Colorado Official State Vacation Guide 2008 - (Page 10) Colorado’s Seasons Photography (left to right): View of Washington Gulch and Mt. Crested Butte, Gunnison National Forest ©J.C. Leacock/Aurora Photos; Winter Park ©Denise Chambers/Weaver Multimedia Group; Rocky Mountain National Park ©Matt Inden/Weaver Multimedia Group; Snowmass Village ©Gregg Adams. Winter (Above 8,500 feet: mid-October to midApril. Below 8,500 feet: mid-November to mid-March) 01 Ski or snowboard any of Colorado’s 26 mountain resorts. It’s just as accessible and exciting as you’d imagine (pg. 48). Four Seasons Served 40 Ways Colorado’s seasons change not only with the calendar, but also with the altitude. Fall comes later to lower elevations, winter comes quickly to ski resorts, and in the spring and summer, wildflowers bloom from May to July. ✽ Because of our varied geography, seasons often overlap, and you can find yourself aspen peeping one day and snowboarding or skiing the next. Consider these truly Colorado experiences that suit the seasons. 02 Absorb cowboy culture by attending its showpiece event — the National Western Stock Show, held every January in Denver. 03 Watch as expert ice climbers take to the frozen facades of waterfalls in Ouray’s Ice Park. If you’ve got the moxie, hire a guide and give it a try. 04 Rekindle your childhood by going tubing. You don’t even have to hike up a hill — lifts will take you back to the top (page 55). 05 Glide on skates along the surface of the state’s many outdoor ice rinks, where the Rocky Mountains serve as a backdrop. 06 With a glass of Colorado wine in hand, cozy up to a loved one beside a roaring fire, as a light snow falls outside your window. 07 Strap on a pair of snowshoes and forge down a snow-covered trail. Be sure to look for snowshoe hare and lynx tracks in the snow. 08 Listen to the loud crack of male bighorn sheep butting heads during mating season — usually November to December (page 74). 09 Learn to cross-country ski at a Nordic center. If you’re already well-versed, try a multiday, hut-to-hut tour of the 10th Mountain Division hut system (page 54). 10 Dash through the snow on a dogsled or horse-drawn sleigh, while bundled under the warmth of heavy blankets. 10 1-800-Colorado | www.colorado.com http://www.colorado.com
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