I heard about a magical 'hike' called the via ferrata in Telluride about a year ago, and became…read morevery keen in researching and watching YouTube clips of it throughout the year. Finally I booked my trip to Telluride and decided to go with a guide. While I love to hike all over Colorado and have done more pretty awesome mountains on my own as well as rock climbing, I felt safer with a guide. Plus, they had the correct harness attachments, which would be pointless for me to buy and only use once. Our guide was from Europe and had been doing via ferrata since he was 7, so he came with a lot of knowledge. He was also great about contacting me before the climb and following up. Overall, great company and great decision in not going on my own!

This hike was suggested to me by several friends who went to school in the area. It is pretty easy…read moreto find and parking wasn't too horrible. As much hype as this trail got before we did it, I can tell you that we all agree that this might be our favorite hike in Colorado so far. The trail is so lush and covered in wild flowers, knowing that it could have been the time of year, too. I loved that a lot it went through wooded areas before opening up above the tree line. It seemed that once we got above the tree line that there were amazing views everywhere we looked. We saw some mountain bikers but the trail wasn't too crowded overall. The summit is just under 13,000 feet but it is a great hike to get out of Durango for the morning and then to enjoy the afternoon back in town. Here are the directions to get there: Head North on Hwy 550 past Purgatory toward Silverton. Coal Bank Pass is 35 miles north of Durango, 13.5 miles south of Silverton, on Route 550. There is a parking area and restroom facility on the east side of the road at Coal Bank Pass (but don't park there). Just north of that, turn onto a road on the west side(opposite the rest area) which goes to the Pass Creek TH in under 200 yards.Slow down after mile marker 56 (it's between mm 56 and 57), you will see a rest area on the right and about 30 yards from that there is a small dirt road on the left - turn in there. It is hard to see, so slow down. Park at the end of the road on the side of the cul-de-sac. You will see the trail head heading north, and start there. Make sure you have plenty of water, a sweatshirt, and some rain gear. It should take 4 hours to casually hike up and back.

This trail is amazing, the wildflowers were incredible. It's a medium challenging trail up until…read morethe base of the mountain, then it's shale all the way to the top. Amazing views of mountain ranges even if you just make it to the fields. I went late July beginning of August and it was just the perfect temperature and I still can't get over all the wildflowers!

Majestic Telluride is surrounded by 14,000 foot peaks, Aspen groves and stunning colors. What…read morebetter way to see it's natural beauty but by zipping above the trees! We met our 2 guides, Leo and Josh, right outside the Mountain Village gondola. They expertly explained the process, safety features and what to expect. After gearing up we took a chair lift to the training area where we learned the hand signals and practiced on a small line. We then walked to our first zip line. So much fun flying through the air and viewing beautiful Telluride! We experienced 5 long rides and also 2 aerial bridges and 2 rappels. This was a fun experience and our guides were knowledgeable and friendly. Highly recommend!

Walking distance from the heart of Ouray, the ice park is truly an incredible amenity. A great…read moreplace to start your ice climbing journey. There's a wide variety of difficulties available and lots of stable places to anchor from. It's not for the faint of heart. If you're not rappelling into the park, the only option is to down climb one of a few "canyon access" trails. There are guide ropes to help with stability, but these access trails are steep and in my opinion scarier than the climbs! Helmets and crampons are required starting at the canyon access trails. There's also great viewing opportunities from one of the many bridges in the park for those who don't climb. It's a fun place to grab some pictures and comment about how cold all the climbers look. Overall I highly recommend this breathtaking place in the winter!

What a place! Great intro to ice climbing environment, very easy to set up top ropes. They have…read moreouthouses, a shop, lots of climbs from beginner to difficult. Thank you for being such a great amenity to the community!

Handies peak is a beautiful and easy class 1 in the San Juan's. My group and I did this one the day…read moreafter Redcloud & Sunshine, so it was nice to have a shorter day. It's less than 3K elevation and I clocked 6 miles round trip, granted the elevation builds quickly during those 3 miles to the summit. It was so beautiful that my two friends declared it was one of their top three favorite 14ers that they've done! The view at the top is stunning, with gorgeous scenery and breathtaking vistas along the way. You can make a very short detour and even visit a lovely alpine lake. The hardest part of the hike is accessing it. We were already parked along cimaron pass at our campsite, but it took an additional 40 minutes or so to drive from Redcloud trailhead to Handies. I made it in my Crosstrek but there were a couple of truly sketchy spots and a very very bumpy ride. No bathrooms at the trailhead and not much coverage to duck into the woods so keep that in mind. A must do for every 14er fanatic or ambitious hiker!

Handies peak! I have dreamed about hiking this one for several years in the summer when…read morewildflowers are blooming but distance kept me away. Planned a 5 day stay up in the lake city/san juan area so we could knock it out. I finally did it and it did not disappoint. We took the Handies via grizzly gulch which is the non standard route and it is longer than the american basin route. The road getting to grizzly gulch from lake city was rough. lots of pot holes and jutting rocks. Also narrow stretches with drop offs on the side. ATVs and jeeps like to zip down the road at the speed of light and there are not a lot of pull offs along the way. I made it with my honda pilot but it was SLOW going. plan extra time for this road. (cimmaron pass) We were initially going to go to american basin but after the long drive to get to grizzly gulch i just didn't have it in me to do another 4-5 miles on even rougher road. There is a bathroom at the Trailhead. There are no trash cans or dog poop bags however so be sure to pack out whatever you pack in (including your dog poop)! This trail is a class 1. Though that does not mean it is "easy" by any means. However we did enjoy the first half or little more of the trail that had dirt trails and step ups. The trail was very well maintained. Currently in july there are fields of lovely wildflowers that are so abundant and in a variety of colors. Also there is a stream for a chunk of it that you will walk near. As you ascend further up, it begins to get rocky and there is scree near the top. As you merge on to the peak, you will meet up with all the hikers from american basin standard approach which is substantially more. So the peak may seem a little crowded. On our trek, we only saw maybe 6 other people. The flowers along the way and then the view at the top was all breathtaking! So thankful to have finally gotten to complete this peak!

We had an incredible experience with Collin as our fishing guide on Blue Mesa Reservoir! He was…read moreextremely knowledgeable--not just about fishing techniques, but also the history of the area and the various fish species in the lake. His expertise with graphs and fishing technology was especially impressive, and it played a huge role in our success on the water. Collin exceeded all expectations when it came to catching Kokanee salmon--we were reeling them in left and right! As an avid bass angler, I didn't expect to be so hooked on Colorado fishing, but Collin convinced me to come back to Gunnison to try ice fishing for lake trout or even go after a trophy pike. If you're looking for a professional, tech-savvy, and passionate guide who knows how to deliver an unforgettable experience, Collin is the one to book! ~ Bryan and Kim

We had a good guide through Blue Mesa Fishing and an overall good experience. I took my three sons…read morewith me (ages elementary to high school). Our guide was friendly and helpful.

This was a once in a lifetime kind of ride. The terrain for the two hour trip is magical winding…read morethrough mountain fields, wooded passes, panoramic vistas and overlooks on top of a 1000 ft gorge, with the locomotive steam train passing below in the distance. Dean is the perfect cowboy guide! And all of the horses were incredibly well trained, friendly and easy to ride. A "Must Do" for anyone who wants a truly magical ride!

Ouray, Colorado is also known as the "Switzerland of America." At this lookout point you get a…read morepicturesque view of the city and an opportunity to grab a photo in front of this sign. Ouray sits in a deep valley at 7,792 feet above sea level. The jagged, snow-capped peaks of the San Juan Mountains that encircle the town give Ouray its resemblance to the Swiss Alps. It is a great town to visit, especially if you are an outdoor enthusiast and a fan of hot springs. The Switzerland of America Lookout Point sign is located on the Million Dollar Highway about a mile and a half south of town. It is a popular photo spot for tourists. The Million Dollar Highway is a 25-mile mountain road with stunning views that runs between the towns of Ouray and Silverton. We were able to spend some time in Ouray before driving the Million Dollar Highway. We visited Box Canyon and enjoyed some time in a hot spring.

Stopped at this lookout point for a rest to stretch our legs. There is a wide area where you can…read morepull over to enjoy the sights. Birds soaring overhead, the pretty blue sky, the town below and the mountains. Pretty, pretty mountain. Majestic and beautiful. We took some lovely photos against the backdrop of the mountains. Looking at them brings back the fun adventure we had on our road trip. I encourage you to stop and take some of your own. Make your own memories. There's also an informational board so you can read more about the history of the area.