We had a nice day on Sunday at the Denver zoo. We used to go more often but yesterday was the first time back in three years. They have a really nice elephant area and they are building out a new Australia exhibit.
Because we are transitioning from winter many animals were not yet on display. In the summer months the gorillas and most of the monkeys are out and we’ll have to go back to see them.
Near Silverthorne, Colorado, Keystone is a terrific ski resort with seemingly endless terrain for all ski levels. I went April skiing with my 10-year-old to finish out the season before we transition to summer of hiking, camping, and more.
In this video below we will travel a 3.5 mile green slope from the top of the resort to the base.
In the distance you will be able to see Dillon Reservoir at 2:38 in the distance.
Our ski and snowboard journey took us to Loveland Ski Area which sits right off the I-70 at the entrance to the Eisenhower/Johnson tunnel at the continental divide. This ski area is more basic with lifts in two areas (Loveland Valley and Loveland Basin), a few eateries, a rental shop and no on-site lodging.
We actually found that the Basin area is much more enjoyable than the Valley area. The Valley area has only a couple lifts and is meant for beginner skiers and snowboarders. Since my kids have progressed tremendously in one season we had no reason to spend much time in this area which was also quite crowded.
After returning by shuttle bus to the Basin area we had more fun on more interesting terrain and it was also less crowded (and the people actually less rude and willing to wait in line to get onto the lifts).
While we enjoyed the nearby Arapahoe Basin area which is just over Loveland Pass when we went to it a few years ago, Loveland was somewhat disappointing overall. We’ll head further on to a larger resort next time we go skiing.
If anyone were to ask me what the most impressive waterfall is in the state of Colorado I would give the edge to Rifle Falls. In a state that doesn’t receive a lot of rainfall, Rifle Falls is unique for its combination of height, breadth (actually multiple falls), the verdant environs of the surrounding area, and the caves near its base.
Rifle Falls State Park is located just outside of the town of Rifle, which is on the western slope not far from Glenwood Springs (a favorite town of ours with a lot to do in the surrounding areas).
The park has a number of short trails around the base of the falls. The falls mist the surrounding areas making it an oasis of greenery in an otherwise mostly arid region of Colorado. There are great vantage points on multiple sides of the falls.
The fun isn’t limited to the waterfalls. Trails lead off toward a series of shallow caves a short distance away that are a lot of fun for kids. We explored all of these with our dog too (she was only a puppy at the time).
We had an overall good time spending Thanksgiving weekend at Crested Butte, CO. This early in the season not all the runs were open but the man-made snow was better than expected (winter is starting late this year). Also a lot of the resort and the town as a whole wasn’t quite up and running as it would be in the middle of ski season.
We saw a surprising amount of wildlife too. Lots of bighorns, a red fox, and some stellar jays in the photos below.
Overall I don’t think we’d go back at Thanksgiving just because it’s not prime skiing time, but the slopes weren’t busy and it was easy to get the kids practice time. Daniel is just starting to learn the snowboard while Evan has a few lessons under his belt on the skis. We’ll be skiing again in the next couple months.
At Crested Butte on a couple different runs. I was holding the camera so I had to be a bit careful.
Hiking Rocky Mountain National Park
Rocky Mountain National Park is the largest national park in Colorado and one of the most visited in the country. Over the course of many years I’ve hiked dozens of trails in this park, from the short and family-friendly Emerald Lake, to the ultra-challenging Longs Peak trail. Read on…
These photos were taken by a friend shortly before she passed away on a mountain road seven years ago. They were taken at Mount Evans. She died not on Mount Evans, but nearby.
A few things have me thinking of her sad death this week. But Heather, you are not forgotten and I’ll always remember your kindness.
We took a weekend camping trip to northwestern Colorado and a little bit of Utah. We made our first trip to Dinosaur National Monument and saw the Dinosaur Quarry and hiked the Fossil Discovery Trail in 97 degree heat. We also visited the Natural History Museum in Vernal, UT.
The following day we went to Steamboat Lake (a favorite place of ours in CO) to do some canoeing.
We camped at the KOA in Steamboat Springs which was ok, but more crowded and not as scenic as the Steamboat Lake campground. We camped there last year and loved it.
We saw a bald eagle, golden eagle and a beaver but couldn’t get photos because we were on the road and couldn’t pull over in time. The golden eagle was especially cool. I had never seen one and it was huge.
Trav-Art 
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