Salida

Having a long weekend away from work equates to one thing in my mind: road trip. As a result, last weekend was spent in Dana's hometown of Salida.

Dana and I set off with Little Red on Thursday, traveling 2.5 hours southwest of Denver via highway 285. We drove through South Park, a flat grassland in the basin of the mountain ranges. The vast and windy area serves as the setting of the animated television series, South Park. As we reached Buena Vista, the snowy "collegiate peaks" loomed in front of us. This area has the highest concentration of 14,000' peaks in the U.S. The most notable include Mt. Princeton, Mt. Colombia, Mt. Yale, and Mt. Harvard.

We stopped at the Mt. Princeton Hot Springs for an afternoon soak. Though very cold outside (single-digit cold), the natural hot spring water was hot! The historic bath house has pools reaching up to 105 F while the network of creekside pools vary in temperature. Dana and I spent most of our time "pool hopping" in Chalk Creek until our skin shriveled up into raisins.

We arrived in Salida after just a short drive through Poncha Springs. Dana's mom, Alison, and cat, Xena, greeted us, and the three of us went to Amicas Pizzeria and Microbrewery.

On Friday, Dana and I skied Monarch Mountain. With only a 30-minute drive ahead of us, we were able to sleep in before heading out--a luxury not possible in Denver.

It was another frigid day, but the sun provided some warmth. Still, I resolved to warming up in the lodge after every couple of runs.



Monarch has received a ton of snow this winter, boasting a 90" base. This was seen in the pine trees that were caked with snow. And because it's not a high-volume mountain relative to those closer to the Front Range, it's possible to powder ski several days after a dumping.


























Spanning the Continental Divide at close to 12,000', the views from the top of the mountain were breathtaking.







Despite the cold weather, I had a positive first impression of Monarch, and would be eager to return. It is a good size, not crowded, and well-suited to my skill level.

On our way down, Dana and I earned our victory beers at Elevation Beer Co., before sharing a home-cooked dinner with Alison.

Saturday was slightly warmer, so Dana and I went for a morning jog. We met his step-father for lunch and spent the afternoon in historic downtown. At 7,000', the small mountain town sits at the base of Tenderfoot Hill ("S-Mountain"). Salid is structured in such a way that its street names make up the letters of the alphabet.

The Arkansas River attracts many tourists during the summer months for rafting and kayaking.

Dana and I stopped at Moonlight Pizza & Brewpub (#28 on my list) before sharing tapas and drinks with Alison at the Fritz.

On Sunday, we watched Roger Federer claim the Australian Open title before meeting Dana's friend, Anna, for breakfast at Shallots. Then it was back to Denver, where we were greeted by temperatures reaching 60 F!
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Bluebird Skiing

It's not the heart of winter without the NFL playoffs. Without surprise, the Steelers are contenders for the Super Bowl, which means that my brewery list has just reached #25 with downtown hubs Zephyr Brewing and 10 Barrel Brewing Co.

I also had the opportunity to do some pet setting. Anna and Alex's newly adopted cat is a real sweetheart.

On a beautiful, bluebird day, Dana and I went back to A-Basin for our second ski trip of the season. The conditions could not have been more different from that of a few weeks earlier. I will admit that I prefer the blue skies to the powder-packed blizzard.







It was still cold when the ski lifts opened at 9am. On the first ride up, I remember watching the morning sun to the left and the setting moon to the right with a feeling of immense fortune and gratitude.







Joined by Dana's friends, Brett and Mark, we spent most of the morning on the back side of the mountain, where the sun was strongest. The clear mountain views stretched on for what seemed like forever, including neighboring Breckenridge and Keystone.

A-Basin was relatively empty for a weekday, so we zipped up and down the mountain without having to wait in lines. Unlike our last powder trip, I was happy to (mostly) keep up with the others. I knew my limits, though; skiers more daring than I traversed the ridge line to take a few powder turns.



We stopped for lunch at the base of the mountain, realizing a little too late that sunscreen would have been wise.



We called it quits after a few more runs in the afternoon, feeling more than satisfied with a great ski day.

Butte, MT

With my military adventure quickly approaching, my Air Force recruiter scheduled my physical at the Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS) in Butte, Montana. Fortunately, all expenses were covered. With an early start, I set off on my mini-vacation, leaving a killer sunrise behind in Denver.






















With a short stop in Salt Lake City, we landed in MT by early afternoon. I was amazed at how close the mountains were when I stepped off the plane. Though not terribly far, Denver is still a decent drive (through heavy traffic) to the mountains.






















Judging by the size of the plane and airport, I already suspected that Butte was a small town. This fact was soon confirmed by the hotel shuttle driver. He also informed me that I had just missed a cold front that passed through with temperatures reaching -60 F! Glad I dodged that bullet. One of the cool things about a small mountain town is the close-knit bond weaved throughout the community--a feature that I picked up on despite the short visit.

After settling in at the hotel, I went for a walk to get some fresh air and stretch my legs. Though warmer than the previous week, it was still cold and snowy. That night, I ate dinner at the hotel, read my latest mystery novel, and attended the nightly meeting. Most of the guests at the hotel are military applicants coming and going for their various appointments at MEPS. I was clearly outnumbered both in gender and rank--most of the young boys were enlisting in various branches of the military, which is different than my plan to become a commissioned officer.

The following day began with an early breakfast and shuttle ride to MEPS. While the boys had a full day there, it was luckily just a morning affair for me. Nevertheless, the physical was thorough and tedious.

Happy to have that part of the process out of the way, I spent the afternoon in town since my flight back to Denver wasn't until the following morning. The mild afternoon temperatures allowed for a leisurely walk to the Granite Mountain Speculator Mine Memorial. I followed the snow-covered paved path up to the memorial, stopping to read the informative signs that depict the town's history.








In the early 20th century, Butte was a unionized industrial city with one of the largest mining operations in the world. The mining town ambitiously met the increased demand for copper during WWI.

On June 8th, 1917, 168 lives were taken in a catastrophic fire that ensued in the mine shaft. 79 years after the disaster, the Granite Mountain Memorial Memorial was dedicated to the men how lost their lives. The beautiful plaza offers panoramic views of headframes, the East Ridge, and the remnants of a once-flourishing mining industry.

The Berkeley Pit--another important piece of the town's history--was an open-pit copper mine that began in 1955. Millions of tons of ore and waste rock were mined from it. Today, it is filling with highly contaminated water and toxic chemicals.







Even in the face of tragedy, Butte is considered to be "The Richest Hill on Earth," referencing the soul and determination of the community.



























After my much-enjoyed walk, I descended into the city center, which is known as "Uptown."

My afternoon adventure ended at Butte Brewing Company. All in all, a very rewarding day!

I caught the early wake up call the next morning with just enough time for breakfast and a shuttle ride to the airport. I was accompanied by a small group of Army "shippers" that were departing for boot camp. It was all that they could do contain their nervous energy.

I was back in Denver before I knew it, happily greeted by sunshine and warm temperatures. I was relieved to discover that the icy streets had thawed out while I was gone. Good to be home!