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BVoutdoors-01by: The Trailhead

Put some water on for a nice green tea.  Assume a corpse pose.  Breathe deeply.  Close your eyes and picture a place where you can snow ski, snowshoe, or ice climb in the morning, enjoy a warming soak followed by an afternoon stretch run along a high desert trail, the sun warming your shoulders.  Pedal gently to your yoga class, not for exercise but because this is such a cycle-able town.  In yoga class you relax from a fulfilling day, content to live in such a world, anticipating a nice cup of green tea and a great night's sleep, having lived in tune with nature and nature's rhythms.

That world is here in Buena Vista, and it's why we live here.  Buena Vista is a wonderful, and as yet under-BVoutdoors-02discovered (J-Hole, T-Ride: too late), year-round destination.  Winter shifts our focus from river activities to snow and ice borne adventures, and our arts scene moves indoors.  We aren't known as the “Banana Belt” without reason, however - many winter days are sunny and calm enough to enjoy a road or mountain bike ride, hike, trail run, or rock climbing on the valley floor or in the Four Mile area east of town, and many of us still walk or bike almost everywhere.BVoutdoors-03

But we're talking winter – think Nordic countries, Snow Falling on Cedars, Hokkaido.  Fifteen minutes west of town and you can Nordic ski or snowshoe on most days.  The golf course west of town offers a large, open, flat area for a Nordic workout (I wouldn't recommend snowshoes – the crampons may damage the turf).BVoutdoors-04

Head up Chaffee County 306, Cottonwood Pass Road for about 11 miles and you'll see Collegiate Peaks Campground on the left.  The gate will be closed but there is plenty of room to park.  Collegiate Peaks is often “use-groomed” and nice and easy for fitness laps.  Go on up another mile to Denny Creek trailhead.  Denny Creek Trail, and the trails it accesses, is a great snowshoeing trail.  Snow machine enthusiasts park at Denny Creek (the winter closure gate for Cottonwood Pass is just past the parking area).  You may also be able to hitch a ride to Ptarmigan lake trail with a nice snow machine driver.BVoutdoors-05

If we are really blessed with snow, turn left on CR 344, Cottonwood Lake Road, only about 7 miles out, and drive out to Cottonwood Lake.  You can ski or snowshoe around the lake or on out Cottonwood Lake Road toward Mineral Basin.  Getting bored?  Drive down to St. Elmo and ski or snowshoe up the Road to Hancock (an old ghost mining town) or do the Poplar Gulch Trail.  For the ultimate mountain experience, hit the Mt. Princeton Hot Springs on your way back to town for a relaxing soak in natural hot spring water.  

We've scarcely scratched the surface and we've barely left town.  The Twin Lakes/Independence Pass area, Turquoise Lake, the Colorado Mountain College Timberline trail system, Foose's Creek on Monarch Pass – shoot, Old Monarch Pass and Monarch Park – are you getting the idea?

Now scurry on back home – your tea's ready!

Visit The Trailhead and Trailhead Cycle & Ski on your next trip to Buena Vista.  We'll be happy to provide advice on routes, gear, and conditions.

About The Trailhead: dating to 1972, The Trailhead is Central Colorado's premier outdoor recreation and adventure travel store with sales, service, and rentals.  They offer clothing, footwear, gear, and accessories for hiking, climbing, cycling, travel, and yoga.  In winter they add Nordic skiing and snowshoeing.