If you listen to some self-proclaimed exercise experts on social media, they swear that working out on an empty stomach burns more fat.

But it’s a common misconception that exercising in a fasted state improves performance or burns more calories, said Abby Langer, a dietitian in Toronto.

“The research shows that in terms of gains, it doesn’t really make much of a difference,” she said.

Does that mean you should load up on protein and carbs right before a workout? No, that’s not true either.

Here’s a look at when — and how — you should eat, before, after or even during a workout. (And remember, experts say what you eat is more important than when you eat.)

What’s the case for eating before exercising?

The calories in food literally are energy, so you need them to fuel your body for a proper workout. Eating too much too soon beforehand, though, can be problematic.

Exercising diverts blood from organs including the stomach to the muscles, said Langer, author of “Good Food, Bad Diet.” So exercising on a full stomach affects the digestive process, which could cause cramping or even make you feel sick.

That’s particularly the case with meals high in fat, protein or fiber, which take longer to digest than carbohydrates. Langer recommends eating a high ratio of carbs beforehand and waiting two to three hours before intense exercise.

“You don’t want to eat a big steak an hour before you play hockey,” she said.

If you exercise first thing in the morning or before dinner, it’s OK to have a carb-rich snack like a banana with peanut butter or yogurt with fruit beforehand. It will give you the energy to perform well, and you can fuel up afterward with a full meal.

When — and what — should you eat after exercise?

That steak may serve you better afterward because that’s when a higher ratio of protein is easier to digest, said Krista Austin, a physiologist in Colorado Springs.

Austin said if it will be an hour or longer before you can have a full meal, it’s better to have a high-protein snack in the meantime to help curb your appetite. The reason has little to do with muscle recovery or nutrient absorption: Rather, people who are too hungry make poor dietary choices.

“A lot of people get very hungry about an hour after exercise, and you don’t want to do that,” said Austin, author of “Performance Nutrition: Applying the Science of Nutrient Timing.” “You want to catch it early, or you go and overeat.”

But it’s another myth that you need to grab a protein shake within minutes of finishing to build the biggest muscles, Langer said.

Many exercise enthusiasts point to what’s known as an “anabolic window” of about an hour within exercising that the body is primed to repair muscle. For the average person, you have a much longer window, and nutrient timing is less important than making sure you consume some protein at every meal, Langer said. The body needs a continuous supply of amino acids like protein for muscle repair and maintenance, she said, which means about 25 to 30 grams at every meal, depending on various factors.

“Prioritizing that will help with goals, either muscle building, satiety, weight loss, all of that,” Langer said.

How about eating during exercise?

Most people who are eating enough throughout the day don’t need anything during a workout. Langer and Austin said the threshold is about an hour of intense exercise. Longer than that — say you’re training for a marathon — and you can benefit from a carb-rich snack in the middle.

Instead of focusing on when to eat, Austin said to focus on what and how much. She cautioned against overcomplicating the topic and recommended following the USDA’s My Plate recommendations for a balanced diet.

“The biggest thing we need to teach people is that nutrition is simple,” she said. “Maybe you need to stop focusing on the concept of nutrient timing and just make sure that you’re consistently eating throughout the day and focus on health.”

EDITOR’S NOTE: Albert Stumm writes about wellness, food and travel. Find his work at https://www.albertstumm.com

Here’s an adventure agenda for you — with a few suggested alternates and fun add-ons:

January: Ice climbing in Ouray

There’s no better place to fully embrace winter than in Ouray, especially during the annual Ouray Ice Festival. Head to the Ouray Ice Park, a free place for beginners and experienced climbers to play on the ice. While a guide is not required, it’s recommended that you engage an expert or take one of their ice-climbing clinics. If scaling the icy walls of the gorge isn’t for you, spend time just watching the ice climbers. Then soak in the hot springs and explore the box canyon. The festival runs Jan. 23-25, 2025, and you can watch gear demos, see movies, and go to a dance party.

An alternate: The annual National Western Stock Show rides into Denver for two weeks every year — it’s here now, Jan. 11-26 — during which you can learn about cowboy and ranching culture. From mutton bustin’ to the themed rodeos, it’s a can’t-miss event.

February: Winter fun in Steamboat Springs

If you’re not an alpine skier, one of the best things about Steamboat Springs is that it offers every other winter activity you can think of, including a Winter Carnival Feb. 5-9. This event features fireworks, skijoring (horses pulling skiers and sledders down the street), free skiing at Howelsen Hill, a ski jumping competition, snow sculptures and more. I’ve also had a blast when I tried dog sledding, swished along the cross-country ski trails, slid down a snow-packed hill on an inner tube, hiked to a frozen waterfall, and soaked in the town hot springs. For the skiers, Steamboat Ski Resort can handle all skill levels, from novice to expert.

An alternate: The town of Loveland has fully embraced its name to become a quasi-capitol of Valentine’s Day with a Sweetheart Festival Feb. 14-15, 2025. Head to the historic downtown for fire and art demonstrations, live ice sculpture making, music, dancing and contests. The Loveland Visitor Center has a large LOVE sculpture where you can buy a lock and attach it here or at the heart-shaped sculpture next to Lake Loveland.

March: Birding in Monte Vista

It’s the beginning of mud season when the freeze-and-thaw cycle of spring can leave hiking and biking trails muddy. So a roadtrip to the San Luis Valley is in order. At the Monte Vista Crane Festival, March 7-9, 2025, you can participate in tours of places such as Blanca Wetlands Wildlife Habitat Area and watch these amazing migratory birds and listen to their distinctive call.

An alternate: Barr Lake State Park in Brighton offers weekday birding walks where you might see everything from bald eagles to warblers.

April: Stargazing a state park

Some of the Colorado State Parks have received International Dark Sky Certification, meaning light pollution is low and stargazing potential is high. While it’s still early for comfortable tent camping, you can make a reservation for an RV spot somewhere like Jackson Lake State Park in Morgan County and then relax with a view of the Milky Way. You’ll be amazed at how much darker the sky is just one hour east of Denver. Pro tip: you want to be there closer to a new moon (March 29 and April 27, 2025) rather than a full moon because the sky is much darker. The Lyrids Meteor Shower is expected April 22-23, 2025, which should also make for a great show.

An alternate: Ridgway State Park in Ouray County is also Dark Sky Certified. Check the Colorado Parks & Wildlife website for other state parks that have been certified. There are also national parks, monuments, and areas that Dark Sky International has recognized.

May: Hit the beach at Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve

As the snow melts each spring, it fills Medano Creek, which flows over the sand between the visitor center and the dunes of the Great Sand Dunes. Be warned: this is snowmelt and the water can be freezing. In high-flow years, there can be a current and little waves where people are out with pool float toys; in low-flow years, you can easily walk across the stream and rinse your sandy feet. Tip: avoid Memorial Day weekend, if you can, because there will be crowds.

Fun add-on: Plan ahead and rent a sandboard before you enter the park (the National Park Service website has a page listing all of the places within a 36-mile radius where you can get this equipment). Then hike up the dunes (bring lots of water!) and surf down them.

June: Whitewater rafting in Canon City

You have your pick of outfitters, but my recommendation for rafting the Arkansas River is Echo Canyon River Expeditions where you can rent a modern glamping tent or house with Royal Gorge Cabins, eat a good meal across the road at Mile 8, and take a wild whitewater rafting ride. Choose between a scenic float or opt for Class III and IV rapids–all captured on video by a little camera on your guide’s helmet. Canon City is about two hours south and west of Denver.

Fun add-on: Head to nearby Salida for FIBArk, which bills itself as the “nation’s oldest whitewater festival” from June 12-15, 2025. Watch a costumed boating race, see champion stand-up river paddleboarders compete, listen to live music, and participate in a foot race.

July: Crested Butte Wildflower Festival

This is usually the ideal month to find wildflowers in Colorado, and Crested Butte is one of the finest places to see them. So, check out the annual Crested Butte Wildflower Festival, July 11-20, 2025, when you can take a guided hike, participate in photography or watercolor workshops or celebrate these beauties in other ways.

Fun add-on: If you’re up for it, you’ll find more wildflowers on the 11-mile one-way West Maroon Pass hike between Crested Butte and Aspen. This classic high-altitude trek is challenging — but very popular. You can arrange a shuttle once you get to Aspen to get you to your lodging of choice or back to Crested Butte.

August: Tent camping in the mountains

It’s hard to pick just one spot for tent camping when there are so many incredible places to put down stakes, and you will need to reserve a spot in a state or national park or take a chance with first come first serve on federal lands. Pick up a copy of “Best Tent Camping Colorado,” by Monica Stockbridge or “Colorado Camping: The Complete Guide to Tent and RV Camping,” by Joshua Berman to get some ideas on where to go and what to expect when you get there.

An alternate: If camping isn’t your jam, go to Palisade for the annual Palisade Peach Festival from Aug. 15-16, 2025. There will be a peach-eating contest, chefs making new dishes with peaches, a talk on the history of peach growing on the Western Slope, and more.

September: Eltktober in Estes Park

The natural mating rituals of the elk that inhabit Rocky Mountain National Park were attracting so many tourists that the park’s gateway town of Estes Park created a festival. This year, Estes Park Elk Fest, aka “Elktober,” runs Sept. 27-28. But attending the fest isn’t the only way to see, hear and learn about the elk since you can drive into the park (or many elk wander into town regularly) during this time of year and possibly hear their distinctive “bugle” call for a mate. Remember to keep a safe distance from wildlife, and please don’t feed or touch them.

Fun add-on: Wapiti is the Shawnee tribe’s word for elk, and it translates to “white rump.” After a day of learning about elk, head to the Wapiti Colorado Pub in Estes Park for a bite to eat.

October: Leaf-peeping

Guanella Pass, between Georgetown and Grant, has always been one of the best places for fall leaf-peeping in Colorado. But this 24-mile scenic byway road, especially, and other mountain passes that are abundant with the state’s iconic aspen trees, can be terribly congested with car traffic during fall colors season. So put in your research for destinations and dates. Peak weekends change every year, but are always between mid-September and mid-October.

Fun add-on: If you do decide to join the crowds on Guanella Pass, start your drive from Highway 285 at Grant and then take in the views above Georgetown, where you can also ride the Georgetown Loop Railroad to see still more fall colors from a different vantage point.

November: Soak at Glenwood Hot Springs Resort

Colorado has many hot springs to choose from and I like them all, but you can’t go wrong at Glenwood Springs. They say they are the largest hot springs pool in the world and I have to take their word for it. The Yampah Mineral Baths are the newest addition here of five smaller soaking pools. You can soak in a hot springs any time of year, but November is ideal with a little chill in the air outside–maybe even snow already—as the steam rises off the warm water.

An alternate: Iron Mountain Hot Springs is also in Glenwood, just above the banks of the Colorado River where they have an Upriver section for people 21 years of age and older.

December: Fat tire bike rides

Summer isn’t the only time to ride a bike in Colorado. Thanks to those chunky wide wheels, you can comfortably ride a fat tire bike over a snow-packed trail. Rentals are available in several ski towns, including Winter Park, where this sport has been embraced. There are beginner to expert trail experiences to try (roads to trails to singletrack) as you hone your new skill.

An alternate: Lace up your hiking boots for a scenic winter hike in Rocky Mountain National Park. Winter hiking is different than snowshoeing so depending on how much snow has fallen, you could use snowshoes instead. If the snow isn’t deep, strap some microspikes onto your boots and get out your trekking poles to explore this scenic place in a quieter season for hikers.

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Awakened in the middle of the night recently in a backcountry hut on Shrine Pass, I glanced out a window and saw stars, so I threw on a jacket and went out on the deck of Jay’s Cabin, three miles northwest of Vail Pass at 11,223 feet.

The moon had set, so the stars stood out in the deep black of the sky above. I stood awestruck, captivated by the wonder of the galaxy above, reminded once again why I love backcountry hut trips so much.

Jay’s Cabin, an annual December trip for me, is one of three huts adjacent to each other that are known collectively as the Shrine Mountain Inn. Calling it hut is a misnomer, though. It’s a three-story log cabin that sleeps 12 in four bedrooms. It has a common area with a table for meals, a cast iron wood fireplace for heat and a kitchen with a propane stove, dishes, silverware and utensils. It has electricity, running water, a shower and a bathtub. Whenever I share photos of Jay’s Cabin, the comments I get back are something along the lines of, “That is NOT a hut.”

It even has decent cellphone coverage. One year we watched the Super Bowl on an iPad.

Unless you buy up all 12 spots ($67 per person), you probably will be spending an evening with a few strangers, but I’ve never had a bad experience. One year I got to the hut well after dark and found a couple already there. I thought, “Oh no, they thought they had the hut to themselves and I just ruined their romantic evening,” but they welcomed me warmly. And, when I told them it was my birthday, they offered me a cupcake with a birthday candle.

Colorado has a network of three dozen backcountry huts, reservable through the 10th Mountain Division Hut Association, which owns 14 of them and handles reservations for the others. Several are privately owned, including the Shrine Mountain Inn.

I’ve done far more challenging hut trips than Jay’s Cabin which typically involved four to six miles of skiing with elevation gains of 2,500 to 3,000 feet. One time we skied from the 10th Mountain Division hut to Uncle Bud’s, not by the standard route but by climbing a 13,000-foot peak, traversing four miles on the Continental Divide and skiing down a 12,000-foot peak. We spent the day above treeline with incredible 360-degree views.

I did a three-day, two-night trip to the Eiseman hut north of Vail — 6.3 miles, 2,948 feet of climbing — with a group that included the late nature photographer John Fielder.

One of my most memorable single ski runs came at the Polar Star hut, 10 miles south of Edwards. We skied 5.7 miles with a 2,341-foot elevation gain in a heavy snowstorm, but after dinner, the clouds left and a full moon came out. Exhausted but eager, one of my ski buddies and I stepped into our boots and climbed a beautiful moonlit glade with a foot of fresh powder, then skied back to the hut making glorious powder turns.

The next day we climbed and made a ski descent of 12,546-foot New York Mountain.

The Shrine Mountain Inn isn’t nearly so adventurous. Located on 80 acres of private land surrounded by the 55,000-acre Vail Pass Winter Recreation Area in the White River National Forest, getting there involves 2.7 miles of skiing or snowshoeing — snowmobiles are prohibited in the immediate vicinity of the huts — with an ascent of 615 feet. That means it’s accessible for families. From the hut it’s possible to ski two miles to the top of Shrine Mountain, a climb of about 600 feet, which offers gorgeous 360-degree views. Another option is to ski two miles over moderate terrain to an observation deck showcasing a view of the Mount of the Holy Cross, a magnificent fourteener.

Another feature of Jay’s Cabin is exceptional sunrise views on that deck facing southeast. I always get up before sunrise, make some coffee and oatmeal, and watch pre-dawn light transition into alpenglow before sunbeams explode into view over the Tenmile Range, seven miles to the southeast.

Those moments bring me back year after year. For me, it’s the best way to enjoy winter in Colorado.

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I am selfishly tempted to gatekeep Canopy Yoga from the rest of Denver.

That’s because I am not gifted with a naturally calm mind. (In fact, with my unrelentingly Type A personality, it’s quite the opposite.)

But there’s something about stepping into Canopy Yoga that feels like a salve. Decorated in warm, creamy touches of minimalism, the space invites me to breathe easier, triggering a Pavlovian response each time. After I descend the stairs to the basement studio, I’m sometimes greeted by the wafting scent of palo santo or the soft glow of candlelight. As I’m lying on my mat, I have a habit of gazing through the six glass ceiling panels and admiring the sky blues and leafy greens of the world outside the windows.

And when I walk out, I’m frequently pleased to find that an hour of moving meditation has slowed my pace — even if just by a hair.

Many gyms attempt to achieve this aesthetic and fall flat. As somewhat of a fitness tourist, I’ve sweated in classes at Solidcore, CycleBar, SoulCycle, Pure Barre, CorePower Yoga and Orangetheory Fitness. These franchises are effective, but they often lack heart, occupying sterile and uninspired buildings.

My hot take is that, when buying a pricey membership, I want to feel like I’m treating myself to an experience. That’s precisely what owner Emily Masters had in mind.

Six years ago, she moved to Denver from Sydney, Australia, with her husband. While Masters, 35, worked in technology banking at Wells Fargo and taught yoga on the side, she chewed on the idea of opening a studio of her own.

In the Highland neighborhood, “there are some good yoga studios, but I couldn’t find one that’s kind of like a community feel,” Masters said. “Everything’s a bit more corporate.”

The birth of her daughter solidified her decision to turn her business dream into a reality. On Sept. 20, Canopy Yoga opened to the public.

Masters, who has done yoga for over a decade, said the practice helped her find peace away from the corporate grind. She wanted her studio’s design to foster that sense of serenity, drawing inspiration from California’s Joshua Tree National Park.

“Yoga is such a calming, peaceful experience. I wanted the environment to reflect that as well,” Masters said.

With 20 teachers, Canopy Yoga offers several types of classes, including lightly-heated vinyasa flow, balancing Vin/Yin yoga, spiritual kuṇḍalinī yoga, candlelit Yin yoga and gentle prenatal yoga for pregnant mothers.

Masters teaches the prenatal classes herself.

“There are so many things that pregnant people are told they should or shouldn’t do,” she said. “It’s nice to have that space for people to come where they know that they can get an experience that’s safe for pregnancy.”

Classes are currently capped at 16 people, although they can technically fit as many as 24. In my experience thus far, they’ve remained intimate, with a max of seven people in the room.

Guests have the option of placing an order at the smoothie and coffee bar before class, then grabbing their beverage of choice on their way out the door. But there’s no rush to leave — in fact, Masters purposefully included open seating in her design plans to encourage yogis to mingle among themselves.

In an effort to build community, Canopy Yoga also hosts events. Next on the calendar: winter solstice restorative yoga and sound meditation on Dec. 21 from 6 to 7:30 p.m., which costs $40 for non-members and $20 for members.

As of Nov. 16, Canopy Yoga had hit a benchmark of 25 members. Because it’s a smaller studio, Masters doesn’t have a particular numeric goal in mind.

Instead, “my main hope is just to create a space that people enjoy coming to,” she said.

However, if this venture goes well, Masters might look to expand by opening another studio in the Washington Park neighborhood.

For now, however, “I created this for the students to enjoy and get that peace and break from their busy lives,” she said.

Meet you on the mat.

Canopy Yoga, 2525 15th St.; canopyyoga.com; email hello@canopyyoga.com. Download the app for schedule and booking. A single class is priced at $26.50; a two-week intro pass costs $49. For Denver Post readers, Masters is reducing the introductory offer to $35 with the discount code  DENVERPOST.

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In your group of ski friends, there’s a good chance the one with the best form tackles any terrain and is always first back at the chair learned as a kid, lucky enough to live in a place with skiing and parents who supported it.

I grew up in the Midwest and never skied until I moved to Colorado at 30. But 20 years later, I ski 100 days a winter, and while I’m no pro, I’ll ski most anything and have a blast doing it.

The median age of skiers has risen to 35, up from 30 a decade ago and 24 in the 1960s. And not all of them were lucky enough to learn as kids. More and more adults are joining the sport, especially as baby boomers hit retirement age, with more leisure time and disposable income.

Many people are learning what I did 20 years ago, a lesson that changed my life, that you’re never too old to learn to ski or snowboard.

Take a lesson

Kyle Murphy sees it often at Breckenridge Resort, where he is the ski school director.

“You go up to someone on a black run, and they’re walking down the hill. ‘What’s going on?’ Murphy says. “‘My friend took me up the chair. It’s my first time skiing. They said just figure it out.'”

In a version I’ve witnessed, a grown man was sliding down a black diamond run on his behind. “F— skiing,” he bellowed at the hecklers on the chairlift.

Such are the hazards of going in without a lesson.

“We see a lot of trepidation from adult guests, they hear ‘ski school’ and they’re like, ‘I don’t want to go to school. School is for kids,” he says. “A lot of adults are like, ‘Hey I can take care of myself and figure it out on my own.'”

“Those are the people we want to show that, ‘Hey we have lessons for you. We can help teach you. We can get you started and make sure you’re having not just a fun but a safe experience,'” he says. “It’s a technical sport, and like in any sport, it’s important to build the fundamentals.”

At Breckenridge, most of those taking lessons on any given day are kids, but a sizable percentage are adults who learn in adults-only groups or private lessons.

He says having knowledgeable instructors who know the mountain, know how to take you from the bunny hill to green runs, etc., is an easier and safer way than, say, having your spouse teach you.

And, of course, a lesson is cheaper than a divorce. “For the sake of your relationship, take a lesson.”

Continual learning

For most of my life, like 97 percent of Americans who don’t ski, I suffered from the common delusions: It’s expensive, dangerous, too far away, and I’m too old to learn such a difficult sport.

Then I moved to Colorado Springs, and my co-workers convinced me to join them on a trip to Monarch Mountain, a small resort near Salida that had a free lift ticket day for a canned food donation.

Following their advice, I took a lesson. I was the oldest in the group. We slid around on one ski. We learned how to stand. We learned “pizza wedge” and “french fries.” After 2 hours, the instructor told me to have fun.

And boy, did I.

I loved the thrill of sliding (awkwardly) down on snow like sledding but being able to control where you go. I also loved the stunning views high in the Rockies in midwinter, like I had never seen.

How had I never done this before? I blamed my parents for raising me in the flat part of the country.

I skied until the lifts closed. From then until spring, I rented skis every weekend and explored places I’d never been. That summer, I bought my first skis and my first season pass.

The learning curve was steep. Eager to push myself, I went into terrain I wasn’t ready for and inched my way down. Skiing with friends, I was usually the last one down. I fell. And fell. And fell.

I reached a point where I didn’t feel like I was improving, so I took an intermediate-level lesson.

It seems I was using my poles all wrong, arresting my speed rather than as the pivot point of the turn. Everything changed. Soon, I was skiing 30-35 days a winter.

Then I took an expert-level lesson and learned I wasn’t properly skiing bumps, not keeping my shoulders facing downhill.

Through time and practice, and the fact that I moved to the mountains and my wife let me quit my job to be a ski bum, I lost the fear. I embraced the double diamonds.

And now, all summer, I anticipate winter.

Tips for first-timers

Murphy’s first tip is to take a lesson, which is a motion I second.

“Our instructors are going to be able to push you, whether you’re a beginner or an intermediate or an expert, to gain new skills safely. Our instructors aren’t going to say, ‘Let’s go to a black bump, run and teach you how to ski bumps,'” he says.

“We’re going to start on a green bump run, and we’re going to work our way up, so you know they’re going to be able to push you to progress and challenge yourself, but also push you in a safe way.”

Second tip: Progress at your own pace, not your spouse’s or friends’.

“You know yourself better than anybody and what you’re good at, what your body can do, what you’re comfortable with, and so it’s really important to progress and develop and challenge yourself at a pace that works for you.”

Third tip: Remember, everyone started as a beginner.

“Everybody starts at the same point, carrying their skis, struggling to walk to the base area with their ski boots … so it’s really important, and I would say this applies to picking up anything later in life, to not feel intimidated, not feel uncomfortable. Everyone who started, whether they’re 5 years old or 35 years old, had to learn pizza wedge and french fries.”

Fourth tip: Practice makes perfect.

“If you’re picking it up at 30 and for the next 10 years, you’re doing 100 days a year, you’re potentially gonna be a stronger skier and rider than someone who started when they were 5 years old, but only went for 4 days a year, right? Picking up the sport later in life, you know, with lessons and the appropriate amount of practice, you can absolutely advance to a really high level.”

Fifth tip: Make sure you have fun.

“When you’re not mastering that skill that you want, it gets easy to get frustrated and instead focus on the fun. You’re out on the mountain. You’re out skiing. You’re not at your desk. You’re not at your computer, all right. Enjoy it.”

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When I was researching my guidebook, “60 Hikes Within 60 Miles of Denver and Boulder,” I relied on the expertise of people who had gone before me for suggestions. I have gathered some collective wisdom from my fellow hiking guidebook authors here, which is useful whether you’re thinking of taking up winter hiking in the snow or making plans for next spring and summer.

Safety first: No matter which season you’re hiking in, always tell someone where you are going and when you expect to return. In winter, a pair of strap-on spikes for your boots can be handy. In all seasons, bring water and sunscreen and use them liberally.

Ed Sealover, author of “Colorado Excursions of History, Hikes and Hops,” (History Press, 2016) lives in Denver and candidly admits that his bias for trails is based on driving distance from his home.

His winter recommendation is St. Mary’s Glacier, outside of Idaho Springs. “If you are going to be hiking in the cold and snow, you might as well trek to somewhere that sports snow nearly year-round – a glacier perched majestically on the backside of an alpine lake,” he said. “There’s a stillness in winter that you can’t often find when this mile-and-a-half round-trip trail is packed in the summertime, and you feel one with nature as you stare at a rising field of white in front of you.”

In spring, you might find yourself on the Western Slope, and Sealover likes the Devil’s Kitchen Trail in the Colorado National Monument in Grand Junction. “Though the hike is only a mile-and-a-half round-trip, it takes you into one of the most unique settings in Colorado,” he explained, describing a natural rock “room” surrounded by Wingate Sandstone. Also, aim for a cooler day because this trail is without shade.

Stay close to Denver in summer, Sealover recommends, by hiking at Mount Falcon Park in Jefferson County. “Mount Falcon is the place you want to take your out-of-town friends who want the quintessential Colorado experience that they can retell in stories back home,” he said. “Over four miles extending out and back from the west trailhead, hikers can see the ruins of a grand turn of the 20th century home; touch the cornerstone of the never-completed Summer White House; overlook Red Rocks Amphitheatre; and stroll up from a sunlight-soaked meadow into a forest in a way that represents a microcosm of the state’s trails at their best.”

When the fall colors start to peak, Sealover feels it is worth braving the crowds in Golden Gate Canyon State Park, where the steep Snowshoe Hare Trail gives hikers “moments of quiet reflection interspersed with garish oranges and yellows.” Plus, it’s Instagram-worthy!

“Be sure to head clockwise beginning at the trailhead so that you can finish with a family portrait you won’t forget as a backdrop: Dude’s Fishing Pond, whose cool waters splashed over your head also offer the appropriate reward for your three miles of effort,” he said.

Joshua Berman is the author of “Moon Colorado Hiking: Best Hikes Plus Beer, Bites, and Campgrounds Nearby” (Moon Travel Guides, 2024), and also director of outdoor education at Shining Mountain Waldorf School in Boulder.

Like Sealover, Berman recommends the Idaho Springs area for a winter hike, but he likes the Chicago Lakes Trail to Idaho Springs Reservoir where snowshoes can be used. “Even a beginner can get some steps in here as the first section is relatively flat and good training for newbies,” he said. For those new to winter hiking, Berman suggests a snowshoe class available at REI.

Catch that Goldilocks moment at the Great Sand Dunes National Park’s High Dune Trail in spring, Berman offers. “Sand temperatures make the dunes cool enough to climb, but they can be prohibitively hot later in the summer,” he said. Plus, this is when Medano Creek will be flowing down the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and across the base of the dunes.

It’s time to gain elevation in summer, Berman said, and hikers can find relief from the heat on the Crag Crest Trail on the Grand Mesa. This is a 10-mile loop or you can turn around after you summit the ridge above treeline.

In fall, hikers should go for the classic backdrop of West Maroon Trail just outside of Aspen, Berman said. After buying a pass and taking a shuttle from Aspen Highlands, Berman said this memorable hike will have showstopper colors at this time of year.

James Dziezynski, author of “Best Summit Hikes in Colorado” and “Climbing Colorado’s 13ers,” has recommendations for the more ambitious hikers. In winter, he recommends Mount Sniktau, a 13,240-foot peak just off Loveland Pass. “It’s not a long hike and the views are amazing,” he commented.

When spring comes, he suggests a double peak bagging with Bear Peak and South Boulder Peak. “If you haven’t done a lot of hiking in the winter, it’s a great refresher to get your mountain legs back,” he said.

It wasn’t easy for Dziezynski to pick just one favorite hike for the busy summer hiking season but, like Berman, he zeroed in on the Aspen area with Petroleum Lake and Petroleum Peak just off Independence Pass. Note that you’ll need a four-wheel drive to get to the trailhead.

For fall colors, he likes London Mountain, another thirteener, in the Mosquito Range outside of Leadville. “It’s a great cool weather hike that snags a summit as it passed through a bunch of mining ruins,” he said.

For those who don’t have the time for a roundtrip drive to the mountains for a day of hiking, check out “Urban Hikes Denver – A Guide to the City’s Greatest Urban Hiking Adventures” by Katie Hearsum.

Hearsum’s winter hike suggestion is Barr Lake State Park, where bald eagles can be viewed. “While walking the park’s nine-mile Perimeter Trail loop one sunny afternoon in February, I observed several dozen of these majestic birds,” she recalled. “Don’t skip the on-site nature center at the trailhead.”

Her springtime suggestion is one of my personal favorites too: the Peaks-to-Plains Trail that stretches west of downtown Golden and is paved so you can avoid the springtime mud that is found on other trails. She points out that along the way, you might see wildlife, boaters, and even rock climbers on the towering canyon walls.

To cool off in summer, Hearsum likes Washington Park for a shady stroll when a trip into the foothills or mountains isn’t an option. You can choose your distance as you loop around lakes and manicured gardens.

In fall, it’s time for more urban wildlife viewing along the Wheat Ridge Greenbelt, where Hearsum reports there are over 300 migratory bird species living in the protection of miles of native cottonwood trees whose leaves turn bright yellow at this time of year.

Jamie Siebrase, a local mom of three and author of “Hiking with Kids Colorado: 52 Great Hikes for Families,” likes to hike in every season. “I think sometimes people forget that hiking can be a year-round activity in Colorado,” she said.

Her winter pick is also one of my own go-to hikes: North Table Mountain in Golden. “This is a great winter destination because most of the trails are fully exposed and you’re basically guaranteed some warmth from the sun,” Siebrase said, suggesting a start on the West Trailhead to get warmed up from the initial steep climb.

Spring, aka “mud season,” is Siebrase’s time to go a little south to the trails in Colorado Springs. “Cheyenne Mountain State Park is a total gem with over 28 miles of hiking trails,” she shared. “I like to tackle Blackmer Loop via Zook Loop.” Plus, this park offers four-wheel Terrain Hoppers for hikers with disabilities to explore designated trails here too.

Sometimes you just have to go with those well-known trails because they’ve rightfully earned their reputations. Siebrase’s summer hike pick is Lair o’ the Bear Park in Evergreen. “It’s easy to make a short loop around the water using Bruin Bluff Trail, it’s somewhat shady, and Bear Creek is a great place to cool off post-hike,” she said. “My kids love the giant climbing tree near Ouzel Bridge.”

Siebrase struggled to pick just one hike for fall, but settled on Kruger Rock inside Hermit Park Open Space. “You’ll definitely get your fill of the yellow aspen leaves and epic views on this 3.4-mile moderate out-and-back trek,” she stated.

For those popular hikes, consider going early before everyone else is there. Jefferson County Open Space shows peak times on their website for places such as Mount Falcon so you can plan ahead in each season. Also, be sure to check websites and social media for possible trail closures that can happen when there is significant mud or wildlife.

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In rare cases, a misadventure is so awful it becomes news, such as climber Aaron Ralston’s self-amputation in 2003 to unpin his right arm from a boulder. Yet as any search-and-rescue team can share, there are countless stories every day of ordinary people who find themselves in precarious situations while trying to enjoy time outdoors.

And they’re now being told in a variety of podcasts.

Some of these stories are inherently a lesson without the need for a teaching moment spelled out. Others might include a footnote about how to properly prepare for even the simplest outing so there can hopefully be a safe rescue, if needed, or what the reality is of being up close to wild animals.

“One of the common themes in our survival stories — that I don’t think I would have fully appreciated if we weren’t making so many of them — is that it’s almost never just one thing that goes wrong,” shared Peter Frick-Wright, host of the Outside Podcast, in an email interview. “Most people who come close to dying in the wilderness are unlucky or unprepared in two or three different ways that compound on each other to cause a crisis. You lose your firestarter AND fall in the freezing river AND you don’t have a dry set of clothes. You can overcome any two of those problems, but when all three happen you’re in trouble. It’s amazing how consistent it is.”

The Outside podcast is part of Outside Magazine, which is now based in Boulder, and not all of its episodes involve accidents. In fact, many of the episodes are the opposite: people who have pushed themselves physically and conquered challenges in the outdoors and now they are sharing how they did it.

“Way, Way Too Close to a Whale” is an episode from earlier this year about two women who go kayaking off the coast of California to chase humpback whales. The story builds with why they went kayaking, what fears and experience they had beforehand, and the dramatic moment when they were suddenly swallowed by a whale. Lesson: Keep your distance from wildlife.

Colorado-based adventure photographer Pete McBride is also interviewed for a brief episode that highlights his startling encounter with an orca.

While many of these stories are told solely from the perspective of the individuals who experienced the near mishap, some episodes get the other side of the story from rescuers. For example, “A Bold Rescue on a Moab Cliff” is not about the BASE jumper whose chute got snagged on the cliff when he struck the rocks and was seriously injured, but the mountain biker who literally swung into action to save his life.

KZMU Community Radio in Moab has decided to take the stories from Grand County Search and Rescue (GCSAR) for a new podcast that will debut later this year.

“The goal of this podcast is to entertain and also educate,” said Molly Marcello, news and public affairs director at KZMU. “There are so many ways to recreate here, which is one of the reasons that Moab is so special for outdoor enthusiasts. That also means there are so many ways to get into trouble.”

Upcoming episodes will highlight the many (!) broken ankles that happen on a popular hike where, despite signs warning against doing so, people jump into a small pond at the bottom of a waterfall; mountain bikers experiencing extreme dehydration on Whole Enchilada Trail; and inventive ways to self-rescue from a slot canyon using your pants.

“The stories that I’ve heard involve a mixture of tourists and locals,” Marcello said. “People can get into trouble by not being prepared or by making sketchy decisions, but accidents do also just happen. We’re hoping people will plan for the worst even if it’s a short hike.”

It’s important to note that search-and-rescue organizations like this are typically made up of volunteers and there can be costs to your rescue, depending on what resources are needed.

Wyoming Public Radio’s HumaNature podcast is recorded in Laramie, and it also has stories of people from anywhere, not just in Wyoming, who find themselves in extraordinary circumstances in the wild. Maybe you just want to hear about the guy who broke a record by pushing a peanut with his nose up Pikes Peak (the summit is 14,115 feet above sea level), but you can also listen to episodes about an experienced hunter who gets lost in the woods or more tales of people who learned the hard way that you need to keep your distance from wildlife.

If you have a wild tale to tell, you can submit it to HumaNature and possibly be featured on a future episode. Frick-Wright said that the majority of their stories come from contributors to Outside — or even just when a producer hears a good story around the campfire.

The next time you live to tell after a narrow escape in the great outdoors, consider which podcast you want to interview you about the nitty-gritty details.

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Five men in their 60s were gathered on the trail, reliving an adventure they had as high school students from Pennsylvania when they spent a month working to help build this section of the trail. After hearing what they did there 49 years ago — when they were younger than she is now and the Colorado Trail was little more than a good idea — the hiker gave them props.

“You guys are awesome, thanks,” said Sage Lafleur, 19, who borrowed the National Park Service Junior Ranger hat from a friend because she thought it was funny.

The men who worked the rock and dirt there in 1975 encountered a dozen other trail users this past Tuesday who shared similar sentiments. Thus the men of the reunion got a sense of what the Colorado Trail has come to mean to so many.

“I’m just an outdoorsy person, and this calls to me,” Lafleur said. “I love being outside, I love walking and I want to see how far I can push myself. I just think that’s really fun.”

For the group, shoveling and raking three miles of trail in this peaceful setting 20 miles southwest of the Denver area in the Pike National Forest was life-changing.

“When you’re doing a thing, and you’re having fun at it, or you’re having an adventure, you never know where that falls in with the best times of your life,” said David Graves, 64. “We were having such an incredible time. We didn’t know we were having the time of our lives.”

A force of nature

The Colorado Trail Foundation dates the inception of the trail to 1974. There had been previous discussions about it, but the notion moved forward that year with the establishment of the Colorado Mountain Trails Foundation. Indefatigable Gudy Gaskill, a passionate hiker who lived on Lookout Mountain until she died in 2016, became known as “the Mother of the Colorado Trail.” She has often been described as a force of nature.

“She had a magnetism,” said Bill Manning, executive director of the Colorado Trail Foundation from 2006 until 2022. “Gudy was a lifelong hiker She just loved the mountains. She latched onto the concept, along with others, and worked toward establishing the Colorado Trail. As things progressed and proved to be very challenging, she kept working at it tenaciously.”

Today the trail extends from Jefferson County, near the Strontia Springs Dam in Waterton Canyon, to Durango. Depending on how it is done — there are two options for navigating the Collegiate Range — the full distance is either 485 miles or 491 with 89,000 feet of climbing. It passes through eight mountain ranges and six national forests with an average elevation of 10,300 feet. Its highest point rises to 13,271 feet in the San Juan Range near Lake City.

“It started with this passion of Gudy saying, ‘Coloradans need something that’s theirs, that we can hang our hat on and say, ‘We’ve got this trail across the state that’s uniquely Colorado,'” said Paul Talley, current executive director of the Colorado Trail Foundation. “That ethos evolved and lives in us right now.”

But, 10 years after the effort to build it was born, it looked as if it might never be completed. Progress had stalled, and a 1984 cover story in the Denver Post’s Empire Magazine took note, calling it “Trail to Nowhere.” Writer Ed Quillen described in detail how the effort to build the trail had run out of steam despite Gaskill’s passion to finish it. Quillen conceded: “If there ever is a Colorado Trail, it likely will be because Gudy Gaskill hasn’t given up.”

The nerds of high school

In 1975, a dozen students from Marple Newtown High School, 12 miles west of Philadelphia, traveled to Colorado in late June accompanied by their science teacher, his wife, and a college student whose job was to drive the boys in a van. They were members of the school’s earth and space science club. They had put on car washes and bake sales to fund their trip. They weren’t entirely sure what they would do when they got out here, and had no clue they would be put to work as volunteers. Apparently their teacher had made arrangements with the forest service. While they were here, they collected rocks which they still have five decades later.

“We were the nerds of high school,” said Graves, who came out for the reunion this week with brothers Rob and John, both of whom were part of the 1975 trip. “Who else would join a science club? I took summer classes voluntarily. Who does that?”

The trail section where they would work had already been surveyed. A young man from the forest service supervised their work. It was hot, and they took salt pills, as football players of the era did on hot days. Though the work they did was hard, they often climbed a 400-foot rock outcrop near their camp at the end of the day. The five who took part in the reunion — including the three Graves brothers, Roger Lord of Portland, Ore., and the ringleader of the reunion, Monty Estis of Evergreen — reclimbed that imposing rock while they were here. They swear it wasn’t nearly as tall then as it is now.

At night they would play pinochle for hours. They ate PBJs for lunch and Hamburger Helper for dinner. On weekends they went up to Bailey for showers, laundry and visits to the Knotty Pine, a shop with a long history that is still there.

“I do not ever remember being bored,” David Graves said. “When you’re raking and shoveling all day, it’s very easy to fall asleep at night.”

One afternoon as they huddled in a tent during a thunderstorm, a bolt of lightning struck a tree nearby.

“Suddenly there was a huge bang and bright light at the same time,” Estis said. “It hit a tree about (30 feet) from our tent, made a huge scar down the tree. I thought it was really cool.”

Completing the whole thing

That 1984 story in The Denver Post provided the impetus to get trail construction back on track. That’s because Gov. Dick Lamm and his wife, Dottie, read the story, spent some time volunteering in trail construction and started pulling levers of power in 1985.

“He hosted a fundraiser and let it be known that he was behind it,” Talley said. “That’s where we started to get some traction.”

A two-year plan was devised to complete the remaining 60 miles of trails. Some 400 volunteers worked on 20 trail crews in 1986. Nearly 1,000 joined 46 trail crews in 1987. The trail was completed in September of 1987 and dedicated in 1988.

The Colorado Trail Foundation doesn’t know how many people have hiked the entire trail over the years. It does invite completers to fill out a form to receive completion certificates on the honor system. More than 5,500 names are on that list, but the number of completers may be many more than that.

CTF does track the number of volunteers, though. Last year, 736 volunteers worked on maintaining trails, logging 17,284 hours.

The Colorado Trail is not to be confused with the Continental Divide Trail, which was established by Congress in 1978. It stretches 3,100 miles from Canada to Mexico, 800 miles of it in Colorado. It has 160 miles of gaps, which Colorado Rep. Joe Neguse is trying to fill through congressional action. One of those gaps is in Colorado, a 15-mile segment at Muddy Pass just east of Rabbit Ears Pass.

Both trails are prized by avid hikers hardy enough to take them on.

“I happened to mention to my across-the-street neighbor, when we were planning this trip, that I was going to a reunion and that we had built this trail,” said David Graves, who lives in Philadelphia. “He said, ‘You mean the Colorado Trail? I’ve hiked that trail.’ I thought that was pretty interesting. He did the whole thing.”

Changing lives

Of the 12 from Pennsylvania who came out to work on the trail in 1975, five made the trip this week. They used Facebook hoping to get in touch with some for whom they had no contact info. One of their alumni was killed in 1995 by an avalanche while mountain climbing in Alaska’s Glacier Bay National Park. Of those who made the trip, David Graves is a cloud engineer. John Graves, 66, works for the EPA in Philadelphia. Rob Graves, a twin to David, is a pilot for Southwest. Roger Lord, 65, was inspired by the 1975 trip to pursue a career in forestry and lives in Portland, Ore.

Estis, 66, was so inspired by the 1975 trip that he vowed to move here someday, and he did, 30 years ago. He has lived in Evergreen for the past 11 and says he’s the smartest one in the group because he lives in Colorado.

“In high school they asked me, ‘Where are you going to be in 15 years?’ said Estis, who worked in the telecom industry until retiring and currently tutors young math students. “I said living in Colorado. It took me 14 years to get out here. I just love it. I camp and backpack, I ski and snowboard, I kayak and mountain bike. I just love being outside.”

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The mental strain of the last few days (and weeks, and years) has been slowly nudging my chin down from its usual upright position. All things being equal, these are not new stressors; the unstable march of politics, war, religion and money spans centuries.

But people do not. Privileged or no, it’s OK for any of us to feel stressed out. This is not the suffering Olympics, as my wife likes to say, and we all have a right to our feelings. But when those prompt a regular flood of cortisol, I need not just a break from the emotional bleeding, but a refill.

Lately it’s taken the form of bike-riding with my son. Tom found his balance only recently, but he’s been quick to break in his neon-green mountain bike, having grown just tall enough to handle it. I hadn’t ridden in awhile, owing partly to injury and distraction, and partly to the cracked gears on my own mountain bike — as well as the fact that I have only my wife’s dusty cruiser as backup. It’s handsome but slow and meant only for smooth surfaces, and in general, not even close to my ideal two-wheeled vehicle. (I genuinely like its rainbow streamers, though.)

But why should I let perfect be the enemy of good? My son practically begs me to ride every chance he gets, so we’ve developed a new, summer-weekend routine of casually touring some of Denver’s most fetching landscapes. We live in North Park Hill, along Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, which means we can follow its miles-long, east/west bike lane to connect us to citywide safe-riding spots. It’s perfect for the cruiser — and my newly minted riding companion.

The lanes along 26th Avenue, between Colorado Boulevard and York Street, encourage slow treks past the placid City Park Golf Course, and meetings with friends nearby. My son and I also venture inside City Park, where we can check up on the still-fenced Nature Play playground, enjoy some choice views, then stop for a cold drink at Spinelli’s Market on the way back.

On a recent, brutally hot day, we trekked to Nuggs Ice Cream along East Colfax Avenue, which gave us just enough fuel to double back home. The week before that we had followed a treeless bike trail to Central Park, which led us past a giant playground and soccer fields, past a tiny pond filled with belligerent ducks, and up to a raised lookout terminus that affords a view of the grassy open space (part of Prairie Uplands Park) in an otherwise infilled former airport site. Interstate 70, within sight to the north, felt much further away than it really was.

Maybe it’s taken me too long to realize I need only time and willpower to do this — and not necessarily top-tier equipment, mountain views or formal routes and destinations. Clearing one’s mind with sweat and scenery is free. I just had to be reminded of that by someone whose mind is a bit clearer than my own.

Looking for an interactive map of Denver bike routes and destinations? Visit denver.org/things-to-do/sports-recreation/bike-trails.

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Visit Denver, the city’s tourism sales and marketing agency, said last year’s visitor total of 37.4 million was a 3% bump over 2022. And the $10.3 billion in Denver’s tourism revenue last year outpaced the $9.4 billion collected the prior year by nearly 10%.

“Tourism is vital to the Denver economy and we are pleased to see our momentum continue in 2023, especially after the dramatic growth we saw in 2022,” Richard Scharf, Visit Denver’s president and CEO, said in a statement. “Denver’s tourism businesses, most of which are small and locally owned, rely on these visitors to fuel their success, which allows them to continue to hire employees – almost 66,000 across the metro area in 2023 – and to generate millions in state and local taxes.”

Overnight visitors totaled 20.5 million last year, a 3% rise from the previous year, generating $8.8 billion in spending in the Mile High City. Overnight leisure visits were top in growth last year, rising by 5% over 2022 to a new high of 17.5 million.

Longwoods International provided the Denver visitor data through its annual visitor profile study, which it has conducted for Denver for 30 years. The company’s president and CEO, Amir Eylon, said tourism in Denver in 2023 returned “to levels more in line with 2019,” the year before the coronavirus pandemic struck the state.

And Denver is doing comparably well nationally, Eylon said, “offering visitors both sought-after urban experiences and easy access to outdoor activities.”

The study revealed that visitors come to Denver consistently year-round, with a “modest surge” of visitors in the warmer months. And Denver International Airport plays a crucial role in moving those visitors in and out, with 40% of overnight Denver visitors arriving by plane in 2023.

The average overnight Denver visitor spent $427 per trip. In total, nearly $3 billion was spent on transportation, $2.5 billion on lodging and nearly $1.5 billion on drinks and food in 2023. Recreation, sightseeing and entertainment garnered the city $749 million last year, a 9.3% bump over 2022.

California, Texas, Kansas and Florida were the top four states, outside Colorado itself, in sending visitors to the Mile High City in 2023. And the top five cities sending overnight visitors to the city were Los Angeles, Albuquerque/Santa Fe, New York City, Dallas-Ft. Worth and Houston.

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