Tour de Colorado’s Ultimate Splurge for Families: The Broadmoor’s New Cottages

August 27, 2009 By

I had been touring the Olympic Peninsula all week. I flew home late that night, did laundry, repacked and then jumped in the car with my family the next morning. Upon arrival at The Broadmoor’s sculpted grounds, I was frenzied and sleep-deprived.

The moment we pulled up to the security gate, all my worries were whisked away faster than the Calgon commercials of yesteryear. I gave the guard my name, received a parking pass and drove to the valet. I was greeted by Alex, a Romanian bellhop with a damsel-wooing accent: “Mrs. Johnson! How nice of you to join us again.”

I wondered how he knew I had stayed at The Broadmoor once before. Did he also know my favorite color is blue and that I have no intention to pay that unmerited parking ticket I received downtown?

In the end, I didn’t care. The Broadmoor does that to you. It doesn’t matter if you are promenading around Cheyenne Lake or pairing luxurious accommodations with gourmet dining. If You’ve Been Here, You Know.™

Cradled at the base of Cheyenne Mountain in Colorado Springs, this Five-Star, Five-Diamond hotel set on 3,000 acres has added a new feature to secure its place in the annals of The Ultimate Colorado Family Vacation: cottages.

Staying here is reminiscent of a Hansel and Gretel fairy tale. Only instead of being made of gingerbread and candies, these cottages feature spacious parlors with high-beamed ceilings, natural stone fireplaces, heated bathroom floors, surround sound systems, large flat screen TVs and the latest in-room technologies that blend seamlessly into the comfortably elegant design.

Nothing like living your own modern-day fairy tale.

The Broadmoor’s one- to eight-bedroom cottages are perfect for family gatherings and so when the Broadmoor offered to host us, my parents made a special trip from Canada for the occasion. Set along the legendary East Course, only a pristine creek separated us from the 18th fairway. I knew this would even impress The Mother Who is Impressed by Nothing.

We kept most of our activities simple. We lazed around the zero-entry infinity swimming pool, water slide and whirlpools, soaking in the turquoise water and golden sun. We watched a fawn skirt across the grounds as we lawn bowled behind our cottage. We strolled 0.8 mile to nature’s Nirvana–North Cheyenne Canyon Park–and admired Starr Kempf’s graceful steel wind kinetic sculptures, an unexpected residential treasure en route. We went to Sunday brunch, a gastronomic feast that features Eggs Benedict, crepe and smoothie stations.

Sound idyllic? Not quite. Our travel drama occurred when my parent’s Explorer died in the valet parking garage. To The Broadmoor’s credit, they immediately sent a technician to ascertain the problem and gave my parents one of the resort’s vehicles to use for the day while they had the car towed to the nearest dealership.

For those keeping track: this is our second glorious destination on our Tour de Colorado. And this is the second time a vehicle has died, leaving us stranded at Said Glorious Destination.

The good Lord loves me.

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Psttttt: good news! Don’t have enough money to spring for the cottages? Check out The Broadmoor’s summer lodging deal: $125/per person, double occupancy. Kids (10 and under) stay and eat free. Go to broadmoor.com for more information.

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Don’t miss:

Colorado Springs has some of the state’s best activities for families that include a cog ride to the top of 14,110-foot Pikes Peak. Manitou Springs’ Arcade Amusements Inc. boasts one of the West’s oldest and largest amusement arcades and Acacia Park’s comical Uncle Wilbur Fountain is the perfect cool down for the kids.

I was absolutely ecstatic to explore Garden of the God’s 25,000 square-foot Trading Post. Try their delicious fudge, check out the large collection of Colorado artists and dine on the Balanced Rock Café’s expansive outdoor patio while watching the children pan for gold.

A few more of my family’s favorites: the Cave of the Winds’ 45-minute Discovery Tour and the North Pole’s family-themed amusement park. Top your evening off with a touristy ho-down at Flying W Ranch’s Western village, complete with a chuck-wagon dinner and stage show. Get there early to try their to-die-for Dutch oven buttermilk biscuits dripping in honey. Tell ‘em I sent you. I promise they won’t disappoint.

Visit http://www.experiencecoloradosprings.com for additional information.

Note: This article was originally posted at Mile High Mamas on June 29, 2009. Most services were complimentary or discounted.

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: Colorado, Family travel, Humor, Tour de Colorado, travel

Tour de Colorado’s Best Mountain Community for Families: Steamboat Springs

August 25, 2009 By

Steamboat Springs was the third stop on my family’s Tour de Colorado and my pick for the state’s best mountain community. Our visit to this western resort town was also The Good, the Bad and the Ugly incarnate. When it was good (such as when my daughter Hadley won the ram scramble at the rodeo) it was very, very good. When it was bad, it was very bad with vomit and rain. But when we locked ourselves out of the car while it was still running? Think very, very ugly.

The Good

Steamboat Springs is home to two ski areas, four Colorado State Parks, hot springs, lakes and rivers–a full palette of activities that will have you painting the Yampa Valley red.

Or rather, dazzingly green.

Hiking—I’m not generally one to cough up money to hike but watching my kids squeal with glee as our Steamboat Springs gondola took flight was worth it. Even better was what unfolded at the summit: a myriad of 19 trails covering over 50 miles and a verdant meadow populated with Frisbee-playing families. We opted for the Vista Nature Trail, an easy 0.86-mile loop that starts and ends at the top of the gondola. This hike is ideal for young children and mine raced to each interpretive sign, ecstatic about their outdoor classroom.

Other hikes: A local rite of passage is the easy 6-mile round-trip hike to the famed Rabbit Ears located off stunning Rabbit Ears Pass. Tourist’s favorite 283-foot Fish Creek Falls has a popular picnic area but expect to pay $5 for parking. For views of the ‘Boat, trek Emerald Mountain’s steep network of trails through perfectly calibrated aspen paradise.

Coca-Cola Gondola Square Adventure Zone—Located at the base of the gondola, this zone has an adventure for everyone in the family. My kids became human catapults in the western-themed “Mini Bounce” and Jamie tried his luck on the Mechanical Bull (think: unlucky). Don’t miss out on the 2-person Gyro Chair (similar to those used by NASA) the “East Face” Climbing Wall and a new ropes course.

Yampa River Core Trail—With 7 miles of multi-use paved trails that wind through downtown along the roaring Yampa River, we felt like we were the only ones not riding a bike. We covered what we could on foot, admiring sculptures and natural springs, cheering the onslaught of tubers floating the river and playing at Stockbridge playground’s mini-western town. Rest assured during my next visit, I will trade in my flat feet for two wheels.

Shopping—Lincoln Avenue may be the hub for Everything Shopping but be sure to venture over to Yampa Street and have Sweet Pea Market’s Pink Panther smoothie (made of rare Soup Sop fruit) or watch twilight’s last yawn as you dine at the Boathouse Pub overlooking the glistening river. A couple miles away, Freshies serves up the best breakfast and lunch in town (must-haves include their Asian BBQ turkey sandwich and lemon coconut cookies). The Ski Haus sells a lot more than skis and is the hub for great gear, rentals and insider information.

Hot Springs—Steamboat isn’t Steamboat without the “Springs” so you must soak in one of their two natural springs. Old Town Hot Springs is the more family-friendly of the two with 230-foot water slides, a climbing wall, two spa pools and a kiddie pool. But we wanted The Full Monty Experience of Strawberry Park Hot Springs. Full Monty is what happens after dark so be warned.

Located about 7 miles out of town (including the last few miles on a dirt road), Strawberry Park Hot Springs is nestled between two peaks just outside the Mount Zirkel Wilderness Area. When we arrived a large number of people were sitting on the walls of the natural stone enclaves of varying sizes and temperatures. We quickly discovered why: the water was way too hot for my 3-year-old son who instead played in the waterfall-created puddles. Five-year-old Hadley transitioned easily between the hot springs and a polar bear swim in the adjacent river. Me? I was a wall-sitter, liking it neither too hot nor too cold but preferring it “just right.”

You may call me Goldilocks.

The Bad

It was raining cats, dogs and a few horses upon arrival in Steamboat. We stopped at the Steamboat Springs visitor’s center where car-sick-prone Hadley stumbled out of the car…and proceeded to throw up on their front sidewalk.

Because nothing says “Welcome to Steamboat” like regurgitated road-trip snacks.

The Ugly

It didn’t start ugly. Actually, it started out as one of our favorite activities: the Steamboat Springs Pro Rodeo. For 10 weeks in the summertime, professional riders come from all over the region to compete on Friday and Saturday nights.

I grew up attending the Calgary Stampede (dubbed “The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth”) and had never been to a small-town rodeo. My expectations were met—and exceeded. We arrived early and ate bricket, ribs and chicken at their BBQ dinner. Hadley and Bode played on the horse and carriage structures and we watched the mechanical bull and bouncy house in action.

It was my children’s first rodeo and they were elated to stomp their feet (christened the “Yampa Valley Thunder”) with each triumph. When it came time for the ram scramble, Hadley and Bode were first in line. If you’ve never seen this event, picture a herd of kids ages 5 and under racing around in the mud trying to pull a flag off a sheep’s rear end.

And yes, I fully supported this endeavor.

From the first moment they set foot in the arena, Hadley and Bode entertained the crowd when they tripped over each other and fell in the muck. What unfolded next shocked even me: Hadley won the ram scramble. The same child who was a ski school dropout, hated ballet and barely survived soccer.

She has finally found her calling as a shepherd.

Euphoric from her victory and proudly displaying her belt-buckle award and gift card from western store F.M. Light and Sons, we walked to our vehicle and were confronted with the worst-case scenario: we could not find the keys. We soon discovered them in the ignition, with the car still running and the doors locked. We had been gone for three hours.

I will spare you the sordid details. Just know they involved exhausted kids and a locksmith trying to break into our unbreakable car. Between Jamie leaving the keys running in the ignition and me locking the car, maybe The Good, the Bad and the Ugly designation is not the correct.

Think: Dumb and Dumber.

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Note: This post was originally published at Mile High Mamas on July 6, 2009. Most services were discounted or complimentary.

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: Colorado, Family travel, Humor, outdoors, Tour de Colorado, travel

Tour de Colorado’s Best Mountain Festivals for Families: Crested Butte

August 24, 2009 By

During my family’s Tour de Colorado, we have visited many perfect places but have never had the perfect day.

You parents know what I’m talking about: when the destination’s private universe comes to life and the children do not beat each other to a pulp.

I had the perfect day in Crested Butte, my choice for Colorado’s best mountain festivals for families. It had the potential to be a nightmare. My husband could not join us until partway through the trip, leaving me to endure a 4.5-hour drive from Denver with two young children but all went smoothly.

When we arrived at the idyllic mountain resort, we checked into our perfect accommodations: The Lodge at Mountaineer Square. The perfection was not just the beautiful rooms and rooftop pool but also location, location, location. Situated at the base of Mt. Crested Butte, we were in the very pulse of the resort with their free Wednesday evening concert series. After grabbing some burgers off the grill, the kids joined the masses of rugrats rolling down the hill while this mama sat back and relished the hallucinatory montage of wildflowers, mountains and melodies.

It was there that I coined their new tagline: Crested Butte—It is Not Ugly Here.

I just know I have a lucrative future in marketing.

A Festival-Loving Town

The Crested Butte Music Festival (CBMF)

Most mountain towns have music festivals but I love the Crested Butte Music Festival because it brings world-class musicians, singers and dancers to one of the nation’s most stunning mountain hamlets. Celebrating its 12th season, the CBMF’s children and adult programs are geared to music and movement under the careful guidance of renowned Artistic Director Alexander Scheirle.

My kids attended the free Divine Family Young People’s Concert that is held on Saturdays in July. Designed for ages 4-12, this is a fun chance for the younger set to experience dance, music and fun in a fast-paced hour of music, opera or dance.

That evening, my husband and I attended Bluegrass in the Barn with musical jammers, The Infamous Stringdusters. It was not pretentious in the least—the concert was, indeed, in a barn. The rain started pounding, mist penetrated our mountain milieu and the ambiance was electric. My husband—though not a fan of bluegrass—declared that “If the Grateful Dead played bluegrass, they’d be called The Infamous Stringdusters.”

This is his way of saying he had a really, really great time.

The Crested Butte Wildflower Festival

It is only befitting that “The Wildflower Capital of Colorado” has a festival dedicated unto its glories. With the fuchsia pinks, sunny yellows and majestic purples of the lupines, Aspen sunflowers and mule’s ears, you will think you crawled onto a Monet canvas of mad, extravagant colors.

The Wildflower Festival serves up a huge array of clinics for adults and children that range from walks with a knowledgeable local guide through the low open meadows of Rustler’s Pass to photography workshops, horseback rides, yoga classes in a meadow, garden tours and even an ice cream party.

My children and I opted for a wagon ride to Peanut Lake with horse friends Billy Bob Bill and Bob. We made our way past the Wood Walk, a portion of an extensive network of trails perfect for little hikers. Our guide pointed out Mount Emmons a.k.a. Red Lady, a much-heralded mountain whose development is at the center of a heated molybdenum mine dispute.

We loped past Crested Butte’s famous landmark, the Gronk, which is nothing more than a mysterious hunk of concrete. Our reward was cobalt-blue Peanut Lake and the glorious Paradise Divide mountain range as the backdrop.

Oh, and there may have been a few [thousand] wildflowers along the way.

Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory’s Nature Camp

Sure, there are oodles of children’s camps out there but how many are conjoined with the nation’s most renowned high-altitude field station with the top students and researchers from around the world?

The Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory is located in Gothic, a 4-mile drive from Crested Butte and a stone’s throw away from paradise a.k.a. the Gunnison National Forest and Continental Divide. While Hadley was at camp, my son Bode and I hiked to Judd Falls, one of many epic hikes in the area with commanding views of Mount Gothic.

My daughter Hadley’s Nature Camp experience was the highlight of her trip because these aren’t your average camp counselors. They are dedicated professionals who—in just two hours—gave her an in-depth look at our fascinating natural world through games, hikes, crafts and scavenger hunts.

The Nature Camps sell out fast and rest assured, we will be first in line next year.

Other Family Fun

Adventure Park—Be sure to check out the Adventure Park at the base of Mt. Crested Butte that includes a 28-foot Climbing Pinnacle, bungee trampolines and a state-of-the-art skating rink made from Super-Glide® synthetic ice. I was a bit wary of the latter (being a purist who grew up skating on Canada’s frozen tundra) but was delighted that the slower synthetic ice proved to be a better teaching ground for my novice Canadian/American half-breeds.

Playgrounds—My kids fell in love with the Crested Butte Town Park, centrally located in town with tennis, baseball, volleyball, pavilion, Center for the Arts, a fort and giant sandbox.

My love affair was with the Ted Scheske Park on Gothic Road. This park offers such amenities as a Total Fitness Trail, tennis courts, volleyball and The Mountain Garden, venue for a large number of weddings. When you witness the unparalleled vistas of Snodgrass Mountain and the Continental Divide you will understand why.

Also, be sure to bike or stroll along the recreation path that extends three miles from Crested Butte to Mountain Crested Butte. Not to be missed will be The Trailhead, a 5,000-square foot Children’s Discovery Museum and Arts Center that will be opening in 2010.

No “Buts” About Checking out “The Butte”

Take time to stroll around Crested Butte. This quirky, multi-hued town is a National Historic District, played host to outlaws Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and has a two-story outhouse.

It doesn’t get any cooler than that.

Toy store Pooh’s Corner delighted my kids for an hour, while the bevy of shops kept me entertained for an afternoon. For breakfast, you must have Izzy’s breakfast burrito with Indian spices. Dine creek-side but expect a long wait on the weekends. The Secret Stash pizzeria redefines eclectic with decor showcasing the owner’s world travels. Service is friendly, the kitchen is slow but Asher’s Pie (with a BBQ sauce and chipotle base, Canadian bacon, and grilled chicken) made it worth it.

Our favorite dining experience was at django’s restaurant & wine bar in Mountaineer Square, currently rated Crested Butte’s No. 1 restaurant on TripAdvisor. We enjoyed live music on the outdoor patio as we devoured small plates of artistic food such as the gnocchi in a light lemon cream sauce and my favorite (that will surely shock my mother): crispy Brussels Sprouts with apples, crème fraîche, apple cider reduction, pistachios and a dash of heaven.

Video Journal:

For additional information, go to The Crested Butte Music Festival, The Wildflower Festival and Gunnison-Crested Butte Chamber.

Note: This article was originally published at Mile High Mamas on July 20, 2009. Most services were complimentary or discounted.

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: Colorado, Family, Family travel, Humor, outdoors, Tour de Colorado, travel

If we build it, please don’t come

August 24, 2009 By


I had never attended a community forum until last week. It likely stems from the fact that I’m Canadian and nobody really cares what a foreigner has to say.

Unless we end our sentences with a cute little “Eh.”

But this time I was invested: It was the third and final meeting about a neighborhood park near my house. My city has a glorious thing called a land development code that requires developers to donate to a fund. Our neighborhood’s nest egg has $1.7 million and they plan to build a park on 15 acres of undeveloped land.

The city planners had carefully implemented suggestions from the previous two meetings and overall, people seemed pleased. The park will consist of tennis courts, basketball, horseshoe, an inline skate park, a custom rock feature for climbing, playground equipment, small picnic shelters and a pot at the end of the rainbow.

Sorry, no leprechauns. That would be too good to be true.

Construction will likely begin in the fall and the park will not be completed until summer of 2010.

Watching the city’s PowerPoint Presentation was fascinating but the Q&A that followed was a lot like NBC’s Parks and Recreation.

Except a lot less funny.

Q: What do we do about the den of coyotes that live above the park?

A: Don’t feed them. They are not your pet. Look menacing and they will leave you alone.

Q: Have you considered putting in a Fitness Course? (This question was posed by my beloved fitness-queen neighbor.)

A: This is a neighborhood park, not a large community one. We will have lots of benches and shade. Just sit down and chill out.

Now, let me be clear: this is our park and not yours. I made the mistake of mentioning the possibility of writing about it and I was burned at the stake. “If you write about it, people will come” my neighbors seethed.

Evidently, they did not see Field of Dreams. All that is required is for us to “build it.” There is no writing clause whatsoever.

But consider yourselves warned.

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: Colorado, Humor, issues

Tour de Colorado’s Best Dude Ranch: Devil’s Thumb Ranch

August 23, 2009 By

Confession: I’m not a horse lover but there is something almost enchanting about a dude ranch. It’s the fabled Western experience come to life with unsullied ranchland, campfire sing-alongs, yer very own fishing hole and, of course, cowboys in chaps.

Devil’s Thumb Ranch has it all and was my choice for Best Dude Ranch for families on our Tour de Colorado. Located 65 miles west of Denver just outside of Winter Park, this award-winning, environmentally-friendly resort and spa has a rustically upscale 52-room main lodge and 16 luxury rental cabins with a full roster of activities for cowfolk both old and young.

My husband Jamie stayed behind for work, during which time he witnessed a tornado uproot our yard in Denver. My children and I had a very different view: 5,000 acres of jade-green horse-dotted meadows flanked by the Continental Divide.

I won.

Home Away From Home on the Range

From Pack-and-Plays in the rooms to Cabin Creek Stables’ popular pony rides, Devil’s Thumb Ranch caters to kids. My little city slickers were anxious to rendezvous with the animals so we ventured out early. We were greeted with a scene out of a Western movie: a fully-loaded barn, twanging country music, a small petting zoo of farm animals and a cowboy named “Garth.”

You just can’t make this stuff up.

Garth gave us an entertaining commentary on the area as we loped around the property on our wagon ride. According to local lore, Native Americans named Devil’s Thumb – a rocky outcropping that towers high above the Ranch. As legend goes, after the warring Ute and Arapahoe tribes settled their differences in the Ranch Creek Valley, they buried the devil, but left his thumb exposed to remind them of the evils of war.

This was the extent of our Cabin Creek Stables experience but we could have stayed entertained for a week…and many families do. The stable offers half-day and full-day horseback rides, sunrise or sunset rides, cattle rides, a meadow lunch in the wagon, dinner wagon rides, a Little Cowpokes Day at the Ranch and a Kids Barn BBQ.

Activities Abound

As the storm raged back home, my children and I splashed around in Rachel’s Pool, a heated indoor entry/outdoor pool with killer views of the Divide. We played air hockey, foosball and pin bowling in the non-electronic game room in the main lodge. We watched Mulan II in the 37-seat theater, played a variety of board games in the cozy library and even worked out in the state-of-the-art Fitness Center.

The main thing Devil’s Thumb Ranch is really lacking is on-site childcare services. Since I was a single mom for the weekend, I was remiss I was not able to enjoy the 12,000-square-foot Ranch Creek Spa.

By 8 p.m., we were famished so stumbled into Heck’s Tavern, the more family-friendly of the two on-site restaurants. My body screamed for red meat. I quickly scanned the menu, saw only one such offering and ordered it. Now, I’ve had many reactions from waiters over the years but never one like this: he high-fived me.

“Did I miss something?” I queried.

“You ordered our signature 32-oz rib-eye steak. I’m impressed.”

“32 ounces? How big is that?”

He gestured something approximately the broad side of a barn.

I hesitated. Then my stomach growled. “I’ll take it.”

When in Rome on the Ranch, do as the ranchers do.

Spellbound by the Devil

Our final night, we dined on Heck Tavern’s outdoor patio adjacent to the crackling fire pit. While the kids raced around the pasture, I watched the sun slip behind the Divide, briefly setting Devil’s Thumb aflame. We took a small chunk out of the 20 miles of trails at dusk, meandering through the meadow to Upper and Lower Ponds. We launched rocks into Ranch Creek, identified wildflowers, stalked horses and, upon reaching them, Hadley professed to know how to “Speak Horse.”

Such a comfort to know I gave birth to The Horse Whisperer.

I couldn’t tell you what she divulged to her foal friends but I strongly suspect it was along the lines of “Psssssst. We’ll be back.”

I couldn’t agree with her more.

Note: This article was originally published at Mile High Mamas on August 9, 2009. Most services were complimentary or discounted.

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: Colorado, Family, Family travel, Humor, outdoors, Tour de Colorado, travel

Beaver Creek: Tour de Colorado’s Best Front-Range Destination for Families

August 22, 2009 By

I chose my family’s final Tour de Colorado destination carefully. We had spent the summer visiting the very best that Colorado has to offer and I wanted to go out with a bang.

Rest assured we had a bang-up vacation at Beaver Creek, my choice for best front-range destination for families. Competition in this category is steep with worthy competitors like Breckenridge and Copper Mountain. In the end, Beaver Creek’s intimate alpine village tucked away near Vail prevailed because it offered ice skating, miniature golf, a climbing wall and a bungee trampoline, not to mention some fantastic freebies.

And with a tagline like “Not exactly roughing it” there were more than a few indulgences along the way.

Beaver Creek Hiking Center

I grew up hiking the Canadian Rockies and never once did I go on a guided hike.

Well, with the exception of trailing my bird-loving, binocular-toting father with his black dress socks and shorts.

Beaver Creek’s hiking guide Alex was a breath of fresh air…and information. Our family met him at the Beaver Creek Hiking Center where he loaded us up with Hike-ology notebooks, hike descriptions and maps. We got the lowdown on their many hiking programs that vary from guided nature hikes for all ages and abilities, to private hikes that cover an 80-mile radius. The free Spruce Saddle Loop is one of their most popular and meets daily at the top of the Centennial Express lift.

We opted for the Family Fun Hike, a 2-hour guided hike around the Spruce Saddle Loop. I was a little bit wary of the 2-hour duration with my young children but that time span took into account the chairlift ride, hike, delicious BBQ lunch atop the mountain, the Big Dig archeological site (a sandbox with fossils), free field games for rent and a few tantrums along the way.

The views of the Gore Range and profusion of wildflowers stun. We saw marmots sunning themselves on granite boulders and a buck with glistening velvet on his horns. We heard pine squirrels (or chickerees), read Hike-ology interpretive signs, identified trees and ecosystems, and played in the ski school’s wooden villages. I don’t know how Beaver Creek did it but we even had our very own mule deer shadow us the entire time.

Talk about the ultimate guided hike.

Beano’s Cabin

Mention that you went to Beano’s Cabin and you’re sure to impress. The recipient of DiRoNa Awards and consistently top-ranked in the Zagat Survey, Beano’s is the most memorable and expensive culinary experience I have ever had (our tab came to $421 for five people, something I won’t forget anytime soon). This hand-hewn log cabin nestled against Grouse Mountain is only accessible via a tractor-pulled wagon or shuttle and a sleigh ride in the winter.

In preparation, we schooled our children on how to “eat like a little prince and princess,” after which 3-year-old Bode dubiously looked at us before proclaiming, “I don’t tink so.”

My fears of a non-kid-friendly atmosphere were put to rest in the shuttle—there were an equal number of children and adults. Once at the cabin, we settled in beside the crackling fire and live music. The adults ordered off a five-course prix-fixe menu while the kids gorged on their own fresh and healthy three-course menu.

Between courses, we played in the adjacent wildflower-laced meadow, watched the dancing clouds, spotted a black bear and deer on the mountain, posed for pictures and twirled to the reverberating melodies.

A porcupine personally escorted (OK, rushed us) out the door to the shuttle at the end of the evening. My 5-year-old daughter, completely entranced by this whimsical world of animals, food, and stars, sighed: “I was totally underdressed for that.”

Next time: tiaras.

Sleeping in the Clouds

Here’s a little hint: if The Ritz-Calton is your neighbor, you are in very good company. We stayed in a 3-bedroom condo at adjacent Snow Cloud Lodge, which occupies the premier Bachelor Gulch location. This exclusive community is just a stone’s throw away from the Bachelor Gulch Express lift and you can literally walk out your door to conquer a network of hiking trails during the summer months.

While the kids were perfectly delighted with their simple bunk bed, I declared our condo the most gorgeous I have ever seen with granite slab countertops, jetted tubs, French limestone floors, a Moss rock and stone fireplace, and handcrafted everything. As an added bonus, guests are given free access to the The Ritz-Carlton’s pool and their fitness center for an additional fee.

For less expensive lodging options, checkout the Comfort Inn in nearby Avon.

Fantastic Freebies

Sure, Beaver Creek’s prices may not be for the faint of heart (or for the cheapskates) but there are plenty of freebies to go around. Our first evening, we attended Fridays at the Park (Hyatt), a lively evening with music, pony rides and gondola rides for the whole family, not to mention a gourmet s’moregasbord at the open fire pit.

We also played to our heart’s content at the free Children’s Museum located next to the Beaver Creek Hiking Center in the village. The Children’s Theater Company in Beaver Creek Village holds impromptu performance and recreational-Mecca Nottingham Park in nearby Avon has free outdoor movies for the family once a week during the summer months.

Sad you missed this fantastic line-up of activities? Mark your calendars for 2010 but don’t forget Beaver Creek in the fall. There is a good reason they call their aspen-laced splendor “The Gold Rush.”

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Additional food for thought:

8100 Mountainside Bar & Grill—Located slopeside in the Park Hyatt at (you guessed it) an elevation of 8100 feet, this live action bar and grill specializes in local, natural and organic dishes featuring Colorado’s best microbrews, wines and spirits. 8100 has an extensive kid menu but if you want to ditch the kids like we did (thanks to babysitter Aunt Lisa), you will be promised a romantic evening with such delights as their Filet Mignon with to-die-for Béarnaise Sauce, Creamed Corn with local-aged Goat Cheese and Warm Beignets with a Trio of Sauces for dessert.

The Osprey—Our very first experience at Beaver Creek (with the exception of when I got us lost) was lunch at the The Osprey. This boutique hotel just underwent a $7 million transformation and has the distinction of being the closest hotel to a chairlift in North America. It features an ever-evolving tapas-style menu with signature dishes and a hand-picked wine list in a casually elegant atmosphere. The food was divine and the children’s platter was among the tastiest I’ve ever had. Nevermind they were the ones who were supposed to be eating it.

At Beaver Creek, even the children’s meals taste good.

Note: This article was originally published at Mile High Mamas on August 31, 2009. Most services were complimentary or discounted.

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: Colorado, Family travel, Humor, outdoors, Tour de Colorado, travel

Colorado Mountain Mom’s Weekend at Play!

August 12, 2009 By

I had unfinished business.

Two years ago, I stayed in Frisco with the children and we biked along gorgeous Dillon Reservoir. I had intended to do the 20 miles round-trip to Keystone but made it as far as the Dillon farmer’s market in what was one of my favorite days ever with the kids.

The next day, we biked 24 painful miles to Breckenridge.

That was one of the not-so-favorite days.

Last weekend, my neighbor Monica invited a bunch of women from our neighborhood to celebrate our friend Jenn’s 40th birthday overnight at her mountain home. Silverthorne is adjacent to Dillon so I knew I had to finally bike the rest of the way to Keystone.

Without the kids.

Because hauling 70 pounds in the bike trailer is highly overrated.

I dropped the children off at a playdate and drove an hour into the mountains. Now, something you should understand is I almost called the whole thing off. The weather forecast called for 50% chance of rain with high winds.

In the Amber “Murphy” Travel History, this would assuredly mean I would get struck by lightning and then blown into the lake.

But neither happened. In fact, I’d say it was even a perfect ride with ideal conditions and gorgeous views. I biked 7 miles along Dillion Lake to Keystone Lake, site of Haddie’s skating obsession last winter.

I strolled through Keystone Village, soaked up the views and sent this picture to my ice-cream-loving husband who was stuck at home working.


Because it sucked to be him.

That night, some of my besties gathered together at a Benihana’s-type Japanese restaurant in Dillon.

(Kristen, Monica, Eva, Bernie, Lisa, Jenn, Sheri, Me, Nancy)

The Bishop’s wife may-or-may-not have joked about ordering the “Magic Mushrooms.”

We later played Cranium (fully sober, though at times Said Sobriety was questionable) and chatted into the wee hours. The next morning, we hiked a few miles to Lily Pad Lake.

Or at least some of us did. Monica, Jenn and I raced up to the lake while poor Nancy broke her foot en route.

No pictures of poor Nancy.

Because it sucked even more to be her. :-(

So, let’s hear it: have you had a girl’s weekend away lately? What would be your ideal trip?

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: Colorado, Humor, outdoors, travel

Four Corners Region—Trailing the Ancients

August 10, 2009 By

Originally published in Sports Guide magazine, 1999. © Photo: Philip Greenspun.

The Four Corners region means different things to different people. To Terry Tempest Williams it is Navajoland, where every conversation, every sigh uttered by the “longtime-ago people” circulates around you. To Edward Abbey, the ancient canyon art of this region was the first world language that represented images ranging from the crude and simple to the elegant and sophisticated.

To me, it was a headache to sort through what the Four Corners meant to different people. OK, so my definition is a bit of a downer. But in my non-prolific defense it was overwhelming to determine which archaeological sites, modern communities and Indian lands to cover in an area that smacks of a primeval and intangible world.

My friend John and I turned to the Visitor’s Center in Monticello for the inside scoop on following in the footsteps of the Ancients. Little did I know those ancients would be by way of the local geriatric ward. A sweet grandma greeted me at the main desk. Haltingly, I asked her if she could help me find some backcountry routes in the region.

“Of course, sweetie,” she replied. “If I can’t help, then Herbert can.” OK, I didn’t exactly capture the name of the ancient, sun-worn man she pointed to at the end of the counter. But if any man looked like a Herbert, he did. It took mere seconds to confirm that they would not be good resources. They loaded me up with brochures and John and I headed to the BLM Ranger’s station a couple of blocks away for the real scoop.

We came away with concrete plans. We would start at the Edge of the Cedars Museum and State Park and cut over to Cedar Mesa and Grand Gulch. From there, we would hit Valley of the Gods, Monument Valley, and then Canyon de Chelly in Arizona. Our final pinnacle experience of the lopsided loop would be to stand on the Four Corners marker to symbolize the end of our own Trail of the Ancients.

Edge of the Cedars Museum and State Park
We headed south on U.S. 191 to the Edge of the Cedars Museum and State Park in Blanding. For $1, we were introduced to the largest collection of Anasazi (pre-historic Puebloan) pottery in the Four Corners region. Located on the site of an ancient ruin, the museum has a collection of archeological treasures from the Ancient Pueblo Indian, Navajo and Ute Indian cultures that includes pottery and a ceremonial kiva, home to the Anasazi between A.D. 825 to 1220.

A sun marker stood just beyond the ruin. The Anasazi used this solar sculpture to calendar when to plant and harvest crops, connecting them with solar, plant life and ceremonial cycles. John moved in for a closer look as I stood back to analyze the dance of shadow and light. I gave up after two minutes of intense scrutiny and resolved there was a very good reason why I live in the 21st century when all connections with time are made with my trusty calendar and digital watch.

My favorite part of the Edge of the Cedars was the Observation Tower. This circular room’s expansive windows traced many of the Four Corner’s ranges, starting with Sleeping Ute Mountain and extending to New Mexico’s famous Shiprock and Utah’s Grand Gulch Plateau. Sometimes called Cedar Mesa, this 1,000-square-mile recreation area includes many archeological sites and was next on our agenda. The Abajo Mountains rounded out our view in the semi-circular tower.

Grand Gulch Primitive Area
I was eager to explore the Grand Gulch Primitive Area, one of the premier backpacking areas in Southern Utah. A friend had raved about an unparalleled 22-mile backpacking trip from Kane Gulch to Bullet Canyon, which winds through ancient ruins. John and I stopped at the Kane Gulch Ranger Station to get the ‘411’and permits. If the building was any indication, we were in for a primitive experience—the station was in a condemned trailer transported from Hovenweep National Monument.

The gal on duty gave me a detailed play-by-play of Cedar Mesa, home to numerous rock art panels and prehistoric ruins. Ancestral Puebloans inhabited the canyons and mesa tops between 700 and 2,000 years ago, and many of their dwellings remain in tact and fragile. For this reason, permits are limited and required for all overnight and day trips.

She tipped me off on an area outside of the Gulch in Cedar Mesa: Mule Canyon. I was immediately attracted by her description of this 10-mile roundtrip hike. Two fairly easy hiking areas are found in the north and south forks of Mule Canyon, which cut through sheer sandstone walls and ponderosa pine. But the true appeal of this trail is that it contains the highest concentration of ruins found anywhere on the plateau—more than one ruin per mile. We were sold.

Mule Canyon
We arose to the predawn colors of the desert and watched as pink, magenta, silver and purple shafts of light enticed the sun over the horizon. We were on the trail by 8 a.m.

John portentously wore his new trekking hat that his friends allegedly bought in Nepal. He bore a strong resemblance to Paddington Bear but I decided I’d have more fun with exploiting the Nepalese claim and asked if this meant he was Sherpa for the day. He was not amused. But when I pointed to his CamelBak—“the Sherpa”—he resigned himself to his station of servitude.

As we hiked, the canyon deepened and eroded alcoves lined the cliffs. The majority of cultural sites were on the south-facing slopes among typical high desert vegetation. The north-facing slopes were verdant with Douglas fir and ponderosa pine that spilled down from the Abajo range.

We had hiked about 0.75 mile when Sherpa John suddenly stopped. “Do you think that could be something up there?” he breathlessly asked. I gazed at the sandstone wall shrouded by ponderosa pine. What could his stealth Sherpa instincts be telling him? But then I looked at the ground—a giant arrow had been traced in the sand, pointing to the wall. So much for instinct. His sighting did not amount to anything, but he pulled through about 1.2 miles up the canyon where he discovered the first of a string of Anasazi ruins.

We spent the rest of the hike perched on the sandstone walls exploring the various alcoves. We crawled into the ancient settlements and marveled at the fallen masonry of the dwellings. Shards of pottery, worn but still proof of the artistic refinement of the ancients, were strewn around the rooms and organized on rocks by other hikers. The desert sun had shifted by the time we made our way out of the canyon, the colors, textures and shadows of our surroundings changing with the angle and intensity of the sunlight. Mule Canyon had come to light—and life—before our eyes.

Monument Valley
We then followed U.S. 261 through Grand Gulch until we reached the Moki Dugway overlook where we gazed down upon the Valley of the Gods and Monument Valley’s compendium of silhouetted buttes. We descended three miles on the graded gravel road and then explored the 16-mile loop through the Valley of the Gods—often called a miniature Monument Valley. The rock/clay surface road was a roller-coaster ride through a sandstone museum that included Castle Butte, Rooster Butte, Battleship Rock and Setting Hen Butte.

And then it was onto Monument Valley—land of the American West, and backdrop of hundreds of western movies and magazine ads. Where a simple image, the silhouette of a monolith held sacred for the Navajos, is enough to make us dream of infinite possibilities and empty spaces. The Navajo Nation Council designated Monument Valley as the first tribally-owned-and-operated park on July 11, 1958. More than 140 habitation sites have been found on the 17.6 million acre Navajo Reservation that straddles the Utah-Arizona border.

I was initially disappointed with how tightly the Navajo Nation regulates the valley. There is no hiking allowed off the 17-mile road unless you have a guide. We passed on shelling out $30 for a 2-hour tour, bought a $2 brochure and set out to explore the valley on our own terms as best we could.

The first monoliths we encountered were the famous Mittens, which according to Navajo legend were once deities who lived upon Mother Earth in the beginning of time. As we drove, the subliminal imagery of the monoliths, spires, buttes, mesas, canyons and sand dunes invoked a powerful associative reflex, and the distinction between reality and illusion became blurred.

We continued along the rectilinear ribbon of the road until we encountered one such mirage of the ancients. OK, maybe it was only a burro but for a moment I was transported back in time. John insisted we stop for a picture and I rolled my eyes at his hypocrisy. He generally mocks tacky tourists who take pictures of animals in the wild and then get attacked.

And then a Machiavellian plan unfolded. As he made his way back, I deviously exclaimed, “The burro is attacking!” Instinctively, John raced back to the Jeep to find me laughing hysterically. In his defense, he weakly said, “I thought I heard him running.” My query, “Do burros RUN?” did not lesson the pain. He will not be stopping to photograph wild and ferocious burros anytime soon, I’m sure.

Canyon de Chelly
We were intoxicated with the sights and smells of the labyrinth called Canyon de Chelly from the moment we arrived in Arizona’s northeastern desert haven—from the pungent scent of the vegetation, to the purity of the dust and the lucidity of the air.

Canyon de Chelly (pronounced d’SHAY) is really several canyons that rise as high as 1,000 feet above the floor, overshadowing the streams, cottonwoods and small farms below. The Canyon de Chelly National Monument was established in 1931 to preserve the land where people have lived for nearly 5,000 years—longer than anyone has lived uninterrupted anywhere on the Colorado Plateau. Embracing nearly 84,000 acres within the Navajo Reservation, the monument is administered by the National Park Service but belongs to the Navajo people.

Backcountry camping was out of the question in Navajoland so we stayed at the Cottonwood Campground, which was free of charge. We stopped as the Visitor’s Center in the morning and learned the rules and regulations were similar to Monument Valley.

With the exception of one designated trail, we were not allowed to hike unless we were on a tour or with a Navajo guide. The tours cost $40 for a half day, or $15 per hour with a private guide, with a minimum of three hours. We opted to explore the south and north rim drives on our own, which took in famous ruins such as the Mummy Cave and the Sliding House.

The highlight of Canyon de Chelly was the 2.5-mile roundtrip hike to the White House ruin. We followed the trail along the rim for about 1,000 feet before descending steeply into a canyon that had been polished by eons of sandpaper winds.

The White House was like an apparition floating in the cliffs. Built and occupied centuries ago by ancient Puebloan people, it is named for a long wall in the upper dwelling that is covered with white plaster. At its zenith, the village housed about 100 men, women and children in 60 rooms. The pottery shards surrounding it testified to the leavings of an ancient civilization.

I could not wait to document the ruin on paper and film. Until I realized I had forgotten my notebook. And then my camera malfunctioned. Regardless, we were in good spirits when we finally made the steep ascent back to asphalt and civilization and prepared for the final leg of our Trail of the Ancients.

Four Corners Monument
The sprint to the Trail of the Ancients finish line had a few speed bumps. Our final stop was at the Four Corners Monument, the only place in the United States where four states and two Indian nations share borders. Established in 1912, this monument was to be the capstone of our Four Corners tour.

I had envisioned our crowning moment. The desert sun would blaze down upon us. We’d explore the Visitor’s Center and small jewelry shops on the perimeter of the monument before planting ourselves on the marker. And we would smile like tacky tourists as photographs were taken to document the experience for posterity.

Of course, that was the illusion. Reality was that we got caught in a blinding sandstorm. We skipped the booths and made a mad dash to the marker where we stood for a good five seconds.

And pictures? Get real. Don’t forget the broken camera.

Total elapsed time at the monument: five minutes.

The total elapsed time of finally hearing the silence of a region that many revere as sacred: timeless.

-Amber Borowski Johnson

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: biking, Colorado, hiking, Humor, travel Tagged With: , , ,

Thumbing with the Devil

August 9, 2009 By

So, while my dear husband was holding down the fort at home as his pumpkin got pummeled by a tornado, find out what I were doing.

And just how much I was eating.

Note: This is not the actual size, which was about 10 times bigger.

READ ON

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: Bode, Colorado, Family travel, Hadley, Humor, travel

Just when you thought you’d seen it all, the unthinkable happens

July 19, 2009 By

We have had a glorious summer of travel and fun. But for anyone who needs a recap of The Real Glimpse at Family Travel, look no further than this summary of our Tour de Colorado this summer:

Chautauqua–Our car would not start prior to departure. We jump-started it, only to have an electrical malfunction once in Boulder and could not get our car alarm to turn off.

The Broadmoor’s new cottages in Colorado Springs–My parent’s car died in the valet. We had to get it towed to the nearest dealership and then drive 3 hours round-trip to retrieve it a few days later.

Steamboat Springs–We went to the rodeo. Hadley conquered the ram scramble. We went to the car. Couldn’t find keys. Discovered them in the ignition with the car running. Locked. For the past three hours.

Last week, it was Crested Butte. Don’t you think after allllll the trauma, after all the hardships that I deserved “The Perfect Day?”

I finally got one.

Brace yourselves for this because it may never happen again. READ ON.

*Photo taken at Judd Falls outside of Crested Butte. Not the Perfect Day but pretty darn close.

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: Colorado, Family travel, travel
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