Elevation Outdoors Magazine

There’s more to adventure than sailing up on Grand Lake Serene boating and antler-art shopping may be your vision of a weekend in Grand Lake (“grand,” perhaps, for the multimillion dollar homes encircling its waters). But don’t be fooled: With Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) surrounding it on three sides, Grand Lake has big potential [...]

For an early fix of desert, whitewater, biking and beer, head to southwestern Colorado this April. This local’s guide will give you all the beta you need for a springtime road trip. Situated in the oft-forgotten southwestern corner of Colorado some 340 miles from Denver, Durango hangs in the balance between mountains and desert, cow [...]

Who says the race is for the young? More and more endurance athletes are rising to the top of their game as they age. Is that success due to their experience as wily veterans or can a lifetime of training pay late dividends? Age is clearly no longer the limiting factor it once was at [...]

If you’re looking for real roots music in authentic surroundings, take a trip back in time. The “thump-thump” of feet tapping on plank floorboards while keeping time to a musical tune hasn’t changed much over the years—whether it’s cowboy boots or Keens. The twain do meet in Colorado’s local grange halls. Considered the communication hub [...]

Sometimes the danger is part of the allure. High in the San Juans, the steep white gash of the Mongoose opens at the top of the north face of 12,800-foot Reconnoiter Peak. The line spirals down a 1,000-foot couloir, pinches into a 45-degree slot—the likely trigger zone should the slope unleash—and then spills out into [...]

Despite the sprawl, Colorado could be welcoming back its charismatic megafauna. Wolves and wolverines have been crossing the border and grizzly bears may not be far behind. But can the Centennial State save the big swaths of land these predators need to make a true comeback? On Friday, May 22, 2009, a male wolverine wearing [...]

Colorado’s San Luis Valley channels all vibes—14ers, natural hot springs, Tibetan stupas, a top-notch microbrewery, and the occasional UFO sighting. The San Luis Valley is so big (122 miles long and 74 miles wide), high (7,500 feet) and flat (the roads here are laser-straight and seem to disappear into the curvature of the Earth) that [...]

For an entirely new spin on the “mountain bike Mecca,” bring your road bike. It has become the most clichéd of clichés—Moab equals mountain biking. But the place has far more to offer (and we’re not talking about the brews at Eddie McStiffs, though they’re worth mentioning). No one seems to want to say it, [...]

Haul your skis or snowboard to the top of this prominent I-70 14er and hope there’s enough juice left in your legs to enjoy the long ride down.

Banish those thoughts of cross-country skiing as simply a pastime for Swedes hopped up on akvavit or geeks in pom-pom hats. Just shy of the Continental Divide and 10 minutes from Winter Park, the self-proclaimed “rustic upscale” resort of Devil’s Thumb Ranch marries luxury (think heated floors and fine wines) with rugged mountain air and [...]