Backcountry Places to Explore
With Children in Colorado's Front Range
Not getting in as much skiing these days since the arrival of small humans in your house? Don't dispair, there is still a lot you can do to enjoy the winter backcountry and take the kids along!
How to Do It
- Infants: Babies from two to five months or so can be carried fairly easily in a sling or Snuggli or some other baby-carrying contraption on your chest and wrapped in your (large) jacket. They will be warm and toasty and will probably sleep much of the time, allowing you to get in some good mileage.
- Babies: When they are too big for the chest carry, a backpack is an option. But be sure to check the temperature and weather conditions before heading out. It is difficult to keep their little hands and feet warm enough in low temperatures.
- Toddlers: By far the best mode of transportation for kids from about age 1 to 4 is a covered sled. Wilderness Experience makes the best model we have found. The sled is a bit wider than a traditional polk, allowing two children to sit side by side or one to have plenty of room. The plastic cover is much like that on a Burley bike trailer, keeping them warm and toasty inside. Don't forget your skins! Pulling a sled makes climbing that much harder. Sleds can ofen be rented at ski shops or outdoor kid shops.
- Pre Schoolers: Once children are about 3, try them on a pair of skis that can accommodate their snow boots. Let them ski as much as they want, but be sure to bring the sled or backpack along! Little legs mean little steps.
- School Age Children: Once kids are 5 or 6 they will be able to ski without holding onto your hand most of the time. Kids usually like to climb (if it's not too steep) and of course, they love the downhill.
Where to Go
Any easy trail with a gentle grade is a good place for kids. Roads are better than trails as they enable you to ski along side of your child and hold their hand. On the Front Range, Peaceful Valley and Beaver Reservoir are two good places on the Front Range to take beginner skiers.
Peaceful Valley
Approximately 18 miles north of Nederland on Highway 72 or 4 miles south of the Route 7/72 junction lies Peaceful Valley. It's on the west side at the hairpin turn. You can either ski up the road or on the trails that parallel the road. While it is easier on the road, the terrain is more interesting on the trails and it is a good way to avoid the strong winds that frequently blow. The first two miles is a gentle uphill; then the terrain steepens. Shortly after this the road and trail converge, and adventurous skier can continue a mile further to the Indian Peaks Wilderness boundary. You can ski all the way up to St. Vrain Glacier if you are so inspired.
Beaver Reservoir
From Ward drive 2.5 miles north on Highway 72. Turn west on the Forest Access Road. Pass Camp Tahosa and go over the spillway. Park on west side of spillway 2.6 miles from the highway. Just to the north of Beaver Reservoir sits a trailhead that winds through rolling hills and gentle terrain through pine wooded forests. Because you are in forests for the first two miles until you reach Coney Flats (a wind swept meadow), this is a good route on snowy or windy days or when the snow is too sun-baked elsewhere. The trail actually ends at the Peaceful Valley trail after about 3 miles which makes a good loop, but is probably too long for children. To complete the loop, take the Sourdough trail back to intersect the Beaver Reservoir trail about 3/4 mile above the trailhead.