A little piece of paradise near a whole lot of powder

Brian Metzler, Special to the News

Saturday, December 9, 2006

PAGOSA SPRINGS - Every winter about this time, Arvada resident Jim Stevenson starts watching the weather in the southwest corner of the state. And almost without fail, he finds himself packing his snowboard gear in a flurry and getting on the road in the wee hours of the morning to reach Wolf Creek Ski Area by the time lifts start to roll.

Take, for example, last week. When snow pounded the central and northern resorts with 12 to 18 inches of freshies Nov. 28, Stevenson made a beeline to Wolf Creek, which got buried by a 34-inch mother lode in 24 hours.

The pharmaceutical sales rep rode above-the-knee powder all day long, spending most of his day on Knife Ridge and the hike-to terrain near Horseshoe Bowl.

"It was like it always is on those days, just an insane amount of snow," said Stevenson, who called in sick for work from the parking lot. "The only bad part was that I couldn't rally anyone else to go with me on such short notice. But it was a great day for me."

Because it was a weekday, Stevenson didn't do what he normally does on his impromptu Wolf Creek escapes. Typically, he drives 25 minutes to Pagosa Springs, takes a dip in the hot springs, has dinner and crashes for the night before heading back for another day in the steep and deep.

Although a controversial development has been proposed nearby by an independent group, Wolf Creek has no lodging and only basic facilities at its base area.

But the fact that, up until now, it has been the antithesis of corporate-run megaresorts elsewhere in the state seems just fine in this somewhat forgotten part of ski country, especially on a powder day.

Because of its location at the intersection of two branches of the San Juan Mountains, Wolf Creek gets the most snow of any of the state's 26 resorts, averaging a whopping 465 inches a year. Its 1,600-foot vertical drop isn't big by Colorado standards, but the enormous snowfall spread over 1,600 acres of terrain makes it well worth the drive.

And that's especially true when you consider all that tiny Pagosa has to offer. This hamlet of 1,600 residents is a charming mountain paradise, with its vintage little downtown, comfortable and affordable lodging options, plenty of good restaurants and a variety of winter activities, including, of course, soaking in the hot springs in the center of town.

"A lot of people think of Pagosa as kind of a pit stop between Denver and Durango," said Danyelle Leentjes, sales and marketing manager at The Springs Resort.

"Really, it's a great vacation destination by itself. It's got everything, something that will appeal to everyone - empty nesters, couples, adrenaline junkies. But it's amazing how many people have never heard of Pagosa."

A GUIDE TO PAGOSA SPRINGS

Don't miss

The Lantern Dancer Gallery (136 E. Pagosa St., 1-970-264-6446) and the Wild Spirit Gallery (408 San Juan St., 1-970-264-9453) feature Southwestern jewelry, pottery, sculptures and paintings.

Recreation

Cross-country skiing/snowshoeing

The cross-country trail system operated by Wolf Creek Ski Area has been shut down by the developers of the proposed Village at Wolf Creek. But the West Fork Ski Trail on U.S. 160 about 12 miles east of town has several loops and single-track routes, while Lobo Overlook Trail and Falls Creek Road Trail near the top of Wolf Creek Pass also are popular options.

Ice skating

Spend an hour ice skating at the rink behind Summit Ski & Sports (172 E. Pagosa St., 1-970-264-2456) in the heart of downtown.

The shop rents skates for $8.

Lodging

Pagosa Springs has a variety of lodging options, including spa hotels, budget motels, rental houses, condos and bed- and-breakfasts. Rates range from $30 to $120 a night, but be sure to ask about stay- and-ski packages. Contact the Pagosa Springs Area Chamber of Commerce (1-970-264-2360, pagosa-springs.com) for a complete listing.

Sleigh rides

Go for a romantic sleigh ride at Straddle- a-Saddle horse ranch (1-970-264-5076), which is on the outskirts of town.

Skiing/snowboarding

Wolf Creek Ski Area has 1,600 acres of terrain with six lifts, including the soon-to-debut Raven lift. An adult full-day lift ticket is $46, and the price for children and seniors is $25. Fifty-five percent of the terrain is rated as beginner and intermediate, 25 percent is advanced, and 20 percent is expert only. Lifts run from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day.

Restaurants

• Alley House Grille (214 Pagosa St., 1-970-264-0999) is a new restaurant with "globally influenced cuisine" and gourmet pizza.

• Dogwood Cafe (10 Solomon Drive, 1-970-731-2324) offers Southern-style favorites such as country fried catfish, meatloaf, sweet tea and homemade pies.

• Isabel's (20 Village Drive, 1-970-731-5448) is a small, quaint restaurant with an eclectic American menu.

• JJ's RiverWalk (356 E. U.S. 160, 1-970-264-9100) is a casual place on the San Juan River known for its steaks, elk tenderloin and mountain views.

• Rose Restaurant (408 Pagosa St., 1-970-264-2955) is the best place in town for a traditional pre-ski breakfast of pancakes, eggs, toast and coffee.

• Victoria's Parlor (274 Pagosa St., 1-970-264-0204) is renowned for its European coffees, teas and pastries in the morning and signature soups and decadent desserts later in the day.

Snowmobiling

Roam through open fields and forest trails on a one- or two-hour snowmobile tour with SnowCountry Adventures (1-970-264-7669) or Wolf Creek Outfitters (1-970-264-1415).

Did you know?

Davey Pitcher, president and general manager of family-owned Wolf Creek Ski Area, is the great grandson of Otto Mears, a Russian immigrant who was instrumental in building roads and railroads in southwestern Colorado in the late 1800s.

Hot springs

Situated on the banks of the San Juan River in the heart of downtown, The Springs Resort (165 Hot Springs Blvd., 1-970-264-4168) has 18 nutrient-rich hot pools that range in temperature from 83 to 114 degrees. Soak away the soreness in your legs and rekindle your energy for another day on the slopes. Admission fees are $17.25 for adults and $9 for children, but access is included in any lodging package.

Also adjacent to the river, The Spa at Pagosa Springs (317 Hot Springs Blvd., 1-970-264-5910) has a year-round outdoor swimming pool, as well as men's and women's indoor hot baths ($8 adults, $6 seniors, $5 children). Both The Springs Resort and The Spa at Pagosa Springs feature full-service spas. A few remote, rustic hot springs can be found a short snowshoe hike into the backcountry, but you'll have to find a friendly local to tell you how to get there.

Cheers!

No Colorado ski town is complete without its own microbrewery. Newly opened Pagosa Brewing Co. (100 N. Pagosa Blvd., 1-970-731-2739) features Tony Simmons handcrafted brews with catchy names, including Powder Day IPA, Wolf Creek Wheat, Kayaker Cream Ale and Soaker's Stout. Visit the tasting room from 4 to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday for a sampling.