Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
( 719-486-1750;
www.tennesseepass.com
;
Hwy 24; trail pass adult/child $14/10; 8:30am-5pm Dec-mid-Apr)
Snowshoers and cross-country skiers come here to get their Leadville fix. Some 15 miles
of groomed trails extend from the base of Ski Cooper, but the highlight is the 1-mile haul
to your favorite gourmet yurt: the Tennessee Pass Cookhouse (
Click here
)
.
Ski Cooper
( 800-707-6114;
www.skicooper.com
;
Hwy 24; lift ticket adult/child $47/27; 9am-4pm Dec-mid-Apr)
Ski
Cooper offers about 500 acres of skiable terrain, a dedicated snowboard terrain park, and
backcountry thrills through the snowcat tours on Chicago Ridge ($299). It's small but af-
fordable, and a great place for beginning and intermediate skiers and boarders. It's just
north of Leadville on Hwy 24, at Tennessee Pass.
SNOW SPORTS
RAILWAY
Leadville, Colorado & Southern Railroad
( 866-386-3936;
www.leadville-train.com
; 326 E 7th St; adult/child $35/20; late May-early Oct)
Originating
in Leadville, the LC&S follows the old Denver, South Park and Pacific, and Colorado and
Southern lines to the Continental Divide. Time it right and you'll see fields of wildflowers
give way to panoramas across the Arkansas River Valley. Your tour guide will fill you in
on Leadville's bawdy past along the way. All trips are 2½ hours; engine and caboose seat-
ing is extra.
Festivals & Events
CYCLING
Leadville Trail 100
(
www.leadvilleraceseries.com
; Jun-Jul)
The Leadville 100 is one of the most famous and longest
mountain-bike races in the world. Imagine 100 miles of lung-crushing, adrenaline-fueled
riding on the old silver-mining roads that go from 9200ft to 12,424ft and back again. But
the Leadville Trail races are not just about the mountain bikers.
The whole thing started as a 100-mile foot race (45 racers started, only 10 finished),
and they still offer that run every year, along with a half-marathon, a 50-mile bike race
and a 24-hour mountain-bike race. If you're interested in the run, you should also think
about attending the annual training camp.
Sleeping
