Posts Tagged ‘southwest colorado’

Enjoy winter vacation deals, activities and fun festivals in Southwest Colorado this winter

Wednesday, January 6th, 2010

NEWS RELEASE

 

Editor’s Note: Photos Available

 

Southwest Colorado – Showcasing Cool Deals During Cold Days

 

Southwest Colorado (Jan. 6, 2010) – Winter vacationers looking for a fun-filled getaway – at a discount, no less! – need look no further than the Southwest Colorado Travel Region.  Offering world class ski resorts, sky-high outdoor playgrounds, and plenty of events and activities both on and off the slopes, Southwest Colorado Travel Region is a cool way to spend cold days.

 

Delta County (www.westerncolorado.org)

Delta County’s Grand Mesa, the world’s largest flat-top mountain, boasts 800-square miles of winter playground terrain.  The mesa is home to 400 miles of winter trails, perfect for snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and snowmobiling.  The 123-mile-long Powderhorn to Sunlight Trail is the longest snowmobile trail in North America. Visitors may book a room at one of the nearby communities in Delta County, or choose to stay right on the mesa at the Thunder Mountain Lodge (www.sprucelodgecolorado.com) or the Grand Mesa Lodge (800.551.6372). 

 

Gunnison-Crested Butte (www.gunnisoncrestedbutte.com)

Crested Butte Mountain Resort is known for its world-class skiing and snowboarding.  Groomed Nordic trails in the area now number more than 95K and backcountry routes are plentiful, allowing tons of opportunity to enjoy the great outdoors around Gunnison-Crested Butte. 

Visitors may fly directly into Gunnison-Crested Butte Regional Airport from Salt Lake City, Atlanta, Dallas/Fort Worth and Denver to experience “Colorado’s Last Great Ski Town.”   Fly to Gunnison-Crested Butte Regional Airport (GUC) on United, Delta or American between Dec. 17, 2009 and April 4, 2010 and take advantage of the Friends and Family Fly Free program.  Buy two airline tickets and get the third free when staying in Crested Butte Mountain Resort’s lodging properties for at least four nights. The maximum number of free tickets per itinerary is three (for a booking of nine tickets), and the maximum travel credit is $450 per free airline ticket. The offer is subject to availability and not valid for any travel between March 12 – 16, 2010. To book visit www.skicb.com or call 800-600-2803. 

Lake City (www.lakecity.com)

Lake City is home to Colorado’s highest hut system.  Offering some of the finest in winter backcountry experiences, The Hinsdale Haute Route provides cozy refuge for skiers and snowshoers within four yurts that are carpeted, insulated and furnished with nearly all the comforts of home!  

 

The Jon Wilson Memorial Yurt is rated for beginners and intermediates and is located 1.25 miles from Highway 149.  The yurt sleeps up to six people and offers superb views of Lake City, Lake San Cristobal and Sunshine, Grassy and Red Mountains.  Beginners may also access Rambouillet Yurt, located on routes that vary from 3.5-five miles from Highway 149.  Colorado Trail Friends Yurt is located high on the divide and is rated intermediate to advanced.  Three routes ranging from 4-6 miles long lead to the yurt, which sleeps up to eight. Fawn Lakes Yurt is the highest, most remote and most challenging-to-reach hut in the system.  Located four miles from the Colorado Trail Friends Yurt and six miles from Pearl Lakes, this yurt sleeps up to six people.  For information on lodging rates, or to make reservations visit www.hinsdalehauteroute.org.

 

Montrose (www.visitmontrose.com) 

Montrose Regional Airport is the gateway to Southwest Colorado Travel Region and offers convenient flights from many major cities, including Denver, Houston, Atlanta, Salt Lake City, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth and Newark.  Make Montrose the hub for your Southwest Colorado vacation, but don’t miss out on the experiences located right in this area.  The stunning Black Canyon of the Gunnison (http://www.nps.gov/blca/) is open year round and gives winter visitors the opportunity to snowshoe, cross country ski and star gaze.  Take a guided trek with one of the knowledgeable rangers, or venture out on your own.   

 

Canyon Creek Bed and Breakfast offers a number of packages ranging from $175 to $275 to entice visitors to stay and play in this charming mountain town.  The packages include things such as in-room his and her massages and champagne.  Each package comes with a yummy breakfast.  (www.canyoncreekbedandbreakfast.com/valentine.html)

 

Ouray (www.ouraycolorado.com)

Surrounded on three sides by 13,000-foot snowcapped peaks, beautiful Ouray is aptly nicknamed “The Switzerland of America.”  The Ouray Ice Park (www.ourayicepark.com) is the world’s first park dedicated exclusively to ice climbing and offers free climbing experiences for beginners, as well as experts.  Each January world-class athletes flock to Ouray for the Ouray Ice Festival (www.ourayicefestival.com), the premiere international gathering of its kind.   To warm you up after a day on the ice take a dip in the Ouray Hot Springs Pool.  It is open year-round and offers more than a million gallons of crystal clear natural hot springs water, several soaking sections at varying temperatures, and a lap swim section. 

 

Book the Box Canyon Lodge & Hot Springs’s Once-a-Month Special (www.boxcanyonouray.com), created for those who live within a four-hour drive of Ouray and need an excuse to get away.  Join the popular program and commit to an Ouray getaway once a month until May 31.  Once-a-month program members stay for just $59 per night Friday-Saturday and pay only $44 Sunday-Thursday.  Offer not valid on holiday weekends. 

Orvis Hot Springs in nearby Ridgway also offers lodging packages.  Orvis Hot Springs is a clothing optional natural hot springs resort that does not heat or treat its waters.  Orvis offers seven soaking areas that range in temperature from 98-112 degrees.  Log on to www.orvishotsprings.com to see the most updated deals being offered.   

 

Silverton (www.silvertoncolorado.com)

The snow-covered San Juan Mountains around Silverton provide an enchanting setting for various outdoor winter activities including: alpine, extreme, snow-cat and cross-country skiing; snowshoeing; ice fishing; natural ice climbing; ice skating; sledding; and snowmobiling. The Silverton Snowmobile Club grooms many miles of multi-use trails with easy access from town on U.S. Highway 550.

 

Located just outside of Silverton, Silverton Mountain (www.silvertonmountain.com) boasts the steepest, most powder-filled slopes in the U.S.  For a milder ride, hit Kendall Mountain Ski Area and go sledding, skiing, snowboarding, or tubing for just $15 per adult and $10 per child or senior. 

Pagosa Springs (www.visitpagosasprings.com)

Located just outside of Pagosa Springs, Wolf Creek Ski Area (www.wolfcreekski.com) boasts an average of 465 inches of snow on the mountain and is known for having “the most snow in Colorado.”  Pagosa Springs also has more than 60 miles of cross-country skiing trails, groomed for skate, freestyle skating and snowshoeing.  After a day in the great outdoors treat yourself to a relaxing soak, massage or other treatment at The Springs Resort & Spa (www.pagosahotsprings.com), which is terraced along the banks of the San Juan River.  The Great Pagosa Aquifer, the world’s largest and deepest hot mineral spring, is the source of the therapeutic mineral waters here. 

 

Telluride (www.visittelluride.com)

Telluride is renowned for its rich heritage, charming culture and remote mountain beauty.  Conveniently, visitors may fly directly from Denver or Phoenix into Telluride Regional Airport (TEX), the highest commercial airport in North America (located at 9,078 feet above sea level).  Between Telluride and nearby Mountain Village options for accommodations and activities abound. 

 

The world-class Telluride Ski Resort (www.tellurideskiresort.com) is known for its powder-filled bowls, family-friendly ski school and amazing views.  Book the Telluride Stay and Ski Package starting at $115 per person/per night based on double occupancy that includes lift tickets and lodging.  Package rates are based on a four-night stay with three days of skiing.  (800.778.8581)

 

For a backcountry experience, book a trip with Colorado’s only heliski outfitter, Telluride Helitrax (www.helitrax.net).  Or, explore the San Juan Hut System (http://sanjuanhuts.com/), five backcountry huts located between Telluride, Ridgway and Ouray.  For family fun, check out the local ice skating rinks—one near Heritage Plaza in Mountain Village, or another in Telluride’s Town Park.   

 

Winter Festivals & Events

 

15th Annual Ouray Ice Festival – Jan. 7-10, 2010 – This festival draws some of the greatest athletes in the

world who challenge themselves on the slippery slopes of the route created at the Ouray Ice Park.

Guided Snow Shoe Walks at Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park –Saturdays and Sundays at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. from Jan. 16 – March 7 – Montrose – Take part in a ranger-guided snow-shoeing tour along the rim of the canyon.  No special skills are required to participate, and snowshoes (including kids’ sizes) are available for loan free of charge at the visitor’s center. 

Cowboy Ball – Delta – Jan. 23, 2010 – This event is the Delta County Memorial Hospital Foundation’s annual fundraiser for healthcare scholarships and to support the oncology department.  The fundraiser includes dinner, dancing, the Anders Brothers and a silent auction.  (www.deltahospital.org)

 

Moonrise/Sunset Nordic Ski-B-Q Social – Pagosa Springs – Jan. 29, Feb 26, March 26, 2010 – The Pagosa Nordic Club hosts these social events that start at 6 p.m. at Falls Creek.  Meet new people and try out some of the groomed trails under the sunset and moon rise. Enjoy a free BBQ, ski and camp fire amongst friends of Nordic skiing and snowshoeing. (http://pagosanordic.blogspot.com)

 

24th Annual Alley Loop Nordic Marathon (1.5 K, 3K, 5K, 10K, 21K and 42K), Crested Butte Nordic Center – Feb. 6 – This event is the highest-altitude Nordic marathon in the U.S. The American Birkebeiner qualifying race starts and finishes in the heart of Crested Butte on Elk Avenue (a National Historic District since 1974) and winds its way through streets, alleyways and Nordic trail system located on the outskirts of this historic mining town.  (www.cbnordic.org)

Telluride Comedy Festival – Feb. 11-14, 2010 – Telluride Comedy Fest is a weekend of comedy by some of the best and funniest performers working today. Each night features a unique show with an emphasis on a different comedic form: stand-up, sketch and improv.  (www.sheridanoperahouse.com)

 

WinterFest, Pagosa Springs – Feb. 13-14, 2010 – Take a plunge – if you dare! – into the frigid San Juan River as you raise money for your favorite non-profit or community organization.  Also on tap – the Anything Goes Downhill Sled Race competition (complete with homemade sleds made of toilets, chairs, satellite dishes and other wacky materials!), the Snowsculpting Contest and Nordic Ski Races (a cross-country race that takes place in the downtown area, around the beautiful Reservoir Hill and surrounding private lands.  (www.visitpagosasprings.com/colorado/chamber-of-commerce/chamber-events/winterfest-info)

 

Rocky Mountain Sled Dog Sprints, Grand Mesa (Cedaredge) – Feb. 20-21, 2010 – Delta County goes to the dogs atop the world’s largest flat-topped mountain with the Rocky Mountain Sled Dog Sprints on Feb. 20 and the Rocky Mountain High Sled Dog Races on Feb. 21. 

 

Gay Ski Week, Telluride – Feb. 20-27, 2010 – This celebration includes a full week of events and parties both on and off the slopes.  (www.telluridegayskiweek.com)

 

Progressive Bonfire Dinner – Crested Butte – March 20, 2010 – The Crested Butte Nordic Council’s annual Progressive Bonfire Dinner is a unique culinary journey taking participants along a luminary-lit path for a four-star, four-course, four-fire meal.  Snowshoes and Nordic skis are the mode of transportation!  (970-349-1707)

 

Eckert Crane Days – March 20 and 27, 2010 – From early March to late April (times vary depending on the arrival of spring) visitors can see the Greater Sandhill Cranes glide into Hart’s Basin and land at the Fruitgrowers Reservoir as they stopover during their migration north.  Come in the afternoons between 4:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. to see them land or in the mornings between 9 – 11:00 a.m. to see them take off.  It is quite a spectacular sight! (www.blackcanyonaudubon.org or www.eckertcranedays.com)

 

About Southwest Colorado Travel Region:

The Southwest Colorado Travel Region boasts eight scenic byways, five national forests, five hot springs, five wilderness areas, two national parks, and two national monuments.  The area stretches from Delta in the northwest to Pagosa Springs in the southeast.  For more information about this unique region, contact Gaylene Ore at 970.887.2536 or gaylene@orecommunications.com or log on to www.swcolotravel.org for information and to request a map of the area.

 

# # #

 

Contacts:  Gaylene Ore, Ore Communications, 970.887.2536, gaylene@orecommunications.com

Karen Avery, Southwest Colorado Travel Region Board, 970.325.4981, boxcanyonlodge@gmail.com

 

Tags: , ,
Posted in Press Releases | No Comments »

Ghost Towns of Southwest Colorado

Tuesday, October 13th, 2009

Ghost Towns of Southwest Colorado

–A treat any time of year, Southwest Colorado ghost towns offer a glimpse into Colorado’s past –

 

Southwest Colorado (October 2009) – Step into the shadows of the past with a visit to one of southwest Colorado’s ghost towns.  The mining demands that created these communities fizzled, leaving behind a shell of life as it once was.  Today, some ghost towns showcase abandoned buildings, while others have been restored, and still others serve as modern-day outposts for exploring this region that is so rich in history. 

 

1.      Red Mountain Town, outside of Ouray
The site of the National Bell Mine, Red Mountain Town is located off Hwy 550 near the crest of Red Mountain Pass. During its peak, as many as 10,000 residents lived in Red Mountain Town. Booming with over 100 businesses, a post office, jail, schools, newspapers, saloons and gambling halls, Red Mountain Town became one of the most prosperous of its time. Hard winters proved to be the biggest obstacle of survival and several tragic fires between the 1892 and 1937 nearly leveled the town. An estimated thirty million dollars in gold, silver, lead, zinc and copper has been taken out of this area. To explore what’s left of this once booming mine town, park your car at the Red Mountain Pass and hike into the town site.  Or, check out the overlook from Hwy 550 at the Idarado Mine turnoff.

 

2.      Gothic, north of Crested Butte
Gothic is located approximately nine miles north of Crested Butte on County Road 317. It was founded as a stop on the East Maroon Trail that connected the new communities of Aspen and Crested Butte and at one time boasted a population of 8,000. Once a hot spot for silver mining, Gothic’s downfall came during the Silver Panic of 1893.  It is now an abandoned mining ghost town, but new life was breathed into the area when it became the site of the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory in 1928. Four-wheel-drive vehicles may continue another nine miles past Gothic over Schofield Pass to the famous Crystal Mill, one of the most photographed sites in Colorado.

 

3.      Tin Cup, Gunnison County
Founded as Virginia City in 1880, Tin Cup was renamed in honor of an early minor, Jim Taylor, who used an old tin cup to sift through the gravel in search of gold. During the 1870s the rough mining town of Tin Cup, with a peak population of 6,000 inhabitants was home to a lively red-light district, housed amongst the usual cast of saloons, dance halls, shops and churches. Today, however, Tin Cup is home to a few quiet and peaceful, mostly summer residents as well as Colorado’s most unusual cemetery. Tin Cup can be found at the foot of Cumberland Pass on County Road 765.

 

4.      Animas Forks, near Silverton
Established in 1875, the short-lived boom of Animas Forks ended by the 1920s.  Plagued by the frequent avalanches that kept travelers from entering and residents from leaving, Animas Forks quickly went from a thriving hub for local mines to a deserted ghost town. Thousands of people visit the remaining building and town ruins located about thirteen miles southeast of Ouray, Colorado.  A jeep or other four-wheel drive vehicle is suggested for exploring this ghost town. 

 

5.      Not all Ghost Towns are necessarily abandoned and left frozen in time.  Lake City, Silverton, Ouray and Telluride are examples of historic mining settlements that were once  booming mining populations of their peak, are still alive and breathing among their well preserved buildings and streetscape. While many other western frontier towns were abandoned or destroyed by fire, Lake City (www.lakecity.com) and Silverton (www.silvertoncolorado.com) remain small thriving communities with an open door for those travelers looking for a break from their busy pace lives. Take a stroll through the historic main streets, tour old mines, or use them as a home base for the abundant outdoor activities in the area.

 

In Ouray (www.ouraycolorado.com), which is aptly nicknamed “Switzerland of America,” visitors make explore the historic downtown region, which has been designated a National Historic District.  A mule-drawn carriage ride gives visitors the lay of the land, as well as some interesting historic facts.  And, the Ouray County Museum, housed in an old miners hospital, has lots of exhibits displaying life as it once was in this quintessential mountain town.

 

Telluride (www.visittelluride.com) was named after the composition of ores in the area, which mostly consisted of telluride, a compound containing tellurium, a non-metallic element.  Today, visitors may not only catch a glimpse of Telluride’s historic past, with walking tours and fireside chats sponsored by the Telluride Historical Museum, but they may also take part in world-class skiing, festivals and other outdoor activities. 

The Southwest Colorado Travel Region boasts eight scenic byways, five national forests, five hot springs, five wilderness areas, two national parks, and two national monuments.    For more information about this unique region, contact Gaylene Ore at 970.887.2536 or gaylene@orecommunications.com or log on to www.swcolotravel.org for information and to request a map of the area.

# # #

 

Tags: , ,
Posted in Press Releases | No Comments »

Ridgway Brewery Honored at Great American Beer Festival

Tuesday, October 13th, 2009

Ridgway Brewery Honored at Great American Beer Festival

-Colorado Boy Brewery Wins Silver & Bronze Medals-

 

Ouray, Colo. (Oct. 13, 2009) – Ridgway’s Colorado Boy Pub and Brewery recently pulled in two medals at the Great American Beer Festival (GABF) in Denver. The GABF is the largest commercial beer competition in the world, boasting 3,308 entries this year.  The Colorado Boy Pub and Brewery won a silver medal for its Irish Style Red Ale called “Colorado Boy Irish” and was awarded a bronze medal in the Extra Special Bitter or Strong Bitter category for its “Colorado Boy IPA.” 

 

Colorado Boy (www.coloradoboy.com) is owned and operated by Tom and Sandy Hennessy, who have been in the brewing business since 1993.  The Hennessys utilize wind power to generate electricity for the brewery, and their hot water comes from solar collectors on the roof. Additionally, all spent brewing grain and yeast is fed to local cattle.

 

In addition to being committed to green practices, Tom is a staunch advocate for the philosophy of “Frankenbrew” – a way to build inexpensive commercial breweries – and has published a video on the topic. 

 

“It is quite an honor to be recognized out of the outstanding field of competitors in each category,” notes Tom Hennessy.  “At Colorado Boy, simplicity is key.  We use a seven BBL system made up of a brew kettle, mash tun, two fermentation tanks and three grundy tanks. We brew one batch per week, which is all that is needed when you only have 25 seats!”

 

Housed in a 1915 brick building in the historic section of downtown Ridgway, Hennessy says the brew house typically has five or six of its ales on tap.  The brewery is in full view from the antique oak bar, so beer lovers can watch the brewing process live while enjoying their pint. 

 

Brewers interested in learning how to build their own small brewery can sign up for a one-week immersion course that covers everything from building and brewing, to licensing and business systems designed to operate a small brewery that is profitable and inexpensive to open. For details call 970.626.5333.

 

The brewpub is open Tuesday-Thursday from 4-8 p.m., Fridays 4-9 p.m., Saturday from 1-9 p.m. and Sunday from 1-8 p.m.

 

Colorado Boy Brewery is one of 16 microbreweries in the Southwest Colorado Travel Region, which stretches from the city of Delta in the northwest to Pagosa Springs in the southeast.  For a complete list of breweries download the “Hop to It” brewery tour brochure at http://www.swcoloradoheritage.com/heritage-maps-and-trips/suggested-trips/hop-to-it-brewery-tour.   

 

About Ridgway & Ouray:

Nestled in the picturesque Uncompahgre Valley and surrounded by majestic snow-capped peaks of the Cimarron and San Juan Mountains, Ridgway is the “Gateway to the San Juans.”  The town was named for Rio Grande Southern Railroad superintendent Robert M. Ridgway who established the town in 1891.  Ridgway Town Park and surroundings were locations for the movies “True Grit” and “How the West Was Won.”   Visit http://ridgwaycolorado.com to learn more about Ridgway. 

 

Located at 7,700 feet above sea level in southwest Colorado, the National Historic District of Ouray is surrounded on three sides by 13,000-foot peaks, earning it the nickname “The Switzerland of America.”  Ouray is an outdoor enthusiast’s paradise, offering rock climbing, hiking, four-wheeling and mountain biking in the summer and ice climbing, backcountry skiing, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in the winter.  To learn more about the area log on to www.ouraycolorado.com.


 # # #

 

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in Press Releases | No Comments »