Summer
Hiking the Continental Divide - Starting on Montana on this 3100 mile trail. We will lead a hike with our Sherpa guide from March through September where you can join at any time. Please call for more information.
Colorado:
Music Festivals
Red Rocks Park: We begin the day with a short hike and browsing at the outdoor museum of Dinosaur Ridge where placards teach you about the geology of the area and you can also see real footprints of dinosaurs. Ten percent of the countries dinosaurs were found in this hogback.
Red Rocks summer of Stars Concerts is set in a Natural, ancient amphitheatre is a favorite place for bands to play and has housed most famous bands from the Beatles to BB King to Cheryl Crow, Fleetwood Mac, Van Morrison as well as classical concerts). We will pack in lemonade and sandwiches for dinner and keeping hydrated. The view of the stars and the city are amazing while listening to world class music. The acoustics are so good and no seat is bad.
Movies are played on the screen on summer nights as well and packing a picnic dinner and some wine is a perfect way to spend a relaxing summer evening.
Other options for music include the famous, annual music festivals of Colorado: Telluride Blue Grass Festival: This venue is in the heart of the Rocky Mountains famous ski resort of Telluride with a waterfall at one end of town and surrounded by Rocky Mountains. Four days of music which can be heard from the campground as you nap or graze on snacks from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. you can hear world famous blue grass and folk artists. The line up includes world famous artists such as:
Sam Bush Band
Ricky Skaggs & Bruce Hornsby with Kentucky Thunder
Ani DiFranco
Yonder Mountain String Band
John Cowan & Darrell Scott Band
Tim O'Brien
Bela Fleck
Peter Rowan
Jerry Douglas
Edgar Meyer
Brett Dennen
Spring Creek Bluegrass Band
and many more still to be announced
Camping or lodging available.
Folks Festival or blue grass festival in Lyons: These are among my favorite things to do locally in the Denver area. Just outside of Boulder, Lyons Planet Bluegrass holds these summer festivals at the base of a canyon and a river runs through it. Kids and adults alike cool off in the creek as music plays throughout the day. The campground is across the street and motels are nearby as well. This charming venue is a great alternative for a more local festival. One day or 3 days is an option. The folks festival has my personal favorite bands and is never missed each year. And my favorite folk band is playing this year the waifs. Sisters from Perth, Australia and a phenomenal guitar player perform blow away the crowd every time. I saw them a couple of summers ago in Boulder and they were both 7 months pregnant. It was one of the best shows I've ever seen. My other favorite Shawn Colvin also plays at this festival often. Don't miss the songwriters
Greg Brown
The Waifs
Tim O'Brien
Todd Snider
Sarah Sample
and many more still to be announced...
Check out their website for all of these festivals http://www.bluegrass.com/.
Hiking Rocky Mountain National Park: Famous for its wild animals who seem to know they are protected in this famous national park because they roam about freely. You can see elk galore and eagles and a plethora of other colorful birds. Also we have seen an occasional wolf, bear, foxes, rabbits, deer, and when hiking the peaks you can see pikes and marmots and many other wild animals. There are many beautiful lakes and large peaks to view while hiking, picnicking or camping or simply driving through. The famous and highest road in the country, Trail Ridge Road is located here at 12,000 ft. You can stop at the visitors center there and learn more about the area or get a souvenir.
San Juan Mountain Range: Gorgeous hikes through wild flowers and small lakes cover the land. A day hike through these mountains is something never to forget. Camping or staying at one of the charming bed and breakfasts is nice as well.
Winter
Skiing (Copper, Vail, Winter Park) at some of the best ski resorts in the world
Snowshoing in Steamboat, also cabins at the outdoor natural hot springs of Strawberry parks.
Cross Country Skiing & snowshoing (Hut to Hut tours) at 10th Mountain in Summit County.
Sleigh Rides - with champagne and/or dinner (Steamboat and Summit County).
Horse & Carriage Rides to see the town in Denver on the walking mall of 16th Street Mall. There are restaurants, shopping and coffee shops, wine bars and pubs to mix with locals and feel the culture of Denver.
The Denver Art Museum - newly renovated. Temporary exhibitions: Opening April 13, 2008. For generations, African American women in an isolated farming community at a bend in the Alabama River made quilts from old work clothes, recycled fabrics, or scraps used by the Freedom Quilting Bee cooperative. Boldly combining color, form, and texture in unexpected ways, these quiltmakers integrated everyday materials like corduroy and denim to create utilitarian quilts that are now heralded as significant contemporary artworks. Gee's Bend: The Architecture of the Quilt tells the moving human stories behind these quilts-stories about the intertwined roles of community and family, environmental inspirations, and the artistic process. Gee's Bend will be on view through July 6, 2008. Permanent: African, American Indian, European, Architecture, modern and contemporary, Asian, Oceanic, pre-Columbian, Textile Art, Western American and many more exhibits to see.
The Natural History Museum and IMAX theater with a planetarium. A full and fun day or even two can be had at this museum for all ages. With three levels of exhibits to see including: Discovery Zone. This interactive educational center is geared toward children and families who like fun, hands-on activities. Egyptian Mummies. Two mummies teach modern scientists how the ancient civilization of Egypt regarded its living and preserved its dead. Gems & Minerals. Tunnel beneath the earth in a re-created mine and examine a host of colorful crystals and minerals found both locally and globally. Hall of Life. Understand how the lifestyle decisions you make affect your health and performance in this exhibition that focuses on the human body. North American Indian Cultures. Shelter. Food. Clothing. Tools. Experience the incredible diversity among Native American groups and the practicality and artistry of their everyday objects. Prehistoric Journey. A journey through the eons allows you to trace the evolution of life on Earth, from single-celled organisms to lumbering dinosaurs to the inhabitants of today's world. Space Odyssey. Explore the universe and your place in it in this dynamic and highly interactive exhibition. Wildlife Exhibits. Animals big and small come to life in exquisitely detailed dioramas that transport you around the world.