Category — Keystone, Colorado

Summit County, Colorado's frequently-used trails require more than respect. Give back with a volunteer day.

Like many residents of Summit County, Colorado, I spend much of my summer exploring the expansive trail network our home has to offer. With the local trails seeing so much use, it’s important to go beyond respect and give back with a little (or a lot of) manual labor.

Several trails organizations in Summit County have released their 2011 projects and below is a rundown, not including ongoing stewardship programs. Contact the individual organizations for project details.

Friends of the Dillon Ranger District: 2011 trail projects near Dillon, Colorado
Sign up online to participate

• May 14th: Tree Planting with the Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado (Family Oriented)
• May 21st: Town/Forest Clean-Up
• May 22nd: Tree Re-planting with Keller Williams Realty
• June 4th: National Trails Day, Sponsored by Friends of the Eagles Nest Wilderness, the Summit Fat Tire Society and Friends of the Dillon Ranger District
• July 9th: Pulling For Colorado, Summit County Weed Pull
• July 23rd: Summit Trail Running Series – FDRD Horseshoe Gulch Trail Project
• July 23rd: Quandary Peak Project with the Colorado Fourteeneers Initiative
• August 20th: Fire Mitigation Project
• September 10th: Beetlefest in Frisco
• September 17th-18th: Trail Project with Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado at the Keystone Homestead
• September 24th: National Public Lands Day – Volunteer Celebration
• October 8th: Make A Difference Day with Summit Prevention Alliance

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Montezuma Hammer Time

Route: Highway 6 east toward Keystone and up Montezuma Road
Start/End: Out and back from Dillon, Colorado
Season: spring, summer and fall; Montezuma is a great spring ride when trails are still snowy and the major roads are majorly dusty

Vandalism probably shouldn’t make me smile, but I’ve always appreciated the clever folks in Denver who stencil “Hammer Time” on stop signs. So it makes my day every time I turn my pedals over, make it to the Montezuma stop sign and hear M.C. Hammer in my head. And besides, what’s not to love about a town that endorses winter car bowling and has good rock climbing in summer?

But we’re not talking music or bowling or climbing. We’re here because it’s spring, I’m ready to ride my bike and I’m not yet interested in driving beyond Summit County. So that leaves us on U.S. Highway 6 headed east toward Keystone. [Read more →]

The annual rubber duck races in Breckenridge are one of many events happening over the Labor Day weekend in Summit County, Colorado.

Just as Memorial Day is often considered the unofficial start to summer, Labor Day can be considered the unofficial close. The aspen in my neighborhood are already beginning to turn yellow, despite Denver temperatures climbing into the 90s.

While many of Summit County’s towns offer events into the fall, the non-stop, free event summer circus is nearing its end. So this will be the last of the weekly event posts until next summer. That said, I can’t stay away from Oktoberfest and the other Summit County events that continue through the fall. So you may get some photos from those. Besides, the approach of fall is an excellent time for backpacking and biking. So I’ll likely be posting those exploits as well. Until next summer, here’s your top events for August 30 – September 6 in Summit County, Colorado: Breckenridge, Copper, Dillon, Frisco and Keystone. [Read more →]

Wine and food are the highlights of summer events this week in Breckenridge, Keystone and Dillon.

With school in session and Labor Day swiftly approaching, we’re nearing the end of summer events season. Still, there’s plenty happening as we approach fall. This week? The summer event focus is food and drink. [Read more →]

Summit County has some cool events this week, but we're headed to Gunnison's 24 Hours in the Sage. Don't worry, the Le Mans start is a thing of the past.

Not surprisingly, bikes and outdoor events are the subject of the moment this week in Summit County. And beyond. Despite all the great things happening throughout Summit over the weekend, I’m headed to Gunnison for 24 Hours in the Sage, simply the best 24-hour mountain bike race around. Think singletrack, pancakes and a seemingly endless flow of beer. Don’t worry, we take race-day registration. So gather your friends, create a team and head to Gunnison, Colorado. Heck, do it solo. Or on a townie.

And for those of you that refuse to head to Gunnison for a weekend, here are my event picks for Summit County, Colorado for August 16 – August 22: [Read more →]

Two regattas will take place this weekend on Lake Dillon in Summit County, Colorado.

Top events in Summit County, Colorado for the week of July 26 – August 1 [Read more →]

When you ride slow, you're never too tired to goof around. Even if you're summiting Loveland Pass during Colorado's Triple Bypass.

For the second year in a row I went online at exactly noon on exactly the right date to secure entry for myself, my husband and my dad in the Triple Bypass. Put on by Team Evergreen, this 120-mile supported, organized road bike ride summits three well-known mountain passes in one day.

This year, it was rumored that the 3500 entries sold out in 35 minutes. So if you call riding 12,000+ vertical feet over 120 miles on your bike fun, then I guess you could call us lucky for getting in on the party.

As always, the volunteers and staff were amazing. This year, we got a full-zip jersey, which sounds minor but is a huge deal for any woman committed to wearing bib shorts. I am one of those women. The post-ride grub (and grub-slinging staff) was excellent, and I’ve probably never been so excited to eat chicken in my life. [Read more →]

Breck Bike Week brings a variety of bicycle-related events to Breckenridge, Colorado.

Fourth of July weekend brought a huge array of events in all the towns of Summit County. Now that summer is officially underway, expect plenty of free concerts, arts events and festivals throughout the rest of summer. [Read more →]