Horseback Riding in Winter Park: Steak Dinner Ride

Bernie's Backside

My brother and his family plus my 77 year old dad were in town last week, so we decided to be tourists and headed to Sombrero Stables in Snow Mountain Ranch (a YMCA camp) for a steak dinner horseback ride. 

We had to arrive by 3:30 to be matched with our horses (I got “Hitch” who liked to eat grass). We were riding by 4:15 in a straight line with our nice guide who rode looking back at us to be sure we were ok. 

We rode the horses into a nice trail, thru some beautiful big aspens and by a meadow where our guide said she saw a moose just a few days before. We squinted and hoped, but no moose appeared.  It was very peaceful and not scary in the least, since they don’t let you go any faster than a walk, although we learned the trick of holding the horse back a bit and then got to trot to catch up.  

We arrived at our dinner spot – a wagon-looking grill and picnic area. By that point, one of my nephews was in the deep depths of a horse allergic reaction so they offered (and he accepted) to take some Benedryl and ride back down in the car.  He hung out with us for dinner though which was surprisingly good.  We had steak, excellent grilled potatoes, beans, and bread.  They even had “Cowboy Coffee” for the caffeine addicted. 

Wagon Grill

Got back on the horses and by that point we were aching a bit (knees, bum, etc) but we made it back before sunset and said goodbye to Bernie, Hitch, and the rest of the horses.  One hint – if you tell them you’re an experienced rider, they give you the horses that act up a bit so for the most enjoyable time, swallow your pride and tell them you’ve never put your foot in a saddle. 

Strongly recommend this fun activity for families with kids (age 3 and up) or groups that want to take enjoy the scenery and West without flying down a mountain on a bike or falling in the river on a raft.  Thank you, Sombrero Stables!

The Winter Park Mountain Bike Trail of the Week #3

Tipperary to Spruce Creek

The third Winter Park mountain bike trail of the week is here.  This week we have a great ride with some double and single track going trough Spruce Creek a couple times.  Overall it is a great ride with some water, good downhill jumps and great mountain scenery.

Tipperary to Spruce Creek

Distance: 7miles
Trail Location: From the Winter Park Visitor Center head north on US Hwy 40 into the town of Fraser. At the stop light turn left onto CR 72 stay right and drive through the meadow. At the “T” take a left, at the top of the hill you will see the Rodeo grounds.
Trail Description: Begin at the rodeo grounds west of Fraser. Head west on Givelo Trail. At the first intersection, CR 50S, turn right. Stay left on CR 50. Continue on CR 50 uphill, past two lodges on the right and over the cattle guard. Look for Tipperary on your left. Take a left on to Tipperary. Tipperary is a two track climb through, pines, aspens and lush mountain meadows. A canopy of trees covers much of the trail. Cross the first creek; continue to climb. Climb through two meadows, past a couple of springs, past the intersection to Back Scratch and through the second (and last) creek. The trail levels and begins the descent not long after a wet spring-fed area. You are now on Spruce Creek. (You only know this by looking at the map as there is no intersection or sign) The descent is much more technical than the climb. It’s loose and rocky, so be careful. Your next turn is a left onto St. Louis Creek Road and follow this back to your vehicle at the Rodeo Grounds.

Come on out and enjoy the great Colorado outdoors.  Let Winter Park Lodging Company supply your Winter Park summer vacation lodging and enjoy an active healthy getaway.

New Winter Park Rental: Zephyr Mountain Lodge 1215

Ski out your back deck!

Yet another ski in/out condo joins  the Winter Park Lodging Company family this week – welcome, Zephyr 1215!  Located on the 1st floor of the Slopeside building, Zephyr Mountain Lodge 1215 boasts something no other condo in Grand County can – it’s truly the only ski in/out condo at Winter Park Resort since they added a gate on their back porch allowing you to ski right out to the slopes.

Any other condo at the resort requires you to walk down the hall and out the main back door to the slopes (ok, that’s not too tough of a task) but for bragging rights, this spot allows you to beat the others to the slopes and click in your bindings right off your back deck.

It has one bedroom with a queen bed and the living room has another sofa queen sleeper. Enjoy a private kitchen as all Zephyrs have and the outdoor hot tubs just 50 feet from your deck as well.

The condo also is right next to the new village in Winter Park which includes some of our favorite spots – get good margaritas at Lime, tasty beers and fries at the Cheeky Monk, delicious soups and breakfast burritos at the Back Bowl Soup Company and grab a t-shirt there too.  If any of you aren’t skiing the resort, you can also sign up for snowmobiling in the village at Grand Adventures.

The condo was just listed on our website and wide-open for bookings so email us at info@winterparklodgingcompany.com or call 1-877-329-1383 soon to get your spot in this guaranteed to be booked-up condo this winter!

Things to do in Winter Park, CO: Grand County Museums

Grand County Colorado Museums

Looking for something to do in Grand County and Winter Park?  Well, a day at one of our three museums is a day well spent.  Informative, interesting and fun and all on the cheap, take the kids and explore and see what brought us all here to the Fraser Valley.

The Grand County Historical Association has three museums in Grand County: The  Pioneer Village Museum Complex in Hot Sulphur Springs, Cozens Ranch and Stage Stop Museum in Fraser, and Heritage Park in Kremmling.

Pioneer Village and Heritage Park  Winter Hours are: Wednesday – Saturday 10 am – 4 pm and Summer Hours: Tuesday – Saturday 10 am – 5 pm

Cozens Ranch is closed in Winter and Summer Hours are: Tuesday – Saturday 10 am – 5 pm

ADMISSION
Grand County Historical Association Members free
Adults – $4.00 | Seniors (60 and older) – $3.00
Students – $2.00 | Children below Six – Free
Call 725-3939 for more information

To become a member of the Grand County Historical Society they can be contacted at:

Grand County Historical Association
110 E. Byers Avenue, PO Box 165
Hot Sulphur Springs, CO 80452
970-725-3939 – FAX: 970-725-0129

Website: http://www.grandcountymuseum.com/

Winter Park Shopping | Silver Creek

Ah, shopping!

Silver Creek at the Winter Park Resort Base

I was hanging out at the base area during the Wells Fargo Cup this weekend and popped into the Silver Creek shop, located in the Zephyr Mountain Lodge.   Not sure why I never had gone in there before (maybe it has something to do with always having ski gear on not in the mood to try on clothes).  Well, what a nice surprise it was.  I thought I had to go to Denver to shop for cute stuff!

I quickly found a True Grit vest that is now my favorite piece in the closet.  And my friend and I both bought Xob baseball-style hats made out of recycled sweaters.  We think we’re adorable.  Marc, the owner, said no one ever tries the hats on and doesn’t buy one.

Silver Creek is open every day, 9 – 7 Friday and Saturday, and 9 – 6 Sunday thru Thursday.  The True Grit clothing line is really fun mountain-chic and the Home line of jewelry is all around for picking and choosing some great accessories for your cowboy style.

Phone number: 970.726.5424.

Winter Park’s Newest Tubing Hill – Colorado Adventure Park

The newest option for tubing in the Winter Park area, the Colorado Adventure Park tubing hill is located right next to the ol’ Fraser Tubing Hill in the town of Fraser. Not only do they have four separate tubing lanes progressing from mild to bumpy, they also have a lane designated for air boarding, which is an oblong inflatable device with handles for more steering control. Finally, for kids aged six to thirteen, they have snowscoots, which are like mini snowmobiles.

It’s a bargain compared to the more expensive Fraser Tubing Hill. For tubing, it’s $14/hour and for airboarding, it’s $17/hour, which includes the rental of a helmet. If you have your own ski helmet, bring it with you for a $2 discount. To rent a snowscoot, the cost is $10 for each ten minutes.

There is a magic carpet conveyer lift to carry both you and your tube to the top of the giant hill, as well as a smaller man-made hill for the little tykes. They have a warming hut at the base of the hill, which is also where you can buy your tickets.

To find the Colorado Adventure Park, head west on Hwy 40 from Winter Park and take a left at the stoplight in Fraser where the Safeway grocery store is.  After you pass under the bridge about 200 yards down, take a right at the fork in the road. Follow the signs and turn left into their entrance about 300 yards down. Contact them at 970-726-5779 or at info@coloradoadventurepark.com.

Grand Adventures in Winter Park has new snowmobiles!

Grand Adventures, our local go-to for snowmobiling in Winter Park, has purchased brand new fleets of snowmobiles for the winter season! The new snowmobiles are 2 seater Yamaha Venture Lites (for guided tours) and 1 seater Yamaha Phazers (for unguided tours). Here are the specs, with translation for those of you who aren’t professionals:

Fourstroke: Quieter, more efficient, and larger than two stroke engines. Also, the professionals over at Grand Adventures tell me  you won’t get any of the fumes that come with two stroke engines.

Ergonomic: They are designed to fit your body, resulting in a super comfortable ride that requires less work from you.

Smoother acceleration: So you don’t have to deal with whiplash while you’re cruising on the continental divide at almost 12,000 feet

Heavier: In the words of the Grand Adventures professionals again, this means that the snowmobiles “won’t dance around, but will plow through the snow.”

AND, these new snowmobiles burn 1/2 as much fuel, making them more environmentally friendly. Plus, they’re quieter, making it easier for you to get a good look at all the wildlife you might run into.

Check out Grand Adventures’ website: http://www.grandadventures.com/ for more information on rentals, tours, rates, and more. Snowmobiling really is one of the most fun ways to check out some incredible views of the mountains and Winter Park, not to mention being quite a bit easier than hiking up a mountain in the middle of winter. Have fun!

Snow Tubing and Sledding in Winter Park, Colorado

Snow Sledding in Winter Park

Wanting to have some fun with the whole family?  There is not a better way for some family fun than an evening on the slopes on a tube.  Sol Vista is offering Holiday Tubing from December 27th to December 30th.  Price is $10 each and will run from 5PM to 8PM.  Sol Vista has night skiing lights so the tubing should be very fun and exciting.

The Fraser Snow Tubing Hill offers sledding all winter long.  With thrills for children, teens and parents alike, there is no more family-friendly activity than sledding or tubing down a smooth alpine slope.   Join the Fraser Tubing Hill in Grand County, Colorado to experience some serious winter fun in Winter Park/Fraser, Colorado.

Fraser Snow Tubing Hill

PO Box 219

Fraser, CO 80442

970-726-5954

E-mail: rj@fraserweb.com

Bring the whole family for a snow tubing adventure! Located behind the Alco shopping center in Fraser. Groups welcome.

Winter Park Colorado | Five Best Places to Have a Beer

Best Places to Have a Beer in Winter Park, Colorado

There was a time when there wasn’t even five places to have a beer here in Winter Park.  But growth is the name of the game and Winter Park has done some growing and we have lotsa lotsa places you can belly on up and have a cold one.  I thought I would share my five favorite locals were I can have a frosty and relish that we live here in the grandest of  places Grand County, Colorado.

Cheeky Monk: Less than a year old and located in the Winter Park Village the Monk serves up some of the finest beers known to man.  An all Belgium beer draft menu and a whole lot of bottles to choose from, this is where you go to savor the beer.  Great place after skiing and really good people/tourist watching.

The Winter Park Pub: An old favorite that has what you are looking for -  live music, Guinness on draft and the NFL Sunday ticket.  Smells a bit like stale beer when you walk in but that is what makes a local bar a local bar.

Tabernash Tavern: They call themselves a wine bar but I do see most men drinking beer here.  A bit of a stretch as Tabernash Tavern is in Tabernash but they have a great bar and a good selection of beer, I don’t think they serve Schlitz though.  Also, I could conceivably walk home from here if I had a few too many.

Hernando’s Pizza Pub: They have a great selection of beers on tap and their bartenders do a great job,  maybe the best in all of WP.  Can be crazy busy around traditional dinner time but great fun if you can wedge yourself into a seat at the bar.  Best pizza in Winter Park so get some to go or have a pie at the bar.

Heck’s Tavern at Devils Thumb Ranch: The architecture and the atmosphere make it worth the drive out to Devils Thumb Ranch.  If you are a cross country skier it couldn’t be more convenient. Ski Grand County’s best cross country trails and stop in to see a spectacular room.

So there are my favorite places to have a beer in Winter Park or maybe in Grand County.  Feel like sharing, leave your faves in the comments below.

Winter Park/Faser Snow Tubing Hill

Fraser Sledding Hill

I have seen the slopes of the Fraser snow tubing hill many times on the way home from Winter Park to Tabernash.  There behind our own little monument to American fast food, KFC and Taco Bell, sits the Fraser Snow Tubing Hill.  The operation looks quite impressive with the slope lit in the evening and the tubes flying down.  A good friend has even said that it is very fun, almost scary how fast you fly down.

I have to say, though, we have never tried the sled hill out.  I had a hard time envisioning twin one year olds enjoying the rush down the hill.  So this year we will give a report on the experience with two year olds.  Sitting down to write this blog I did do a little research of review sites to see what people thought of the sled hill and they were mostly positive with some complaining about the waits for tubes.  Check out Yelps reviews for the Fraser snow tubing hill.

Here is their contact info from the Grand County Chamber of Commerce:

Fraser Snow Tubing Hill
PO Box 219
Fraser, CO 80442
970-726-5954
E-mail: rj@fraserweb.com

Bring the whole family for a snow tubing adventure! Located behind the Alco shopping center in Fraser. Groups welcome.

We will schlep the twins out to Fraser this winter and give the Fraser Sled Hill a try and I will write a first hand review of Grand Counties very own sled hill.  We will keep you posted.