After years of terribly dry conditions, the 2022-23 winter was truly glorious in the Rockies. We got as much snow as anyone could remember and it stayed cold, creating some spectacular conditions for skate skiing, Nordic ski touring, and anything else you might want to do in the snow.
We skied mostly in the San Juan Mountains in southwest Colorado, but also on Grand Mesa, which is Nordic-Ski-Paradise.
Durango Nordic Center is excellent, as are all of the areas outside of Pagosa Springs, managed by Pagosa Nordic Club. But my favorite Nordic skiing in Colorado has to be Grand Mesa, managed by the Grand Mesa Nordic Council. All three areas have miles and miles of groomed track and are beautiful places to explore. Grand Mesa is a bit off the beaten trail, but there are a handful of small, family-run inns that support people doing winter sports in the area. We stayed at Alexander Lake Lodge, which is a rustic little inn with excellent Polish beer and food. A good time was had by all!
