Every January, the ski town of Breckenridge, Colorado hosts the International Snow Sculpture Championships. For over twenty years, teams of snow artists from around the world come and ply their creative craft with the natural materials of the Rocky Mountains. Each team begins with a twelve-foot block of snow along Breck’s Riverwalk. At the beginning of the week,Continue reading “Breckenridge snow sculpture”
Tag Archives: Colorado
Aspen
Most winters, I take a break to soak in the natural pools at Glenwood Springs, just a few hours west of my mountain home. Last week, I spent some time at the hot springs and drove to Aspen for a day. I hadn’t been there in decades, when I attended the Aspen Music Festival withContinue reading “Aspen”
Antonito
The little town of Antonito lies just north of the Colorado/New Mexico border, on the Colorado side. When I’ve headed down that way, I’ve stayed a few times at the Indiana Jones Bed and Breakfast. On this road trip in October 2022, I spent a night there on the way down and the way back.Continue reading “Antonito”
Leadville
Starting out for a week-long road trip to Santa Fe and environs in October, I took one of the many scenic routes through the Colorado mountains. Leadville, at 10,000 feet in altitude, was a convenient place to stop and stretch my legs, walking around town. Like the town I live in, and many Colorado mountainContinue reading “Leadville”
Ode to a tree
My home is perched on the side of a mountain, at the edge of town. In an earlier essay (Thoughts for the new year), after a devastating fire near Boulder, I wrote about fire danger in my mountain neighborhood. There are a few houses above mine, but only a few. The landscape and a rockyContinue reading “Ode to a tree”
Glenwood Springs
The ski traffic was already backing up as I merged onto the highway going west. It was Friday morning of a three-day weekend, so I knew I needed to get on the road before bumper-to-bumper creeping set in. I live in the Rocky Mountains, not far from ski resorts, so those driving up from DenverContinue reading “Glenwood Springs”
Thoughts for the new year
Most of my essays have been hopeful, positive, and somewhat upbeat despite setbacks and obstacles. Looking on the bright side seems to be in my nature. This time around, however, I’ve had a difficult time finding that happy place from which to launch the new year, 2022. During the last week of 2021, I rereadContinue reading “Thoughts for the new year”
Great Sand Dunes
A friend proposed a road trip, a long day’s drive to Great Sand Dunes National Park in southern Colorado. Rather than zip along the interstate highway, we took the scenic route over Guanella Pass and Kenosha Pass into South Park and down through the San Luis Valley. She was a kindred soul; we readily agreedContinue reading “Great Sand Dunes”
A labor of love (reprise)
It’s time for my favorite local event, Georgetown Plein Air, a couple of days of outdoor painting and a resulting art exhibit. I can’t resist sharing again my post from last year, when I had fewer readers, with some timely updates. The mountain town I live in—Georgetown, Colorado—is part of the Georgetown-Silver Plume National HistoricContinue reading “A labor of love (reprise)”
Burro races
Get your ass over the pass! Pack burro racing has been called the official summer heritage sport in Colorado. In the early days of mining in the Rocky Mountain west, miners used burros to carry their supplies. They couldn’t ride since the animals would be laden down with goods, so they would walk, leading theirContinue reading “Burro races”