People could have encountered the highly contagious virus at the following locations:

• Taylor Park Trading Post, 23044 County Road 742, Almont, between 4 and 7 p.m. July 12. Symptoms could develop through Aug. 2.
• Gunnison Valley Health Hospital, 711 N. Taylor St., Gunnison, between 3 p.m. July 16 and 10 a.m. July 17. Symptoms could develop through Aug. 8.

Anyone who visited either of those two locations within the exposure windows should watch for symptoms, and seek medical help if they develop. Calling ahead to the clinic or emergency room the person plans to visit can help prevent further exposures.

Measles symptoms include fever, cough, a runny nose, red eyes and a rash that typically starts on the face. The rash usually appears about four days after a person becomes contagious.

Two doses of the measles vaccine reduce the odds of getting the virus by about 97%. Receiving the vaccine within three days of an exposure can also lower the chances of getting sick, though not by as much as getting vaccinated well in advance.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment didn’t release any information about the visitor.

Colorado has recorded 16 cases of measles so far this year. Four people needed hospital care, but none have died. Most were people who picked up the virus while traveling overseas, or were on a flight with someone who was contagious.

In a typical year, the state has two or fewer cases.

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In August, Neptune Mountaineering will launch “Second Send,” selling pre-owned mountaineering apparel, footwear, camping and skiing equipment. A gear buy-back program will start in mid-August with sellers paid in cash or store credit. That inventory will go on sale Labor Day weekend.

“We’re talking about it as a used gear ecosystem, because there is still so much life left in some of the high-quality goods that our industry puts out,” said store owner Maile Spung.

The store was founded in 1973 by Gary Neptune, a Boulder mountaineer with several major ascents to his credit, including Mount Everest. He sold the store when he retired in 2013, and there were two intervening owners before Spung took over in 2021. She also owns the Ute Mountaineer in Aspen, which, like Neptune, is a legacy store.

Neptune won’t be the only second-hand mountaineering shop in the metro area. Others include Feral mountain gear in Denver’s Berkeley neighborhood and Wilderness Exchange near downtown in LoHi.

“There are a lot of economic factors that are at play, in that everything is getting more expensive in our consumers’ lives,” Spung said. “We really want to make sure we’re lowering the barrier to entry. We believe everyone should have access to the outdoors.”

Another factor at play is uncertainty over tariffs placed on gear manufactured overseas.

“Every couple of days we’re getting emails from our vendors about price increases,” Spung said. “Even with the uncertainty around the tariffs, the vendors are building in price increases to protect themselves. Unfortunately, that passes along to the consumer.”

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Some dinners are just better eaten outside.

Cooked over a crackling fire, surrounded by pitch pines, lightning bugs and scurrying squirrels, even something simple like a skillet of nachos can go from good to remarkable. The smoke of a wood fire swirls into the beans. The cheese sizzles crisp. Some chips toast to an admirable char.

Campfire cooking can seem complicated, what with the planning, packing and schlepping involved in fashioning a temporary kitchen in the great outdoors. But keep the meal ideas, tools and setup simple and campfire cooking might just be more enjoyable than cooking at home.

My partner and I have twice circled the United States in our camper van, but we knew very little when we set out. We learned as we went. There were many nights of cooking out in the wind and rain and jet-black sky, a lot of ramen. Not every night was dreamy, but every morning we were glad to wake up where we were.

There’s nothing quite like cooking over live fire — and no two times are ever the same — but with this basic intel, you might just do it again and again. If you’re camp cooking-curious and don’t know where to start, you’re in the right place.

How do I build a fire?

Humans have been cooking food over fire for at least 780,000 years, so there are many ways to effectively start one. I typically prepare dinner while my partner gets the fire going (Camping Lesson 1: Divide and conquer), but he taught me a method that even newbies like me can pull off. Watch it on youtube.com/nytcooking.

Some Safety Notes

— Always follow local rules and regulations. Some campsites will have pits with grates for you; others may have a fire ban (in which case, it’s sandwiches for dinner).

— Use wood that was bought or acquired locally to avoid transporting invasive species.

— Keep a bucket of water near for emergencies — and to put out the fire before going to bed.

— Be sure to stir the water with the embers so they’re all drenched.

What kind of equipment is especially helpful?

The tools you’ll use to cook over a campfire aren’t that different from what you use at home, save for long tongs and a dish bin, so bring a curated selection of what you already have in your kitchen. When we were packing, whatever tool I used when cooking over the course of a week went into a box for the van. If I’d used it at home, chances were I’d want it camping, too.

You probably need only one skillet; I use a large, carbon-steel skillet for most things. And certain tools have multiple uses. For instance, a sheet pan can be a table to put tools on, a tray for prepped ingredients, a platter for finished food, a lid for your skillet, a fan to get the fire roaring. (During one winter in Montana, I even used it as a sled.)

How do I keep my food from burning right up?

It can be tempting to cook directly over big, glowing, roaring flames, but they’ll end up charring your food completely. Instead, wait for the flames to die down a bit: A fire is ready to cook on when the logs have broken down into coals that glow orange and are covered with a layer of gray ash. That’s your cue to arrange a grill grate over the coals and let it heat, then add your food, preferably in a skillet, which can be a safer bet than cooking over the grates at the campsite.

If you do find your food consumed by flames, move it to a cooler part of the fire. Look for areas where the coals aren’t as red or bright, or hold your hand a few inches above different parts of the coals to feel their temperature. Avoid spraying the flames with water, which will spray the ash onto your food.

Essential Tips for Camp Cooking

— Go easy on yourself when building a campfire, and feel free to use supermarket fire starters.

— A carbon-steel skillet can be much easier to use (and lighter to pack!) than a cast-iron skillet.

— Tongs can do double-duty, moving food and wood around.

— Kitchen shears are your friend: Cut ingredients like kimchi right in the jar, or scallions right over your bowl to avoid cleaning a messy cutting board.

— Choose meals that don’t require a lot of measurements: Eyeballing ingredients means less dishwashing.

How do I build a meal in a foil packet?

When you’re camping, a foil packet — aluminum foil envelopes of ingredients — can be especially helpful. It’s essentially a single-serve steamer, so anything that can be steamed can be foil-packed. And when you’re ready to cook, all you’ll need to do is put the packet on the coals or grill grate.

Because you’re aiming to cook a number of ingredients in a single packet and working with the unpredictability of a campfire, there can be a lot to get right, so it can be helpful to streamline.

For instance, use already cooked proteins, like canned beans, rotisserie chicken and kielbasa or other smoked sausages, and quick-cooking vegetables, like frozen peas, cherry tomatoes, baby spinach or corn. If you want to eat something heartier, like carrots or potatoes, consider precooking them.

Be sure to add some oil or butter inside to keep ingredients from sticking, and go for heavy-duty or a double wrap of foil to avoid leaking. Because the ingredients aren’t getting any color, your dinner might need a little boost of flavor at the end. A spoonful of pesto or another sauce, fresh herbs, a sprinkle of cheese or a squeeze of lemon or lime are great for that.

Some Foil Packet Suggestions

— Pair canned white beans with cherry tomatoes, pesto and a dollop of ricotta. Top cooked packets with arugula.

— Top kielbasa with thinly sliced bell peppers and sauerkraut. Finish the cooked packets with thinly sliced scallions.

— Tuck corn kernels alongside shredded rotisserie chicken and canned green chiles. Eat with tortillas, cilantro and a squeeze of lime.

— Pair store-bought gnocchi with chopped asparagus, frozen peas, butter and lemon.

— Cut a banana, in its peel, from tip to tip, and stuff it with mini marshmallows, chocolate and peanuts before wrapping in foil and warming in the fire until gooey and warm for a banana boat.

How do I make coffee?

Important question. I make pour-over coffee at home, so I do that when camping, too. Boil a pot or kettle of water on the camp stove, then pour the water into a pour-over set on an insulated travel mug (I like the Zojirushi). If that’s too involved at daybreak, consider instant coffee.

What should I think about when picking a recipe to cook over a campfire?

If you’re new to campfire cooking, go easy on yourself and make something familiar. Choose a skillet recipe you already love, since the cooking is similar when you set a skillet on a grill grate.

That said, fire is a wild thing, so there’s something to letting it do its thing and cooking something flexible on it. That usually means something vegetarian or a protein that is hard to overcook, like boneless, skinless chicken thighs.

What are some good camp snacks?

— Something salty and crunchy: An Old Bay party mix was a big hit with our Fourth of July camping crew last year (including the critters that weaseled their way into our food).

— Something juicy and refreshing: Bring cut fruits and vegetables, like watermelon and cucumbers, and a jar of chaat masala to sprinkle on them.

— Something sweet: Cocoa granola satisfies chocolaty cravings without worry of melting in the summer sun.

What are some easy one-pot recipes with minimal cleanup?

When my editor Margaux Laskey goes camping with her family, she always makes a one-pot tortellini with meat sauce. Other good options: gnocchi, saucy beans, tacos, chili, smashed beef kebabs. Chopped cheese!

But most important, the great outdoors plus wood smoke make whatever you’re cooking especially delicious, so don’t worry too much: It doesn’t need to be elaborate to taste special.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

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“My hands still smell like fish,” one of the Owls — an 11-year-old named Jackson Dana — said. He’d caught two that morning.

Jackson, fitted with a helmet and harness, ran off to the wall, but his twin Kacy lingered behind. She and two friends huddled around a 5-year-old golden retriever named Rosie, who lounged on the ground as they rubbed her belly.

“I like puppies; they are my favorite,” Kacy said. “I like Rosie better than climbing.”

She and Jackson started coming to Camp Comfort in Empire — a mining town about 45 minutes west of Denver — after their mother died last year. At camp, the twins were among dozens of children who understood what they were going through, who knew what it’s like to only have one parent and what it means to grieve during adolescence.

Everyone attending Camp Comfort knows someone who died.

The summer camp’s main purpose is to help children like Jackson and Kacy through their grieving process after a loved one has died by combining traditional camp activities — bonfires, hikes — with group sharing sessions.

More than 1,900 children have attended Camp Comfort since it began in 1995. Mount Evans Home Health Care and Hospice oversees the camp, which serves children ages 6 to 12.

Camp can help children become comfortable with opening up about their loss when they aren’t ready for traditional therapy, Camp Comfort Director Ashley Collins said.

“The camp is such a natural space for a child,” she said. “…Kids are kids. They want to play.”

A reporter and photographer from The Denver Post spent part of a recent Saturday with the Owls, including during two sessions when the children talked about their grief, to better understand how the camp works.

On that day, Camp Comfort had set aside time during a jam-packed day of fishing, swimming and rock climbing for the children to open up about loss. The Owls — the camp’s 10- and 11-year-olds — were scheduled to do so after rock climbing.

But Kacy was nervous to talk about her mom.

“Over time, I just knew to leave it alone,” she later said. “It’s just there. We don’t really talk about her.”

The rock climbing drew Kacy’s attention from Rosie as her brother reached the top in 57 seconds.

“I can do it faster,” Kacy said before rushing to put on a harness and helmet.

Jackson took up the wall again. He wanted to beat his first time — and that of his friends. Jackson reached the top within 45 seconds the second time, but cut it to 40 seconds after a third attempt.

“You got this, Kacy,” he told his sister when her turn came. “Some (rocks) are loose, by the way. You got this!”

Kacy scaled the wall and rang the bell at the top in 27 seconds.

“Do it again,” Jackson told her.

Kacy’s second attempt was even faster.

“Twenty-two seconds!” Jackson said. “Bro, I’ve got to tell the group that. I’m going to be screaming in their face, ‘A girl beat your time!’”

“Jackson, a girl beat your time — by a lot,” Kacy replied.

‘I called her Mom’

The Owls sat in a circle in one of the cabins on Easterseals Colorado’s sprawling Rocky Mountain Village Camp facility, where Camp Comfort is held.

The Owls were among more than 40 children who spent the weekend at the overnight camp in mid-July. Camp Comfort will run a day camp in Golden later this week for families that aren’t ready to send their children away for a weekend, Collins said.

Kacy settled beside Rosie, clutching a stuffed animal in her lap. Jackson sat nearby.

Collins led the sharing session, during which she asked the children to show a photo of their relative who died and to tell the group about them.

Jackson was the second person to volunteer. He passed around a photo of himself with his mom at a Colorado Rockies game.

She died of a rare autoimmune disease, Jackson told the group.

And her name was Stephanie, he said when asked by Collins.

But, Jackson added, “I called her Mom.”

An estimated 1 in 12 children in Colorado will lose a parent or sibling by the time they are 18, according to a report by Judi’s House, a grief nonprofit in Aurora.

Several Owls said they had a parent die. One lost a younger sibling. Others grieved cousins and uncles.

D-Angelo Tuggle, known to the campers as D-Lo, lost his cousin Za’riyah Thomas, who was shot when she was 16. He wasn’t alone; other children said they also had a family member who was murdered.

D-Lo and his cousin, who he called ZZ, used to eat vanilla ice cream with sprinkles and gummy bears together.

“She used to stand up for me,” the 10-year-old told the other children.

But one day, three years ago, D-Lo woke up and his dad was crying. ZZ had died, he said. D-Lo later said it helped to talk about his cousin. Sharing, he said, was “cool.”

A death disrupts a child’s life and can lead to poor outcomes at school, according to the Judi’s House report, which said grief can also increase the risk of other mental health problems, including suicide or substance use.

The U.S. surgeon general has called youth mental health challenges “the defining public health crisis of our time” as suicide rates have increased nationwide and more children report feeling anxious or depressed.

Camp Comfort helps grieving children learn coping skills and teaches them that it’s OK to feel sad or angry after someone they know died, Collins said.

“We want them to express how they are feeling,” she said.

Rap battles, Batman and a sloth

Jayden Lewis, 11, told the Owls he saw his father murdered in front of him and had to call 911.

He also told them that he liked to do rap battles with his dad.

“Before he died, he said we’d make a rap,” Jayden said.

They never got to, but Jayden planned a rap performance for Camp Comfort’s talent show later that night.

Another Owl, Elleese Richmond, told the group her father died of carbon monoxide poisoning.

“I loved how he’d always make these funny jokes that weren’t really funny,” she said.

When she was 5, Elleese said, “I was really depressed.”

A teacher noticed and asked Elleese for one of her dad’s shirts and made it into a teddy bear for the now-11-year-old. Elleese showed the teddy bear to the group and told everyone how her dad used to call his car the “Batmobile.”

“I thought he looked like Batman,” Jayden told Elleese after looking at the photo of her father.

Kacy told the group at the start of the sharing session that her favorite animal was a sloth. What she didn’t tell the other kids was that a sloth became her favorite animal after her mom died. Kacy also didn’t tell them the stuffed animal in her lap — a sloth — came from her mom’s hospital room.

The plushie, aptly named Slothy, was given to Kacy’s mom after she got sick. Their mom used to show Kacy and Jackson her stuffed animals when they visited the hospital. By then, their mom couldn’t really talk, Kacy said.

Slothy is her main coping mechanism, Kacy said.

She was too nervous to talk about their mom during the circle.

“It’s a little hard,” she said later.

‘My dad is too sad’

Kacy and Jackson battled in what she called the “biggest competition ever” as the Owls took to the archery field after lunch.

Jackson scored 17 points. Try to beat that, he told his sister.

“Bet,” Kacy replied.

Kacy was quiet, but confident in her athletic ability. She loved rock climbing and liked the camp’s zip line last year, but it was broken this summer.

She’s a minute older than Jackson. Kacy was also the Owls’ self-proclaimed “taxi,” giving friends piggyback rides.

She kept in contact with friends she met at the camp last year. Some of them also only have one parent, so they have a similar experience, Kacy said.

“You kind of get jealous of other people,” she said. “…They get to hang out with a mom and I don’t, and it makes it hard sometimes.”

At home in Aurora, it’s just Kacy, Jackson and their dad. She’s the only girl living with all boys.

“My dad is too sad to talk about it, so my family doesn’t talk about it to help my dad out,” Kacy said of losing her mom.

Kacy wasn’t ready to share about her mom, but she was for archery.

Her first arrow struck the black ring on the target, the furthest one from the yellow bullseye in the center.

“I think I have to arch my arrow more and up the side,” she said.

Kacy adjusted her bow. The next arrow hit the blue ring, an improvement. She took a deep breath, then fired a third arrow and hit the red ring. Any better and she would have nailed the bullseye.

Her final arrow struck the blue ring again.

“I got more (points) than my brother,” Kacy said.

‘Mixed feelings’

The Owls assembled in a circle again after archery to talk about their feelings. But first, campers needed to finish sharing about their loved ones.

Kacy went last.

She showed the other kids a photo of her and her mom smiling after a run.

“I have a bunch of her active stuff,” Kacy said, adding that she was given her mom’s clothes.

Collins, the camp director, asked Kacy what she missed most about her mom.

“Girl talk,” Kacy said.

She and her mom used to paint their nails together.

“I don’t paint my nails anymore,” Kacy said.

The Owls said grief made them feel sad. They also felt depressed, frustrated, angry and afraid.

“You have mixed feelings, and you don’t know what to show for emotion,” Elleese told the camp director.

Collins asked the children to write a word on a piece of poster board that described how grief made them feel. Kacy knelt and wrote three words. She then sat back on the floor and hugged her knees and held Slothy to her chest.

She’d written that she felt worried, mad and confused.

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The local firm, best known for buying the shuttered Veterans Affairs hospital in eastern Denver, opened a glamping spot on the Grant side of Guanella Pass at the end of May.

Since then, 500 nature lovers have spent the night at Lostfork Basecamp, which has nine cabins, nine spaces for RVs and nine sites to pitch a tent. They have enjoyed nearby hikes, cold plunge pools, saunas and a man-made beach along Geneva Creek.

The plan is to add canvas tents with decks next year.

“The creek there flows into the north fork of the South Platte, so this area was kind of the forgotten fork,” said Skyler Moore, co-founder of Modus Real Estate, GM’s brokerage arm.

“And the reason we called it basecamp is because Geneva Ski Basin is up there,” fellow co-founder Ben Gearhart added. Charles Moore, who founded GM with Gearhart in 2014, is the third musketeer of the group.

That former ski area closed in the 1980s, but is sought out by backcountry skiers, who GM hopes will keep Lostfork hopping come wintertime. The 300-square-foot cabins come with a personal hot tub.

The spot also has a venue for weddings, concerts and other events, and Moore said nearly all event slots are booked through 2026. Being just over an hour from Denver was a big plus, Gearhart said, since there are no similar luxury campsites that close.

“That’s a big challenge in the wedding and camping worlds, to identify a spot 60 minutes from Denver with a mountainside river,” Moore said.

The pair said building out Lostfork took about two-and-a-half years and $3.7 million, including the cost of buying the 10 acres, 4 of which have been developed. Gaining the proper zoning and water rights were the two biggest hiccups, but once construction started, it was relatively smooth.

Cabins range from $175 to $550 depending on the date. An RV spot with a hookup goes for between $95 and $115, and a tent pad costs $75 to $85.

The pair have launched a bike race in an effort to make Lostfork a destination. The Lostfork Lung Buster’s 65-mile course takes riders over both sides of Guanella Pass to Georgetown and back, with 6,500 feet of vertical gain. The inaugural event was held this year shortly before Memorial Day, when the road over the pass opens to vehicles, and the plan is to do it annually.

Come wintertime, Moore and Gearhart plan to create a makeshift hockey rink in the RV park for pond skating enthusiasts. Snowshoeing and crosscountry skiing will also be draws, they said.

This is the first time the two have built a campsite. They said having a luxury oasis close to Denver was the biggest draw. They’d like to develop another, but said the importance of picking the right spot — with ample space, water and much to explore nearby — is not lost on them.

“Building in the mountains is tough,” Moore said. “And that’s something we learned the hard way, that you have to be hands on.”

Back in Denver, GM is looking to convert the former VA hospital into apartments.

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“Stunning views of wildflower-filled meadows, dense forests, and the pristine Lost Lake itself, which mirrors the surrounding peaks,” one wrote on The Dyrt, a website and app that provides user-generated reviews and photos of campgrounds and RV sites all over the country.

Rocky Mountain National Park’s largest campground reopens after two years

“Beautiful and peaceful. This is a great campground -- the lake is beautiful and there are several trails that leave from here. Friendly hosts and clean/well-maintained," wrote another.

Located 16 miles west of Crested Butte, off Kebler Pass Road, Lost Lake Campground was ranked number one on a list produced this week by The Dyrt. The company compiles the list using reviews and ratings from "its vast community of campers," according to a statement.

Calling it "a serene alpine retreat where a camping trip almost feels like a reward just for becoming a camper," The Dyrt compared the lake on a clear day to a "postcard come to life."

Lost Lake, at $20 a night, is first-come, first-served. There are 18 sites (including RV sites), each with fire rings and picnic tables. It is open from mid-June through September.

"Visitors can enjoy a variety of activities, including fishing in Lost Lake and Dollar Lake, hiking the Three Lakes Trail and Beckwith Pass, and observing the vibrant wildflowers that bloom for just a few weeks in July and August," The Dyrt wrote.

A second Colorado campground also made the top ten list: White Star Campground, which is located near Mount Elbert in the Pike-San Isabel National Forest.

"White Star is situated at 9,200 feet and offers stunning views of Twin Lakes Reservoir and easy access to outdoor activities," the Dyrt wrote. "The campground features three loops: Sage, Ridge and Valley. Sage Loop offers limited shade, while Ridge and Valley are shaded by ponderosa pine and spruce trees. Each site is equipped with a picnic table and fire ring. Firewood is available for purchase but there are no hookups or showers.

"There are hiking and biking trails aplenty, including the Continental Divide Trail, and fishing, boating and paddleboarding are among the popular activities for campers. The area also offers opportunities for wildlife viewing and stargazing," it concluded.

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The 244-site campground, which makes up more than half of the developed campsites in Rocky Mountain National Park, was shut down in 2023 for a major modernization project. While it was expected to reopen in 2024, construction delays extended the closure through a second summer.

A limited number of campground reservations opened Tuesday morning for a two-week test period, according to a news release from the national park.

Park staff and contractors plan to test the new water and wastewater systems during those two weeks “out of an abundance of caution” to ensure they can keep up with the campground’s expected demand, according to the release.

More reservations will be released once those tests are complete.

Park officials said the extensive construction project relocated some campsites away from wetlands, replaced failing water and sewer lines, buried three miles of power lines and created 17 accessible campsites.

The same project that renovated the Moraine Park Campground is also revamping infrastructure at Beaver Meadows Visitor Center, Rocky Mountain National Park’s headquarters area and many other critical park facilities, park officials said.

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That’s because we love our SUVs and pickups here, burly vehicles with high clearance, four-wheel drive, and no fear of a snowy mountain pass. But how many of those drivers actually leave the pavement — aside from the occasional gravelly ski area parking lot?

Venturing onto one of Colorado’s many rough mountain roads can be intimidating. (And who wants to bang up their $50,000 truck on a pleasure trip?)

But if you give it a try, you’ll find a new way to access the mountains. When you slap on sturdy tires and put the gear shift in “4 low,” you’ll find a new world of access.

This is your beginner’s guide to off-roading.

Know your vehicle

SUVs and pickups come in all shapes and sizes, but to be considered off-road capable, you’ll want at least 8 inches of ground clearance and four-wheel-drive capability. You need tires designed for rough and rocky terrain.

Some makes and models are much more advanced, with features like skid plates to guard against dings, different rock, mud, and sand settings, winches for towing, and other capabilities.

You can also improve your skills with off-highway vehicles like side-by-sides, ATVs, and dirt bikes, but this guide is focused on licensed vehicles.

Start slow

Like any outdoor sport, starting slow on low-risk, low-consequence roads and trails is best for getting to know your vehicle and practicing essentials like tire placement, navigating blind corners, and dealing with steep uphill and downhill roads.

Some roads and trails are a little too rough for a sedan but ideal for testing your mettle and seeing what your vehicle can do.

These roads can be much more difficult when wet or snowy, so check current conditions. National Forest websites update road openings and conditions regularly.

Weston Pass

This road traverses the Mosquito Mountains between Fairplay and Buena Vista in central Colorado. It tops out at 11,921 feet on Weston Pass and was once a busy toll road to the mines of Leadville.

It runs 20 miles and is rarely too bumpy or steep, with few roadside dropoffs to get your heart pumping.

While you’re there: Bring camping gear and spend a night at one of the many pull-off sites in this quiet area. There’s also a campground for those who prefer a little more amenities.

Boreas Pass

This road was the first railroad link to the mines of Breckenridge and is rarely steep or rough. Running 21 miles from Como off U.S. 285, it was famous as the nation’s highest narrow gauge railroad.

Passenger vehicles can drive the road when dry, so it’s a great place to develop your skills.

While you’re there: Get a brochure from the South Park Ranger District office in Fairplay that runs through the road’s rich history and identifies what you’ll see on the way. You can also download a copy from the White River National Forest website.

Paradise Divide

This 27-mile loop above Crested Butte is a great way to explore the majestic Elk Mountains without much effort. It runs through wide-open meadows with splendid views and past pretty Emerald Lake.

While you’re there: Visit in mid-July to see why Crested Butte is known as the “wildflower capital of Colorado.”

Animas Forks

The San Juan Mountains are home to some of Colorado’s most famous off-roading trails and some of its most dangerous. Most aren’t suitable for beginners, but this drive from Silverton will let you see why this area is called “the American Alps.”

From Silverton, it’s 12 miles to the ghost town of Animas Forks, and the road gets rougher the higher you go.

While you’re there: Spend some time at the well-preserved ghost town, which in 1883 had 450 residents and a newspaper.

Peru Creek Road

Summit County is known for skiing, but you can drive through the area’s rough-and-tumble mining past on this gorgeous drive. Starting near the hamlet of Montezuma, it’s a 10-mile out-and-back drive that ends with a gate at the Shoe Basin Mine.

While you’re there: Bring hiking boots and follow the trail above the mine 2.2 miles to Argentine Pass. That pass is also driveable but much more difficult. You can tell yourself you’ll be ready for it someday.

An excellent resource for knowing where to go is “The Guide to Colorado Backroads and 4-Wheel-Drive Trails” by Charles Wells and Matt Peterson, long considered the Bible for off-road enthusiasts.

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On late Sunday afternoon, the boy was experiencing severe abdominal pain and nausea while camping at Gourd Lake, which is situated at 10,700 feet elevation and accessed only by backcountry travel, according to a news release from Grand County Search and Rescue.

Nineteen volunteers from the organization set out to reach the boy on foot. Because of the patient’s age, location and potential for a serious medical condition, the volunteers requested a Flight for Life helicopter, but severe thunderstorms in the area prevented the helicopter from responding, the news release said.

The volunteers and medical professionals cared for the boy once they located him. When they determined the boy was stable and able to walk, rescuers helped him hike out where he was transferred to medical professionals for evaluation, the news release said.

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The animal broke into the person’s car on Saturday in the foothills, “leaving behind a mess only a bear could appreciate,” the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office stated on social media.

“Go on,” the deputy can be heard urging the bear in the video captured on his body camera, clapping his hands to startle it out of the car. “Go on.”

The bear tore up the car’s seats, door linings and other parts of its interior while trapped inside the vehicle.

“Your car is destroyed,” the deputy said to the owner, peering inside at the damage.

Bears are good at breaking into vehicles, especially when they can smell food left inside, but they’re not so good at getting out, sheriff’s officials said.

Another Colorado bear staged a weekend robbery at Buckhorn Lakes in Montrose over the weekend, but this furry menace targeted a campsite of food- and drink-filled coolers, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

KEEPACLEANCAMP

We received this video/report from Buckhorn Lakes over the weekend and were able to get a wildlife officer out to the campsite to do some hands-on education.

Incidents like this can quickly escalate to future conflict that is entirely preventable. pic.twitter.com/m8Eey9s7rf

— CPW SW Region (@CPW_SW) July 1, 2025

“When a bear like this gets a food reward from a campsite, it will remember that spot and continue to come back looking for food,” wildlife officials said on social media. “The easiest way to avoid bears is to not have anything in your campsite that has a smell that will attract them.”

To best protect themselves, wildlife officials said Coloradans should:

• Safely store food, beverages and toiletries in campsite lockers called bear boxes, in bear-proof containers away from your tent or locked in the trunk of your vehicle
• Not bring anything with an odor into their tent, including food, beverages, gum, toothpaste, sunscreen, candles and insect repellent
• Scrape grill grates after use and clean used dishes
• Scare away bears that enter the campsite with loud noises — yelling, banging pots and pans, car horns, air horns and more — so it has a negative association with the campsite
• And carry bear spray when camping

Colorado Parks and Wildlife asks that people report bear activity to the agency so wildlife officers can go out, educate people, remove attractants and keep everyone safe.

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