Skijoring, scones and sunny Sedona

Sedona was a sunny little surprise on our way from San Diego to Durango, CO. The drive is about 12 hours, so we decided to break it up and stay at the halfway point for a week. The weather made it easy to be in a fantastic mood every day, 65 and sunny. It just makes you want to go outside and enjoy it. The beautiful red rock formations surrounding the downtown had the same effect. I loved that you could see the giant red rocks from just about anywhere in town. You didn’t need to hike miles down a trail to take it all in; you only had to step outside your front door. On our daily walks around the neighborhood, from strolling Main Street downtown, even from the lovely little sunroom in our Airbnb, the rock formations towered above us with their layers of red, brown, and tan. 

Devil's Bridge, Sedona, AZ

Each rock structure looked similar at first glance, yet different enough to earn its own name, usually inspired by its shape. Bell Rock was shaped like a bell, Snoopy Rock looked like Snoopy lying down on his back on top of his doghouse, and Coffee Pot Rock was shaped like, you guessed it, a coffee pot. We got out each afternoon after work and found some rocks to hike to or a trail to explore. There was so much to see. We found our way across Devil’s Bridge, a treacherous rock archway with a stunning backdrop of red rocks all around, the ground looming hundreds of feet below. We sat by the Seven Sacred Pools, scrambled our way to the top of Cathedral Rock for world-class views, and even saw a coyote slinking its way through the cactus-filled desert floor. I’ve heard winter’s been a bit rough in New England this year. I would seriously consider an escape to Sedona for some sunshine and scenery.

Animas River Path, Durango, CO

Also on the Animas River Path

Strater Hotel, Main Ave, Durango, CO

We’ve spent this past month leaning into the cozy winter vibes that Durango has to offer, settled into a small colonial home built in the 1920’s, complete with clawfoot tub and creaky wooden floorboards. We found ourselves in another beautiful mountain town, surrounded by trails to enjoy. There are tons winding their way through the rolling hills and mountains around town, but also a long and lovely paved path alongside the Animas River lined with shops, Animas Brewery, pickleball courts, and playgrounds. The Animas River slices through the center of town with a beautiful teal tint, patient fly fishermen in up to their waist, several rusty old train bridges that cross it back and forth, all framed in the town’s mountains. It’s a scene straight from the cover of an LL Bean magazine. Old brick buildings still bear the faded paint from signs of businesses long ago, S.G. Wall Druggist and Smelter National Bank. There are too many great places to eat, drink, and shop lining the street.

Molas Pass, San Juan Mountains, CO

When we first arrived, the weather was warm enough for a hike in shorts and a t-shirt. The town was literally begging for snow, everyone we spoke to was talking about how it was unheard of to not have any snow here in February, but sunny outside time wasn’t so bad either. Durango sits at about 6,500 feet of elevation, but in less than an hour's drive into the mountains, you can be at 11,000. Our first weekend here, we decided to go in search of the snow and drove up to Molas Pass at almost 11,000 feet of elevation. It was pretty bizarre to leave sunny Durango with no snow whatsoever and find a snowy wonderland so closeby. Sean and Matthew both had proper avalanche gear with them, not that we were skiing anything that serious, but we try to be as safe as possible. We were greeted by a friendly man in the parking lot from a Colorado mountain club, offering maps, knowledge, and hot cocoa, so that felt promising. Based on his advice, we made our way down and around Andrews Lake. Skiing on ungroomed trails was a challenge for me, but the stunning scenery made everything worth it. Those snowcapped Colorado mountains towered around us from all sides and a layer of untouched white snow with tree tops poking out blanketed everything. When we made it back to the parking lot, the mountain club man was still there, greeting everyone who entered. He mentioned we ought to check out a little town just a few minutes down the road, and little did we know, it was a very special day in Silverton.

I had never seen or heard of skijoring before that day. Silverton does it up right and turns their entire Main St into a skijoring course. This means it is no longer available for cars to use because it is a packed down runway of snow, banked high on both sides with ski jumps, and has one massive jump right down the middle of the road. You may not believe me when I tell you, but this sport requires a person on skis to hang on to a rope that is tied to a horse, with a rider on it trying to get it to run as fast as it can. Not only that, but the skiier has to go over the ginormous jump at full speed, land, and then swerve up onto the side jumps around special poles that mark the course. Highly entertaining to watch, but not the safest sport I’ve ever seen. All of the horses had funny names like the ones at the horse races. My personal favorite was Fraken Beans. There was a character of an announcer playing pump up music at full blast and shouting out how fast everyone was going as they flew past us. The ultimate hype man in a cowboy hat. 

Silverton already has strong western vibes, but that day it felt like stepping back in time. Real-life cowboys leaned against storefronts watching the action. Horses actually walked down the middle of Main Street; not as a reenactment, not for show, but simply because that’s what was happening. We didn’t have to imagine what this town might have looked like a century ago. We’ll certainly remember that day for years to come.

That weekend, we had one bonus day off for President’s Day, so we decided to check out the downhill skiing at Purgatory Mountain, a smaller, family-owned mountain only 30 minutes away. It did not disappoint. Colorado again and again offers surreal mountain views. Beauty that cannot be captured in words, but seems to be all around.

Our second week in town brought a few dreamy days of all-day fluffy blizzard snow here in Durango, which was lovely. Getting outside and adventuring is fabulous, but being snowed in is lovely in its own way. I can’t ignore the irony that New England is getting absolutely pummeled while we’re out here actively chasing snow and only half succeeding. But like most things, when you go without it for a while, you start to miss it.

 

I’ve found that leaning into my cozy winter month era means baking a lot of scones. I made a different flavor every week we were here and Matthew and Sean were happy to test them out. We started with your classic blueberry, dabbled in decadence with a white chocolate raspberry, really nailed it with a maple pecan, and finished strong with a mocha dark chocolate chunk. The maple pecan was the clear winner. The recipe is here if you’re feeling inspired.

Purgatory Cross Country Ski Trails

I took advantage of the newly fallen snow by exploring the Nordic ski trails Purgatory also has to offer. Absolutely stunning views of the snowy surrounding mountains, giant coniferous trees heavy with snow lining the paths. It was a beautiful, sunny day. The sky was a crystal clear blue backdrop to the scenery. I dropped the boys off at the downhill ski mountain, bustling with people ready to enjoy the freshly fallen snow, and just a mile down the road the cross country trails were so quiet and pristine, it felt like I’d walked into a secret. The temperature started at 15 degrees that morning, so I dressed for it. I soon learned that a New England 15 and a sunny Colorado 15 are much different. After one loop around a pretty little lake I stopped by the truck to shed some layers and find thinner gloves. Crazy how much some sun and no wind can change the day. I met up with the boys later that afternoon for a slopeside beer in the sun and we drove back to Durango for some dinner.

The following weekend we decided to explore the surrounding towns a bit. On Saturday, we drove to Telluride and strolled its downtown streets. I’ve never seen such massive snowy mountains right from the center of a town’s Main St. It was absolutely stunning. Shops and restaurants all in old brick buildings with architectural touches hinting at the saloon or hotel it was long ago. We watched several people walk through town with their skis, ready to hit the slopes, until we realized you could actually get on the chairlift right in town. You could see the mountain dotted with skiers, their white paths carved out through the trees. A few blocks down from Main St we found a ski lift right there, folks hopping on or off and heading right to the bar or back to their house. People walking through the streets in their snowy ski boots, skis propped up on their shoulder. It felt like the epitome of a ski town.

Main Street, Ouray, CO

Main Street, Silverton, CO

We made our way down to Ridgway for dinner at a local brewery and then eventually, our destination for the night, Ouray. Ouray is best known for its ice climbing, hot springs, and incredible mountain views. We enjoyed two of the three, I’m not sure ice climbing is my thing. Our hotel came with access to hot springs, ten or so little hot tubs tucked into the mountainside with views of the mountains that surround town. Nicknamed ‘The Switzerland of America’, the mountains that surrounded us were massive in size, topped with snow, and seemed to stretch on forever. The next morning, we walked down Main St, before making our way back towards Durango. It definitely had lingering Western vibes, like two cowboys could have a draw in the middle of the street at any moment. They had historical signs set up across the street from special businesses or homes that had been in town since the 1800s. They mapped out exactly what buildings you were looking at, most of them still standing in front of you, their shape giving them away, a fancy hotel, an old saloon, an opera house. Some even had their old name still proudly displayed, or in one case, the St. Elmo Hotel, built in 1899, was still in operation. It was easy to imagine men rolling through town on their horses, tipping their cowboy hats to the ladies nearby, or covered wagons parked outside the general store, stocking up on goods. What was harder to imagine, however, was how the heck they made it there. 

We traveled back towards Durango, from Ouray to Silverton, on what is called the 'Million Dollar Highway', notorious for being both one of the most nerve-racking drives in Colorado, but also one of the most beautiful. This swerving road through the mountains had me holding on for dear life and almost losing my breakfast, while Matthew was just enjoying the drive. What it lacked in guardrails, it certainly made up for in picturesque mountain views. 

Spruce Tree House Dwelling in Mesa Verde National Park, CO

Views of Spruce Canyon from Petroglyph Point Trail

Matthew on the Petroglyph Point Trail

Petroglyphs! - What do you think it says?

Square Tower House, Mesa Verde National Park, CO

Our last weekend in Durango, we made the short drive over to Mesa Verde National Park. The park offers dramatic desert canyon views with those quintessential snowy Colorado mountains rising in the distance, but even more spectacular than the scenery is the history it holds. Village after village is tucked into the canyon cliffsides, some still with the ladders the Pueblo families once climbed up and down each day. Each dwelling was fashioned stone by stone into impressive multistory homes, carefully nestled into large caves carved into the canyon walls. Some even hold ancient petroglyphs, telling stories we can only guess at today. It’s an extraordinarily unique place, preserving the remnants of the Pueblo people who lived here for nearly 700 years before leaving around the year 1200.

We are lucky enough to spend another month here in Colorado! We are making our way to Salida, another lovely little mountain town about 3 hours northeast of Durango. We have some fun winter adventures planned with friends and are bound to have some unplanned ones too.