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Denver
Here is my quick tip for packing and storing the bulky snow gear on the road. Get Rubbermaid containers and zip ties. These containers keep your gear all in one place, safe and weather proof especially on this long car trips. Since we have a truck everything gets stored in the bed for our care rides. To keep the lids super secure we zip tie them closed. Make sure to keep the extra zip ties in the bottom of the container so you always have them on hand!
How do I keep my thin blooded Texas hooligans warm in Colorado winter? One word. Layers. Specifically a really good set of base layers.
There are two brands that I prefer since they are made of wool. Wool is moisture wicking, breathable, quick drying and odor resistant. I have a boy who is a screaming ball of sweat and dirt so that last one is important.
1️⃣ MeriWool 250 BASE LAYER - Super soft, really well made, 100% all natural superfine 18.5-micron wool, ethically sourced and they last through washings. Soft enough that my kids will wear them as PJs. The first pair lasted 2 years before the hooligans outgrew them. They still looked brand new so I resold them. Our original pairs purchased in 2020 are still in perfect condition. The best deal on these is Black Friday or Cyber Monday. Good news they have a 15% off coupon for new customers and you earn Cozy Points to use towards future purchases. (Side note - I wouldn’t wear these solo as they have a contrasting stitched seam that runs right up the front.)
2️⃣ WoolX - I tried these out for the first time last year and really liked the fit and style of the Stella. These are for wearing as base layers OR for wearing as leggings. These do have nylon & spandex in them to help with fit so they are not 100% wool and not as soft as our MeriWool base layers. They do have Woolx Cash Points you earn with your purchases to use towards future purchases.
If you want to snag these I have a $20 off referral code. Just comment below and I can send it to you.
Top 4 places we ❤️
1️⃣ Ein Prosit: The German in me is always looking for that place that reminds me of Germany or my Omi`s cooking. Its a high bar. But we really loved the german pretzel, variety of sausages (which you can order to take home), and beers on tap. The place is super fun and has music too. Fun fact Ein Prosit is an old song frequently heard at the Oktoberfest in Munich.
2️⃣ 5th Avenue Grill: GO FOR HAPPY HOUR! It runs from 3-6pm daily and they have half price drinks and appetizers menu which are delish! I`d suggest the fish tacos and the bison empanadas. Get there early because it gets busy.
3️⃣ Log Cabin Breakfast Burritos: Its a red food truck off Main right next to The Moose Jaw. She is slinging out some yummy breakfast burritos and Waffles on a Stick. Super fresh and made right on the spot. My hooligans loved the Yabba Dabba!
4️⃣ The Argentos: So this one is actually in Silverthorne but it is too good not to recommend. Its unassuming and in a strip mall. But this family owned restaurant is turning out some killer Argentinian empanadas. Choriargento (chorizo and chimichurri) and steak empanadas were top favs for us. They stamp the corners so you can tell which is which so you don’t have to bite into each one… but if you want to you could. 😜
Enjoy!
@einprositfinebeers @lcbreakfastburritos @theargentos_empanadas
Looking for a free fun time? Right across from Frisco Adventure Park tubing is a great sledding hill. Make sure to bring your own sled or toboggan. And be ready to walk back up. It’s steep so you can really get going so it might not be the best for littles.
Looking for an indoor ice skating spot? I’d suggest Stephen C West Ice Arena located in Breck. It has an outdoor and indoor ice rink with everything you need. Skate, and helmet rentals available.
No we don’t ice skate on the regular so yes we needed to rent skates. So for 3 of us it was $24. Which I thought was a great deal since ice skating back home in Texas at the Galleria Mall is $17 per person. If you have your own skates then you only pay the $5 under 17 fee or $6 adult fee to use the rink.
The great thing was trainers were free! And my kids definitely used them since it was my son’s first time skating and my daughter’s second time. They were in good company with all the adults using them too.
We laughed pretty hard at all the falls we took. And had a great time growing our skating muscle.
After you’re done skating make sure to check out Isak Heartstone the Breck troll on the Trollstigen Trail in the southeast corner of the parking lot.
Where is your favorite place to skate?
2 options close to Frisco… 1. Frisco Adventure Park 2. Keystone Nordic Center We booked Frisco Adventure Park. It’s $32/hr so… a family of 4 is $128. Not the cheapest activity but with 1200 ft lanes and a magic carpet we wanted to give it a whirl. We’ve done tubing with no magic carpet and tiny humans get tired real quick! My biggest tip is book early! I booked in November and mid December it fully booked for the season! Which didn’t work out well when they shut down for the day due to some crazy windy arctic blast. Which meant we couldn’t rebook and sad kids. With that I scrambled to find another option and Keystone was the closest with time slots available. Here is where the shock comes in… you pay per run! Option of 1, 3, or 5 runs. For a family of four it came to $302 for 3 runs! And while they are the highest snow tubing hill in the world…. The lanes are only 400 to 650 ft. Why the price difference? You have to purchase a lift ticket AND tubing ticket. So if you are already skiing Keystone it would be worth it to add on tubing. The website touted two snow forts which I thought would be really fun for the kids. There was only one because the other hadn’t been built yet. Once at the top of the hill the snow fort is on the left. I appreciated the design but hooligans only played in it for 10 minutes. Just past the snow fort is a yurt where you book your tubing time slot. A 20 minute wait, and a safety video later we were tubing. The staff working was amazing. So fun, clearly loved their jobs and added to our experience! They were happy to fling us, spin us, as a single, double, triple or quad down the run. Basically what ever would give us the most momentum they were happy and willing to do. The magic carpet to get back up was great! I couldn’t imagine trying to walk back up with a tube in hand without dying. Three super speedy, twirling runs later = 30 minutes. Yep, an expensive 30 minutes! When my husband looked at the time his face said it all… “we choose poorly.” 😂
Visiting Frisco Colorado in winter gave us a fantastic opportunity to try something new… Ice fishing! Was it cold… yes so make sure to wear layers and dress warmly! Once in the hut it was heated and very comfy. What I loved about Alpine Adventures was they took care of everything outside of logging online to get our fishing license for the day. FYI: Anyone 15 and older needs a fishing license. They provide ice fishing huts with heaters, all gear, tackle, bait, and ice fishing sonars. And Jeremy was a fantastic guide who answered every question… so patient and kind. What I didn’t love? Um… hearing the deep cracks and reverberation of the ice shifting underneath our feet as we walked over the reservoir and while fishing. (You can hear it in the video) It was a bit unnerving at first because it caught me off guard. Imagine walking over the ice, hearing a weird noise, asking what it is and the guide saying… the ice cracking and moving. Now insert visions of myself and my family falling into the icy depths. Dramatic much? Yes, but I had to collect myself for moment before I continued. Everyone made it there and back safely with zero need for concern. Ice fishing season requires a certain depth of frozen lake and runs mid-November and lasts through the middle of May. So what swims in the waters of the Dillon Reservoir? Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, Kokanee Salmon and Arctic Char. You to keep a mix of 8 Kokanee salmon of any size, and Rainbow trout under 14″ which they will happily clean and send home with you. What to bring? Patience, a cooler for your fish, snacks, & drinks. We definitely did lots of fishing but no catching this time. But we loved every minute and even the kids said they would do it again! Highly recommend! @alpinefishing
When you think of winter in Colorado do you automatically think of skiing? We got that question a lot when we mentioned vacationing there in the winter. But there are so many other things to do than ski!
My top 5️⃣
• Ice fishing
• Snow tubing
• Sledding
• Ice Skating
• Snow mobiling
What makes your top non-skiing winter activities? Drop them 👇🏼 below.
Looking for something unique to see in Breck? Isak Heartstone is a 15-foot tall wooden troll sculpture created by the Danish artist Thomas Dambo, who is known worldwide for bringing awareness to recycling and upcycling by building great things out of trash.
You can find the easy trail to reach Isak located in the southeast corner of the Stephen C. West Ice Arena parking lot, next to Illinois Gulch Trailhead.
Hit up the indoor ice rink too while you are there.
