Hello from Asheville, North Carolina! Tyler and I hit the road on Friday, so we’re spending the week traveling with the dogs and cozying up in the mountains. We’re soaking in all the autumn vibes now, but that won’t keep this Florida girl from dreaming of snow.
In February – which honestly feels like years ago – I packed up my Away bag and flew to Scottsdale, Arizona, for a work conference. Since I was already out west, I figured I would extend the trip with a quick flight and spend some time in one of my favorite spots: Colorado. Queue me asking my friend Liz, “Can I stay with you for a few days?”
Not only did she agree, but she planned out some wonderful winter activities for me to enjoy while I was there (Thanks Liz!). This visit would look very different from the 4th of July we’d just spent in Boulder, or even our recent long weekend there in November because this trip would involve snow… a lot of it.
We wrapped up the workweek, and then Saturday morning, we took off for Copper Mountain. About an hour and a half away from Boulder, Copper Mountain is a great spot for both winter sports enthusiasts and people who just like to play in the snow. They have tons of activities, like the Rocky Mountain Coaster – which opens today, November 30, for the season – and free snowshoe tours, as well as plenty of shopping and dining.
Another key activity at Copper Mountain? Tubing. As a true Floridian, I have been tubing on the water more times than I can count, but snow tubing was an entirely new experience. Liz and I signed up for an hour session at Tubing Hill, signed our waivers and had a blast tackling the snowy curves together.
I definitely eased into things with a double tube and no spinning, but within the hour, I worked my way up to going solo and being spun down the track. I also learned that while you can get to the top of the hill more quickly by walking up the mountain instead of taking the people mover, you may not want to – at least, not after the first time you do it. It was a great reminder that, even as adults, we can all use some time to act like kids, potentially make fools of ourselves and “stay gold (Ponyboy).”
Did I scream my head off as we went down the first time? Absolutely. But was it seriously fun, and would I do it again? You bet. It’ll be a little bit before I make my way back to Colorado, but if you find yourself nearby Copper Mountain, I absolutely recommend making the visit. Robert Frost might have written that “nothing gold can stay,” but you can hang on to it a little longer here.
PSA for my fellow Floridians dreaming of snow: Snowcat Ridge, Florida’s first ever alpine snow park, just opened on November 20 in Dade City. All tickets are more expensive at the box office, so I recommend buying them here in advance!