Colorado's Most Popular Ski Resorts - By: Chris Hagdon
If you love to ski, you may have heard about the wonderful ski hills and resorts in Colorado. These resorts draw celebrities and ski experts every ski season. Many Colorado ski resorts are situated in the Rocky Mountains, making for ideal ski conditions each year. If you are planning to visit Colorado for a ski or snowboard trip, you will have lots of options to choose from.
The most popular ski resort town in Colorado is Aspen. Snowy hills, and challenging and varying terrain, aren't the only aspects of Aspen that attract so many well-to- do folks and famous celebrities to its beautiful mountain setting each year. The town of Aspen, once a mining town, is now one of the hottest destinations in the USA. The town is full of spas, resorts, and fabulous dining. However, it is the ski hill that brings so many here. Expect to pay high prices since an adult day pass is $74.
Vail is another popular ski resort and constantly ranked as number one in many ski magazines. With 193 trails covering 5,289 acres, Vail is the largest ski resort in the USA. The snow condition, terrain and number of challenging runs are top of the line. The great shopping, restaurants, and nightlife, makes the town of Vail as a popular destination for skiers. Vail provides great lessons for skiers and snowboarders.
One of the local favorite ski resorts in Colorado is Copper Mountain Resort. Copper Mountain offers an impressive number of trails, over 120 and 22 lifts to move you around the slopes. Copper Mountains' trail system is award winning and takes advantage of everything this mountain has to offer. Copper Mountain also has the advantage of being slightly less expensive then Aspen or Vail, but still offers trails that are exciting and challenging.
Powderhorn Resort is a slightly smaller mountain with great value for day passes. With 29 runs, it offers beginning and intermediate skiers plenty of challenges. If you'd rather not ski a challenging run, there are several easy runs which provide a relaxing day meandering down the slopes. Not only is the skiing world class, but the Powderhorn Resort accommodations and restaurants are quite enjoyable.
For skiers that look for an opportunity to ski all day and into the night, Keystone resort is the perfect place. Keystone offers the largest and best night skiing area in Colorado, in fact in all of North America! Keystone Resort is composed of three great mountains, which means there are plenty of great terrain and diverse trails, 116 of them in all. Keystone also provides many options besides skiing, including an exciting nightlife, fantastic restaurants, and great specials for those guests of the resort.
Colorado has earned reputation as the home of North America's best ski resorts. New resorts continue to sprout up throughout Colorado, while the old resorts are upgraded and made even more fabulous. Many people would enjoy the opportunity for a dream vacation to live the lives of millionaires, and a lot of the resorts offer great deals which make it possible. Throw in world class skiing and top notch accommodations and you have the dream vacation.
Friday, June 15, 2007
Hikes in the Beautiful Yellowstone National Park
Hikes in the Beautiful Yellowstone National Park - By: Georgina Burelson
Yellowstone Park is located not in just one state but three – Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. Spread out over 2.2 million acres, this national park is considered one of the premier wilderness areas in the United States. Here, you will enjoy magnificent scenery and a large variety of birds and wildlife. The more than 1,100 miles of trails makes this the perfect area for hiking enthusiasts.
Even with trails that are simple to reach and well-groomed, and you have park rangers watching over you, you still have to be aware of weather that can change in an instant, rocks that may roll and hurt you, and unpredictable animals. It’s imperative that you respect the “wilderness” and follow the park’s rules. Knowing about the potential risks and sticking to the guidelines, should have you all set to face any situation you might encounter in the park.
Day hiking is a popular activity in Yellowstone Park and with such an abundance of trail choices, the ideal way to spend the day. To get started, stop by the ranger station where you can pick up a map and other important information. The ranger will go over specific aspects of the park with you to include being alert for bears, sudden storms, fires, and to always carry a first aid kit, sunscreen, raincoat, and insect repellent with you.
In Yellowstone Park you won’t need to apply for a hiking permit. There are some national parks where you must do so. As you explore the trails, you may end up in remote regions of the park. Some of the trails are easy hiking and not at all steep. Others will be more challenging. Give yourself a heads-up on weather and trails before you start that hike.
Most importantly, bring your camera along and take tons of pictures. This part of the country is truly breathtaking and the overall experience of hiking through valleys, fields of flowers, and over small passes while seeing all the beautiful wildlife is something you will never forget.
Copyright 2006, Georgina Burelson, All Rights Reserved. This article may be published on web sites or in newsletters provided this notice and the resource box is included without ammendment.
Yellowstone Park is located not in just one state but three – Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. Spread out over 2.2 million acres, this national park is considered one of the premier wilderness areas in the United States. Here, you will enjoy magnificent scenery and a large variety of birds and wildlife. The more than 1,100 miles of trails makes this the perfect area for hiking enthusiasts.
Even with trails that are simple to reach and well-groomed, and you have park rangers watching over you, you still have to be aware of weather that can change in an instant, rocks that may roll and hurt you, and unpredictable animals. It’s imperative that you respect the “wilderness” and follow the park’s rules. Knowing about the potential risks and sticking to the guidelines, should have you all set to face any situation you might encounter in the park.
Day hiking is a popular activity in Yellowstone Park and with such an abundance of trail choices, the ideal way to spend the day. To get started, stop by the ranger station where you can pick up a map and other important information. The ranger will go over specific aspects of the park with you to include being alert for bears, sudden storms, fires, and to always carry a first aid kit, sunscreen, raincoat, and insect repellent with you.
In Yellowstone Park you won’t need to apply for a hiking permit. There are some national parks where you must do so. As you explore the trails, you may end up in remote regions of the park. Some of the trails are easy hiking and not at all steep. Others will be more challenging. Give yourself a heads-up on weather and trails before you start that hike.
Most importantly, bring your camera along and take tons of pictures. This part of the country is truly breathtaking and the overall experience of hiking through valleys, fields of flowers, and over small passes while seeing all the beautiful wildlife is something you will never forget.
Copyright 2006, Georgina Burelson, All Rights Reserved. This article may be published on web sites or in newsletters provided this notice and the resource box is included without ammendment.
Plan a River Trip like a Pro
Plan a River Trip like a Pro - By: Robin Irving
So you’ve decided to organize a multi-day river trip with some friends. You’ve all decided what stretch of river you’ll be doing. So what’s next? The key to any successful river trip is in the pre-trip planning. The more you can do ahead of time, the smoother the trip will go, and the more time you will have in camp to explore or relax. After all, this is why you are going on the trip.
There are lots of aspects to the pre-planning. And since you are going with a group of friends, not a guide service someone has to do the job of the guide service. However, this doesn’t mean that one person needs to be saddled with the whole job. Instead use the strengths of group and divide and conquer. Pick one or two people with the most familiarity or the most experience to be your group leaders. These people are then responsible for planning the trip itself. They are responsible for getting the maps, planning put ins and take outs, transportation, campsites, number of miles traveled per day, etc. They need to make sure you have all the permits necessary for using land along the river’s edge. The trip leaders also need to check on current river conditions, especially any rapids. It’s always a good idea to contact state and federal agencies that manage land along the river corridor. They often have free maps and information for the public. They’ll need to check with any private land owners as well. Local knowledge is also very valuable. Local outfitters will have the most current information on river conditions, and will know land ownership along the river.
You will need a gear coordinator. Someone in the group needs to take charge of getting together a list of what gear the group has collectively, and make sure you have everything you need without over doing it! The gear coordinator needs to make sure there are enough boats for the group size as well as personal floatation devices for all. Camp equipment should include the camp kitchen, tents, group shelters etc. Some river trips require you to pack out all human waste, so a camp latrine will be part of your gear list. Safety equipment is a must and should include throw bags, bow lines, and hardware such as carabineers at a minimum. There should be a good first aid kit in at least one of the boats and some sort of communication device (i.e. VHF radio, cell phone, sat phone, etc.).
There should be a safety coordinator in the group as well. This person will work with the gear coordinator to make sure the safety equipment is in working order and that at least a couple of people in the group know how to use it. If only one person knows how to use rescue throw bags and that person is the one needing to be rescued, you’re in trouble. The safety coordinator will also develop standard hand or whistle signals so that you can communicate quickly between boats. This really needs to be established before the trip begins, not when you’re in the middle of the big rapids and voices are lost in the roar of the river.
And finally you’ll want a camp chef. This person is not necessarily in charge of all the cooking. Rather they are in charge of planning the menu, buying food, and packing it for the trip. They are also in charge of developing the sign up sheet for kitchen duties. The camp chef will poll the group for food likes and dislikes, food allergies and any budget concerns. Also there may be some members of your group that have food to donate to the trip. Once the information is gathered the chef can plan a menu that will work well on the river. The chef should come up with an estimated budget and present it to the group before finalizing the menu.
Packing food is really important, especially in warm weather when spoilage is a concern. Pack one cooler for each day on the river with dinner on the bottom and breakfast on top of the cooler. The most perishable foods should be used first, and the least perishable foods used toward the end of a trip. Each cooler should be labeled and sealed. Let the group know that it is taboo to open any cooler before the day it is labeled for. This will insure that the cold stays in as long as possible. You should pack lunch coolers separately. Lunch coolers will contain 2-3 days worth of lunches as well as snack foods while on the river. Also, when packing the coolers into rafts, try to keep the lunch coolers accessible. You don’t want to have to unpack the whole boat when you stop for lunch.
With a little pre-planning and division of labor you can plan a trip that you and your friends will remember for a lifetime. You’ll be talking about the river trip for years!
Robin Irving is a naturalist, environmental educator and co-owner of Alaska River Expeditions which has specialized in 1 to 10-day multi-sport eco-adventures, and wilderness voyages. They are based in Cordova, Alaska, located only 3 hours south of Anchorage by scenic ferry ride. She enjoys sharing information about great eco-tour destinations especially in Alaska. For free Alaska Nature Adventures newsletter with tips and Alaska travel specials, go to: www.alaskarfters.com
So you’ve decided to organize a multi-day river trip with some friends. You’ve all decided what stretch of river you’ll be doing. So what’s next? The key to any successful river trip is in the pre-trip planning. The more you can do ahead of time, the smoother the trip will go, and the more time you will have in camp to explore or relax. After all, this is why you are going on the trip.
There are lots of aspects to the pre-planning. And since you are going with a group of friends, not a guide service someone has to do the job of the guide service. However, this doesn’t mean that one person needs to be saddled with the whole job. Instead use the strengths of group and divide and conquer. Pick one or two people with the most familiarity or the most experience to be your group leaders. These people are then responsible for planning the trip itself. They are responsible for getting the maps, planning put ins and take outs, transportation, campsites, number of miles traveled per day, etc. They need to make sure you have all the permits necessary for using land along the river’s edge. The trip leaders also need to check on current river conditions, especially any rapids. It’s always a good idea to contact state and federal agencies that manage land along the river corridor. They often have free maps and information for the public. They’ll need to check with any private land owners as well. Local knowledge is also very valuable. Local outfitters will have the most current information on river conditions, and will know land ownership along the river.
You will need a gear coordinator. Someone in the group needs to take charge of getting together a list of what gear the group has collectively, and make sure you have everything you need without over doing it! The gear coordinator needs to make sure there are enough boats for the group size as well as personal floatation devices for all. Camp equipment should include the camp kitchen, tents, group shelters etc. Some river trips require you to pack out all human waste, so a camp latrine will be part of your gear list. Safety equipment is a must and should include throw bags, bow lines, and hardware such as carabineers at a minimum. There should be a good first aid kit in at least one of the boats and some sort of communication device (i.e. VHF radio, cell phone, sat phone, etc.).
There should be a safety coordinator in the group as well. This person will work with the gear coordinator to make sure the safety equipment is in working order and that at least a couple of people in the group know how to use it. If only one person knows how to use rescue throw bags and that person is the one needing to be rescued, you’re in trouble. The safety coordinator will also develop standard hand or whistle signals so that you can communicate quickly between boats. This really needs to be established before the trip begins, not when you’re in the middle of the big rapids and voices are lost in the roar of the river.
And finally you’ll want a camp chef. This person is not necessarily in charge of all the cooking. Rather they are in charge of planning the menu, buying food, and packing it for the trip. They are also in charge of developing the sign up sheet for kitchen duties. The camp chef will poll the group for food likes and dislikes, food allergies and any budget concerns. Also there may be some members of your group that have food to donate to the trip. Once the information is gathered the chef can plan a menu that will work well on the river. The chef should come up with an estimated budget and present it to the group before finalizing the menu.
Packing food is really important, especially in warm weather when spoilage is a concern. Pack one cooler for each day on the river with dinner on the bottom and breakfast on top of the cooler. The most perishable foods should be used first, and the least perishable foods used toward the end of a trip. Each cooler should be labeled and sealed. Let the group know that it is taboo to open any cooler before the day it is labeled for. This will insure that the cold stays in as long as possible. You should pack lunch coolers separately. Lunch coolers will contain 2-3 days worth of lunches as well as snack foods while on the river. Also, when packing the coolers into rafts, try to keep the lunch coolers accessible. You don’t want to have to unpack the whole boat when you stop for lunch.
With a little pre-planning and division of labor you can plan a trip that you and your friends will remember for a lifetime. You’ll be talking about the river trip for years!
Robin Irving is a naturalist, environmental educator and co-owner of Alaska River Expeditions which has specialized in 1 to 10-day multi-sport eco-adventures, and wilderness voyages. They are based in Cordova, Alaska, located only 3 hours south of Anchorage by scenic ferry ride. She enjoys sharing information about great eco-tour destinations especially in Alaska. For free Alaska Nature Adventures newsletter with tips and Alaska travel specials, go to: www.alaskarfters.com
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