Have it All to Yourself

You live in Colorado because of that beautiful playground just to the west. Each winter, the peaks are coated with an ever-so-pristine layer of snow.

You can see it from miles away in the North Metro area. When the weekend comes, you grab your skis or board and head to Summit or Eagle counties to enjoy some of the finest resorts in the world. Problem is, you are not alone.

Thousands of others claim Weekend-Warrior status, too, leaving Interstate 70 as free flowing as a creek through a beaver dam and lift lines that seem to stretch all the way to Kansas.

We like to avoid all that, so we spent last winter finding ways to leave the gridlock. That’s not to say we didn’t find ourselves packed into Two Elks Lodge, slurping down chili served in bread bowls followed by a digestive dip into China Bowl.

Sometimes luxury is worth the wait.

But when you break away from the crowds every now and then, you’ll reap the kind of rewards that help explain why you love the mountains so much.