Plenty of ski town visitors aren’t into the downhill thing.
Some people are not skiers or snowboarders, while others want a different outdoor rush.
There is no shortage of options for off-the-hill adrenaline fixes around Colorado.
Here are just a few.
Dog sledding in Breckenridge
Embrace your inner Eskimo as you glide seamlessly through the Swan River Valley’s pine trees and white powder fields behind a team of Siberian Huskies.
Good Times Adventures in Breckenridge houses an entire village of sled dogs, each with its own mini cabin.
Every day begins with a collective howl, and running for miles is the highlight.
Simply watching the dogs harness up for a tour offers true entertainment, with each pooch visibly enthused about the adventure that awaits.
Much like Santa’s reindeer, every four-legged team member boasts a unique personality, and some love a belly rub before or after a tour.
Tours cover six miles of exhilarating gliding, during which each passenger can run the dogs and ride on the passenger sled.
It’s not like being taxied in a carriage or sleigh behind a pack of horses.
You’ll be actively engaged the entire time; the experience requires constant focus. Plus, the fiery energy of both humans and canines creates an unparalleled thrill.
Snowcat skiing and snowboarding in Durango
For anyone interested in venturing off the slopes, Purgatory Snowcat Adventures offers a spectacular introduction to backcountry skiing and snowboarding in the majestic San Juan Mountains.
As the largest backcountry operation in Colorado, the company has access to more than 35,000 acres of terrain outside resort boundaries.
The snowcat does all the uphill work and passengers can expect to get anywhere from six to 10 runs per day on untracked, pristine slopes all to themselves.
Guides assess snow conditions to determine where the best daily powder goods can be found. Tours include powder skis or board rental, avalanche safety gear with training, plus lunch.
“We have some smaller cliff and pillow options, but for the most part, our objective is less about finding aggressive terrain and more about getting into quality snow,” says lead guide and Durango native Grady James.
“Most of our skiing is in trees. Avalanches are not a risk or any potential is small, isolated pockets which we steer people around. While I would encourage guests to be comfortable advanced intermediate riders, I would by no means say one must be an expert. Our tree skiing is more fun for advanced riders and can be tricky for folks that are new to skiing trees, especially in deep snow. We’ve had kids as young as 8 with us. If they are confident, in control and can follow directions, they are welcome.”
Tours begin in mid-January and run through early April.
While individuals and couples can sometimes find availability a week or two out, advanced reservations are highly recommended, especially to reserve the entire snowcat (up to 12 guests).
Nordic skiing or snowshoeing in Beaver Creek
One might argue about the adrenaline component of activities like Nordic skiing and snowshoeing, but when it comes to using either to explore Beaver Creek’s McCoy Park, there’s an unquestionable level of thrill involved.
First, unlike most Nordic and snowshoe areas, you have to ride the chairlift to reach the trails at McCoy Park, an adventure in itself.
Second, this area offers sweeping views of the surrounding Vail Valley and Sawatch Mountains and is close to skiers and snowboarders on adjacent trails.
“I think it is may be the most incredible Nordic area anywhere,” says John Tedstrom, part-time Nordic guide at Beaver Creek.
“From the time you ride the chairlift up, the views are amazing and the alpine area is pristine. It’s great beginner and intermediate terrain, but you also have some steeps where you have to go uphill and downhill. There certainly is an adrenaline component to it, even snowshoeing. Last winter I had a couple from the Dominican Republic who weren’t familiar with snow. I took them on a snowshoe tour on a snow globe day. Huge flakes were falling, there were eight inches of fresh snow, the trees were covered. The woman was running around taking selfies. When we got through the woods, she said, ‘OK, I could die now. My life is complete.’”
Nordic skiers and snowshoers can explore 12 miles of dedicated trails through McCoy Park’s woods and meadows. Snowshoe rentals, as well as Nordic classic and skate gear, are available on-site.
Beaver Creek offers half-day guided snowshoe tours and Nordic ski lessons for every level of skier.
Fat biking in Gunnison or Crested Butte
Home of the Fat Bike Worlds, where hundreds of competitors (many in costume) come to compete and party on fat bikes and where the event’s 10th anniversary takes place Jan. 24-26, there is no better place to pedal two wheels on snow.
The Crested Butte Mountain Bike Association grooms trails all around town, including the golf course and Gothic Road, which leads to the old ghost town.
Meanwhile, Gunnison’s Hartman Rocks, one of the state’s most iconic mountain biking areas, is also a mecca for winter pedaling.
Nonprofit group Gunnison Trails grooms nearly 20 miles of singletrack specifically for fat biking, using a special track sled to keep the trail width ideal and the surface packed perfectly for fat tires.
There is something unquestionably magical about tackling a trail you’d usually tackle on a mountain bike in the middle of winter. That said, beginners will have an easier time getting used to the nuance of pedaling on snow at Town Ranch, with flatter, wider loops groomed by the Crested Butte Nordic Center.
The recreation path from town that runs to Mount Crested Butte is another fantastic route via fat bike. One important rule of fat biking is to avoid riding when you leave a track that’s more than one inch deep. This means hitting the trails early on warmer days.
Anyone who has slogged through soft snow on a bike knows it’s no fun. Stick to the territory designed for fat bikes; there’s a ton of it in this corner of the state.
Check The Alpineer, Rock N’Roll Sports, or Double Shot Cyclery for fat bike rentals.
Tubing or alpine coaster in Snowmass
As anyone who has ever been on a slippery plastic object speeding downhill with zero control can attest, tubing gets one’s heart racing. This is true of any sledding or tubing hill at any resort, especially at Snowmass.
Located at The Meadows at the top of Elk Camp Gondola, the Snowmass tubing experience takes you down multiple lanes, zooming, curving, gliding and spinning.
A lift takes you and your tube back to the top, and if you’re feeling especially brave, you can link hands or tubes with others in your crew.
As if leaving your fate up to gravity wasn’t thrilling enough, there are also select times throughout the winter (holidays and Ullr Nights) when you can tube after dark, under the lights.
While it’s certainly not the only one of its kind around Colorado (Copper Mountain, Glenwood Springs, Estes Park and Purgatory are also home to hair-raising winter coasters), Snowmass’s alpine coaster, also located at the top of Elk Camp Gondola, bears the name “Breathtaker” for a reason.
While you can control your speed with the handles on these slick sleds, perched high atop the narrow metal track, the Breathtaker zips through pine trees and meadows for over a mile, reaching up to 28 mph.
