for kids, as well as a few miles of cross-country ski trails.

Autumn Ash Park, Lafayette: Sometimes a sledding hill doesn’t have to be a monster to become a favorite. Lafayette’s Autumn Ash Park is about as family friendly as you can get. The park is quaint, and the hill is gentle.

Tantra Park, Boulder: Located on Brookfield Drive in South Boulder, it’s the longest hill in town at more than 100 yards. It’s often called the best Boulder has to offer, and it’s the type of hill that makes childhood memories.

Scott Carpenter Park, Boulder: This is a longtime favorite for young families. It’s not a knock-your-socks-off type hill but it’s good for the youngsters and for those who might be afraid of heights.

Casey Middle School, Boulder: Located at 13th and North streets, this hill is not huge but it’s steep.

Skyline High School, Longmont: Though it’s in danger of being lost during the expansion of the school, this location is for now a local favorite.

Sunset Middle School, Longmont: Located on Sunset, this school has a nice and easy hill, perfect for the whole family.

City Park Recreation Center, Westminster: Westminster’s website calls the hill at Sheridan and 105th the best sledding locale in town. And the 622-foot cross-town elevation gain means some of the best sliding spots around.

Multi-Purpose Fields, Thornton: Near 108th and Colorado, this is a popular spot for local families. Also, try the hill near Community Park on 95th Avenue.

November 2009

I want to vote for Best of The West but cannot find the link to do so. I looked under your categories section and scrolled down to Best of The West but I see not place where I can place my vote. Can you help me, please?
Thanks!

Posted by juliedaniels, on March 10, 2010

It’s yellowscene.com/bestofthewest. Thanks for voting!

Posted by lacyblu, on March 15, 2010

RSS feed for comments on this post. TrackBack URL

Leave a comment

You must be logged in to post a comment.