Winter Activities: Colorado

It doesn't get much better than winter in Colorado, and that holds true for Leadville and Twin Lakes. The area's abundant snow provides for a vast number of popular winter activities, including snowshoeing, alpine and telemark skiing, cross country skiing, snowmobiling, snowboarding and dog sledding. There are many special events as well, including the Leadville Loppet Race, Winter Carnival, snowshoe races, turkey shoots, ice fishing competitions and Ski 100 Nordic Ski Race.

Ski Cooper — With an origin dating back to World War II, when the U.S. Army developed Cooper Hill and nearby Camp Hale as a training site for the ski troopers of the famed Tenth Mountain Division, Ski Cooper is Colorado’s fifth-oldest ski area. Ski Cooper and Chicago Ridge attract skiers and riders from all around the world. Five lifts, 2 chair and 3 surface, serve the 400 ski-able acres. There are 26 runs: 30 percent beginner, 40 percent intermediate and 30 percent expert. Ski Cooper averages 250 inches of natural snowfall a year. The longest run is Trails End, at 1.4 miles. The base sits at an elevation of 10,500 feet, with the summit at 11,700 feet.
 Amenities include a new Children’s Center, Day Care, Ski School, Day Lodge, Tennessee Pass Nordic Center and the Tennessee Pass Cookhouse. The resort's reasonably priced lift tickets make it one of the most affordable ski experiences in the country. 

High-country Trails — Hitting the trails is one of the most popular winter activities Colorado has to offer, no matter what the season. There are 16 groomed, well-marked trails in Lake County, ranging from beginner to expert, from three to sixteen miles in distance, and between 9,000 and 12,000 feet in elevation. Beginners’ trails include Lily Lake Loop with hills, narrow chutes and quick turns. The West Tennessee Lakes Trail has expansive views. Experts can take the Highline Loop through Mount Massive Wilderness to the long and difficult Bear Lake Loop, which includes 16 miles of turns through the Holy Cross Wilderness. 

Ski Joring — In this sport, skiers are pulled over a series of jumps by a horse and rider. The goal is to stay on your skis, spear rings and complete the course in the least amount of time. Ski joring is the highlight of Leadville’s annual Winter Carnival, which takes place the first weekend in March. Along with a snowshoe race series, Loppet race and dog sledding events, the weekend is packed with winter for years to come. 2009 will mark the 60th year that this Colorado town has been hosting ski joring events. activities that your family will talk about

Whatever your favorite winter activities in Colorado might be, you'll find them — perhaps with a new twist — in Leadville and Twin Lakes. Visit Lake County soon, for your Colorado mountain getaway.