Travel | featured news

It’s way too early to make reliable predictions about prospects for late-spring skiing in Colorado because, while more snow this month and next could add to base depths that look encouraging, warm temperatures could make them dwindle in a hurry.

Five Colorado ski areas are expected to receive more than two feet of snow over the next five days and tiny Echo Mountain — which overlooks Idaho Springs — is likely to get more than three feet.

Dude ranches often are associated with summer vacations. We picture city slickers slipping away to enjoy the great outdoors and fresh mountain air, learning the rhythms of a horse’s gait and some new tunes around a campfire. But visiting a ranch in winter? Oh, what fun!

Entering Rocky Mountain National Park will be more convenient for annual and lifetime passholders this year via dedicated drive-through lanes set aside for visitors who purchase windshield transponder passes that are used to open the gate.

Denver-based Alterra Mountain Company revealed early-bird price increases for next year’s Ikon passes on Thursday that were less than the increases rival Vail Resorts announced Tuesday for its Epic passes. But Ikon passes still cost more than comparable Epic passes.

Editor’s note: This is part of The Know’s series, Staff Favorites. Each week, we offer our opinions on the best that Colorado has to offer for dining, shopping, entertainment, outdoor activities and more. (We’ll also let you in on some hidden gems).

Visitation declined at Rocky Mountain National Park in 2023 for the second straight year, and its ranking on the list of busiest national parks fell from fourth to fifth behind Great Smoky Mountains, Grand Canyon, Zion and Yellowstone according to figures released by the National Park Service.

The remedial qualities of the warm waters rich in iron, sulfate, chloride, sodium and calcium high in the Rockies were discovered and enjoyed by members of the Ute Tribe a thousand or more years ago. They also were a major draw more than 100 years ago to those visiting Glenwood Hot Springs Resort, established in 1888 and then home to the world’s largest hot springs pool.
Glenwood Springs is doubling down on its name this winter. The mountain town frequented for its geothermal hot springs long before it even had a name now has even more to offer those who love a great soak.

It can be hard enough for skiers and snowboarders in Colorado to avoid trees, other downhillers, poles, mystery bumps and mashed-potato snow — without also having to worry about running into a moose. But that’s not always possible, as several recent social media videos have shown.