You call yourself a winter person. You love the snow, the bite of the wind and the brilliant blue of a winter sky. But you just can't get enough of a winter fix on the ski slopes. Luckily, Colorado's mountains offer endless possibilities for recreation in the winter.

Traditional sports such as cross-country skiing and snowshoeing will take you into the backcountry. Sledding and ice skating are perfect family sports or ways to channel your inner child. Snowmobiles and sled dogs can help you fulfill your need for speed.

Here are some tips and destinations for playing in the snow:

Snowshoeing

* What you need: Snowshoes (if you don't have your own, you can rent them at most outdoor stores), ski poles, a backpack with adequate water and day-hiking supplies and layered clothing.

* Before you go: Check maps and avalanche information if you are headed to unfamiliar terrain. If you don't have avalanche training, stick to known trails with no risk of slides.

* How to learn: Strap on the snowshoes and start walking. It's just that easy.

* Where to go: You can snowshoe down the street in front of your house if you have enough snow. Otherwise, head to your favorite trails.

OUR FAVORITES

* Rocky Mountain National Park: Bear Lake is a popular starting point. Others: in the park include Cub Lake and Mill Creek.

* Breckenridge area: Sally Barbour Mine, Boreas Pass. (For Sally Barbour - take Wellington Road off Highway 9 in Breckenridge; for Boreas Pass, take Boreas Pass Road off Highway 9).

* Abyss Trail: Off the Guanella Pass Road (U.S. 285 south to Grant; right on Guanella Pass Road).

* Special events: Winter Trails Day, Feb. 14 in Estes Park; features workshops, free equipment demos, and group hikes; Rocky Mountain regional races, Dec. 27 in Vail, Jan. 11 in Silverthorne, Feb. 23 in Breckenridge. Information: snowshoeracing.com.

Cross-country skiing

* What you need: Skis and boots, ski poles, backpack with adequate water and day-hiking supplies, layered clothing.

* Before you go: Check maps and avalanche information (see snowshoeing, above.)

* How to learn: Head to a nearby golf course or city park for some easy cruising. Or visit one of the 11 Colorado Nordic centers for lessons and trails rated according to ability. Information: coloradocrosscountry.com.

* Where to go: Nordic Centers have groomed trail systems. Many Colorado state parks have ungroomed trails (with a few groomed as well). * Our favorites: Mueller, Golden Gate Canyon and Steamboat Lake.

* Special events: coloradocrosscountry.com

Sledding

* What you need: A saucer, sled, toboggan, or tube, water-resistant clothing, hat and gloves.

* Before you go: Make sure your equipment is snow-worthy. Check for holes in your tubes. Make sure plastic saucers and sleds are clean.

* How to learn: Sit down, hold on and point yourself downhill. Let gravity do the rest.

* Where to go: After a rare Denver snowstorm, head to Ruby Hill Park. Find other small urban hills at sledriding.com/Colorado.html. For more predictable snow, try Boyd Lake and Lory State Parks near Fort Collins and Mueller State Park near Colorado Springs. For mountain sledding, check out Hidden Valley, a four-acre sledding area in Rocky Mountain National Park (about 8 miles up Trail Ridge Road - nps.gov/romo), and the Fraser Tubing Hill between the towns of Winter Park and Fraser (970-726-5954 or winterpark-info.com.)

Ice skating

* What you need: Skates, warm clothing. Look for used skates at secondhand stores or rent them at skating rinks.

* Before you go: Check your skate blades. If they're dull, take them to a skate shop for sharpening.

* How to learn: Most indoor ice arenas offer group skating lessons. (For a list: rinktime.com.)

* Where to go: Evergreen Lake offers the quintessential outdoor ice skating experience. The centerpiece of the town of Evergreen, west of Denver, the lake dates back to the 1920s. It features a log-and-stone Lake House where you can warm up and rent skates. (Open mid-December through mid-March, 303-512-9300; take Interstate 70 west to Evergreen Parkway, evergreenrecreation.com.) Keystone Lake at Keystone Resort is the largest Zamboni-maintained ice rink in North America (keystone.snow.com/info /winter.iceskating.asp). You also can skate at Beaver Creek, Breckenridge and Copper Mountain resorts.

Snowmobiling

* What you need: A snowmobile (you can rent them at outfitters or tour companies) and warm layers - insulated bib overalls, insulated boots and ski gloves work best. Helmets are required on most guided tours.

* Before you go: Educate yourself about the terrain you will encounter. Learn about avalanche risks and how to avoid them.

* How to learn: Sign up for a guided tour. For Summit County tours, go to the Web site coloradosnowmobile.com; for Grand County tours, grand-county.com/snowmobiling; for other parts of the state, fourteenernet.com

/winter/snowmobile.asp. If you've got your own machine, head to national forest trails or state park trails (popular destinations include State Forest, Vega State and Mancos state parks).

* Where to go: To immerse yourself in the snowmobile culture, head to Grand Lake, where the machines are allowed on the town's streets and night life attire features helmets and puffy jackets.

Dog sledding

* What you need: A trained team of dogs and a sled, insulated clothing.

* Before you go: Find an outfitter who offers rides. Most Colorado ski resorts are hooked up with dogsled companies. The Colorado Tourism Office has a list at colorado.com /article64; others are listed online.

* How to learn: Listen to your musher. He or she will be the one who guides the headstrong dog team, but you can help.

* Where to go: The Rocky Mountain Sled Dog Club (rmsdc.com) sponsors a series of races you can watch. Contests are scheduled for 2009 in Grand County and Leadville.

Winter tips

* Check avalanche conditions if you are planning a high-country trip. Purchase a reputable guide book or map, and go to http://avalanche.state.co.us for conditions and safety tips.

* Dress appropriately. For highly aerobic sports like snowshoeing and cross-country skiing, dress in layers. For snowmobiling or dog sledding, dress warm with insulated outerwear and warm gloves and a hat.

* Protect your eyes. Sunglasses are a must; many of these sports are better with ski goggles.

* Protect your skin. Sunscreen is just as important in winter as it is in summer.

* Hydrate. You won't feel as thirsty in the cold air, but you still need water, especially if you are snowshoeing or cross-country skiing. Don't eat snow - it can lower your core body temperature.

* Let somebody know where you are going and when you expect to return.

Back to Top