Author: Seth Boster
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A scenic journey through time on an epic, underrated drive in southern Colorado
FREMONT COUNTY • A backcountry road bends between creek-fed greenery to reveal a gaping hole in the granite arching high against the sky. “I love Window Rock,” says Charlotte Bumgarner. It’s but one curious sight she loves along the endlessly curious Gold Belt Tour of southern Colorado. Bumgarner is executive director of a stewarding nonprofit…
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Pikes Peak Highway, cog railway offering rare sunrise, sunset viewing for upcoming holiday
One way to ring in America’s Independence Day? By catching the sunrise atop America’s Mountain ー no long, hard hike required. The Pikes Peak Highway gates will open hours earlier July 4, giving drivers the chance to behold daybreak above 14,000 feet. Road-managing Pikes Peak-America’s Mountain has billed it a “truly magical” opportunity that is…
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‘Once-in-a-generation celebration’ of Colorado’s 14ers planned for state’s 150th birthday
Preparations are underway for an ultimate celebration of Colorado’s biggest mountains on the state’s 150th birthday Aug. 1. Summit 2026 was recently announced as “a once-in-a-generation celebration of the mountains, landscapes and outdoor experiences that shape our state.” The mission: to have assigned teams on all 54 fourteeners. The announcement from the state commission promoting…
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This red rock wonderland hides behind a hogback near Denver
Around Denver, people know Red Rocks Amphitheatre. They know the red rocks of Roxborough State Park. They know the related, similarly aged Flatirons in Boulder and Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs. But do they know South Valley Park? Tanner Marshall, a natural resources specialist with Jefferson County Parks and Open Space, offers yet…
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Happy Trails: Touring South Valley Park’s surprise beauty near Denver
South Valley Park doesn’t get the attention that North and South Table Mountains and Matthews/Winters Park get — top destinations in Jefferson County Parks and Open Space’s portfolio. A natural resources specialist with the department, Tanner Marshall, thinks that’s because South Valley’s trails aren’t as varied. “Pretty flat, tame trails, nice for strolling around,” he…
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Trail mileage doubling at Baker’s Park, poised to be next mountain biking destination in Colorado
Trails are expanding as part of a mission to make a mountain biking destination in southwest Colorado. A short ride up from Silverton’s main street, the first trail of the Baker’s Park system ー a 7-mile loop opened in 2024 ー has been frequented by local and visiting hikers and runners as well. But from…
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Snowboarding pioneers fill Colorado Snowsports Hall of Fame’s 2026 class
With its recently announced class of 2026, Colorado Snowsports Hall of Fame is celebrating the history and evolution of snowboarding. Most of the six inductees helped shape the sport along with the very boards that remain industry standards. An example: Never Summer Snowboards, which manufactures in Denver more than 40 years after brothers Tim and…
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Once feared lost to fire and flood, a new trail to Hanging Lake awaits
That summer evening in 2020, I was following the news like so many Coloradans. Unlike so many of them, I had not hiked Hanging Lake. And I feared I would never get the chance. The Grizzly Creek fire was ravaging Glenwood Canyon, where the turquoise, waterfall-fed pool hung high up from the valley. The fire…
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Concerns over Telluride Ski Resort plans underscore lingering tensions
Proposed upgrades at Telluride Ski Resort have garnered concerns, underscoring tensions in one of Colorado’s most iconic ski towns. The U.S. Forest Service is reviewing letters sent in response to a draft environmental assessment that comes on the heels of a tumultuous winter in town. The resort was late to open amid a ski patrol…
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A cocktail hideaway in Colorado’s mountains
The people who know the cocktail bar hiding off a dirt road in the mountains use the word “magic” often. How else to explain Bread Bar? The bar manager, Jeff Wilkins, got married at this former bakery in Silver Plume, the old mining town perched high along Interstate 70. He’s been working here since 2019.…