Your choice – skiing, snowshoeing, sledding, snowmobiling, or sitting by a crackling fire – all options are now featured at numerous members of Distinctive Inns in Colorado’s classic high country where endless expanses of virgin snow await. Check out our newest Winter Recipe below!

Wolf Creek is a high alpine ski resort, 10,300 feet at the base and 11,900 feet at the summit that typically boasts “the most snow in Colorado”.  South Fork is just 18 miles south in the heart of the San Juan Mountains. South Fork offers over 250 miles of groomed trails as well as plenty of side trails, open parks, meadows and hills to climb from 8,200ft to 12,000ft. Most of these trails follow Forest Service roads and can be used in the winter by snowmobiles and cross country skiers.

Our member, Apple Dumpling Inn offers ski packages and Valentine specials anytime in February.

Activities in the Durango and Durango Mountain Resort area include snowmobiling, dog sledding, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.  For snowmobiling, both Outlaw Tours and Ice Pirates lead tours to scenic high country.  Durango Dog Ranch has beautiful teams of dogs that go into the San Juan Mountains or the LaPlata Mountains.  You help to prepare the dogs as well as actually “driving” the sled.  There are many opportunities for cross-country skiing including at the Nordic Center across from Durango Mountain Resort.  At full moon, Durango Mountain Resort offers cross-country ski moonlight tours (February 2 and 3; March 2 and 3)

More relaxing alternatives include one–hour sleigh rides around Havilland Lake by Rapp Guide Services and a Durango Narrow Gauge Train ride leaving Durango at 10 a.m., traveling up to Cascade Canyon and returning by 3 p.m. 

Snowdown is an annual event –this year from January 31 through February 4.  Innkeeper Celeste Gardiner at Apple Orchard Inn says, “This is the time when Durango really lets its hair down”.  Every year has a different theme and this year it is “A Jolly Roger” Snowdown – all about pirates!  Over sixty different events will take place in venues all over the area, including at Durango Mountain Resort.  On Saturday morning, there is a hot air balloon rally with launches taking place just across the road from Apple Orchard Inn.  The Durango Silverton Train has a special run that stops to see the hot air balloons lift off, and continues to Cascade Canyon. Check Snowdown Website for schedules.

Snow cat skiing above Silverton on Molas Pass in the San Juan Mountains is one of the ultimate Alpine experiences--some above 12,500 feet. Check out El Diablo Snow cat Skiing.

Ice Pirates, a snowmobiling touring company is based on top of Molas Pass, 16 miles north of Durango Mountain Ski Resort. Molas Pass receives an average of 300 inches of snow each year, so its season starts early and goes as long as the snow holds out, usually mid to late April. They offer miles and miles of gorgeous views and radical above-tree line snowmobiling.
The Silverton Mountain is open Thursdays through Sundays with guided only skiing from January 18 to April 1, 2007

The Wyman, our Distinctive Inn of Colorado in Silverton, is currently offering a 10% discount on all regularly priced rooms during ski season.

A national historic district and quiet winter wonderland, Ouray has powder snow, ripe for cross-country adventures on skis, back-country skiing, snowshoes or snowmobiles.  Ouray Ice Park, the world's first Ice Climbing Park has extraordinary frozen waterfalls punctuated with the bright colors of the climber’s jackets.  

The Ouray Ice Festival is the ice climbing community's favorite gathering of top competitors, climbing and local companies, spectators and good times.  This year it will be held on January 10-14.

Ouray also offers a 250 to 150 foot public pool containing over a million gallons of natural hot springs water. The crystal-clear water, free from the strong smell of sulfur typical of many hot springs, makes the Ouray Hot Springs Pool more enjoyable and popular with visitors from around the world.

Guests enjoy soaking in the summer after returning from a day of hiking, four-wheeling or other outdoor activity. But, slowly lowering yourself into 106-degree hot springs water after a winter cross-country ski trek in the San Juans or a challenging day at the Ouray Ice Park is the ultimate experience.

DIOC members, St. Elmo Hotel and the China Clipper Inn often offer Winter Specials.

The Telluride Ski and Snowshoe School is celebrating its 25th anniversary of Telluride Women’s Ski Weeks.  Women’s Weeks were started in Telluride in 1981 as the first women specific clinic in Colorado.  Women skiing with women instructors and colleagues with similar goals and skill levels have proved to be challenging, rewarding, and refreshing.  Each of the three Ski Weeks features a special theme.  January 25 – 27 is Fashion & Fitness Week; February 12-15 is Health & Nutrition; and February 26-28 is Mountain Living Week.  Check details at www.tellurideskiresort.com.

Telluride Gay Ski Week February 24 to March 4 is a week-long event including many activities, both on and off the mountain. On Sunday, February 25, the Network Oscar Party features the 79th Annual Academy Awards telecast and on Saturday, March 3, the 14th Annual Telluride AIDS Benefit feature a fashion show and benefits a local non-profit supporting HIV/AIDS education programs and direct services.

Friday, March 17 features the St. Patty’s Day Annual Softball Game on Skis.

Distinctive Inn’s member, The San Sophia Inn, features its “Winter Bargain Season” from January 3 to February 15.

The sparkle in Aspen is not all from the snow.  A combination of world-class skiing, shopping, dining and celebrity seeking and many opportunities to enjoy art and culture supplement its great outdoors. 

The 2007 Aspen Gay ad Lesbian Ski Week runs from January 14-21.  It is the event’s 30th Anniversary.

The Aspen Santa Fe Ballet is celebrating its 11th Season with performances
February.

The 4th Annual James Bond Gala on February 17 benefits the Aspen Center for Integral Health and features the Beatle’s cover band, Beatlemania.

Since the winter of 1998, the Aspen Writers' Foundation has presented a seasonal series of evenings with remarkable writers. Notable authors bring their books to life through readings and talks held at locations around Aspen in January through March.
 
Among this season’s guests are:

Gretel Ehrlich, author of poems, essays, short stories, and novels. Her latest book, The Future of Ice is about climate change. She stars on Thursday, February 1; Ann Castillo, an acclaimed poet, novelist, essayist, editor and translator is the February 13th guest.  Her books include My Father Was a Toltec, and I Ask the Impossible and Goddess of the Americas; Lisa See’s first book, On Gold Mountain, a memoir/history of her Chinese-American family, was a New York Times Notable Book and national bestseller.  She speaks on February 20; Colum McCann is the winner of the inaugural Ireland Fund of Monaco Princess Grace Literary Award, the Rooney Prize for Irish Literature and a Pushcart Prize, and he was recently inducted into the Hennessy Hall of Fame for Irish Literature. March 8; Alexandra Fuller appearing on March 14, has written about her experiences growing up and traveling in southern Africa in her two memoirs Don’t Let’s Go To The Dogs Tonight: African Childhood;

Distinctive Inn’s member, Hotel Lenado expertly discusses and recommends local events.

Mardi Gras on February 18-20 features a Fat Tuesday Parade and Festivities, costumes, Cajun/Creole cuisine and street party.

 Another great food event is the Wine Festival/Taste of Vail April 11-15 coinciding with the Spring Back to Vail end of season bash.  The best wines from over 50 of the country’s most noted vintners will be quaffed.  

Savory Inn and Cooking School, offering classes in the finest appreciation of good food and wine, will host a “winemaker dinner” for the event.  The Savory Inn boasts that the most delectable and unique dining experience in the Vail Valley takes place in the kitchen at The Savory Inn. “Our demonstration-styled classes are designed to entertain and enlighten home chefs.”  On February 9, they offer “Valentine’s Surprise: Easy Dishes for Two”; and on February 21, a class in the “Mardi Gras Feast: New Orleans Classics.”

Minturn Inn, just around the corner from Vail, offers hospitality in a quiet, charming village.  They are also offering customized Romance Packages.

The Budweiser Select International Snow Sculpture Championships January 23 through 28 is in its 17th year.  Artists from all over the world will come together to present intricate, awe-inspiring snow sculptures.  These artists will carve twenty-ton, 12 foot-tall blocks of snow into pieces of art using only their creativity, inspiration, own two hands and permitted hand tools. Sculptures will be on display from January 28 through February 4, at the Riverwalk Center, weather and safety permitting.

Backstage Theatre presents “Steel Magnolias” February 8 – 10; February 15 – 18’ February 22-24; March 1-3; March 8-17.

The Allaire Timbers Inn in Breckenridge is close to Breckenridge Ski Resort. It and Galena Street Mountain Inn in Frisco are convenient also to Copper Mountain Ski Resort, Keystone Ski Resort and Arapahoe Basin Ski Resort.