Outdoor Recreation around Denver (Colorado Springs, Boulder: middle-class, fit in, neighborhoods)

[silviodante]

Just curious, if one wasn't really into skiing or winter sports, but loves the outdoors otherwise, what months are the mountains around Denver (or in the whole state for that matter) accessible for non-winter activities (hiking, mountain biking, river kayaking)? And by "accessible" I mean not trudging through snow, and are common times to be doing these activities.

Also, if any of you have any comments on whether the outdoor lifestyle is as great there as it's hyped up to be.

Would you say the main type of Denverite (or at least Front Ranger) who enjoys the outdoors is (1) the mountain man, hunter, cowboy mentality type, (2) the "corporate granola" type (yuppies who shop at places like Whole Foods and have $2000 GPS systems with them when they hike) or (3) back-to-nature hippie types. I know all three exist, just wondering what the dominant strand is.

Thanks guys.

[Rawlings]

Originally Posted by silviodante

Just curious, if one wasn't really into skiing or winter sports, but loves the outdoors otherwise, what months are the mountains around Denver (or in the whole state for that matter) accessible for non-winter activities (hiking, mountain biking, river kayaking)? And by "accessible" I mean not trudging through snow, and are common times to be doing these activities.

Also, if any of you have any comments on whether the outdoor lifestyle is as great there as it's hyped up to be.

Would you say the main type of Denverite (or at least Front Ranger) who enjoys the outdoors is (1) the mountain man, hunter, cowboy mentality type, (2) the "corporate granola" type (yuppies who shop at places like Whole Foods and have $2000 GPS systems with them when they hike) or (3) back-to-nature hippie types. I know all three exist, just wondering what the dominant strand is.

Thanks guys.

Oh man, I love this question! I do cross-country skiiing at the local park/nature area in my suburb but I don't really go to the mountains much during the Winter. I think the mountains' draw is actually MORE for Summer sports than the skiing. Friend, if you're into hiking and fishing you've pretty much hit pay dirt in Denver. You're like 30 minutes from the middle of nowhere. Everything is VERY accesible. You can hike deep into the wilderness for a fishing or hunting spot or you can just follow the signs on yoru hike. You can find totally untouched areas or head where the masses go. It's totally up to you.

Now--and I love this part--about what the average Denverite is like. You're absolutely correct in your characterization of the three main groups of us. Here's how I'd break it down:

45% "the "corporate granola" type (yuppies who shop at places like Whole Foods and have $2000 GPS systems with them when they hike)"

-These are the conservative, evangelical suburban yuppies who live especially in the south metro area and in many parts of the Springs. These are the folks in suit and tie, driving an SUV or Volvo, with a Jesus fish and Bush bumpersticker and ski rack. Usually there's like five kids in the back. Lol. There's LOTS of these guys around.

35% "the mountain man, hunter, cowboy mentality type,"

-This is the dying breed of the old-time Coloradan. This is the force behind Colorado's famous 'gun culture.' I think that the corporate granola types actually get into hunting and guns and fishing and whatever because they really want to become the 'traditional, native, Coloradan.' You'll find these folks all throughout the metro area and especially Colorado Springs. These are the drivers of giant pick-ups, new and old--these are also big bikers.

20% " back-to-nature hippie types"

-This is basically Boulder and parts of Denver and Ft. Collins. But even in Boulder the hippies are moving out because it's so expensive--they're heading to SW Arkansas, Austin, and Vermont. Most of these kinds of people you'll meet are really the corporate granola types who find the western hippie lifestyle appealing. You won't find many of these types outside of Boulder and the resort towns. These are the hybrids and 1977 Volvos you see lots of in Boulder and in parts of Denver with Kerry stickers and a peace sign on their car. It's an interesting bunch of folks--many of them natives--and they usually keep the peace.

These groups usually get along. The hippie types are pretty much into their own thing and don't bother anyone else. The mountain men--many of whom are natives--tend to resent the suburbanized, bland culture the granola corporate folks bring. The mountain men are kind of the old libertarian brand and they resent both the liberal hippies and evangelical corporate types. But nevertheless folks get along and find a way to share the same road and even work together. Especially since the hippie folks live in their own little bubble that is Boulder they rarely get in the way. And the mountain men and corporate granola-eaters and latte-sippers tend to unite in political and other causes so things run pretty smoothly.

[Katarina Witt]

The mountains are accessible for non-skiing activities from approximately May - Sept, sometimes into October. Fall is usually better than spring for hiking, rock climbing, mountain biking, etc.

In my opinion, people do more outdoor activities here than where I came from (Champaign, IL), but less than they say they do.

My guess is that there are more of type 2 than any other.

[winglady]

Actually, I'd say there are a huge number of hikers/outdoors lovers who combine a mixture of your 3 stereotypes.

We've been members of the Colorado Mountain Club (CMC) for decades, and have met far more than our share of people into hiking, climbing, skiing, backpacking, etc. through the club, which once had a membership of about 10,000 (it's a bit lower than that currently).

A "typical" person (LOL) in CMC:

-politically: somewhat liberal to extremely liberal

-works as an engineer/systems analyst/scientist/other technical field and has a post-graduate degree in same

-either loves (and owns) all the latest high-tech gear and clothing OR feels that nobody needs any gear that wasn't available to climbers in the early 1900s

-doesn't care for guns/hunting; dislikes motorized vehicles in the backcountry

-drives a Subaru

-wears Tevas or Keen sandels year 'round (neither snow nor sleet...)

-fancies themselves as a beer connoisseur OR drinks red wines -- but for health reasons only!

[High Altitude]

There are plenty of places you can go in winter even if you aren't into snow sports. At lower elevations in the foothills there isn't snow on the ground all winter long. I hit up Eldo to go climbing all the time in the winter.

[masalamomma]

This is too funny, gave me a good laugh. I fit into Category 1.

Quote: "the "corporate granola" type (yuppies who shop at places like Whole Foods and have $2000 GPS systems with them when they hike)"

I do shop periodically at Whole Foods. And I do have a $2000 GPS, but it is in my Honda Oddysey Minivan, not something I take with me on a hike. And yes, I do have a pile of kids in the back of my minivan, but there are no stickers on the back of it or a ski rack. I don't ski - it stresses me out.

But I am only conservative when it comes to what my children are exposed to. I am not evangelical or a Bush supporter - quite the opposite actually. I rather like Obama for 2008.

I think the kind of people you find will depend on the part of town. The south suburbs are mostly of Type 1. I think Type 2 is more outlying areas - West and East and South. Type 3 - definately Boulder.

Incidently, we just went for a family hike in Rocky Mountain National Park yesterday. The upper elevation trails were still snow covered, and many people were using snow shoes. But the lower elevation trails were clear for the most part, but muddy or snow covered in some shady spots.

We then had a late lunch in Boulder, and there were many a freaky people walking around (and I mean that in a loving way) - hippie types, and people with lots of spikes, and many with smurf colored hair. Not that any of that is bad - I was the same way in college. But I am much MUCH older now and moved on from that.

Personally, I never got the whole Teva craze. Or the Croc one for that matter. I am a Clarks girl.

[dj32]

I agree with winglady and masalmomma- I think most people are a combo of the 2. I love Colorado in the summer as well and we've done some of the closer in hikes (Sanidas in Boulder as well as hikes at dinosaur ridge and red rocks)well into the winter if things are staying pretty warm in Denver.

[Rawlings]

It's entertaining to hear Boulderites discuss Denver (or, the other way around, Denverites describe Boulder). You'd think they're talking about a different country! Most days, I'm not so sure that it's not...

Like I said above, Boulder has a few of the granola yuppies--but it's MO is definately the hippie-type. Denver is completely the opposite. It has a few hippies in urban neighborhoods or whatever--but outside of that you'll find a non-stop cavalcade of the Whole Foods yuppies in SUVs with Bush stickers. I guess you can understand why Denver is so removed from Boulder despite it's relative geographical proximity.

I guess it's really something you have to see for yourself. Boulder is so fun--and for many of us, so annoying--because it's a very blue city--like a Berkeley or something--in a big ol' sea of red state conservatism. What a state!

[POdNCrazee]

This place is an outdoor paradise, live it, love it.

I hate to bust up Rawlings little party, but the 90's was certainly the dying gasp for hippies in Boulder. Many just moved up the canyon to Nederland, CO. The "weirdo's" you see in Boulder are actually young college students from middle and upper-middle class families or homeless transients (LOL ! Hard to tell the difference nowadays. Hah hah)

The modern day Beatniks, hipsters, and hippies have left Boulder. Alot of the squares around here just refuse to see this. Boulder is not weird, and it's not hippy. It's a very middle-class, pretentious, conservative town (although there is a rediculously false veneer of hipness or liberalism here).

[Rawlings]

Originally Posted by POdNCrazee

This place is an outdoor paradise, live it, love it.

I hate to bust up Rawlings little party, but the 90's was certainly the dying gasp for hippies in Boulder. Many just moved up the canyon to Nederland, CO. The "weirdo's" you see in Boulder are actually young college students from middle and upper-middle class families or homeless transients (LOL ! Hard to tell the difference nowadays. Hah hah)

The modern day Beatniks, hipsters, and hippies have left Boulder. Alot of the squares around here just refuse to see this. Boulder is not weird, and it's not hippy. It's a very middle-class, pretentious, conservative town (although there is a rediculously false veneer of hipness or liberalism here).

For Pete's sake, PodNCrazee! Lighten up, friend. I went to school in Boulder. I can't stand Boulder. And I agree 100% with what you said about Boulder. It is, as I've seen once written, 'neo-victorian.' You're right that's it's a closet-conservative town. The racial tensions are enormous and gays are definately NOT welcome there.

For years Boulderites tried to change this state--and Denver. But all along it was Denver and the suburban, Christian yuppies who were working their changes on Boulder.

Still, I wouldn't go as far as you with Boulder. They still vote very liberally and you still see some crazy liberal stuff on the bumpers of cars. It's kind of like the reverse of Vermont. In Vermont the old conservative, gun-totin' coots were booted out by the migrating New Yorkers and hippies. In Colorado it's the hippie old-timers getting booted by the upwardly-mobile conservatives and evangelicals.