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February 20, 2007
Winter Trails 2007
Snowshoeing in the Colorado Rockies
Snowshoeing at Winter Park - Photo by Chad Stallings
On Sunday February 18, I took a trip to Winter Park Ski Resort in the Colorado Rockies for a day of snowshoeing with my family. Instead of driving, we took the Ski Train from downtown Denver, directly to the resort. The train ride cost $49 and took 2 hours 15 minutes to reach the resort. Along the way, the train passes through beautiful gorges and offers spectacular views of the Colorado Rockies. It was a very enjoyable way to travel into the mountains from downtown Denver!
The Ski Train working its way into the mountains
Photo by Chad Stallings
Looking out the window of the Ski Train - Photo by Chad Stallings
Snowshoeing is an excellent winter alternative to hiking, a great family activity, and also provides a great aerobic workout. After debarking at Winter Park, I rented a pair of snowshoes ($19/day) and joined my wife, two of my daughters and my Son-in-Law for a 3-4 mile hike on the Serenity Trail.
At over 9000' in elevation, Winter Park can be a challenge for someone accustomed to hiking at or near sealevel. We took it slow though, and enjoyed the scenery of the snow in the pines. Sign of small mammals was everywhere as animal tracks laced the snow in many directions. At one point we were following the tracks of a mouse, and suddenly the track ended, and we saw evidence that an owl had landed in the snow and made a kill. If you look carefully at the photo in the preceding link, you can see where the owl's wings swept the snow as it landed to snag a rodent.
If you ever have the opportunity to go snowshoeing, I highly recommend it! It's a fun activity for hikers of all ages and ability levels.
Great Places to Hike | By Jeffrey Hunter | 07:47 AM
