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You Are Here:   Home  >  What Do You Want To Do?  >  Snow & Ice Sports

Snow & Ice Sports

On This Page:  Alpine/Telemark  |  Backcountry  |  Classes  |  Conditions  |  Cross-Country  |  Dog Sledding  |  Dog Skijoring  |  Guidebooks

Ice Climbing  |  Ice Fishing  |  Ice Skating  |  Nordic Centers  |  Sledding & Tubing  |  Sleigh Rides  |  Snow Climbing

Snowboarding  |  Snowmobiling  |  Snowshoeing

Alpine & Telemark Skiing

Seasonal

Backcountry Skiing

Alpine skiing, telemark skiing, and snowboarding outside a developed ski area.

  • See "Guidebooks" on this page for lots more information on this.
  • See "Conditions" and "Avalanche Survival" under "Classes" on this page if you want to come back alive.

Classes

Avalanche Survival

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Conditions

Cross-Country Skiing

ORIC's Guide Pages

Other Web Resources

Guidebooks

  • See "Guidebooks" on this page for lots more information on this.

State Parks

The State Parks with good trails when there is enough snow. Those marked with "***"offer the best chance for good snow.

Boulder Region

Buena Vista Region

Colorado Springs Region

Denver Region

Durango Region

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Eagle Region

Fort Collins Region

Grand Junction Region

Montrose Region

Pagosa Springs Region

South Park Region

Steamboat Region

Dog Sledding

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Dog Skijoring

Essentially cross-country skiing with your dog in the lead pulling.

Guidebooks

Multiple Regions

  • 50 Colorado Ski Tours. By Richard DuMais. 1983. High Peak Publishing.
  • Backcountry Skiing Berthoud Pass: A Guidebook to Skiing and Snowboarding Berthoud Pass, Colorado. By Jordan Lipp, 2005. Summit Guidebooks.
  • Central Colorado Ski Tours. By Tom and Sanse Sudduth. 1978. Pruett Publishing Co.
  • Colorado Front Range Ski Tours. By Tom and Sanse Sudduth. 1975. Touchstone Press.
  • Colorado Front Range Tree Skiing. By David Bahr. 2004. Bear Cub Press.
  • Colorado Mountain Ski Tours and Hikes. By Dave Muller. 1993. David Muller Publishing.
  • Colorado Winter: Activities, Trails & Tips. By Debra Accord. 2002. Altitude Publishing.
  • Colorado's Quiet Winter Trails. By Dave Muller. 2006. Mountaineers Books.
  • Dawson's Guide to Colorado Backcountry Skiing, Vol 1. By Louis W. Dawson II. 2000. Blue Clover Press.
  • Front Range Descents: Spring & Summer Skiing & Snowboarding in Colorado's Front Range. By Ron Haddad and Eileen Faughey. 2003. Sigma Books.
  • Northern Colorado Ski Tours. By Tom and Sanse Sudduth. 1976. Touchstone Press.
  • Peak to Peak: Colorado's Front Range Ski Trails Guidebook & Map. By Harlan N. Barton. 1995. Front Range Publishing.
  • Powder Ghost Towns: Epic Backcountry Runs in Colorado's Lost Ski Resorts. By: Peter Brownski. 2008. Wilderness Press.
  • Skiing Colorado's Backcountry: Northern Mountains, Trails and Tours. By Brian Litz and Kurt Lankford. 1989. Fulcrum Publishing.
  • Snowshoe Routes: Colorado's Front Range. By Alan Apt. 2001. The Mountaineers Books.
  • Snowshoeing Colorado. By Claire Walter. 2004. Fulcrum Publishing.
  • Trail Guide to Northern Colorado: Hiking & Skiing in Fort Collins, Poudre Canyon & North Park. By Melodie S. Edwards. 2001. Westwinds Press.
  • Winter Trails of the Front Range. By Charly Oliver. 1999. Sharp End Publishing.

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Aspen Region

  • Aspen-Snowmass Cross-Country Ski Trails. By Warren Ohlrich. 1989. WHO Press.
  • Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing - Aspen and the Roaring Fork Valley. By Warren H. Ohlrich. 1998. WHO Press.

Eagle Region

  • Vail Hiker and Ski Touring Guide. By Mary Ellen Gilliland. 1996. Alpenrose Press.

Estes Park Region

Fort Collins Region

  • Poudre Canyon Cross-Country Ski and Snowshoe Trails. By Mary Hagen. 1996. Azure Publishing.

Granby Region

  • Backcountry Skiing and Snowshoeing in Grand County, Colorado. By Deborah Carr and Lou Landrigan. 2003. Backcountry Bound.

Grand Junction Region

  • Backcountry Skiing and Snowshoeing in Grand County, Colorado. By Deborah Carr and Lou Landrigan. 2003. Backcountry Bound.

Steamboat Region

  • Cross-Country Ski Trails Near Steamboat Springs. By Geri Anderson. 1994. Trail Finders Press.

Summit County Region

  • The New Summit Hiker and Ski Touring Guide. By Mary Ellen Gilliland. 1997. Alpenrose Press.

Ice Climbing

Ice Fishing

Be sure the ice is at least 8 inches thick before you step on it. Thicker is better. Call ahead to get a condition report.

Lakes

Buena Vista Region

Denver Region

Durango Region

Eagle Region

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Grand Junction Region

Gunnison Region

Montrose Region

North Park Region

South Park Region

Steamboat Region

Conditions

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ORIC Volunteer Chuck Shom skiing at Monarch Mountain

Lake Isabelle. Photo by Patrick O'Connor

Ice Skating

Be sure the ice is at least 8 inches thick before you step on it. Otherwise, you'll be trying another sport altogether - ice swimming. Call ahead to get a condition report. All entries below are outdoors.

Multiple Regions

Aspen Region

Denver Region

Durango Region

  • Chapman Hill. City of Durango skiing, skating, and sledding area. 500 Florida Road, Durango.

Eagle Region

Grand Junction Region

Gunnison Region

Montrose Region

NE Plains Region

South Park Region

Summit County Region

Telluride Region

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Nordic Centers

They're great when your looking for groomed trails or are trying cross-country skiing for the first time.

Sledding & Tubing

Fun when there's enough snow. Check before you go. If you are going to one of the State Parks listed below, we recommend calling for a condition report.

Multiple Regions

Aspen Region

Boulder Region

Buena Vista Region

Colorado Springs Region

Denver Region

Durango Region

Eagle Region

Estes Park Region

Granby Region

Grand Junction Region

Gunnison Region

Montrose Region

Summit County Region

Telluiride Region

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ORIC Volunteer Chuck Shom skiing at Monarch Mountain

Brainard Lake. Photo by Patrick O'Connor

Sleigh Rides

Granby Region

Summit County Region

Snow Climbing

Snowboarding

Snowmobiling

Never in a wilderness, but you can find some great non-wilderness snowmobiling including in the State Parks listed below when there is enough snow.

Buena Vista Region

Denver Region

Grand Junction Region

Steamboat Region

Summit County Region

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Snowshoeing

The best snow conditions are usually from January through March or after a heavy snowfall. You can always check current snow depths at the Natural Resources Conservation Service SNOTEL website.

ORIC's Guide Pages

Other Web Resources

Guide Books

For more ideas check the following resources:

  • See "Guidebooks" on this page for lots more information on this.

State Parks

The State Parks below marked with "***" offer the best chance for good snow. The rest are good when there's enough snow. We recommend calling the State Park for conditions.

 Boulder Region

Buena Vista Region

Denver Region

Durango Region

Eagle Region

Fort Collins Region

Grand Junction Region

Montrose Region

North Park Region

Steamboat Region

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