Enjoying A Rocky Mountain High

Colorado's Beaver Creek Offers Winter Opulance, Bonding With Nature

Snowshoers descend along knee-deep snow among spruce trees high above Beaver Creek, Colorado.

It seemed almost a pity what our snowshoeing guide, Nick Fickling, a native of Great Britain, insisted that we do. "Run. Run down the hill," said Nick, a tall, lanky middle-aged man who looked like a snowshoer‹whatever that may be.

"Don't run too fast, though," Nick added. "And make sure you stand erect and aren't hunched forward. If you are, you'll get a face full of snow."

Actually, a taste of snow didn't seem like such a bad idea as the four of us peered at the landscape in front of us. Scattered about were pockets of spruce, fir and aspen trees, their drooping branches heavily laden with snow. Miles in the distance were the peaks and plateaus of the Sawatch and Gore mountain ranges. The sky was a dark crystal blue. Directly in front and all around was at least three feet of puffy, angel-white snow that had fallen the night before. No one or thing had ever set foot on it. No wind had swept away any of the flakes. We were moments away from disturbing this pristine patch of pure nature. For a second, that didn't seem right. But then, what the heck. The dash began. Running or walking in snowshoes is not as difficult as it may seem. While they will sink in deep, dry snow, snowshoes allow the wearer to kind of glide along never getting so deep that it's impossible to get out. In half a minute, our run was over. Despite the 10,000 ft. altitude, we weren't out of breath. Just satisfied that we had made it without stumbling. A look back revealed the footprints in the snow, much like footprints in the sand. Another snowfall, which was a sure thing, would cover up what we had done. Nature, like always, would re-group.

Colorado's a big state with a grand reputation for skiing, snowshoeing and other types of winter activities. Of course there are the biggies such as Vail, Aspen and Breckenridge. But there are also a multitude of lesser known spots where everything is not only as good, but in many cases better than their bigger brethren. One of the best is Beaver Creek.

Nestled about a half hour west of Vail, along Interstate 70, Beaver Creek is a modern, year-round, and clean village that's home to a number of high quality hotels, resorts, shops and restaurants. It's a blend of the American West with European influence evident by buildings that resemble chateaus topped-off with Swiss-like clocks. In the village itself, a winding paver-bricked promenade directs visitors to a variety of quaint stores and eateries with names like Dusty Boot, Coyote Cafe and Blue Moose Pizza.

Directly in the center is a ice skating rink where anyone can glide along after renting skates just a few yards away. Scattered around the outdoor rink are comfortable seating areas with cushiony sofas that surround small, crackling fireplaces.

Beaver Creek is a creation of resort planners having first opened in 1980. It's situated in Eagle County immediately south of the Town of Avon. Truly a resort enclave, Beaver Creek is home to only about 300 permanent residents. The late President Gerald Ford and wife Betty had a home here for many years as did other celebrities like movie actor Tom Hanks.

In winter, skiing and snowboarding naturally, are the main attractions. With an 11,440-ft. summit elevation, Beaver Creek provides 146 trails on 1,625 skiable acres. Centennial, the longest trail, measures 2.75 miles. There's plenty of skiing for all skill levels, including great opportunities for children.

Having hung up my own skis years ago, I found Beaver Creek easy to adapt to and the people friendly and helpful. The attendants at the chairlifts are reassuring. On the hills, there are plenty of experts around to perform functions ranging from answering simple questions to getting one upright if they happened to take a spill.

The Beaver Creek Lodge where we stayed for three nights is a Four-Diamond hotel and the village's only luxury all-suite inn. The service of the 72-suite venue is outstanding and its location is right in the heart of the village with easy access to shops, chairlifts and the Nordic Sports Center. That's where we picked up our snowshoes and met Nick. What is especially convenient is that ski rental and storage is located right in the lodge on the second floor. Also, Beaver Creek Lodge is home to Rocks Modern Grill that specializes in fresh seafood, prime rib and steaks. In the restaurant is a cozy semi-circular bar. There's also a comfortable fitness center on the main floor of the lodge that includes a steam room, sauna, indoor/outdoor pools and outdoor Jacuzzi open year-round.

As for the skiing, the snow we encountered was as perfect as could be imagined. It was dry, puffy and fresh. The wide slopes were particularly nice in that the left side was groomed and easy for one to maneuver while the right side had been left untouched providing lots of powder. A particularly nice touch for skiers who remain on the slopes until the end of the day at 3 p.m. are free oatmeal and chocolate chip cookies served on a tray compliments of a local cookie store.

A special treat that everyone visiting Beaver Creek and Beaver Creek Lodge should not pass up is an evening at Beano's Cabin. Named after one of the area's first homesteaders, Frank Bienkowski, Beano's is a Four Diamond restaurant located in a log cabin halfway up the slope overlooking the village. The food and ambiance is superb as an acoustical guitar player strums and sings everything from show tunes to Led Zeppelin. Just a few feet away, logs in a fireplace roar. Just as appealing is the way people get to Beano's. Every half hour or so a sled that can carry as many as 40 people, is pulled up the mountain by a "Cat"‹a vehicle once used to groom hills. The ride is like something out of the movie "Dr. Zhivago" where passengers, covered with blankets, slide up to each other to keep warm. Tall spruce trees, their branches drenched with snow, reach for the sky and on a clear night the thousands of stars in the heavens above. The only thing missing is a violinist strumming "Somewhere My Love."

Getting to Beaver Creek is easy. There are regular daily departures from O'Hare Airport to Eagle Airport and Denver. In some cases, round-trip fares can cost less than $200. From Denver, Colorado Mountain Express provides regular interstate van shuttle service for about $50 a ride one-way. Depending on weather conditions, the trip lasts about two hours, with a "pit stop" halfway. While resort pricing is in full swing during much of the winter season at Beaver Creek, lodging and lift ticket packages are available. Depending on the date, a single day ticket to ride the multitude of high-speed double and "quad" chairlifts can cost around $90.

For more information, contact:

* Beaver Creek Lodge, 970-845-9800 or beavercreeklodge.net

* beavercreek.com