Summit County is bustling with activities all year long! With just a stretch of winter left, we put together this list of winter activity ideas to spark your imagination and make you want to get outside. It’s amazing what you can do before sandal season hits.
1. Dog Sledding – For the Story. Dog sled tours take small groups of no more than six people on a six-mile adventure through the woods. The guide offers assistance while each person gets a turn riding in the dogsled, running the dogs, and accompanying the guide on the snowmobile. Good Times Adventure in Breckenridge will make live up to its name and give you a worthwhile adventure to remember!
2. Fat Biking – For the Curious. When the skies turn blue and the temps rise; avid skiers pray to the Norse snow god Ullr for fresh powder while the adventurous (or perhaps those yearning for summer) go for this unique winter activity. Bikers with burly fat-tired bikes that can handle the varied, snow-packed terrain head to their favorite summertime mountain bike trails. This sport is gaining popularity in Colorado. Rental bikes and trail maps are available at Avalanche Sports in Breckenridge.
3. Sleigh Rides– For the Time Traveler. There are a lot of options in Summit County if you are looking to ride into a scenic winter wonderland by horse-drawn sleigh. Available by day and by night, some tours offer hot cocoa, warm cookies, and live music after a short ride into the forest. For a more romantic sleigh ride, choose the sleigh modeled after a 19th century sleigh pulled by King’s Ransom, a beautiful traditional French workhorse. In Frisco and in Keystone, you might take a sleigh ride to dine in a historic cabin with gas lanterns and wood-burning fireplaces.
4. Snowmobiling – For the Adventurous. Whether you are a novice or experienced rider, there are many options to give you a ride to remember. Groomed trails are available for those wanting to soak in the views and go at their own speed. Adrenaline junkies will be satisfied by the adventurous terrain. It’s an amazing way to enjoy Colorado’s pristine back country. Rentals include full-face helmets, boots and snowsuits.
5. Ice Skating – For the Family. Ice skating is available in Breckenridge, Keystone, and at Copper Mountain. Breckenridge offers indoor and outdoor skating: indoors at the Steven C West arena and outdoors on Maggie Pond with its sweeping vistas of the ski resort. The Keystone Lake is the largest Zamboni-maintained ice rink in North America. Both Breckenridge and Keystone offer hockey and figure skating clinics. Copper Mountain’s West Lake is another ice skating destination.
6. Snow Tubing – For the Giggles. Keystone, Copper, and the Frisco Adventure Park offer snow tubing on carefully maintained hills with “various terrain”. With up to 40 mph speeds recorded on some black runs, you will be reassured to know that the courses are designed for safety. Mimicking the ski resorts, the snow cat crew maintains the lanes, the bumps and hills, and a magic carpet (lift) transports passengers effortlessly to the top of the hill for endless rounds of tubing.
7. Cross-country skiing – For the Athlete. Cross-country skiing (and snowshoeing) is a great winter activity for anyone looking to avoid lift lines, have a great workout, or just enjoy the solitude of nature and perhaps spot some wildlife. Classes are available at the Breckenridge Nordic Center. Trails and rentals are accessible all over the county. All Vail Resorts season passes provide access to the Keystone Nordic Track.
8. Ice Climbing – For the Extremist. A guide will accompany the strong and the adventurous to frozen waterfalls. The experienced climbing guides at Apex Mountain School provide the necessary gear and instruction for those who want to climb and conquer ice climbing routes of various difficulties in a safe and protected way.
9. Tumble Bubbles – For the Kids. Step inside a giant, nine-foot, plastic hamster ball and try to keep your balance while running around on the snow at the base of Frisco’s tubing hill.
10. Night Skiing – For the Go-Getter. As the sun sets over the mountain range and the stars come out, Keystone keeps some runs open and illuminated Wednesday through Sunday until 8 pm.
