Flights last 45 minutes, during which time passengers
enjoy eagle-like views of town and country while drifting quietly in the currents. Serenity disappears when burners ignite and roaring fl ames fi ll the balloon with more uplift- ing heat. Add in champagne toasts at fl ight’s end and the early awakening becomes downright tolerable.
Gallop into the wild There are two ways to camp in Colorado wilder-
ness. One is the DIY route where everything’s packed on one’s own back. The other is to have horses do the work. Del’s Triangle 3 Ranch (970-879-3495, steamboathorses. com) offers the latter. “We ride to a base camp that’s already set up with wall
tents and wood-burning stoves,” explains Perk Heid. “We fi sh rivers around camp the fi rst day. The next morning we ride up to the Continental Divide and fi sh high moun- tain lakes.” Saddle times run two-four hours per day, and packers do all the cooking. Alferd Packer should have had it so good.
Grunt-out the Gore Pass Gruel To a bicyclist, a 100-mile “century ride” is consid-
ered a long distance. The Gore Pass Gruel is even far- ther. The 111-mile loop begins with a crawl over Rabbit Ears Pass on U.S. 40. It’s then clear sailing almost to Kremmling. The route turns onto Colorado 134, scaling Gore Pass on its way to Toponas. From there, a windy ride down Colorado 131 leads back to Steamboat Springs. “It offers a challenge and feeling of accomplishment,”
sighs bicycle technician Bill Martorano of Steamboat Ski & Bike Kare (970-879-9144,
steamboatskiandbike.com). “It’s a good, tough ride.”
Telluride
Fly without a motor The altimeter reads 13,100 feet. Below sprawls the
Telluride Ski Resort. Beyond lie creeks, cataracts, lakes and the treeless summits of the San Juan Mountains. “I had a passenger say they felt as if they’d fallen into a
postcard,” Glider Bob (970-708-0862,
glidetelluride.com) recounts as he pulls the stick and the sail plane changes direction. While Bob’s hybrid glider has an engine for takeoff,
it’s shut down at altitude and the propeller tucked away. Floating silently with the thermals, a glider ride is the closest most humans will ever get to mimicking a hawk in fl ight.
Learn to rock climb There are two ways to learn rock climbing—1) go
with friends or, 2) be taught by pros. Hiring professionals is generally safer. “All it takes its one time doing something wrong, and
you have the potential for an accident,” argues instructor Peter Inglis of the San Juan Outdoor School (866-386- 8743,
sanjuanoutdoorschool.com). “We take beginners to places where they can challenge themselves and not be too afraid.” One such spot is the Ophir Wall, where beginners can
learn knots, commands and how to safely move up the mountain. Friends will be impressed.
Traverse the Via Ferrata Telluride’s Via Ferrata follows a ledge high up the
town’s box canyon cliffs. While sidewalk-wide in places, its
Hikers on the Columbine Pass Trail in the Chicago Basin of the San Juan Mountains.
30 EnCompass May/June 2013
AAA.com
© Dan Leeth
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