My Page: Gigi Ragland

Touring

It is easy to see why Jeep tours are popular in Ouray, Colorado. The small town is only nine blocks long and six blocks wide, set in a river valley at 7,792 feet and surrounded by 13,000- to 14,000-foot mountain peaks of the San Juan Mountain Range. Its city streets slope toward the mountains. Ouray, like many Colorado mountain towns, originated as a mining town. The town, founded in 1876, is a mecca for outdoor enthusiasts.

Jeeps here can traverse the steep grades of old wagon trail roads and trails that pose a challenge to traditional vehicles. There are a number of operators to select from depending on interest and length of tour.

A few impressions from a recent tour:

Nordic Skiing

Right now, my glutes, hammies and calf muscles are talking to me. It’s all part of the ski fitness regimen and professional advice from Carol Heitman, certified PSIA-Nordic ski instructor at Jackson Hole.

The nordic center at the resort there offers 20 kilometers of professionally groomed track for classic and skate skiing. Heitman, who has a background in physical therapy training for athletes and clients dealing with injuries and prevention, is also an athlete. In her free time, she indulges in Nordic ski racing, triathlons and long-distance trail running. So I knew I was in expert hands for the half-day nordic fitness session we had planned.

First off, we discussed my goal to increase my fitness level, which included skiing without stopping for an hour and increasing muscle strength. The opportunity to be coached under the instruction of a nordic fitness trainer was a new concept to me. The idea of “working out” with a personal trainer inside a gym was nothing new. But to have a personal training session at the nordic center on the tracks brought the intensity of the gym training to the great outdoors where I would rather be anyway. 

Getaways

In winter, Yellowstone National Park is nature’s crystal cathedral. The landscape transforms into a marvel of textures and shapes all sparkling with an icy diamond allure. It’s why ski-touring or snowshoeing here is a completely unique experience. Imagine skiing near thermal features that exist nowhere else as herd of bison moves across the distance.

I’m reminiscing about a trail I ski-toured at Yellowstone not too far from the snow lodge where I stayed. It led to “white” water crossing, not the fast-river running type of crossing we’re used to. The scenery was stunning. Diamond icy crystals dripped from rocks forming icefalls, pristine white snow blanketed the landscape offering up tracks of the elusive snow hare. I completed a round of turns and the overlook gave way to the valley below with puffing geysers sending off signals that filled the sky. It took my breath away, literally and figuratively. Truly, a winter vacation in Yellowstone is an overwhelmingly beautiful experience. That is, if you can stand the cold. Here’s a tip if you plan on going: Layer, layer, layer. Packing a few toe- and hand-warmers are key, as well.