5280 Traveler 2017

Making Memories I can still vividly remember the first time I saw a moose. I was on an overnight canoe trip during summer camp in Ontario, Canada. I must’ve been 11 or 12 years old. To be honest, I wasn’t keen on the excursion; it’s not difficult to imagine the frustrations that arise when a gaggle of tween girls have to portage heavy, wet boats and attempt to paddle in sync. But there we were, gliding along, when I turned my head and saw a massive bull standing near the bank, its antlers reflected in the still lake. I was mesmerized. I took a deep breath, snapped a mental picture, and sunk my oar back into the water. Sometimes it’s challenging to pinpoint when you fall in love with something.…

FOR THE OUTDOORSPERSON Cattle Round-Up Camp // Any week from September 3 to October 1 A trip to Rockmount Ranch Wear is in order for new boots, a hat, and maybe some spurs—for decoration only—before you mosey into this adults-only cowboy camp north of Steamboat Springs. In the space of a single week packed with hands-on clinics, wranglers at Vista Verde Guest Ranch will teach you how to be more comfortable in the saddle and how to herd cattle. (Tip: Don’t ride straight at the animals or they’ll scatter.) Then you’ll put your knowledge to the test during a daylong search across 18,000 acres to find wandering cows. // $3,895–$4,195, vistaverde.com FOR THE INDIANA JONES WANNABE Archaeology Research Program // September 3 to 9, September 10 to 18, or October 1 to…

When planning your summer biking tour, you don’t have to choose between a well-run (but often impersonal) big outfit and a small, independent guide who embeds you with the natives—then forgets your luggage. These operators provide provincial and professional expertise so you can forget you’re a tourist...as long as you keep that Hawaiian shirt in your pannier. BOULDER Outfitter: Cognoscenti Month: August Price: Starts at $3,950 Every morning of this four-day, mileagejunky jaunt begins at the swanky St Julien Hotel & Spa, from which you’ll tackle classic rides such as FlagstaffMountain. However, Cognoscenti’s guides—including ex-pro cyclists like Nederland’s Timmy Duggan, a national champion, and U23 Criterium national champion Craig Lewis—also promise routes so secret they won’t even allow us to publish them. Offthe bike, you can choose to tour the…

SMOOTH RIDE Mosaic Cycles’ GT-1 custom titanium frame has more clearance for wider tires, and hydraulic disc brakes boost control on descents. Prices vary; mosaiccycles.com FOR GOOD MEASURE Stages Cycling’s power meters—the most accurate way to train—add mere grams to your bike and provide a constant readout of your efforts in RPMs and watts. Starts at $529; stagescycling.com RIGHT AS RAIN The waterproof Pearl Izumi Elite WxB jacket stuffs easily in a pocket as insurance against summer cloudbursts. $160; pearlizumi.com…

Last summer, Colorado’s tourism gurus designated a 720-mile circuit of 19 naturally heated soaking spots as the Historic Hot Springs Loop. Of course, nothing goes better with hot than, well, cold. To that end, we’ve put toge ther five hot springs and winter adventure combinations in some of our favorite locations. OURAY Hot: Most of Orvis Hot Springs’ seven indoor and outdoor soaking areas ($11 to $22) are clothingoptional and prohibit electronics, so you can eschew all accouterments. Bonus: Catch an exhibit about one of the town’s other notable soaking attractions— the 90-year-old, just-renovated Ouray Hot Springs Pool—at the Ouray County Museum before the show closes on November 11. Cold: By Thanksgiving, the snow is typically deep enough for Telluride Outside’s guided half-day snowmobile tours ($195). The Beaver Park area’s…

IF YOUR GUESTS WANT TO SEE: Denver Botanic Gardens TAKE THEM TO: Fruition Restaurant Create the perfect date for your visitors with a late-afternoon stroll through the York Street gardens’ succulents and sculptures (an exhibit of largescale outdoor metal works by Alexander Calder) followed by dinner at Fruition. If available, try the seasonal lamb dish (pictured) and the savory cheese dessert; chef and proprietor Alex Seidel often uses ingredients from his Fruition Farms Creamery. 1313 E. Sixth Ave., 303-831-1962, fruition restaurant.com IF YOUR GUESTS WANT TO SEE: Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre TAKE THEM TO: Golden Moon Speakeasy The country’s coolest natural amphitheater is a can’t-miss site. Explore the venue and surrounding park, making sure to point out-of-towners to the on-site museum for a history of Red Rocks shows. Quench…