Colorado | Life Elevated Mom

Telluride Ski Resort’s Offerings & Why Eco Adventures is the Road That Should be Taken

March 30, 2011 By Amber

Telluride Ski Resort has created a road-less-traveled impasse for families: Register the kids in ski school and conquer the terrain of Colorado’s most awe-inspiring resort.

–OR–

Enroll in Eco Adventures, a one-stop adventure shop designed to connect the entire family to the surrounding Telluride region.

Ever the fence sitters, my family did both. And sorry, Mr. Browning, our indecision made all the difference.

Eco Adventures for Kids

While most of Colorado’s resorts focus their efforts solely on ski and ride school, Telluride’s Eco Adventures offers an unparalleled opportunity to try a compendium of activities while learning about area ecosystems.

Prior to our trip, I sat Hadley (6) and Bode (4) down to review their many class choices that include identifying animal tracks, constructing energy kits, making snow caves, building their own snowshoes, learning about local plants and animals or discovering how skating is possible. Prices start at $25 for potty-trained children 3 and older.

After careful consideration, my children opted for The Bucktooth Builders ($50) where they would hike to a real beaver dam and also Cool Kitchen Science ($60) that included creating weird experiments that included making goop and a pickle glow.

Basically, it was kid heaven.

After introducing Hadley and Bode to their instructor Lexi, they forgot about my existence as they delved into the environmental center’s animal skulls (including black bear, bobcat, elk and mountain goat), dress-up pelts, plants, insects, cool science experiments, and so much more.

That’s my way of saying I had no idea what most of it was.

By day’s end, they were a database of knowledge. Bursting with exuberance, they showed me their science experiments (complete with a hypothesis and conclusion) and downloaded everything I’ve ever wanted to know about beavers. They had snowshoed for the first time to a beaver dam and made their own buck teeth and tail out of cardboard.

If it wasn’t so endearing it would have been a wee bit disturbing.

Eco Adventures is conveniently located in the Mountain Village near the base of the lifts and is open 9 a.m.- 5 p.m. year-round. Don’t miss their summer programs that include Kids Programs for kids ages 3 and up and their full-day adventure camps for ages 5-12. Half- and full-day custom excursions area also available for the entire family. 970-728-7300, ecoadventures@tellurideskiresort.com

Eco Adventures for Grown-up Kids

Eco Adventures doesn’t just cater to children and offers adults ice climbing, heli-skiing, Nordic ski, snowcat skiing and fly fishing.

While my kids were happily exploring their environs, this mama took to the trails in Eco Adventures’ guided snowshoe tour. For just $45, my group of five received loaner Atlas snowshoes and rode to the top of lift 10.

I enjoy the solitude of solo snowshoeing so was a bit wary of sharing my backcountry spoils. My concerns were quashed as our guide, Warner Paige, unleashed geology in action. We wound through a conifer forest heavily blanketed in snow along the resort’s TopAten Snowshoe and Nordic Area (which offers 10 kilometers of trails).

We frolicked in the glistening Magic Meadow, identified dizzying 14,000 peaks in the Wilson Range, chuckled at John Wayne Stories, spotted lynx and snowshoe hare tracks, saw celebrity cabins, and had our breath taken at every turn. After two hours with Warren, I had an intimate knowledge and appreciation for the region.

Though it doesn’t take much to appreciate views like this.

Why Telluride?

When I told many friends I was going to Telluride, their response was always “why?”

The magnificence of the sky-scratching panoramas that meld into red-rock mesas are not in question but rather, their proximity to Denver (a six-hour drive).

The reasons are simple: beauty, services and more beauty.

This southwestern resort is not a quick weekend trip, it is a destination. After a mere few days, my family was wooed by Telluride’s western charm, the Mountain Village’s sleek European-style amenities and the free gondola (the first and only of its kind) that connects them both.

The Mountain

Jamie and I fell in love with Telluride Mountain Resort’s 1,700 skiable acres, which offer something for everyone. Though we missed eight inches of fresh powder that had fallen a few days prior and conditions were really tracked out, getting around was simple and fluid. We were able to easily access the entire mountain from one end to the other in just one morning. Jamie hiked and skied down expert terrain in reputed Prospect Bowl while I opted for more sane choices off the Polar Queen Express.

To each his or her own.

Telluride is also a great beginner’s mountain and my children flourished in Telluride Ski School. While most novices are relegated to trails near the base with limited views, anyone can access the top of Prospect Express (lift 12). It is one of the four highest lifts at the resort and has a 13,320-foot peak looming over the ridge. Best of all, the entire family can ski down green-level Galloping Goose, the longest run at Telluride Ski Resort.

Stay

The Peaks Grand Heritage Resort & Spa is about as good as it gets for family travel. Perks include ski-in ski-out access, 161 guest rooms, a Kids Camp for ages two and over as well as private daycare. Your kids will love Telluride’s only water slide that spills into an indoor and outdoor heated swimming pool, moms are pampered at the world-class spa and everyone will relish the live music on the heated decks that offer the best après ski vibes in town.

Eats

For on-mountain dining, we ordered in Crazy Elk Pizza one night and chowed down on Hop Garden’s delicious burgers another evening (both at the resort’s base).

Another delight was riding the free gondola into town and eating at The Sweet Life, the sweetheart of family dining. While I can’t say I recommend the dinner menu (our items were overcooked), this candy store and ice cream parlor has must-order items like 15 varieties of cupcakes (including root beer float and candied lemonade), fried Oreos, funnel cake fries, and a separate menu of nine different S’mores.

The Perfect Family Destination

As we drove home from Telluride, I reflected upon our whimsical, incident-free weekend and then panicked.

Me: “Quick—Tell me something that went wrong this weekend.”
Jamie: “Excuse me?”
Me: “I always have funny misadventures to write about on our trips, like when I fell getting off the chairlift in Crested Butte, or when we locked the keys in the running car in Steamboat.”
Jamie: “Huh. I don’t think anything went wrong this weekend. Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.”

I won’t. But I’ll just classify Telluride as the perfect resort for an imperfect family.

Filed Under: Colorado, Family, Family travel, Humor, outdoors, skiing, travel

A week of silver (and golden) linings

March 3, 2011 By Amber

Life is returning to a degree of normalcy this week. I’ve been asked by numerous people what is going to happen to my knee surgery. As some of you know I was supposed to go under the knife last Wednesday, the day after Jamie’s heart surgery.

Obviously, it didn’t happen and has been postponed indefinitely until we can pay off Jamie’s humongous medical bills. He feels horribly about this but I would have felt horribly if I’d had my knee surgery and then we would have had his heart fallout. Talk about being in dire financial straits.

My silver lining, though: Thanks to some unused travel vouchers and some major miracles, the kiddos and I are going on a Disney Cruise to Mexico during Spring Break…for just $49.

No, we can’t afford to bring Jamie who has to work. The situation is not that miraculous.

On another good note, the weather has been ideal–sunny and in the 60s so the kiddos and I have been venturing outdoors every day. Whether it’s doing our homework in the backyard on the grass or playing at Prospect Park….

Or hiking Red Rocks.

Not to mention playing with BFF Seanie at our favorite haunts in nearby Golden (which we fell in love with last year). Activities included playing at Lion’s Park playground, biking along Clear Creek to the secret slide, throwing rocks for hours, and picnicking by the pond.

Call me crazy but does this picture disturbingly resemble an engagement photo?

To save face, I’m calling it a good ‘ol boy headlock.

Hands down, our favorite pastime is visiting the chickens at the Clear Creek History Park.
Yes, that sign does read “keep off fence.”

In their defense, neither of them can read yet.

Parental supervision: fail.

Filed Under: Bode, Colorado, Humor

Crested Butte Mountain Resort’s Skiing & Non-skiing Activities: An Unprecedented Family Vacation

February 17, 2011 By Amber

My family had an unprecedented vacation to Crested Butte Mountain Resort (CBMR).

It wasn’t just attributed to the eight inches of fresh powder without a lift line in sight or the glistening Elk Mountains (the frozen equivalent of Shangri-La). But rather, because I skied my first double-black diamond run (Rachels)…and later managed to fall getting off the chairlift as I avoided a wayward ski-schooler.

Par for the course in a funky mountain hamlet where you should expect the unexpected.

Camp CB

Hands down, Crested Butte is my favorite Colorado mountain town (read my summer exploits) and I was positively giddy to ski Crested Butte Mountain Resort for the first time.

My family awoke to snow flurries but by the time Hadley and Bode headed to Camp CB in the Whetstone Building, it was a bluebird day with fresh powder. The children’s center’s location requires a bit of a hike in snow boots but was characteristically uncrowded (great news as it pertains to teacher-to-student ratios) and we met Bubba and Betty, the resort’s friendly mascots.

Four-year-old Bode was enrolled in the Explorers Level II program. There are two magic carpet areas (Aspen and Pine) and he spent his day on the more advanced of the two mastering his pizzas and stops. Hadley bonded with her teacher “Sparkles” and was thrilled to graduate to a Level 5 skier under her guidance.

At the end of the day, I took Haddie for a run down the Red Lady lift. She impressed me with her parallel-turning moxie so I decided to return the favor.

“Do you want to watch Mommy ski deep powder?” I [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado, Family travel, Humor, skiing, travel Tagged With: crested butte

Mommy & Me Ski Lesson at Echo Mountain

February 9, 2011 By Amber

There are Mommy & Me sign language, yoga and swim classes but why should it stop there?

At Echo Mountain it keeps going—straight down the mountain in their Parent and Me private ski lessons for 3-year-old skiers and his/her parent. The concept is brilliant and simple: Take a one-hour lesson with your child to prepare them for group instruction by age 4.

I learned to ski at a one-lift hill in Canada and there is a special place in my heart for small resorts. In addition to proximity to Denver (just 35 miles away outside of Evergreen), Echo Mountains is also about affordability and offers great ski school packages, terrain parks, and night skiing until 9 p.m. five nights a week.

Oh, and the free parking in the small lot and lack of stairs in the lodge were awesome, too.

If you’ve ever walked a mile in your ski boots or attempted to traverse down slippery steps, you know what I’m talking about.

Mommy & Me Class

This wasn’t my son Bode’s first time on skis and I’d like to say he shined but he didn’t. In fact, [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado, Family travel, Humor, outdoors, skiing, travel

Denver’s Best Place to Skate Outdoors This Winter

February 4, 2011 By Amber

A couple of weekends ago, my family had one of our favorite winter adventures in Colorado: We skated Evergreen Lake.

Located just 20 minutes from Denver off I-70, this lake is surrounded by blue spruce, pines, evergreens and is about as close to an authentic Canadian skating experience as you can get in the Denver-area.

Side note: I was raised gliding along frozen lakes and rivers and learned very quickly that pretty much anywhere is skatable and that frozen nose hairs are a fashion statement.

A large portion of the 40-acre Evergreen Lake is Zambonied (a true Canadian verb) into a skating area with several smaller enclaves for hockey. The Evergreen Lakehouse is a stellar place to warm up to some hot chocolate or an affordable selection of food from the snack bar.

Six-year-old Haddie took skating lessons last year but it was 4-year-old Bode’s first time on skates. Several parents had constructed makeshift structures to help their beginners but I did it the old-fashioned way: I strained my back as I leaned over teaching him how to glide. And I let him fall. A lot.

By the end, he was starting to get it and I was ecstatic I am installing one of my childhood passions into my American-Canadian half-breeds.

And enjoying a dose of the best Colorado has to offer along the way.

Tip: Be sure to call Evergreen Lake’s hotline (720) 880-1391 the morning of your visit for ice conditions. If you are planning a weekend visit, the earlier you go the better. The lake gets busier as the day goes on. Plus, if it’s warm the ice will get soft and slushy.

Prices: Tot (3 years and under): free; Youth (4 – 18) : $4.75; Adult (19 – 59): $5.00. Skate rental is $6.

Eats: Run (don’t walk) to Country Road Cafe. Located in Kittredge (just 2 miles from Evergreen), this unassuming log cabin is home to the best breakfast in Colorado (and often has a long wait on the weekends to prove it). With over 100 items on their menu, you can’t go wrong with their nine different kinds of Eggs Benedict or their famous smashed mashes. My husband has never deviated from their gargantuan breakfast burrito and my kids adore the fluffy over-sized stuffed pancakes. This time, I was tempted by their daily specials: an omelet with steak, mushroom, blue cheese, truffle Hollandaise and crispy onions. But the French toast stuffed with lemon-poppy cheesecake topped with almonds was pretty tempting, too.

Filed Under: Colorado, Family travel, Humor, outdoors, travel

On Being Filled

January 17, 2011 By Amber

I had a frustrating week so when Friday dawned bright, snowy and beautiful, I resolved I was going to take some time off and enjoy it. I talked to Jamie about the possibilities.

“I want to go hiking today. What do you recommend?”
“How about Red Rocks?”
“I always go there. I want someplace different–a place that fills my soul.”

I swear that came out of left field and I’ve never said anything quite so cheesy. But that’s how I felt. In my inner core, I sense big, life-altering changes coming in my life and I wanted to just clear my mind and get outside. I opted to climb Mount Galbraith near Golden but after a few minutes on the shady, icy and cold trail, I proclaimed:

“THIS IS LIKE, SOOOO NOT SOUL-FILLING.”

Any valley-girl/self-help guru would have totally agreed.

I drove on Highway 93, surveying the area’s mesas and foothills. I spotted a new-to-me-trail zigzagging its way up North Table Mountain. The base was shrouded by a neighborhood so I wound around the streets looking for a semblance of a trailhead. I was ecstatic to find a recently constructed parking lot and before long, was exploring a new trail.

This probably doesn’t sounds very exciting to most people but it was thrilling for me. I’ve lived in Denver for eight years now and have hiked pretty much everything the Front Range has to offer. Exploring new passages was the perfect solution for my pensive mood.

The connecting trail was relatively steep and slippery but when I summited, I was greeted with a network of trails that included Tilting Mesa and the North Table Mountain loop. The flattop extended for miles and I resolved to bring my mountain bike back to do further exploration.

And, of course, reflections. At this rate, I may even give self-help guru Deepak Chopra a run for his money.

Like, totally.

Filed Under: Colorado, hiking, travel

Denver’s Best Places to Skate Outdoors This Winter

January 17, 2011 By Amber

Denver’s Best Places to Skate Outdoors This Winter

On Saturday, my family had one of our favorite winter adventures in Colorado: We skated Evergreen Lake.

Side note: I was raised gliding along frozen lakes and rivers and learned very quickly that pretty much anywhere is skatable and that frozen nose hairs are a fashion statement.

By the end, he was starting to get it and I was ecstatic I am installing one of my childhood passions into my American-Canadian half-breeds.

And enjoying a dose of the best Colorado has to offer along the way.

Prices: Tot (3 years and under): free; Youth (4 – 18) : $4.75; Adult (19 – 59): $5.00. Skate rental is $6.

============

Other Denver-area Outdoor Rinks

Belmar Ice Rink. Cost: $6 adult, $4 child, $3 skate rental. Open daily through Feb. 27; hours vary. The Plaza at Belmar, Lakewood.

The Ice Rink at One Boulder Plaza. Cost: $6 adult, $4 children and seniors, 3 and under free, $3 skate rental. Open daily through mid-Feb. One Boulder Plaza, 1801 13th St., Downtown Boulder.

Longmont Ice Pavilion. Cost: $6.50 adult, $6 youth and seniors, $5.50 ages 2-5, $3 skate rental. Open daily through March 13. Roosevelt Park, 725 8th Ave., Longmont.

Southwest Rink at Skyline Park. Skating is FREE at this new downtown rink (thanks to a sponsorship by Southwest Airlines) with a $2 skate rental. Open daily through Jan. 31. Skyline Park, Arapahoe St. and 16th St., Denver.

The Streets at SouthGlenn Ice Rink. Cost: $7 per hour per person, $3 skate rental. Open through Feb. 1. The Streets at SouthGlenn, 6851 S. Gaylord St., Centennial.

WinterSkate in Historic Downtown Louisville. Cost: $5 adult, $4 ages 4-12, $3 seniors, 3 and under FREE, $3 skate rental. Open daily through Feb. 14. The Steinbaugh Pavilion, 824 Front St., Louisville.

WinterSkate in The Village at FlatIron Crossing. Cost: $5 adult, $4 ages 4-12, $3 seniors, 3 and under FREE, $3 skate rental. Open daily through Feb. 27. The Village at FlatIron Crossing, 1 W. FlatIron Crossing Dr., Broomfield.

Filed Under: Colorado, Family travel, outdoors Tagged With: Denver

A cross-country skiing resolution

January 13, 2011 By Amber

Just the other day I was whining about how homesick I am for cross-country skiing my golf course in Canada. Then, as I was driving Haddie to school yesterday, I surveyed the expansive soccer fields located just below my house.

For the first time ever, I noticed someone had carved a cross-country ski track around the perimeter. Elated, I resolved, “I AM GOING CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING TODAY.”

I took Bode to preschool, and raced home to find my skis. But here’s a little problem: I haven’t been cross-country skiing since I moved to Colorado. Though my beloved husband is an advanced alpine skier, he had “The Incident” when I took him cross-country skiing for the first time on my golf course several years ago.

“The Incident” being that he fell over sideways and claimed he got a concussion.

At 0.00005 mile per hour, I don’t think that is even possible.

After some digging in the garage, I found my cross-country skis and poles but my boots were MIA.

So, I had a glorious day snowshoeing instead.

But I now have a New Year’s resolution: Do more cross-country skiing.

And get organized so as to make that happen.

Filed Under: Colorado, Humor, skiing Tagged With: cross-country skiing

Let It Snow, Let It Snow!

January 11, 2011 By Amber

Confession: My absolutely favorite conditions are the day after we’ve had a big dump of snow and the morning dawns bright, glistening and beautiful.

Monday was that day.

My preference is indisputably attributed to my Canadian upbringing. I’m never more homesick than when it snows and I’m unable to go cross-country skiing on my golf course or ice skating on Lake Bonavista with my dad.

I recreated a little cut of home by making my mom’s famous oatmeal-coconut chocolate chip cookies and hot chocolate with fresh whipped cream. As luck would have it, Bode does not have preschool on Mondays and Hadley only had to go to school for a 15-minute reading assessment so we invited our besties Alex and Seanie over for a playdate.

My fun started by shoveling the driveway and sidewalk early that morning. And yes, this is my idea of a fun and enjoyable workout. I’d take fresh, crisp air over a germ-infested, sweaty gym any day.

It’s our tradition every winter to build and tunnel out a snow cave. This was the Hurricane in 2009.

My, what a difference a couple of years makes.