Christmas Day at Aspen Lodge in Estes Park

Since our family all live in another state, we decided to go out for lunch on Christmas Day. This is more difficult to execute than you might think.

First, there's the issue of location. We live in Lakewood, CO (on the south side of metro-Denver) which is pretty picturesque but very suburban. We hoped to find something a little more off the beaten path. This describes about 95 percent of the state of Colorado, but how do you find these scenic locales?

Google, right? Nothing. (I'm generally pretty good and getting information this way, I was completely unprepared for the dismal search results.)

Word of mouth? None of our friends, acquaintances or co-workers had any ideas.

Tourist information. There's no way around this one. We generally try to at least act like we know what's going on but we were desperate. So we went to the Tourist Info booth at the Colorado Mills Mall. While they didn't have any specific information, they did recommend a couple of towns and suggested that we contact the visitors' bureau of each town. Estes Park was one of the towns.

We love Estes Park. I wish that I could explain that but I can't. It's quiet and touristy and nestled right up next to Rocky Mountain National Park. It's one of the first places in CO we visited on vacation and THE first place that Della ever saw snow. That's probably where the love affair began. You'll probably hear a lot about Estes Park from me in the future.

So, we called the Visitors' Bureau and they had a list. For family-friendliness, the VB recommended the Christmas Day buffet at the Aspen Lodge. The relaxed atmosphere was great and the food was terrific. No stiff formality here, just genuine, friendly waitstaff and cozy surroundings. The dining lodge itself is a little dated, but the views of the snow falling on the grounds of the resort were more than enough to get us in the Christmas spirit. One of the dining rooms had a beautiful fireplace and Christmas tree. The entire restaurant was decorated for the holidays with fresh pine garland and candles.

Call me cynical, but I wasn't expecting much from the buffet. My hope was that it would be warm and a step up from Luby's. I was pleasantly surprised. There was an unremarkable relish tray, but everything after that was great. Smoked trout with cream cheese and blueberries, green beans with mushrooms and fried onions (a wonderful improvement on the green bean casserole that has been a staple at our family gatherings as long a I can remember), butternut squash, traditional dressing, garlic mashed potatoes and portabello ravioli all complement the carved main courses: roast turkey, prime rib and ham. It was all delicious and the turkey was juicy (not an easy feat for a buffet).

The dessert offerings were good as well. There was a warm bread pudding with white chocolate (I enjoyed the flavor, but the texture of bread pudding is always a little gross to me. I'm a real texture-freak though. My wife says it's great for those of you out there that like that sort of thing.) I was much more appreciative of the bourbon pecan pie, apple pie and pumpkin pie. Our daughter devoured a blueberry scone.

At less than $20 per adult, this was also one of the less pricey Christmas Day offerings that we found anywhere. There was complementary champagne. The atmosphere was casual and comfortable, fitting to the lodge setting.

If you're looking for a complete package, including lodging, The Aspen Lodge has guest rooms and cabins in a terrific mountain setting with views of Mt Meeker, Long's Peak and the Twin Sisters in RMNP. Check out their website for more information and special events.

Enjoy!

Gear Shopping

After my little scare in the snow and continuing dissatisfaction with my backpack carrier, we decided it was time to investigate and invest in some winter gear. I thought that this would be an easy education followed by a routine trip to buy shoes. Boy, was I in for it.

I'll start with shoes because they are actually the simplest thing we went shopping for. You see, winter hiking shoes (snow boots) are everywhere. You can buy them at Target. In fact, I did buy a pair at Target when we lived in Michigan. The best thing I can say about that pair of shoes is that they were warm. All other aspects of comfort were lost if I wore them longer than the time it took to brush the snow off of my car. The ready availability of winter boots is probably the biggest stumbling block when you're looking for good ones.

I was able to narrow the field a bit because I have a specific purpose in mind: dayhiking. I need boots that are (1) waterproof, (2) warm and (3) comfortable for long walks. For me, comfort is connected with fit, ergonomics and flexibility. I have pretty easy feet to fit (no extra width or height to my arches or anything else unusual) so I thought that comfort would be the simplest part of the equation. Wrong again.

I spent some time online reading shoe ratings. This is often helpful, especially when the person rating the product leaves a good narrative. My wife was able to select a pair of boots based on the recurring complaint that the specific boots were "too flexible" and lacked any ankle support. This was exactly what she was looking for (even for hiking). Her ankles are amazingly rigid and the only injury she's ever had to them was from falling off a pair of platform sandals about 8 years ago. Interestingly, fewer men post reviews to the shoes they buy. So I could see early on that I was on my own.

We went to 2 national retail sporting goods stores on Saturday. Never mind which ones because I don't really have anything nice to say about them. The first had a VERY limited selection of snow boots (fewer than 3 styles and only one brand) and the second offered very little technical expertise on the products that they did have. Della found the boots that she liked (and ended up buying) but no one was there to give any helpful advise. Overall, the day shopping left us both discouraged about the random nature of the buying decision.

We went back to the Internet on Saturday night and looked for reviews of the specific brands and styles that we had tried on. Della was pretty sure of what she wanted, but we wanted to check out one more store. I asked her if she'd be embarrassed if I just wrapped plastic shopping bags around my feet.

We went to REI on Sunday. We went straight to shoes without browsing because it was the weekend before Christmas and the crowds were outrageous. They keep the bulk of their shoes stocked in the back room, so there were 3 sales associates on the floor helping customers. In spite of being busy, all of them were taking the time to assist customers in their selections. Consultative sales is a challenge, my wife and I have both done it, but these guys made it look like fun. They seemed genuinely interested in helping us make a good decision and offering the advice of people who don't just know their products, but use them as well. They have a little hill to climb in the store and hiking socks to try shoes on with. I have never shopped for shoes like that. They had the boots that Della wanted and I found a pair that are perfect.

Since that worked out so well, we went in search of some new thermals for Della. The associate in that department was also knowledgeable about the products (though less inclined to make a recommendation). We also bought socks, which would also have been overwhelming had we not already done some online investigating...Who knew there were SO many options? In the end, all three of us got new SmartWool socks. One lady that reviewed the SmartWool on the REI website says that if they get wet, you can wring them out and put them back on.

The shopping was also aided by the presence of a kid-sized table and chairs in the shoe department with crayons and paper. Elle was also excited to climb up and down the shoe test-structure and as long as one of us was with her, the sales associates were ok with that too.

REI also has a great loyalty program which we also purchased. Benefits of the program include no-questions-asked returns, access to special sales events and quarterly rebate cash. It is a lifetime membership with a one-time fee of $15.

REI has consumer reviewed products for sale at www.rei.com and closeouts at www.reioutlet.com. Both sites also have detailed product descriptions and photos.

This weekend, we purchased:
Scrambler winter boots by Salomon(r) for Tim ($110)
...waterproof, antimicrobial and rated to -25 degrees F
...true fit and very comfortable, top offers support without impeding mobility

Nuptse Fur winter boots by The North Face(tm) for Della ($99)
...waterproof, antimicrobial and rated to -40 degrees F
...hiking tread but Della says it's "like wearing socks"
...very stylish look

SmartWool(r) socks for Tim (med cushion...$14), Della (women's med cushion...$15) and Eliana (2 pairs Baby Woolly...$18)

REI women's thermal underwear bottom for Della ($30)
...Della has a mild sensitivity to wool, so silk is a 2nd best natural fiber option
...She likes the fit a lot...haven't had a chance to try out the warmth

NOTE: This is not a commercial site in the truest sense and (except for products at Amazon.com) I receive no compensation for products that I recommend. This is a review based upon my personal experience with the stores, websites or brands listed. While we try to comparison shop and make purchases based upon reasonable criteria, we are a family and as such unable to field test multiple products. Recommendations are NOT paid endorsements.

There's a Name for What We Do!

Since our first trips to Colorado back in the late 90's, my wife and I have enjoyed hiking and rock scrambling. We can spend hours on a trail and somehow feel more rested at the end than at the trailhead. Della especially loves to take the road less traveled and her mantra is, "If you want to see a thing that few people see, you have to go places where few people go." On the other hand, the idea of living out of a backpack for days on end is not all that appealing. My brother is a big-time backpacker, but he takes most of his trips sans wife and daughter; and I would rather take my adventures with mine.

But there is apparently a term for our preferred level of outdoor activity: slackpacking. If you fall into the abyss with us, check out www.slackpacker.com. There's some good information, a lexicon of trail terminology and a healthy dose of dry humor. There are also links to hiking trails indexed by state. Check it out.

Have fun!

Winter Hiking at South Valley Park

You'd think that after 5 consecutive winters in Michigan, we'd be over the fascination with the snow. But that was Detroit and this is Denver...so the love affair goes on.
There are two major differences: First, SE Michigan (while lovely in spring, summer and fall) just gets buried in snow all winter. For five years, it snowed on or before Christmas and we didn't see the grass again until April. In Denver, it snowed 8" yesterday and it's already starting to melt today under the warm sun. What casual outdoorsperson wants to take a hike when it's overcast and 15 degrees F? Today in Denver, it's sunny and will probably hit 50 degrees this afternoon. The second difference is that I don't know of anywhere in southern MI that has a broken granite mountain or red sandstone formations.

So, Eliana and I revisited the South Valley Open Space today in the snow. Gorgeous! I thought that the wide, well-graded trails would be our best bet for hiking in the snow and that turned out to be a good call. We followed behind a group of moms out on snowshoes with their toddlers in backpacks. I let them blaze the trail and came up behind them on the well-packed snow. I picked their brains about snowshoeing and decided that I've got to try it. While it's more demanding that hiking a dry trail, it is considerably easier than hiking a trail (even a well-packed trail) in the snow by all accounts.

Of course, I only followed the moms as far as the Lyon's Back Trail where I took off to the left and blazed my own trail. I thought that would help save my ego until a 70-year-old, snowshoeing grandma overtook me and politely asked to pass. I climbed the trail up to the northern boundary of the park, where it connects to Columbine Trail in the Ken-Caryl Foundation Open Space. Lyon's Back is not difficult, but it does climb about 100 feet over less than a quarter mile. The views of the valley are very nice and where the trail climbs steeply, Jefferson County has built steps for us. The descent was the most treacherous part of the hike and it was here that I slipped and all of my amateur mistakes were laid bare.

First of all, I was not properly outfitted for a serious hike in the snow. I was wearing my regular hiking boots and blue jeans. Eliana was wearing snow boots, but she had kicked one off and I was holding it in my hand. She was also wearing jeans. When I fell, I sat down on the step behind me. The fall didn't hurt at all since I landed in 8" of unpacked snow, BUT the snow was a problem of its own. My jeans (which were already wet almost to my knees) were now soaked through all the way up to my waist. Elle's bare sock was like a snow-magnet and was soaked through before I could brush it off. And her loose boot was filled with melting snow too.

I'm an amateur, but not stupid, so we went directly back to the trailhead and our car to avoid any hypothermia issues.

Look for a future post on the necessary gear for snow hiking...

Trail Difficulty:
Lyon's Back Trail: .4 (easy) from the crossing with Coyote Song Trail

Have fun and pack dry socks!

What on Earth is a Hogback?

I'm glad you asked. The first time that I encountered the expression, I was being instructed by a local on the finer points of the foothills landscape. I was baffled but didn't want to give that away, so I just smiled and nodded and went away wondering what she was talking about.

As I am typing this, I can see the Hogback out of my living room window. (Living here really rocks!) When you are looking at it from the flatlands east of the mountains, the name isn't doesn't seem as self-evident. It just looks like a jumble of low hills in front of the mountains. In fact, from where I live in Littleton, the Hogback is virtually all of the mountains that you can see.

Simply put, the Hogback is a ridge (series of ridges actually) that forms a line on the eastern borders of the Rocky Mountains. The satellite image (thank you, Google) on the left, shows a clear demarcation between the green of the plains and the bare granite in the mountains.

I've tried to sort-out the natural history of the area so that I can share a bit of geological wisdom, but it's pretty much all Greek to me. I was embarrassed at how lost I was reading one article that promised to explain the process in "simple language." The main thing that you'll want to know is that the geological upheaval responsible for lifting the Rockies caused a break in the rock strata along the leading edge on the mountains to be tilted at a peculiar angle. This can be seen dramatically in the red sandstone outcroppings in places like Red Rocks Park in Metro Denver and Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs. Glaciers and other forces of erosion carved out canyons and broke the single ridge into pieces. Much of the geography of central Colorado, including the locations of cities and roads, is dictated by the natural breaks in the Hogback.

It looks a lot more like "hogback" (or better yet "hogs' backs") from above. The picture below was taken from a trail at Mt Falcon Park.
There are numerous hiking opportunities in and near the Hogback. Trails on the eastern side afford sweeping views of the Great Plains. Trails on the western side look up into the Rocky Mountains. All along the Hogback are geologically interesting canyons, valleys and rock outcroppings. To find hiking trails rated on this blog, click on the Hogback label below or on the right.

Have fun!

Potty Training On The Trail

When we started potty training Eliana, we knew that we wanted to stay active. We had a parade of potty training gear before we stumbled onto this little gem.

The On the Go Potty is manufactured by The Kalencom Corp in New Orleans. It has been the most useful piece of gear connected with the potty training experience. It's especially helpful on the trail because the liners can be tied shut and easily packed-out.

The potty is very basic: a molded plastic seat with two folding legs. The liners are basic plastic bags with looped handles and an absorbent pad. You can see in the picture (from the Kalencom website...poor kid...I guess some parents are a little too zealous to jump start a modeling career for their kids) that there's not much to it. It folds flat, is very lightweight and packs easily in backpack or camera bag.

We used this extensively when Eliana was potty training: at the mall, on roadtrips and on the trail. It's given us freedom to explore longer trails and stray farther from the facilities.

The potty costs about $10 and a package of 10 liners is $5. They are available at Babies 'R Us or purchase directly from the manufacturer by clicking here.

South Valley Open Space Park

The longer I live in metro Denver, the more impressed I am with the Open Spaces. I've lived in metropolitan areas that had good park systems but you just can't beat a city or county park that gives you the opportunity to walk under towering sandstone formations, visit an elk herd and watch coyote forage in the brush. All less than 5 minutes from the Interstate Highway.

South Valley Park is on the south end of Ken-Caryl Valley. The Valley was owned and named by John Schafer for his two sons (Kent and Carroll) in the early 20th century. There are numerous housing developments in the north valley, but the 900+ acres that make up the South Valley Park were sold to Open Space by Martin-Marrieta in 1997. Lockheed Martin still maintains its corporate headquarters in an unusual building on adjacent land. This facility is visible from much of the park's trails. Back into prehistory, native American tribes used the valley for winter camp and hunting as far back as 10,000 years ago. Some of the archaeological evidence suggests that this area was in use before the building of the Great Pyramids in Egypt.

The geology of the area is particularly interesting. There are many large red sandstone formations, not as awe-inspiring as Red Rocks or Garden of the Gods, but nonetheless fascinating to look at. Especially with the white sandstone outcropping that forms the eastern boundary looming in the background.

The north trailhead (take C-470 to Ken-Caryl exit, turn left on Ken-Caryl Road, then veer left to South Valley Road...the park is on the left side of the road) has restrooms (with running, potable water), picnic areas and is handicap accessible. From this trailhead, you can walk along the sandstone formations on the Swallow Trail, an easy, even-grade gravel trail that has great views of the sandstone formations all along the lefthand side of the trail. At the end of the .9 mile trail, go left to catch the Coyote Song Trail back to the trailhead. This trail runs between the red sandstone formations and the white sandstone cliffs.

If you press straight-on at the end of the Swallow Trail, the path crosses a small wetland and winds trough waist-high grass for another .3 miles. From here you can cross the road and climb up to the Grazing Elk Trail which circles a meadow where a small herd of elk can frequently be seen. The climb to the plateau where the meadow sits is reasonable and only .3 miles long. At the sign, take a left so that you hike the loop counterclockwise. The walk through the meadow is pleasant enough, but the trail is pretty narrow (only 18 inches in some places) and you can expect to wade through grass that is often chest-high. I didn't see any elk on the day I hiked it, but it was midday (almost any type of wildlife is best sought in the early morning or late evening) and the grass was tall enough in some places to hide a good sized bull-elk. I saw lots of elk and mule deer tracks along the entire trail. The views from the meadow are cluttered with million-dollar homes and the Lockheed Martin building, so don't go looking for a sense of wilderness. The trail is pretty homogeneous except for a short section (less than 1/4 mile) about a mile past the trail split. Here there is a gulch that tumbles into Deer Creek Canyon with a wide variety of sandstone, granite and slate and a few cedar trees. This was a welcomed place to sit on a boulder in the shade and take a break.

Rattlesnake Gultch Trail spurs off of the southern loop and, in a .3 mile hile, crosses a very narrow arm of a Denver Mountain Park and ends at the trailhead and parking area for the Deer Creek Canyon Park Open Space.

The lower trails are very family-family friendly. My two-year-old walked most of the 2 mile loop at Swallow and Coyote Song Trails. The facilities are among the nicest at any of the Open Space Parks. The park is free.

Take some precautions when walking the Elk Grazing Trail. Use sunblock...I got a little burned and it was mid-December on a day with pretty consistent cloud cover. The summer sun will fry you. Take care when viewing elk in their natural habitat. Elk don't like being approached. Every year, some sly local captures pictures or video of some tourist being chased and sometimes mauled by a big elk. (I'll always have my camera with me on this trail for just such a purpose.) These are wild animals. Respect their space.

Trail Difficulty:
Swallow Trail: 1.6 (easy)
Coyote Song Trail: 2.1 (easy)
Grazing Elk Trail from the road crossing: 3.4 (easy)

To download a trail map, click here.

Have fun!

Matthews/Winters Open Space Park

I have an affinity for the mountains. I really like looking at them and I like climbing up on a mountain to look at sweeping vistas of other mountains. Climbing up on them and looking down at the plains holds a little less romance for me. But I still enjoyed the day we spent at Matthews/Winters Park.
The park has some historical significance, but if you're looking for dramatic ruins of Historic Mount Vernon (circa 1859) you'll be disappointed. Not much remains of the town that was the first seat of local government in Jefferson (later Colorado) Territory. The park straddles Mount Vernon Canyon and offers striking views of the Hogback, Red Rocks and the southern suburbs of Denver.

The Village Walk Trail is less than a mile loop through the meadow below the original Mount Vernon townsite. The eastern side of the trail has the best views, the western leg is a more direct route to the Red Rocks Trail, which climbs steadily for the first .6 miles before diving into a pretty dramatic gorge and climbing out the opposite side. From there, the Red Rocks Trail continues along a narrow track in the hillside while the Morrison Slide Trail climbs to the top of the ridge for a more challenging hike. These two trails converge about a mile south of the split and continue to a trailhead at Red Rocks Park. (Two cars could be used to make this a one-way hike into Red Rocks Park.)

Most of this hike is well-maintained trail with a moderate grade. The day we hiked it, however, there was snow and ice on the trails which created a pretty hazardous situation climbing in and out of the gorge on the Red Rocks Trail. There was also quite a bit of mud, so Eliana rode all the way in her backpack. The Red Rocks Trail only gains about 515 ft of elevation as it goes south but looses more than 900 ft as it drops into Red Rocks Park. So the hike back is a fairly strenuous climb.

Also, keep in mind that since the trail is on the eastern face of the hill, the mountains shadow it several hours before sunset. If you're hiking in the early spring or late fall, try to get an early start. We had to turn back before we got to Red Rocks because the temperature began to drop pretty quickly once the sun dipped behind the mountain.

This is a fairly popular trail. We got the last parking space at the trailhead on the day we visited...in early December when the temperature was not supposed to climb above 40 F. Plan to arrive early, especially on the weekend.

Trail difficulty:
Village Walk: 4.8 (easy)
Red Rocks: 8.5 (moderate)
Red Rocks (via Morrison Slide): 9.4 (moderate)

Family-friendly and free. Click here to download a trail map.

Have fun!

Difficulty Ratings

I've wrestled with this issue since I started the blog: how to describe the difficulty of a trail in terms that are not completely arbitrary. So far, my approach has been subjective expressions like: "So easy, my two-year-old can do it," or "I got winded on the assent carrying the baby in her backpack," etc...

I encountered a trail rating system that I like and will be using in all of my forthcoming posts. The system employed by Jerome Malitz in his excellent book, Rocky Mountain National Park Dayhiker's Guide. The number "ranks the comparative difficulty of the hike by equating 1000 feet of elevation gain with a walk of 2 miles of average difficulty and then adding this to the number of miles required for a round trip." (pg 10)

Using this system, the hike at Mt Falcon Open Space from the trailhead to the Presidential Retreat site and back, including the side trip up Two Dog Trail ranks 4.8.

According to Malitz, the comparative difficulty coincides to the numerical rating like this:
1.0-5.9..........Easy
6.0-9.9..........Moderate
10.0 and up...Difficult

Be aware that "comparative difficulty" is still somewhat arbitrary. You will want to consider you own physical condition, taking into account your ability to acclimate to the altitude. And it never hurts to "ramp-up" your hikes. Start with one that ranks as a 3 or 4 and see how well your entourage tolerates it.

If you're going to be hiking in RMNP, consider purchasing Malitz's book. I also recommend The National Geographic Trails Illustrated: Rocky Mountain National Park. The map is keyed to the book. Malitz gives great, detailed trail descriptions and the book has some stunning photos. I hope I can take some as good. You can link to Amazon.com from the menu at the right and purchase the book and the map.

Have fun!

Baby Backpack

As you read, you'll hear me refer to rides our daughter takes in her backpack. While this is a pretty commonplace piece of baby gear, I thought is worthwhile to offer a few suggestions about this since it is essential to the dayhiking parent of an infant or toddler.

Safety is the primary concern, so look for a backpack with an adequate harness. Most only have 3-point systems. This has worked out fine for us. Be sure that the carrier you buy will accommodate your child's weight. There seem to be two cutoffs, 35 lbs and 48.5 lbs. If you do a lot of moderate to difficult hiking, I recommend getting a carrier with a higher weight rating. That way, you can tote Jr. around until he's almost 3. Also, don't put your baby into a backpack carrier until he's able to hold his head up confidently. Smaller babies belong in a front carrier. Refer to and follow the manufacturer's safety guidelines.

We have a model manufactured for Graco that has an injection-molded plastic frame and nylon body. It is equipped with a 3-point safety harness and removable carry-all. When Eliana was smaller this was a great piece of gear. As she has grown, however, it is proving to be less than ideal. First, it is getting uncomfortable for me. The shoulder straps aren't sufficiently padded, so that as my daughter gets heavier, the straps dig into my shoulders. And although the pack is rated for a child up to 48 lbs, it is uncomfortable to use for extended hikes with Elle at 30 lbs. Also, the bottle-holders built on the outside of the carry-all are too small for a sippy cup. But the most disturbing issue is that the safety harness is too getting too small. This is unexpected since she could gain another 18 lbs and still fit into the weight rating (and my daughter isn't especially tall). I can't complain too much, we've gotten plenty of use out of it...and we bought it at a consignment shop for $30.

From my own research (since I've got to replace the one I have really soon), I've concluded that it's better to buy a baby carrier made by an outdoor outfitter instead of one made by a baby gear manufacturer. Baby gear manufacturers don't really have the dayhiking enthusiast in mind. An outdoor outfitter is more likely to think about details like shoulder strap construction and overall weight (the model we have weighs about 11 lbs empty). They make packs that real backpackers use to carry 60 or 70 lbs, all day over strenuous terrain. There are a number of websites that sell backpack carriers, just make sure that you get one that will accommodate your baby for as long as you intend to use it. The max weight tends to be 48.5 lbs but some are as low as 33 lbs. I'll come back with a recommendation once I get a new one.

I'm looking to spend about $150 for a new piece of gear that I'll only get about a year's worth of use from...but there's always Ebay.

Have fun!

Red Rocks Park

A part of the Denver Mountain Parks system, Red Rocks is an interesting geological wonder as well as a world-class entertainment attraction. The Red Rocks Amphitheater is the only natural stone entertainment venue in the world. In recent years, a variety of performers including the Beatles and Rolling Stones, have played on this stage. The concert season runs from May to October and people planning to use the park for hiking or picnicking should check the concert schedule ahead of their visit by clicking here. The park generally closes early when there is an event in the amphitheater.

The Trading Post Trail is the only maintained trail in the park. It is a 1.4 mile loop that circles through the rocks and affords some very nice scenery. Don't be daunted by the signs posted at the trail head. This is a pretty easy hike. There is a very short area that has a pretty steep drop just west of the marked trail head. This drops you into a canyon filled with choke cherry bushes. The trail is well marked and when the grade drops or climbs steeply, there are erosion barriers that serve as steps. There are also a few short stretches toward the end of the trail where the trail is only about 30" wide with fairly steep drop-offs on the left hand side. The trail does cross the road in several places as well. That being said, my two-year-old was able to walk about .7 miles of the trail unassisted and rode easily in the backpack on the remainder.

The Trading Post itself has some great souvenirs of your visit to Red Rocks, as well as a snack bar and fudgery. There is a small display of photographs taken of artists like Bruce Springsteen and John Denver playing at the amphitheater.

The Red Rock Amphitheater was the brainchild of John Brisben Walker (the ruins of his mountain castle can be seen at Mt. Falcon Open Space Park just southwest of Morrison), who in 1907 invited opera performers up to the then unimproved rock formation to sing and give account of the incredible natural acoustics of the site. After the City of Denver acquired the property for Walker in the mid-1930's, with the help of other investors and visionaries, the amphitheater was built. Construction was interrupted by World War II but the New Deal Conservation Corp completed the structure in time for the Easter Sunrise Service in 1947.

Don't miss the view of Denver from the amphitheater atrium. On a clear day, you can see as far west as the Denver Airport. The Visitor Center at the amphitheater has more historical and interpretive displays and gifts available for purchase. The Ship Rock Grill at Red Rocks is open for lunch adjacent to the Visitor Center.

This is a free attraction (excluding any concert admission or dining that you might choose to do while visiting) and is very family friendly. Click here to get more information and check concert schedules.

Trading Post Trail Difficulty: 1.8

Have fun!

Barbeque and Donuts in Evergreen

This unlikely combination comes together in a fun, rustic atmosphere at the Tin Star Grill in downtown Evergreen. The present owners bought the storefront that had been a donut shop for 30 years and continue the tradition of serving hand-crafted donuts to the locals and tourists. We stopped-in on a chilly Saturday afternoon in November for lunch before heading down to Lair O' the Bear Open Space for a hike.

They combined this with a barbeque catering business and thus the intriguing menu.

The menu is limited but extensive enough to cover the barbeque basics: chopped beef, pulled pork and chicken. There's a vegetarian sandwich made with asparagus, but I can't intelligently comment on that ("vegitarian barbeque" is an oxymoron to me).

The beef and pork are both smoked to perfect tenderness and without a lot of fatty trash left in it. The buns are basic but the chips are made in-house with a unique seasoning blend that I couldn't get enough of. The sandwiches are topped with fresh cole slaw, which sounded weird to me but was actually really good and complimented the smokey meats and slightly spicey sauce. I loved it and my wife would have had it again for dinner that night.

The atmosphere is rustic. I didn't see any highchairs on the first floor and there is limited seating. More room on the 2nd floor but the stairs are narrow and steep. School age kids will love the casual atmosphere, but you may have issues if you're travelling with an infant or toddler. Children's menu is limited to hamburgers, BUT (and they may hate me for telling you this) they invented a barbeque beef kid's meal when we asked.

Overall the food is great, the atmosphere is friendly (the owners were working the day we were there and they chatted with my wife and I about their business and the town and the Michigan/Ohio State football game) and terrific for older kids. Families with infants or toddlers might want to consider picking up lunch to-go and picnicing across the street at the city park along the bank of Bear Creek.

Enjoy!

Mt Falcon Open Space Park

For day-hiking near Denver, you almost can't beat the Open Space Parks in the foothills. Mt Falcon is a great place to take easy to moderately difficult hikes and see some great scenery.

There are two ways to access the park. To access the parks west entrance take the Indian Hills turn-off from U.S. Highway 285, follow Parmalee Gulch Road for 5 miles to Picutis Road, then follow the signs to the west parking area. East access is available from Colorado Highway 8 south of Morrison. Turn west on Forest Avenue and north on Vine Avenue. The trail head is directly across from the Morrison town park.

There are interpretive signs along the Castle and Walker's Dream trails that tell the story of John Brisben Walker, who resided on the mountain in the early 20th century and who envisioned a Presidential retreat on the ridge east of his home. The ruins of his house (destroyed by fire in 1918) are one of the chief attractions of the park, as is the cornerstone of the "Summer White House" that was never fully realized. President Woodrow Wilson was invited to attend the setting of the cornerstone but declined to attend...when you see the view from the cornerstone site, you'll wonder what kind of idiot would turn their nose up at a summer home there. But the Presidents' loss is definitely our gain.

Also worth seeing is the old fire watch tower at the top of Mt Falcon. Built to command a view of the surrounding forests, it is still standing and is open for visitors to climb.

The first half mile of the Castle Trail goes through an area that was damaged by wildfire in 1989. There are still bare pine trees standing in what is now a large meadow. When the Meadow Trail splits and Castle Trail goes left, there is an area of meadow that appears to have been burned even more recently. Signs of this fire can bee seen almost all the way to the Walker home ruins. The recent fire appears to have spared most of the trees. As you take in the scenery, don't miss the generous scattering of rose quartz all along the trail.

The Walker Home ruins are closed to the public, but you can hike all around them and see the spectacular views. About a half mile past the ruins, the Two Dog Trail leads off to the right for about .3 mile. The climb is pretty challenging but the view from the top is worth the effort. A broad vista includes downtown Denver, the Hogback Ridge and all points east. We were able to easily pick out the small lake that our apartment community sits on in Lakewood, about 15 miles east. Two Dog is a one-way trail, so you'll have to retrace your steps to the Castle Trail and continue from there.

Continuing down the Castle trail another .3 mile, take the Walker's Dream Trail to the left up to the "Summer Whitehouse" ruins. There are a few partial walls built from the local rock and the white marble cornerstone and fantastic views of the Rocky Mountains to the west.

The hike from the trail head to the "Summer Whitehouse" site and back (including the side trip up Two Dog Trail) is almost 5 miles. The outbound trip is downhill (except the two short side trails) so the return trip is uphill. Our first foray on this trail ended with us dragging ourselves back up to the parking area after sundown. Be sure to allow yourself adequate time and energy for the return trip.

Alternately, a group could leave a car at the east entrance in Morrison, drive a second car up to the west entrance and hike all the way down the Castle Trail (3.8 miles). Parts of the trail past the Walker's Dream Trail are pretty steep, but it is downhill all the way to Morrison.

For family-friendliness, this park has a lot to see in the areas adjacent to the west entrance. There are restrooms near the trail head and often volunteers are at the trail head and out on the trails. Many of the trails at the top of the mountain have an elevation gain of less than 200 feet. The more challenging trails are still accessible to school age kids or parents carrying toddlers in backpacks.

You can download a PDF trail map at http://co.jefferson.co.us/jeffco/openspace_uploads/mtfalcmp.pdf.

Have fun!

Downtown Aquarium in Denver

Between Water Street and the South Platte River is one of the best zoo/aquarium experiences to be had anywhere. The aquarium habitats are as engaging as they are immersive. In all honesty, the printed marketing material doesn't capture the utter coolness of the attraction at all.

Our daughter was 13-months-old on our first visit and she was completely enthralled during the entire three-hour-tour. Her excitement hasn't waned at all in subsequent visits. With interactive exhibits throughout, there is something of interest for everybody. The aquarium has 14 different ecosystem exhibits, each with an engaging theme and enough informational and educational detail posted to make it a learning trip as well.

We haven't seen the Sumatran Tigers swimming yet, but the exhibit is designed so that you can get really close to the animals even when they are just lying around. There is also some seating nearby where you can wait for the swimming mood to strike them.

The flash flood simulation was a little much for our daughter, but I thought it was cool.

By far the most impressive (is "breathtaking" too dramatic) exhibits are the Under The Sea (coral reef), the Sunken Temple and the Shipwreck. Under the Sea features an underwater tunnel about 30 feet long where a variety of sharks, groupers, stingrays and eels swim around and over you. The aquarium wall in the Sunken Temple display leans and curves over the observation area as well. The Shipwreck can be viewed through a 20 foot tall floor-to-ceiling wall of glass AND though large glass portholes in the floor where sharks swim on the sandy floor about 15 feet below. I actually got a little vertigo in the Shipwreck area.

There is also a restaurant on site with good seafood, though a little pricey. We thought the 150,000 gallon aquarium wall was worth the extra money we spent on dinner. If you decide to try the restaurant, I recommend going on a weekday and timing your visit so that you are eating between the peak meal hours. This will increase your chances of sitting near the aquarium itself. We sat at a table right under the glass wall and our daughter was delighted throughout dinner.

One of the best family friendly attractions anywhere. A terrific activity for that inevitable rainy afternoon on your vacation. Plan to spend 3-4 hours looking at the exhibits.

The best pictures we got were in the Under the Sea tunnel. Most of the other immersive exhibits are too back lit to shoot without a flash. I was shooting Fuji PRO 1600 film and you can see how dark and grainy the photos turned out. Take flash photos at your own peril...lots of reflective surfaces.

Adult tickets to the aquarium are $13.75, children 4-12 are $8.75, kids under 3 are free. Restaurant pricing is similar to Landry's or Joe's Crab Shack, $18-20 per adult and $7-10 per child.

Additional information is available on their website http://www.downtownaquarium.com/.

Have fun!

Best Tortillas EVER

The Hacienda Colorado has some of the best Mexican food that we've ever had (and having grown up in Texas, that says a lot). There are 3 locations in the Denver metro area, with a 4th scheduled to open in the Spring of 2008.

The name, Hacienda Colorado, is tradmarked, as is their "Mountain Mex" cuisine. There is plenty of standard Tex-Mex fare to be had but the house specials are worth trying. The food is creative, attractive and full-flavored. This is a "scratch" restaurant and everything is made in-house, including the salsas, chips and tortillas. The inquisitive can watch the tortillas being rolled out by-hand through a glass enclosure. Choose one of 8 Famous Sauces to top your enhilladas, burrito or chimichanga. The bar features 120 different tequillas.

The atmosphere is really great too. It's a fine dining experience where you won't feel uncomfortable wearing your shorts. The lighting for dinner was dim enough to suggest candelight but there was enough music and background noise that we were very comfortable taking our (sometimes loud) two-year-old.

There is a children's menu with coloring and puzzles, crayons, high chairs and booster seats. The kids' menu is conveniently printed in the adult menu so that you don't have to read it upside down or interrupt the creation of some priceless art treasure.

Our evening at Hacienda Colorado cost under $50, including appetizer, desert and tip.

Really good family-friendliness for a fine restaurant.

You can get directions and download a PDF menu from http://www.haciendacolorado.com/.

Enjoy!

Lair O' the Bear Park

Less than 10 minutes west of Morrison, there is a great little creekside trail system that is a perfect "entry-level" hike for a family with children. The park features a handicap accessible fishing pier, picnic tables and restrooms.

This is some of the easiest hiking that we've done in the front range. My two-year-old hikes most of these trails on her feet. There is less than 200 ft of elevation gain on any of these trails. Most of the trails are multi-use, so watch for cyclists and people on horseback (and the inevitable droppings of the horses).

Most of the park is raparian zone ecology, so there is an increased diversity of wildlife compared to other alpine and sub-alpine zone hike common to the front range. Look for reptiles, amphibians and insects in the spring and summer months. Year round, you'll see deer, elk and small mammals, as well as numerous birds and waterfoul. Look for the beaver colony from the creekside trails.

There's plenty of plant diversity as well, which makes the hike a pleasant combination of sights and smells throughout the spring, summer and fall.

Since Bear Creek Canyon is surrounded by mountains east and west, sunset is early and sunrise is late. Fall hiking can get chilly after the sun dips behind the hills.

The main Bear Creek Trail runs the entire length of the park and connects with O'Fallon (Denver Mtn) Park to the west and Little (Denver Mtn) Park to the east.

Lair O' the Bear Park is open year-round and there is no cost to enter the park. The hiking is family friendly for all ages, but keep an eye on the little ones near the creek. Download the trail map at http://co.jefferson.co.us/jeffco/openspace_uploads/lairmap.pdf.

Have fun!

Colorado Family Treks

My wife and I have enjoyed hiking, rock scrambling and just being outside for as long as I can remember. After being married for twelve years and enjoying the freedon of traveling together as adults, we had a baby. Now we work very hard to find things to do outdoors that satisfy both our need for adventure on the road less traveled and our desire to share the adventure with our daughter.

We recently moved to the foothills of the Rocky Mountains and are literally overwhelmed by the potential to grow our adventures with a child along for the ride.

We've vacationed here a number of times before and found it difficult to navigate the barrage of advertising and almost propogandized "family fun" in the area. Every attraction claims to be family friendly but there are some obvious exceptions (no one is going to try to climb the stairs at Seven Falls with a 2-year-old intow) and there are some not-so-obvious ones as well.

Now that we live here, we're getting out and seeing the sights almost every weekend. What I want to offer here is concise and detailed reviews to take the guesswork out of "Family Fun" in the foothills and Front Range area of Colorado. What a great place to be!

Here's the kind of things that you'll find here as the blog develops: family friendly day hiking locales, places to eat, historic and landmark attractions that don't bore the kids, picture spots and must-see sights. We'll talk about what you can expect to spend and rate all of our hits and misses for family friendliness.

We have a pretty diverse set of interests, but we don't ski, golf or shop much, so I doubt you'll find much help with those pursuits herein. We live in the Denver area and generally don't venture much farther north than Rocky Mountain National Park or farther south than Colorado Springs.

Please be patient as we develop the site, eventually you'll be able to search the blog for archived entries related to specific locations or activities. In the meantime, if you don't find what you're looking for, you can post a message if you have a question about a specific attraction and we'll try to check it out for you.

Have fun!