COLORADO WELCOMES EXCITING NEW OFFERINGS IN 2014

New Attractions, Activities, Lodging, Events and On-Mountain Additions Debut

As the snow begins to fall in Colorado, excitement rises around the winter season and the new offerings and enhancements emerging around the state. From brand new events and new activities including dog sledding and heli ski offerings to new lodging properties and on-mountain additions, Colorado is ushering in some exciting new developments in 2014. A roundup of what’s new for Colorado visitors for this winter season and beyond is below. For more information, visit www.COLORADO.com.

Attractions and Activities:

•           New this winter, the Durango Dog Ranch is offering dog sledding from Durango Mountain Resort’s base, providing another way to enjoy this unique winter adventure. The Durango Dog Ranch’s hour-long dog sledding offerings provide a personalized hands-on experience.

•           Fiske Planetarium, the largest planetarium west of the Mississippi, re-opened October 12, 2013 after an extensive renovation. Located on the University of Colorado–Boulder campus, Fiske is now one of the most sophisticated planetariums and multimedia centers in the world.

•           The Woodward at Copper Barn at Copper Mountain recently underwent a half-million dollar renovation project which opened the door far beyond snowboards and skis to now include skateboards, BMX and slopestyle mountain bikes. All synthetic snow surfaces were replaced with a surface designed for wheels.

•           New this winter, Captain Zipline added “Aerial Adventure Park” to its name to reflect a new attraction near Salida. The canyon aerial park has linked combinations of 120 different “challenge elements.” Over 80 additional elements are included in the four courses known as “via ferrata” (Italian for “iron road”). These guided tours allow less experienced climbers to enjoy views and adrenaline rushes usually reserved for elite climbers.

•           Silverton is offering new overnight heli touring trips. For $429 guests are heli dropped into a remote zone with a guide and experience a full day of skiing or snowboarding before camping for the night. Guests will then continue the skiing and riding the next day – including another heli trip to a peak that ultimately returns guests to the base area.

•           Slopeside bowling is being offered this winter at the new bowling alley, Slow Your Roll, in the Snowmass Village Mall. The alley features eight full-sized lanes, a lounge area with full bar, locally brewed beers, wood-fired oven pizzas, upscale bar food and more.

•           This season marks the debut of Steamboat’s new night skiing and riding experience. The Christie Peak Express high-speed chairlift transports visitors to the top of Christie Peak (8,000 feet) to embark on a night adventure across five trails including Sitz, See Me/See Ya, Vogue, Stampede and Lil’ Rodeo.

•           Colorado Parks and Wildlife's new interactive trail maps will help guests make the most of their visit to state parks. For the first time, the maps integrate all types of trail uses and indicate up to 10 different trail features or activities all in one place.

•           Telluride Ski Resort's new Three-day Heli Ski Camp offers a new opportunity for skiers to take their mountain experience to the next level. The camp starts with two days in the ski area boundary to hone the skills necessary to make the most of the third day – helicopter skiing with Helitrax.

•           Breckenridge Ski Resort is offering a brand new exclusive opportunity for guests staying in official resort lodging properties this winter. Titled “First Tracks Fridays”, this program will allow guests staying at official lodging properties of Breckenridge Ski Resort to access the mountain one hour before it opens to the general public on Fridaymornings throughout the 2013-14 winter ski season.

Lodging:

•           Located on 500 acres 19 miles east of Gunnison, Monson Creek Ranch celebrates its inaugural winter season and offers activities and lodging year-round. Lodging is offered for up to 12 in a cabin with winter activities such as snow cat-drawn sleigh rides (complete with toasting marshmallows around a warm fire) and snowmobile rentals.

•           Devil’s Thumb Ranch Resort & Spa will open its new eco-luxe Lodge, Barn & Pavilion this December. Nestled in the hillside overlooking the Ranch, the new 50,000 square foot High Lonesome Lodge and adjoining facilities will enable the Ranch to accommodate and host up to 350 guests at any one time.

•           Opening early 2014 in downtown Denver’s famous Colorado National Bank building, The Renaissance Denver Downtown City Centerprovides guests with a modern experience in one of Colorado’s most historic buildings. The hotel features 221 guestrooms and nine suites; 6,000 square feet of meeting space; a fitness center; and Range, an original concept restaurant and bar, serving locally-purveyed cuisine inspired by the Rocky Mountain West.

New Events:

•           Fall 2013 - March 2014: The Colorado Scenic and Historic Byways 25th Anniversary will be celebrated throughout the winter season and will re-dedicate the 25 Byways through a proclamation.

•           November 29, 2013 - January 4, 2014: Glenwood Vaudeville Revue, the comedy show is all new this holiday season: new show, new location. Relocating to Glenwood's main street, the venue features exciting upgrades and the addition of a 1918 Orchestrion, an instrument designed to sound like a full orchestra but that can be played by a single musician.

•           January 9-12, 2014: Wintersköl, Aspen’s annual toast to winter, plans to add a new event to this year’s celebration, the first annual Fat Bike Race. The Wintersköl Fat Bike Race will be held in town on Smuggler Mountain Road, one of the most popular recreation areas in the immediate Aspen vicinity.

•           January 18, 2014: Aspen Gay Ski Week will celebrate equality with a group civil union ceremony in downtown Aspen with cake and champagne to follow. Organizers are planning for this to be the largest same-sex ceremony in the U.S. and also the highest elevation group ceremony at Aspen’s 7,908 feet above sea level.

•           January 18-19, 2014: New to Durango Mountain Resort’s annual Winterfest celebration, is the US Airbag Demo, which gives skiers and snowboarders the opportunity to experience big air with a soft landing.  Beginners and seasoned athletes will have confidence to try a new trick off a 14-foot kicker while landing on a giant 50-square-foot inflated airbag.

•           January 18-20, 2014: Crested Butte Mountain Resort’s Roost the Butte, is a new snowmobile competition and festival on the resort and on nearby property. Roost the Butte will feature four different events with multiple classes for each event: snocross, hillcross, hill drag and snow ovals. In addition, there will be other unique features and vendor displays.

•           January 25, 2014: The Stagecoach Classic is a new addition to the annual Winter Park Carnival celebration and is a 30km/15km classic cross country ski race and tour. This is the only time during the winter season that the Idlewild Trail System will be connected and groomed for skier access.

•           January 31 - February 2, 2014: Visit Aurora will host the 2014 USA Weightlifting Junior National Championships. This USOC (U.S. Olympic Committee) sanctioned competition will be held in conjunction with the city’s inaugural Aurora Sports Festival at the Crowne Plaza, Denver International Airport Convention Center.

•           March 28 - April 5, 2014: The new Boulder Arts Week will be a citywide celebration of film, music, theatre, dance, the visual arts, public art and performance. The week will feature art walks, exhibitions, artist demonstrations and a First Friday in the NoBo (North Boulder) Arts District.

On-Mountain Additions:

•           This year will be the inaugural season for the opening ofBreckenridge’s newest peak, Peak 6. The opening of Peak 6 represents the largest ski area terrain expansion in the past decade, and the first at Breckenridge since the Peak 7 expansion in 2002.

•           The new multi-million-dollar Four Points Lodge in Steamboat is a 13,000-square foot, two-level building located in the Storm Peak/Four Points area of the mountain, complete with a restaurant that seats more than 200 with an outdoor BBQ, flat screen televisions, indoor bar, plus a retail area and oversized restrooms. On Friday andSaturday nights, a snowcat will transport visitors to a mountain top culinary experience at the new lodge.

•           Beaver Creek’s Talons is a new 17,000 square foot European-inspired on mountain restaurant space featuring gourmet dining options with 500 indoor seats on two levels and 250 outdoor seats. There is also an indoor/outdoor bar and an outdoor smokehouse. Talons will serve as the press center for the 2013 Birds of Prey World Cup events as well as the 2015 FIS Alpine Ski World Championships.

What’s on the Horizon for Summer 2014:

•           Denver’s Union Station is undergoing a massive restoration and re-development that will transform it into the center of the city beginning in July 2014. The 1881 Beaux Arts station will become a transportation, dining, shopping and entertainment hub with 112 uniquely-appointed hotel rooms in The Crawford Hotel, four new Colorado chef-owned restaurants, two quick service restaurants, local one-of-a-kind shops, a Colorado beer hall and a two-block long park.

•           Rocky Mountain National Park celebrates its 100th anniversaryfrom September 4, 2014, through September 4, 2015. Speakers, special activities and community events are being coordinated to commemorate the Centennial. Rocky Mountain National Park offers visitors more than 300 miles of hiking trails, fishing, backcountry camping and campgrounds, scenic drives, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and a variety of ranger-led programs and instructional classes.

•           June 13 - November 30, 2014: Denver Botanic Gardens will present the Rocky Mountain Region’s first outdoor exhibition of artwork by celebrated American artist, Dale Chihuly. Informed by nature, each sculpture and its placement respond to surrounding plants, flowers and architecture. Chihuly’s elegant sculptures – ranging in size and style from small water floats to large vertical installations – will add bold colors and dramatic beauty to the Gardens’ 24-acre urban oasis.

•           2014 marks the 50th Anniversary of the Beatles Concert at Red Rocks. The first time a popular rock band ever played at Red Rocks was 1964 and the band was the Beatles. Strangely, it was the only concert on the Beatles tour that did not sell out (they sold only 7,000 of 9,000 tickets…at $6.60 per ticket, a price the Denver Post found outrageous). Today, Red Rocks is on many music lovers' “Bucket List” and has a summer filled with concerts and films. 

•           June 7 - July 26, 2014: Oh Heck Yeah will transform the streets of Denver into an immersive street arcade. The arcade will be powered through a combination of the Denver Theatre District’s LED screens, projections, street art, social media, local media and a website. This transmedia approach will produce an interactive experience that transports players into the video game's story.