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A Girlfriend Getaway to EstesPark

JANUARY 19, 2013

Hightop views near Gem Lake inside Rocky Mountain National Park

What’s better than hiking to a gem of a lake, refueling overdelectable dinner and then crashing in a classic mountain cabin

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complete with a wood burning fireplace? Then add onshopping, side by side pedicures, wine tasting and catching aglimpse millions of miles into space through a high poweredtelescope and you have the perfect girlfriend getaway. EstesPark has got it all- so rally up your gals pals and hit the road!

Take the Trails of Rocky Mountain National Park

At the top of Gem Lake inside Rocky Mountain National Park withKirk’s Mountain Adventures

“This park is the jewel of Colorado,” hiking guide MarleneBorneman tells our group of gals as we set off on our expeditionto Gem Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park. Ready to showoff what is only a sliver of the beauty in Estes Park, Marlene ledus on a hike (3.6 mi. R.T.) across the Lumpy Ridge Trailheadnear the Twin Owls. “I always carry a camera. You never knowwhat wildlife you might see,” Marlene says. After climbing justover 900 feet and passing a rock formation that resembles PaulBunyan’s boot, we reached the summit of Gem Lake wheresandy shores sit ready for any hiker ready to take a break.

Our hiking group usually rolls solo to conquer the trails butdecided to switch things up by taking a guided hike with KirksMountain Adventures. The benefit: learning nifty facts alongthe way. “And this is a flower botanists go crazy for. There areonly a few places you will find a rare flower named saxifrage,”Marlene pointed to a beautiful flower tucked into a rock crevice

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that we would have walked by without noticing. As someonethat has climbed all 126 peaks in the park, its commonknowledge.

Taking a trip with a guide from Kirk’s Mountain Adventures ishandy for people of all hiking levels and skills. Guides at Kirk’shelp hikers navigate trails on everything from class 1 to class 5hikes. “This summer I had a group of women come out whothought they couldn’t hike,” says Marlene. “After customizing ahike based on their needs and pace, the group came back formore the next day. I think people are starting to catch on moreto the idea of active vacations,” says Marlene.

If you have the ambitio for an extreme hike but lack experience,a guide can take you on anything as challenging as climbingLong’s Peak or Shark’s tooth. Both are steeper, longer andrequire hands and feet to climb as well as portions that are offtrail. For anyone questioning if they should hike out of theircomfort level, Marlene has some advice: “Healthy risks help youlive longer.”

Pull up to Kirks, located right off Elkhorn Ave. (Estes Park’s MainStreet) to find an adventure of your own.

http://www.kirksmountainadventures.com/

Catch Rest in a Spacious Cabin at McGregor MountainLodge

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Chances are you will meet Lefty, the elk who has made McGregorMountain Lodge his own home.

From the very second you step foot in the McGregor MountainLodge you will feel instantly at home. Our group of galsreceived a bright greeting from the office manager, Susan,before we cozied up in our log cabin. After warming up withcookies straight out of the oven and sipping on spiced cider inthe lobby, Susan loaded us up with fire wood, directions onlighting a one match fire, (no need for the guys on this trip!) andmovies from the well-stocked collection.

Wasting no time, we settled into the Cedar Loge Suites, whichcomfortably sleeps seven. This cabin is ideal for larger groupsthat can chat it up in a shared living space before heading totheir separate rooms once the bedtime hour hits! After revvingup the fire, we swapped stories in our pj’s and settled into our

Chef and brew fest tonight which means juicing for lunch. 15 chefs and 15 breweries will do pairings.… instagram.com/p/gti6XKvIvY/

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new digs overlooking the Continental Divide and Fall River.

At sunrise, we were stunned to look out our log cabin window tosee an elk looking right back at us! Lodge owner, Chris Wood,later told us the elk we saw is around frequently. His nicknameis ‘Lefty’ because he has a battle scar on his left eye, likely froma run in with a mountain lion!

The Cedar Lodge at the McGregor Mountain Lodge ComfortablySleeps Seven

A little about the lodge: The McGregor Mountain Lodge is in aprime spot- 4 miles from Estes Park and 1/2 mile from theentrance of Rocky Mountain National Park, which the cabinsalso back up to. The Lodge has options for groups sleeping asfew as two or up to seven. Rooms are complete with kitchens,wood burning fire places and classic mountain decor.

A little about the lodge owner: Chris Wood headed up to EstesPark 18 years ago after graduating college with the intent ofspending one summer. But the spirit and community of Estes isstill holding him captive! If you ask him what kept him here theanswer is simple: “It was the lifestyle. I mean look at this,” Chrissays pointing to fresh snow on the mountains.

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The Cedar Lodge at the McGregor Mountain Lodge ComfortablySleeps Seven

Chris started by working in housekeeping at the McGregorMountain Lodge, and then eventually was promoted tomanager. Eight years ago, he made the lodge his own afterpurchasing it and bringing his natural hospitality on board. Assomeone that always loved having company as a kid, thedecision to own a business where he could greet companyevery day made perfect sense. ”I was the one that would waitby the door and yell ‘Mom they are here, Dad they are here’Now I get to do that every day,” smiles Chris.

2815 Fall River Road Estes Park, CO 80517

(970) 586-3457

http://www.mcgregormountainlodge.com/

Relax at the Riverpointe Spa

A prime way to relax and catch up with your gals is with a side-by-side pedicure at the Riverpointe Spa. Setting up shop witha wide open view of the Big Thompson River, the spa is tuckedaway off Elkhorn Avenue. Friendly spa employees will makesure you are right at home with spiced cider (whip cream ontop– yes please!) or lavender topped chocolate. Choosebetween the new OPI Gel Lacquer and a traditional pedicure

with polish that dries without a UV lamp. Either way, your feetwill be ready to trek Estes Park for more adventure! We chosethe OPI Gel Pedi which we have found is just as trusty as theshellac but is less damaging on nails. The shine hasn’t rubbedoff and there are no chips to be seen!

Unwind inside the Spa at the Riverpointe Spa with a pedicure

There are two pedicure stations which make for aquiet atmosphere to catch up. If you have a larger group ofladies, there are plenty of other services including facials,massage and of course manicures. Whatever service youchoose, you will be impressed by the accommodating staff andcheerful atmosphere.

121 Weist Drive, 970.577.6841

www.riverspointespa.com

Top off Those Shopping Bags

What better time to fill up the shopping bags than when theguys are out of sight? Shopping is key on most any girlfriendgetaway. From local bookstores, tasty cookie shops, unique artand even a year around Christmas shop, here are somesuggestions to set your shopping gears in motion.

1. What beats 12 days of Christmas? How about 12 months ofChristmas? This is exactly what you will find at the SpruceShop. For more than 40 years, the store has sold all thingsChristmas inside a century-old cottage open year around. Youwill find ornaments, collectibles and seasonal decorations thatwill bring the Christmas spirit to any home.

www.thechristmasshops.com

125 Spruce Drive, 970.586.8510

ts Christmas year around at the Spruce Shop where shoppers can findall things Christmas 12 months out of the year.

2. There is always new art to be seen at The Art Center ofEstes Park. Changing exhibits keep visitors coming back tosee the wide variety of local and regional art, including

paintings, sculpture, photography, textiles, glass work, andwood carvings. If you are not in the market to purchase art,consider taking a class. Workshops include oil painting,sketching, stained glass, and jewelry-making. Cost is usually inthe $50-to-$100 range.

The Art Center of Estes Park

517 Big Thompson Ave., 970.586.5882

www.artcenterofestes.com

3. Macdonald Book Shop does everything a good bookshopshould do – which is a lot more than sell books. The store,nestled inside a log cabin, is a book lovers dream. The friendlystaff will make excellent recommendations you can save forlater or dive right into in one of the many book nooks. Swoop upeither a mainstream novel or choose from books signature toEstes Park highlighting hiking guides, edible Rocky Mountainplants or abandoned ghost towns.

Macdonald Book Shop

152 East Elkhorn, 970.586.3450

http://www.macdonaldbookshop.com/

4. Grandma’s Mountain Cookies of Estes Park

Grandma Barb will not only greet you with a variety of warmcookies, but also a smile that takes the edge off winter. Cookielovers don’t come in just for flavors like oatmeal butterscotch orthe cookie sandwiches overflowing with butterscotch filling,either. The store owner, who introduced herself as GrandmaBarb, strikes up a conversation with all visitors. She also sellsday old cookies with all the profits benefiting an autismfoundation. The walls are decorated with pictures from 11 yearsworth of customers. “I see kids at the mall and say come on up!Grandma wants your picture!” You may even spot some of her17 grandchildren and 6 grandkids on the wall with a warm

cookie in hand.

217 West Elkhorn, 970.577.0967

http://www.grandmasmountaincookies.com/

5.Chicago’s Best Pizza

Thin or Thick? If you prefer the latter Chicago’s Best Pizza iscalling your name! The menu serves up all the classic flavorsand also some out of the norm styles, including the hot wingchicken and the white pizza served with Alfredo sauce, chickenand veggies. You can order up a whole pie or just a slice tochow down on in the casual atmosphere among locals and out-of-town guests. If you come in at prime lunch or dinner hours,be prepared to wait, but it will be well worth it! The family ownedpizza and sandwich shop sits right off Elkhorn Avenue.

Order up pizza at family owned Chicago’s Best in Estes Park

Chicago’s Best Pizza

112 West Elkhorn Avenue, 970.586.4796

Sample Award-Wining Wines at Snowy Peaks Winery

The wine tops of glasses in a handful of restaurants in Estes Park.

What would a girlfriend getaway be without sipping on somelocally crafted wine? And it’s even better when they are craftedwith Colorado grown grapes from Palisade and Burlington. Erikand Candice Mohr, owners of Snowy Peaks Winery, invited ourgroup in on a day when volunteers and family friends were busyfilling, labeling and corking bottles for distribution. We evenmanaged to top off a few bottles ourselves while getting a sneakpeek into the assembly line.

The bottling and winemaking takes place in the basement of thewinery, which is Erik’s territory. Candy has made the upstairsher own, creating a warm and homey tasting room where grape-

loving travelers can sample some of the 20 varietals the winerymakes. Pucker up for everything from sweet to dry, white to redand several blends and dessert wines. You can also find otherColorado made products including cheeses, jams, chocolateand jellies. This is perfect to pack up a picnic in Rocky MountainNational Park along with a few bottles of Snowy Peaks Wines.

Mark up your laminated paper to try the broad spectrum on SnowyPeaks Wineries. You can also select wines from other wineries

About the owners:

Erik says he opened up the winery on a whim, which Candywasn’t always keen on, at least in the beginning. “I was nervousbut there wasn’t any quitting once we started.” she says. “Wesee people come back year after year. I never expected that.”Erik admits he didn’t have professional training of a winemaker,

but with a background in biology he masterfully creates winesthat woo thirsty travelers. “I’m still experimenting even afterseven years,” says Erik. “It’s a lot of hard work but it’s payingoff.”

Snowy Peaks Winery

292 Moraine Avenue, (970) 586-2099

You can also order the Wine Online:

http://www.snowypeakswinery.bravehost.com/

Enjoy a Savory Dinner at Twin Owls Steakhouse

Trading in one fireplace for the next, we left the McGregorMountain Lodge for a homemade dinner at the Twin OwlsSteakhouse, situated just north of downtwon, along MacGregorAvenue. After receiving a friendly greeting from the owner, ThadEggen, we sat down in the dimly lit two story log cabin for someof the best eats in town. The property was built in 1929 as afamily home but now offers the quintessential mountain diningexperience complete with a floor to ceiling fire place, highbeamed ceilings and open windows showing off views of BlackCanyon and the surrounding Rocky Mountain National Park.

Enjoy live music at Twin Owls Steakhouse in Estes Park Friday Nights

The menu doesn’t skimp on any category: choose from made-to-order cut steaks, game, poultry, pork, seafood andsandwiches. If you aren’t in the market for a full meal, theappetizer selections include everything from scallops, capreseand cheese plates. If you want a specialty item, order up theLumpy Ridge Elk Kabob’s ($13). Each menu item also comeswith a suggestion for a wine pairing, just too tempting, right?Lucky for us, this trip was about a girlfriend getaway!

The restaurant is open for dinner on Friday, Saturday andSunday nights through April. On Friday, enjoy the sounds ofEstes Park singer and guitarist, James Davis.

About the owners: Husband and wife Thad Eggen andSandra Huerta own Twin Owls Steakhouse. As a former

Spanish teacher at Estes Park High School, Thad sees severalfamiliar faces of former students and teachers. His wife, SandraHuerta manages all the events and wedding planning whileThad focuses on the restaurant side. “Sandra keeps everythingrunning smoothly. She is so detail orientated. She dot’s the I’sand crosses the T’s,” says Thad. The two also have a 6-year-oldson who has developed quite the palette from spending somuch time in a restaurant. “He tends to eat things like smokedsalmon for a snack. It’s funny because when I was that age I ateslices of cheese and cinnamon toast.”

After seeing the charm of the restaurant cabin situatednear Rocky Mountain National Park, it’s easy to see why theattached event space is sought after for special events andweddings. Twin Owls Steakhouse was named a top pick forweddings by The Knot. This spot is also exactly where Sandraand Thadd said “I Do.” http://www.theknot.com/Vendors/Twin-Owls-Steakhouse-at-the-Black-Canyon-Inn/Profile/cAr/020/360670/Profile.

800 MacGregor Avenue, 970.586.9344

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FILED UNDER: ADVENTURE & ENTERTAINMENT, COLORADO ESCAPES,FEATUREDTAGGED WITH: CATCH CARRI, ESTES PARK, GETAWAYS, MOUNTAINESCAPES, ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK, VACATION IDEAS

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