Photo Credit: J B Foster
The Colorado mountain range referred to as the Rockies is one of the most spectacular places on earth. At almost 3,000 miles long and with an elevation of 14,440 feet above sea level at their highest point, this series of mountain ranges lend themselves very nicely to all sorts of exciting and challenging year around recreation.
The primary Colorado mountain ranges are the Sawatch Range, Sangre de Cristo Mountains, San Juan Mountains, Mosquito Range, the Front Range, and finally Elk Mountains.
In the central part of the state you’ll find the Sawatch Range, home to Mount Elbert and seven other of the twenty highest peaks in the Colorado Rockies. While very tall and wonderful for skiing, the Sawatch Mountains tend to be fairly gentle in slope and as such aren’t the first choice for serious mountain climbing. There are however some excellent hiking trails, particularly within the White River National Forest and the Hunter-Fryingpan Wilderness Area. The famous Aspen ski resort is close by.
The San Juan Mountains are in southwestern Colorado and were the center of the gold and silver mining boom early in state history. Being such a rugged range, the San Juan Mountains have only a limited number of ski areas such as Durango and Telluride. However, serious thrill seekers won’t want to miss the Silverton Mountain ski area, an extreme Colorado mountain ski experience you can enjoy by reservation only.
Another very high range (peak elevation around 14,000 ft.) is the Mosquito Range in central Colorado. Quandary Peak, in a northern extension of the Mosquito Range, is very popular with hikers and backcountry skiers and snowboarders. It lies in Summit County in the Arapaho National Forest and not far from the resort and town of Breckenridge. Some of the best Colorado winter skiing can be found in the Mosquito Range.
Out in western Colorado are the Beautiful Elk Mountains, just on the western side of the Continental Divide. The majority of the Elk Mountains lie within the boundaries of the Gunnison National Forest, White River National Forest, and others. Crested Butte is one of the mountain peaks of the Elk range and also has a thriving ski industry as well as a small town of the same name.
The Park Range can be found in northwestern part of the state and extends north to south. The Yampa River flows through here and, on the southwestern side of the mountains, the popular Colorado ski resort and town of Steamboat Springs lay at the base of Mount Werner.
Not many realize that the eastern third of Colorado is fairly flat and much drier than the mountains. The greatest concentration of the population lives in the western two thirds of the state and this is also where most travelers think of when planning their Colorado vacations.
Whatever beckons you and your family this season, be it winter sport or simple relaxation, you’re sure to find it in a Colorado mountain vacation getaway.
