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!