A Utah Family Travel Writer's Adventures with Altitude
It is finished. My family’s Tour de Colorado, that is.
Much of our summer has been spent on the road partaking of Colorado’s bounties with a few (OK many mishaps) along the way.
Beaver Creek, our final destination, was one of our favorites.
Come on by Mile High Mamas today and see why.
P.S. It doesn’t have anything to do with the $50 kid’s meal. We’re still recovering from that.
This is one of the few summers I will not be returning to The Motherland a.k.a. Canada. It is no secret that I despise the heat. I blame my Canuckian roots and our glorious 70-degree summers. Anything over 85 degrees makes me combust and my body breaks out in a heat rash.
Having 10 pounds of hair doesn’t help, either.
To beat the heat, my family and I will be launching our own Tour de Colorado. For the next few months, we will be traveling all over the state and documenting the best family vacations. And our worst family moments. Here is a preview of what happened on our first Colorado “staycation” to Chautauqua in Boulder two weeks ago.
My Murphy’s Law life aside, many of our chosen destinations are in the mountains. Because high elevation = big cooldown for this overheated mama. I was recently complaining to my husband Jamie about a jump in temperature from the mid-60s to low-90s and how my body just couldn’t adjust.
“You see, Jamie. I need it to be like that frog in water.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Well, as the story goes: if you put a frog in boiling water, he simply jumps out because it is too hot. You should make it more gradual. You should put him in lukewarm water and gradually turn up the temperature.”
“Amber, that is not better for the frog. In the end, he dies.”
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Stay tuned on Tuesday for a sneak peak of my ultimate cooldown picks on my Tour de Colorado. And then follow my family this summer as we share the Good, Bad and the Ugly of family travel!
Note: This article was originally published at Mile High Mamas on June 8, 2009.
From the time my children were born, we have traveled either north or south of the border every summer. But our Canadian grandparents and Mexican senoritas will have to wait until next year. Like many people, we’re watching our dollars so our foreign travels have been temporarily disbanded.
Not one to sit around licking my [non-travel-induced] wounds, I came up with a brilliant plan to visit many of the world-class destinations in our backyard. After some intensive research, I drafted up an itinerary for my family’s own Tour de Colorado this summer and we will visit the following: Colorado’s Best-kept Secret, Best Splurge, Best Mountain Festival, Best Mountain Community, Best Dude Ranch, Best Camping and Best Front-range Destination.
The best news of all? We are taking you along for the ride.
Well, not literally. You’d likely take up too much room and eat my favorite road-trip snacks.
Stay tuned for my [often] fun, [sometimes] painful, but [always] entertaining accounts of Colorado’s best staycations beginning next week. And now, a preview of our Tour de Colorado:
BEST-KEPT SECRET: Chautauqua in Boulder
One might wonder how Boulder, an outdoorsy city just 25 miles from Denver, could hold any secrets. But I stumbled upon one when I hiked Chautauqua’s Enchanted-Mesa Trail with some friends. It was then that my love affair with Chautauqua’s 48 miles of verdant trails began.
This National Historic Landmark nestled against the Flatiron Mountains is one of Colorado’s true hidden gems. It’s an area heaped in history and very few locals know about the historic and affordable cottages for rent. The Dining Hall boasts some of the best outdoor dining in Colorado with epic mountain views. Don’t miss the silent films, concerts and children’s programs at the Auditorium that will delight old and young.
Visit the Boulder Farmer’s Market on Saturdays—a veritable cornucopia of organic food, live music, eccentricities and fun. Then take a stroll along the Boulder Creek Trail and also take a foray over to famed pedestrian mall Pearl Street Mall to shop, eat, play in the spray fountain and watch the street performers. 
BEST SPLURGE: The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs
Where do you take The Mother Who Has Seen Everything? The Broadmoor’s new cottages, of course! Guaranteed, these gorgeous 1- to 8-bedroom cottages are welcome additions to The Broadmoor’s already lofty 5-star pedigree and are the ultimate Colorado destination for the extended family. My parents are making a special trip from Canada for the occasion and guaranteed, these cottages will impress even my beloved high-maintenance mother.
The Broadmoor is located on 3,000 lush acres under the shadow of Cheyenne Mountain and offers two swimming pools an award-winning spa, fitness center, three outdoor hot tubs, one lap pool, 54 holes of championship golf, six tennis courts, children’s programs and an exceptional Sunday brunch.
Located 70 miles south of Denver, Colorado Springs has some of the state’s best activities for families. Take a tour through Cave of the Winds, pay Santa a visit at the North Pole’s family-themed amusement park, chug to the top of 14,110-foot Pikes Peak on the world’s highest cog railroad, hike Seven Falls, eat a high-flying meal at The Airplane Restaurant and sample chocolates at the Patsy’s Candy tour, topped off by a genuine ho-down, dinner and stage show at Flying W Ranch.
BEST MOUNTAIN FESTIVALS: Crested Butte
This will be our first summer trip to Crested Butte after falling in love with the ski area a few years ago. Not only is this charming hamlet renowned for its world-class mountain biking but July rules supreme. Don’t miss their 4th of July revelries and The Crested Butte Music Festival July 4 – 26, which brings symphony, chamber and jazz music to the mountains. Want to know what it would have been like to have a Beer with Beethoven? Find out during one of the symphony orchestra’s most popular concerts. Best of all, this music festival also caters to kids with the Divine Family Young People’s Concerts.
Located 230 miles southwest of Denver, Crested Butte also offers a full slate of activities during their popular Wildflower Festival July 6-12 that includes horse-drawn wagon rides, guided hikes, yoga classes in mountain meadows, and photography classes.
While Mama and Papa hit the trail for a couple of hours, our daughter will be at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory’s Kid Nature Camps. Not to be overlooked is the new Adventure Park at Crested Butte Mountain Resort that has an outdoor synthetic ice rink (recycled from the American Museum of Natural History), a climbing wall and reverse bungee. The area also offers some great family hikes, while many enjoy the simple pleasure of watching the ducks at Peanut Lake.
BEST MOUNTAIN COMMUNITY: Steamboat Springs
During my only vacation to Steamboat Springs (located 170 miles northwest of Denver), I got lost hiking to the famed Rabbit Ears. This trip will be about redemption…and celebration with fabulous activities such as hiking Fish Creek Falls (allegedly easier to find than some silly bunny parts), soaking in Strawberry Park Hot Springs and soaring in the resort’s gondola with fabulous views of the Yampa Valley.
Be sure to check out the Gondola Square Adventure Zone, which features a 24-foot climbing wall, a “Mini Bounce” castle, a 2-person Gyro chair, a ropes course and a mechanical bull. Not to be forgotten is the Howler Alpine Slide that will be sure to make you, well, howl. And Steamboat’s free summer concert series at the Rusted Root is all about hooting…and hollering!
Oh, and did I mention tubing down the Yampa River and all of Routt National Forest’s wildflower-dotted trails just waiting to be explored? Redemption, here I come.
BEST DUDE RANCH: Devil’s Thumb Ranch
Maybe “Dude Ranch” is an unrefined description for this rustically upscale resort and spa located on 5,000 acres at the foot of the Continental Divide, just 75 miles from Denver. One of the greatest things about Devil’s Thumb Ranch is it caters to cowboys of all ages, not to mention their mamas who like a bit of pampering on the side.
Why it’s my choice for Best Dude Ranch: swimming in a heated outdoor pool and outdoor hot tub, the petting zoo at Cabin Creek Stables, wagon and feed rides, pony rides, hikes along easy-grade trails, nature/bird watching tours, a game room with no electronics, a candle pin bowling alley and a 37-seat movie theater for movies and sports viewing.
BEST CAMPING: YMCA of the Rockies
I love backpacking but my young children are not quite yet up to the task. That is why I looked for a camping destination that offered varied activities as well as some great services.
Enter: YMCA of the Rockies. With two locations—one at Estes Park (adjacent to Rocky Mountain National Park) and the other at Snow Mountain Ranch (just minutes from famed resort Winter Park)—they are known for extremely affordable and fun family vacations. We have stayed in their rustic lodges and cabins before but for the first time, we will camp on their grounds with a group of friends.
YMCA of the Rockies’ activities are varied and include hiking, biking, fishing, camps, mini-golf, volleyball, tennis, crafts, scavenger hunts, canoeing, family programs, picnics, a high-ropes course and archery.
BEST FRONT-RANGE DESTINATION: Beaver Creek
With the tagline “Not exactly roughing it,” Beaver Creek is synonymous with luxury and recently received the National Ski Areas Association’s Best Overall Guest Service Award for the fourth consecutive year. We will get a taste of this during our stay at a gorgeous Beaver Creek Resort Properties condo.
But the budget-conscious need not be scared off because in addition to the notorious pampering you receive, there are plenty of fabulous deals. Beaver Creek offers free daily nature walks for the family and Beaver Creek Hiking Center’s Hike-ology program, which invites kids to play at the Big Dig (an archeological dig site at Spruce Saddler). Don’t forget the free Children’s Museum, free children’s theatrical performances in the village and recreational-Mecca Nottingham Park in Avon has free outdoor movies for the family once a week.
Another fantastic freebie is Fridays at the Park Hyatt with music, activities and gondola rides for the whole family, not to mention a gourmet s’moregasbord at the open fire pit.
If this is “not exactly roughing it,” count me in.
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Our Tour de Colorado will stop there. Overwhelmed by all of Colorado’s bounties? I’ll let you in on a secret: Vail Resorts has put together “Epic Summer,” an all-inclusive package with some of the best Colorado has to offer. Scenic gondola rides at Keystone and Vail. Whitewater rafting in the Rockies. Horseback riding in Beaver Creek. Panning for gold in Breckenridge.
There are four-day/three-night and seven-day/six-night packages available. All accommodations, transportation and meals are included with a mix of picnics, cowboy dinners, restaurants and BBQs. The best part is you will have a personal guide so don’t need to plan a thing.
Well, except to have a fabulous time in Colorado.
Note: This post originally ran at Mile High Mamason June 9, 2009.
You’d think my choice for Colorado’s best-kept secret would be a far-flung destination but I have been absolutely amazed how few locals know about Chautauqua’s charms. Located at the base of the Flatirons in Boulder, this National Historic Landmark has rental cottages that are surrounded on three sides with open space that includes 48 miles of hiking trails and thousands of acres of natural lands begging to be explored.
I had been living in Colorado less than a year when I hiked Chautauqua’s Enchanted-Mesa Trail with my daughter and I was, well, enchanted. After my hike, I explored the grounds and was smitten by the Dining Hall’s throwback-to yesteryear patio and the 110-year-old Chautauqua Auditorium, which hosts films, lectures and an entire series dedicated to children. The workshops include Young People’s Concerts (ages 3-7), Family Fun Concerts (ages 4-8), Classically Kids Workshops (ages 7-11), and Masterclasses for Emerging Musicians (ages 13-18). Be sure to enter to win 15 passes to the Young People’s Concert for you and your friends.
When I saw their quaint and affordable cottages, I vowed to my 6-month-old baby, “Someday, we will stay here.”
Five years later, we finally did.
Chautauqua was my family’s first leg in our Tour de Colorado. Amidst much fanfare, we loaded up the car, buckled in the kids and started the ignition. Or at least we tried to: the car was dead. After jump-starting the battery, we drove to Boulder. The next drama occurred when the blaring car alarm decided not to turn off and so we made a grand (and loud) entrance at Chautauqua. Our ultimate resolution to silence the beast was to unplug the horn fuse and let the car battery run out.
Pity us not. There are worse things than getting stranded in Colorado’s best-kept secret.
About Chautauqua
I’m not a big history buff and have been known to fall asleep faster than a narcoleptic when watching the History Channel. But Chautauqua fascinates me. In the 1920s, almost 200 Chautauqua assemblies dotted rural America. Each summer, they brought culture in the form of concerts and classes in what became the country’s first mass experience with 30 million people in attendance. Colorado’s Chautauqua is one of the only remaining assemblies and we were thrilled when they offered to host us for one night.
This historic district has 60 cottages for rent, including their oldest that was built in 1899. The cottages are unassuming on the outside but are quaintly restored on the inside. They are perfect for families and offer studio, 1-, 2-, or 3-bedroom rentals. Don’t expect modern amenities like TVs or DVDs. With Chautauqua’s many activities, we did not even have time to acknowledge their absence.
Upon arrival, the kids zoomed down the hill-side slide at the playground and played hide-and-seek in the adjacent wooded grove. We basked in the midday sun and watched the flowers dance in the breeze at the Centennial Garden. We strolled down a lane of celery-green trees to the on-site Ranger’s Station and learned about Chautauqua’s wildlife.
That evening, we dunked basketballs and played tennis at the courts behind our cottage. We ate on the Dining Hall’s outdoor patio, absorbing the dazzling views and fragrance of fine cuisine. Prior to retiring for the evening, we watched the sun dip behind the Flatirons’ dramatic uplifts as we hiked Bluebell Road. We attempted to capture the fleeting magic with a family photo in a meadow.
Chautauqua was a quick weekend getaway of beauty, bonding, amusement and appreciation.
On second thought, maybe I’ll just keep it my little secret after all….
Also visit:
The Boulder Farmer’s Market on Saturdays. This isn’t just any farmer’s market—it is an outdoor extravaganza with a cornucopia of organic food, eccentricities, live entertainment and fun. My kids loved the booths (read: tasty samples), chatting with the farmers and the face-painting tent.
Be sure to take a walk along the Boulder Creek Trail and take a short walk to Pearl Street Mall to shop, play in the spray fountains, eat and watch the street performers.
For more information about Chautauqua, go to www.chautauqua.com.
Chautauqua video journal. (And no, I am not a valley girl as my “like totally rad” commentary would infer.)
Note: This post originally ran at Mile High Mamas on June 17, 2009. Most services were complimentary or discounted.
I had been touring the Olympic Peninsula all week. I flew home late that night, did laundry, repacked and then jumped in the car with my family the next morning. Upon arrival at The Broadmoor’s sculpted grounds, I was frenzied and sleep-deprived.
The moment we pulled up to the security gate, all my worries were whisked away faster than the Calgon commercials of yesteryear. I gave the guard my name, received a parking pass and drove to the valet. I was greeted by Alex, a Romanian bellhop with a damsel-wooing accent: “Mrs. Johnson! How nice of you to join us again.”
I wondered how he knew I had stayed at The Broadmoor once before. Did he also know my favorite color is blue and that I have no intention to pay that unmerited parking ticket I received downtown?
In the end, I didn’t care. The Broadmoor does that to you. It doesn’t matter if you are promenading around Cheyenne Lake or pairing luxurious accommodations with gourmet dining. If You’ve Been Here, You Know.™
Cradled at the base of Cheyenne Mountain in Colorado Springs, this Five-Star, Five-Diamond hotel set on 3,000 acres has added a new feature to secure its place in the annals of The Ultimate Colorado Family Vacation: cottages.
Staying here is reminiscent of a Hansel and Gretel fairy tale. Only instead of being made of gingerbread and candies, these cottages feature spacious parlors with high-beamed ceilings, natural stone fireplaces, heated bathroom floors, surround sound systems, large flat screen TVs and the latest in-room technologies that blend seamlessly into the comfortably elegant design.
Nothing like living your own modern-day fairy tale.
The Broadmoor’s one- to eight-bedroom cottages are perfect for family gatherings and so when the Broadmoor offered to host us, my parents made a special trip from Canada for the occasion. Set along the legendary East Course, only a pristine creek separated us from the 18th fairway. I knew this would even impress The Mother Who is Impressed by Nothing.
We kept most of our activities simple. We lazed around the zero-entry infinity swimming pool, water slide and whirlpools, soaking in the turquoise water and golden sun. We watched a fawn skirt across the grounds as we lawn bowled behind our cottage. We strolled 0.8 mile to nature’s Nirvana–North Cheyenne Canyon Park–and admired Starr Kempf’s graceful steel wind kinetic sculptures, an unexpected residential treasure en route. We went to Sunday brunch, a gastronomic feast that features Eggs Benedict, crepe and smoothie stations.
Sound idyllic? Not quite. Our travel drama occurred when my parent’s Explorer died in the valet parking garage. To The Broadmoor’s credit, they immediately sent a technician to ascertain the problem and gave my parents one of the resort’s vehicles to use for the day while they had the car towed to the nearest dealership.
For those keeping track: this is our second glorious destination on our Tour de Colorado. And this is the second time a vehicle has died, leaving us stranded at Said Glorious Destination.
The good Lord loves me.
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Psttttt: good news! Don’t have enough money to spring for the cottages? Check out The Broadmoor’s summer lodging deal: $125/per person, double occupancy. Kids (10 and under) stay and eat free. Go to broadmoor.com for more information.
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Don’t miss:
Colorado Springs has some of the state’s best activities for families that include a cog ride to the top of 14,110-foot Pikes Peak. Manitou Springs’ Arcade Amusements Inc. boasts one of the West’s oldest and largest amusement arcades and Acacia Park’s comical Uncle Wilbur Fountain is the perfect cool down for the kids.
I was absolutely ecstatic to explore Garden of the God’s 25,000 square-foot Trading Post. Try their delicious fudge, check out the large collection of Colorado artists and dine on the Balanced Rock Café’s expansive outdoor patio while watching the children pan for gold.
A few more of my family’s favorites: the Cave of the Winds’ 45-minute Discovery Tour and the North Pole’s family-themed amusement park. Top your evening off with a touristy ho-down at Flying W Ranch’s Western village, complete with a chuck-wagon dinner and stage show. Get there early to try their to-die-for Dutch oven buttermilk biscuits dripping in honey. Tell ‘em I sent you. I promise they won’t disappoint.
Visit http://www.experiencecoloradosprings.com for additional information.
Note: This article was originally posted at Mile High Mamas on June 29, 2009. Most services were complimentary or discounted.
It is official: we survived our whirlwind summer and believe me, we were ready for it to be over. Our lazy summer afternoons were starting to look like this:
I am happy to say both children are tucked away in their respective schools. Of course, this deserves celebration and we’ve been doing our fair share of it around here.
It started with back-to-school night.
Bode is the blind boy in the sunglasses.
Then, it was a special steak dinner the night prior to school with Grandma and Grandpa, followed by father’s blessings and a fashion show with the new school outfits.
Of course, the first day of kindergarten is not complete without oatmeal cookie pancakes for breakfast.
And a few rock-star snapshots.
This excited girl is with her darling new teacher. Miss P. is a far cry from the crotchety old bitty Hadley was supposed to have (who, lucky for us, prematurely retired).
I am sure there will be a record number of eager fathers who will volunteer in the classroom this year.
Today was Bode’s first day of preschool. He woke up early, snuggled in bed watching Transformers, and then decided he would just as soon stay there all day. This school stuff, he explained, is for the Hadleys of the world.
Special breakfast and treatment? He didn’t really care.
Take 2: I like to entitle “Don’t wwwwweave me!”
But once in the classroom, the kid came to life. The teachers said he was so fun and well behaved.
As Jamie and I drove out of the parking lot after dropping him off, I let out a sob and in the same breath, sang “Freedom!!”
Jamie: “You sure made a quick recovery, didn’t you?”
I’ll be in therapy for two hours a day for the next nine months. Jamie would like me to spend it cleaning but in doing so, I would end up looking like this:
So you can find me here:
XOXOXO
A
Steamboat Springs was the third stop on my family’s Tour de Colorado and my pick for the state’s best mountain community. Our visit to this western resort town was also The Good, the Bad and the Ugly incarnate. When it was good (such as when my daughter Hadley won the ram scramble at the rodeo) it was very, very good. When it was bad, it was very bad with vomit and rain. But when we locked ourselves out of the car while it was still running? Think very, very ugly.
The Good
Steamboat Springs is home to two ski areas, four Colorado State Parks, hot springs, lakes and rivers–a full palette of activities that will have you painting the Yampa Valley red.
Or rather, dazzingly green.
Hiking—I’m not generally one to cough up money to hike but watching my kids squeal with glee as our Steamboat Springs gondola took flight was worth it. Even better was what unfolded at the summit: a myriad of 19 trails covering over 50 miles and a verdant meadow populated with Frisbee-playing families. We opted for the Vista Nature Trail, an easy 0.86-mile loop that starts and ends at the top of the gondola. This hike is ideal for young children and mine raced to each interpretive sign, ecstatic about their outdoor classroom.
Other hikes: A local rite of passage is the easy 6-mile round-trip hike to the famed Rabbit Ears located off stunning Rabbit Ears Pass. Tourist’s favorite 283-foot Fish Creek Falls has a popular picnic area but expect to pay $5 for parking. For views of the ‘Boat, trek Emerald Mountain’s steep network of trails through perfectly calibrated aspen paradise.
Coca-Cola Gondola Square Adventure Zone—Located at the base of the gondola, this zone has an adventure for everyone in the family. My kids became human catapults in the western-themed “Mini Bounce” and Jamie tried his luck on the Mechanical Bull (think: unlucky). Don’t miss out on the 2-person Gyro Chair (similar to those used by NASA) the “East Face” Climbing Wall and a new ropes course. 
Yampa River Core Trail—With 7 miles of multi-use paved trails that wind through downtown along the roaring Yampa River, we felt like we were the only ones not riding a bike. We covered what we could on foot, admiring sculptures and natural springs, cheering the onslaught of tubers floating the river and playing at Stockbridge playground’s mini-western town. Rest assured during my next visit, I will trade in my flat feet for two wheels.
Shopping—Lincoln Avenue may be the hub for Everything Shopping but be sure to venture over to Yampa Street and have Sweet Pea Market’s Pink Panther smoothie (made of rare Soup Sop fruit) or watch twilight’s last yawn as you dine at the Boathouse Pub overlooking the glistening river. A couple miles away, Freshies serves up the best breakfast and lunch in town (must-haves include their Asian BBQ turkey sandwich and lemon coconut cookies). The Ski Haus sells a lot more than skis and is the hub for great gear, rentals and insider information.
Hot Springs—Steamboat isn’t Steamboat without the “Springs” so you must soak in one of their two natural springs. Old Town Hot Springs is the more family-friendly of the two with 230-foot water slides, a climbing wall, two spa pools and a kiddie pool. But we wanted The Full Monty Experience of Strawberry Park Hot Springs. Full Monty is what happens after dark so be warned.
Located about 7 miles out of town (including the last few miles on a dirt road), Strawberry Park Hot Springs is nestled between two peaks just outside the Mount Zirkel Wilderness Area. When we arrived a large number of people were sitting on the walls of the natural stone enclaves of varying sizes and temperatures. We quickly discovered why: the water was way too hot for my 3-year-old son who instead played in the waterfall-created puddles. Five-year-old Hadley transitioned easily between the hot springs and a polar bear swim in the adjacent river. Me? I was a wall-sitter, liking it neither too hot nor too cold but preferring it “just right.”
You may call me Goldilocks.
The Bad
It was raining cats, dogs and a few horses upon arrival in Steamboat. We stopped at the Steamboat Springs visitor’s center where car-sick-prone Hadley stumbled out of the car…and proceeded to throw up on their front sidewalk.
Because nothing says “Welcome to Steamboat” like regurgitated road-trip snacks.
The Ugly
It didn’t start ugly. Actually, it started out as one of our favorite activities: the Steamboat Springs Pro Rodeo. For 10 weeks in the summertime, professional riders come from all over the region to compete on Friday and Saturday nights.
I grew up attending the Calgary Stampede (dubbed “The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth”) and had never been to a small-town rodeo. My expectations were met—and exceeded. We arrived early and ate bricket, ribs and chicken at their BBQ dinner. Hadley and Bode played on the horse and carriage structures and we watched the mechanical bull and bouncy house in action.
It was my children’s first rodeo and they were elated to stomp their feet (christened the “Yampa Valley Thunder”) with each triumph. When it came time for the ram scramble, Hadley and Bode were first in line. If you’ve never seen this event, picture a herd of kids ages 5 and under racing around in the mud trying to pull a flag off a sheep’s rear end.
And yes, I fully supported this endeavor.
From the first moment they set foot in the arena, Hadley and Bode entertained the crowd when they tripped over each other and fell in the muck. What unfolded next shocked even me: Hadley won the ram scramble. The same child who was a ski school dropout, hated ballet and barely survived soccer.
She has finally found her calling as a shepherd.
Euphoric from her victory and proudly displaying her belt-buckle award and gift card from western store F.M. Light and Sons, we walked to our vehicle and were confronted with the worst-case scenario: we could not find the keys. We soon discovered them in the ignition, with the car still running and the doors locked. We had been gone for three hours.
I will spare you the sordid details. Just know they involved exhausted kids and a locksmith trying to break into our unbreakable car. Between Jamie leaving the keys running in the ignition and me locking the car, maybe The Good, the Bad and the Ugly designation is not the correct.
Think: Dumb and Dumber.
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Note: This post was originally published at Mile High Mamas on July 6, 2009. Most services were discounted or complimentary.
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Tour de Colorado
(as published at The Denver Post’s Mile High Mamas)
*Best-kept Secret for Families: Chautauqua
*Ultimate Splurge for Families: The Broadmoor (Colorado Springs)
*Best Mountain Community for Families: Steamboat Springs
*Best Mountain Festivals for Families: Crested Butte
*Best Dude Ranch: Devil’s Thumb Ranch
*Best Front-range Destination for Families: Beaver Creek
Covering the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games for Microsoft Office
*Amazing News–Help Me Win My Own Olympic Bid!
*A Glimpse at the American Bobsled and Skeleton Federation
*Olympic Updates, Day 1
*The Torch, the Traveling Penguin and the Olympic Superstore
*A Glimpse Behind the Opening Ceremony Curtain
*Hangin’ With Olympic Legend Bonnie Blair at the USA House
*Getting Beaver (Tail) in Whistler
*The Olympics: In Pictures
*Why My Experience with Bode Miller Was Not Bodilicious
*Social Media at the Games
*How Matt Lauer Ruined My Moment in the Spotlight
*Tutorial on What Not to Say When Meeting Wayne Gretzky
*The Main Press Centre and My Birthday Celebration
*The 2010 Olympic Zipline: A Lesson in Patience and Insanity
*My Response to Canada’s Crushing Loss to the U.S. in Hockey
*Tweeting Short Track, Apolo Ohno and More
*The Colbert Report, Whistler’s USA House, and a Gold-Medal-Winning Mom
*Woman on Vancouver’s Streets (with video)
*The Official Olympic Entourage
*2010 Vancouver Olympic Games: I Had the Time of My Life
Other Family Travel
*Glenwood Springs’ Adventure Park On Top of a Mountain (new)
*Golden, CO: The Ultimate Family Staycation Right in Your Backyard (new)
*Park City Mountain Resort: A Cut of the Good Life for Families
*Beyond Twilight: The Olympic Peninsula for Families
*Loveland Ski Area for Families
*How Skiing Purgatory is More Heaven Than Hell
*Snowmass: Inspiring Olympic Aspirations in Families
*Learning to “Ski Like a Girl” at Keystone Resort
*The 11th Commandment: Thou Shalt Not Skinny Dip at Park City
Adventure Travel
*Solo in the San Juans: Exploring Colorado’s Highway to Heaven
*Testing the Limits With the Archery Biathlon in Bryce Canyon National Park
*Dominican Republic: Taking the Merengue to Extreme Heights
*The Flakes of Zion National Park’s West Rim Trail
*Havasupai, Arizona: A Garden of Eden in the Desert
*Catching the Wave in Paria Canyon, Utah
*Good Karma: Yurting in Sun Valley, Idaho
*Jackson Hole and Beyond: Exploring the Road Less Traveled
*Oregon’s Eagle Cap Wilderness: Characterizing Heaven and Hell
Have a great destination you think we should check out? Be sure to send me your recommendations.
During my family’s Tour de Colorado, we have visited many perfect places but have never had the perfect day.
You parents know what I’m talking about: when the destination’s private universe comes to life and the children do not beat each other to a pulp.
I had the perfect day in Crested Butte, my choice for Colorado’s best mountain festivals for families. It had the potential to be a nightmare. My husband could not join us until partway through the trip, leaving me to endure a 4.5-hour drive from Denver with two young children but all went smoothly.
When we arrived at the idyllic mountain resort, we checked into our perfect accommodations: The Lodge at Mountaineer Square. The perfection was not just the beautiful rooms and rooftop pool but also location, location, location. Situated at the base of Mt. Crested Butte, we were in the very pulse of the resort with their free Wednesday evening concert series. After grabbing some burgers off the grill, the kids joined the masses of rugrats rolling down the hill while this mama sat back and relished the hallucinatory montage of wildflowers, mountains and melodies.
It was there that I coined their new tagline: Crested Butte—It is Not Ugly Here.
I just know I have a lucrative future in marketing.
A Festival-Loving Town
The Crested Butte Music Festival (CBMF)
Most mountain towns have music festivals but I love the Crested Butte Music Festival because it brings world-class musicians, singers and dancers to one of the nation’s most stunning mountain hamlets. Celebrating its 12th season, the CBMF’s children and adult programs are geared to music and movement under the careful guidance of renowned Artistic Director Alexander Scheirle.
My kids attended the free Divine Family Young People’s Concert that is held on Saturdays in July. Designed for ages 4-12, this is a fun chance for the younger set to experience dance, music and fun in a fast-paced hour of music, opera or dance.
That evening, my husband and I attended Bluegrass in the Barn with musical jammers, The Infamous Stringdusters. It was not pretentious in the least—the concert was, indeed, in a barn. The rain started pounding, mist penetrated our mountain milieu and the ambiance was electric. My husband—though not a fan of bluegrass—declared that “If the Grateful Dead played bluegrass, they’d be called The Infamous Stringdusters.”
This is his way of saying he had a really, really great time.
The Crested Butte Wildflower Festival
It is only befitting that “The Wildflower Capital of Colorado” has a festival dedicated unto its glories. With the fuchsia pinks, sunny yellows and majestic purples of the lupines, Aspen sunflowers and mule’s ears, you will think you crawled onto a Monet canvas of mad, extravagant colors.
The Wildflower Festival serves up a huge array of clinics for adults and children that range from walks with a knowledgeable local guide through the low open meadows of Rustler’s Pass to photography workshops, horseback rides, yoga classes in a meadow, garden tours and even an ice cream party.
My children and I opted for a wagon ride to Peanut Lake with horse friends Billy Bob Bill and Bob. We made our way past the Wood Walk, a portion of an extensive network of trails perfect for little hikers. Our guide pointed out Mount Emmons a.k.a. Red Lady, a much-heralded mountain whose development is at the center of a heated molybdenum mine dispute.
We loped past Crested Butte’s famous landmark, the Gronk, which is nothing more than a mysterious hunk of concrete. Our reward was cobalt-blue Peanut Lake and the glorious Paradise Divide mountain range as the backdrop.
Oh, and there may have been a few [thousand] wildflowers along the way.
Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory’s Nature Camp
Sure, there are oodles of children’s camps out there but how many are conjoined with the nation’s most renowned high-altitude field station with the top students and researchers from around the world?
The Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory is located in Gothic, a 4-mile drive from Crested Butte and a stone’s throw away from paradise a.k.a. the Gunnison National Forest and Continental Divide. While Hadley was at camp, my son Bode and I hiked to Judd Falls, one of many epic hikes in the area with commanding views of Mount Gothic.
My daughter Hadley’s Nature Camp experience was the highlight of her trip because these aren’t your average camp counselors. They are dedicated professionals who—in just two hours—gave her an in-depth look at our fascinating natural world through games, hikes, crafts and scavenger hunts.
The Nature Camps sell out fast and rest assured, we will be first in line next year.
Other Family Fun
Adventure Park—Be sure to check out the Adventure Park at the base of Mt. Crested Butte that includes a 28-foot Climbing Pinnacle, bungee trampolines and a state-of-the-art skating rink made from Super-Glide® synthetic ice. I was a bit wary of the latter (being a purist who grew up skating on Canada’s frozen tundra) but was delighted that the slower synthetic ice proved to be a better teaching ground for my novice Canadian/American half-breeds.
Playgrounds—My kids fell in love with the Crested Butte Town Park, centrally located in town with tennis, baseball, volleyball, pavilion, Center for the Arts, a fort and giant sandbox.
My love affair was with the Ted Scheske Park on Gothic Road. This park offers such amenities as a Total Fitness Trail, tennis courts, volleyball and The Mountain Garden, venue for a large number of weddings. When you witness the unparalleled vistas of Snodgrass Mountain and the Continental Divide you will understand why.
Also, be sure to bike or stroll along the recreation path that extends three miles from Crested Butte to Mountain Crested Butte. Not to be missed will be The Trailhead, a 5,000-square foot Children’s Discovery Museum and Arts Center that will be opening in 2010.
No “Buts” About Checking out “The Butte”
Take time to stroll around Crested Butte. This quirky, multi-hued town is a National Historic District, played host to outlaws Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and has a two-story outhouse.
It doesn’t get any cooler than that.
Toy store Pooh’s Corner delighted my kids for an hour, while the bevy of shops kept me entertained for an afternoon. For breakfast, you must have Izzy’s breakfast burrito with Indian spices. Dine creek-side but expect a long wait on the weekends. The Secret Stash pizzeria redefines eclectic with decor showcasing the owner’s world travels. Service is friendly, the kitchen is slow but Asher’s Pie (with a BBQ sauce and chipotle base, Canadian bacon, and grilled chicken) made it worth it.
Our favorite dining experience was at django’s restaurant & wine bar in Mountaineer Square, currently rated Crested Butte’s No. 1 restaurant on TripAdvisor. We enjoyed live music on the outdoor patio as we devoured small plates of artistic food such as the gnocchi in a light lemon cream sauce and my favorite (that will surely shock my mother): crispy Brussels Sprouts with apples, crème fraîche, apple cider reduction, pistachios and a dash of heaven.
Video Journal:
For additional information, go to The Crested Butte Music Festival, The Wildflower Festival and Gunnison-Crested Butte Chamber.
Note: This article was originally published at Mile High Mamas on July 20, 2009. Most services were complimentary or discounted.
I had never attended a community forum until last week. It likely stems from the fact that I’m Canadian and nobody really cares what a foreigner has to say.
Unless we end our sentences with a cute little “Eh.”
But this time I was invested: It was the third and final meeting about a neighborhood park near my house. My city has a glorious thing called a land development code that requires developers to donate to a fund. Our neighborhood’s nest egg has $1.7 million and they plan to build a park on 15 acres of undeveloped land.
The city planners had carefully implemented suggestions from the previous two meetings and overall, people seemed pleased. The park will consist of tennis courts, basketball, horseshoe, an inline skate park, a custom rock feature for climbing, playground equipment, small picnic shelters and a pot at the end of the rainbow.
Sorry, no leprechauns. That would be too good to be true.
Construction will likely begin in the fall and the park will not be completed until summer of 2010.
Watching the city’s PowerPoint Presentation was fascinating but the Q&A that followed was a lot like NBC’s Parks and Recreation.
Except a lot less funny.
Q: What do we do about the den of coyotes that live above the park?
A: Don’t feed them. They are not your pet. Look menacing and they will leave you alone.
Q: Have you considered putting in a Fitness Course? (This question was posed by my beloved fitness-queen neighbor.)
A: This is a neighborhood park, not a large community one. We will have lots of benches and shade. Just sit down and chill out.
Now, let me be clear: this is our park and not yours. I made the mistake of mentioning the possibility of writing about it and I was burned at the stake. “If you write about it, people will come” my neighbors seethed.
Evidently, they did not see Field of Dreams. All that is required is for us to “build it.” There is no writing clause whatsoever.
But consider yourselves warned.
I'm a Canadian-born mom of two, former Denver Post columnist, family travel writer, editor of MileHighMamas.com and 9News contributor. Expert on all things Utah, Denver, family and travel. Lover of laughter and life. Happily married to a man obsessed with growing The Great Pumpkin. Learn More
