The San Luis Valley is a study in contrasts, evident in the 7,000-foot elevation gain from the low-lying valley floor to 14,345-foot Blanca Peak. The Great Sand Dunes are reminiscent of the Sahara Desert. Fourteen-thousand-foot peaks, the spire-like Crestone Needle and its neighbor Crestone Peak, pride of the Sangre de Cristo ("Blood of Christ") Range, are the natural landmarks for the valley's eastern boundary. At the northern end of the area are the Valley View Hot Springs which harness some of the steaming water that pours from the ground. In Crested Butte, trails set out into the Maroon Bells/Snowmass Wilderness from the vicinity of Gothic and Schofield Pass. Short day hikes into the alpine meadows are one option. Or, those seeking a longer experience can hike the 13 miles over spectacular East Maroon Pass on into Aspen. The state that brings you Aspen, Vail, Beaver Creek and Telluride is renowned for its skiing and snowboarding. Justly so. Colorado has a greater number of ski resorts and areas than almost any other US state or Canadian province. In all, you can ski at two dozen places that vary in size from giants like the Aspen complex to rustic alpine Loveland Basin. Non-skiers find activities at the Colorado resorts as well. Experts have counted some 200 species of wildlife in the Rocky Mountain National Park. More than 400 miles of trails, many of them gentle, others challenging, provide hikes to beautiful alpine mountain lakes surrounded by snow-capped peaks. No visitor to this part of Colorado should miss Rocky Mountain National Park. Its 300,000 acres are filled by stunning mountain views and, thanks to the Park Service, remain largely in their natural state. Some 300 well-marked trails, many passing through meadows filled with wildflowers, attract numerous hikers to the park. Hiking in the Park, you are almost certain to be rewarded with stunning vistas, some of Colorado's most spectacular scenery, and rare encounters with nature, such as a bugling elk. Nearby is Steamboat Springs. Summers here guarantee you an adrenaline rush. Breaking in wild horses, barrel racing on horseback, galloping through forest clearings are all exciting. Climbers have attacked the rock faces of Rabbit Ears Pass. And, of course, you can reach the Mount Werner summits in style by gondola and then test your leg muscles against the long downhill walks or ski runs through knee-high meadows or on logging roads. Arapahoe Basin, Breckenridge, Keystone, Copper Mountain, the year-round resort of Vail are all covered here. And then there is Aspen. As a ski complex, Aspen is unsurpassed. Its four lift-serviced areas - Aspen Mountain, Buttermilk Mountain, The Snowmass, Aspen Highlands - encompass 160 miles of ski trails reachable by dozens of lifts that can hoist 25,000 skiers an hour. Where to stay, where to eat, how to get around, what to do - we cover it all in detail. Plus color photos throughout.

• Hikes chosen, described, and photographed by experienced members of the Colorado Mountain Club (CMC) • A wide variety of hikes, from family- and wheelchair-friendly to difficult treks • Includes detailed comments, route descriptions, driving directions, maps, elevation gain, difficulty rating, estimated time of the hike, round-trip distance, and nearest landmark • Fits in your pocket or daypack and features color photos and maps throughout the book The twelfth CMC Press regional pack guide for the State of Colorado, The Best Aspen Hikes not only includes hikes within a short drive of town but also trails near Glenwood Springs, Carbondale, and Leadville. Casual hikers will be awed by the reflection of the iconic Maroon Bells in Maroon Lake, one of the prettiest and most photographed spots in Colorado, while they stroll along the Maroon Lake Scenic Trail. Conversely, experienced hikers will revel in the challenge presented by the twin-summited Mount Sopris, which rises more than 6,000 feet above the Roaring Fork Valley to serve as a stunning backdrop to the town of Carbondale. For outdoor enthusiasts who would rather stay in close proximity to Aspen, the Rio Grande Trail, a paved wheelchair-accessible path, allows for easy access to many of Aspen’s parks and provides a beautiful panorama of the surrounding mountains and Roaring Fork River. Another option, though much more strenuous, is Ute Trail, which climbs high above town and offers spectacular views of the town below.

Described in this guide are 50 trails that range from short, easy day hikes to difficult backpacking adventures. The book covers areas in White River and Gunnison National Forests. Detailed information includes directions to trailheads, maps, and trail length, elevation gains, difficulty, and much more.

The 4WD Trails books are a series of inexpensive 4WD travel guides that include the trail information for selected regions included in the comprehensive 4WD Adventures series. All three titles provide all the information needed for anyone with a sport utility vehicle to explore about 30 backcountry trails within a selected region of Colorado, from easy to challenging. They feature approximately 50 photographs and step-by-step directions for each trail. Every trail includes a two-color map, ratings for degree-of-difficulty and scenic beauty, driving time, overall and point-to-point distances, and GPS coordinates. Write-ups include brief histories of the trails, the ghost towns, and mining operations in the area.

The 4WD Trails books are a series of inexpensive 4WD travel guides that include the trail information for selected regions included in the comprehensive 4WD Adventures series. All three titles provide all the information needed for anyone with a sport utility vehicle to explore about 30 backcountry trails within a selected region of Colorado, from easy to challenging. They feature approximately 50 photographs and step-by-step directions for each trail. Every trail includes a two-color map, ratings for degree-of-difficulty and scenic beauty, driving time, overall and point-to-point distances, and GPS coordinates. Write-ups include brief histories of the trails, the ghost towns, and mining operations in the area.

* 50 hikes reveal Colorado's geologic history and diversity * Trailside Geology section offers advice for practical study on the trail Erupting volcanoes, shifting seas, the icy embrace of giant glaciers, haunts of the dinosaurs: it's all here in Hiking Colorado's Geology. In 50 hikes, you'll see first-hand evidence of the most dramatic geologic events that created and continue to shape the terrain of this beautiful state. You'll benefit, too, from the authors' long experience as guides and lecturers, sharing their passion for the natural world. The guide is easy to use, with each hike headlined with the geologic features profiled. You'll also find an introductory section on geologic principles you'll see on the trail.

Aspen & Pitkin County Colorado Fishing & Floating Guide Book Over 1007 full 8 ½ x 11 sized pages of information with maps and aerial photographs available. Fishing information is included for ALL of the county’s public ponds and lakes, listing types of fish for each pond or lake, average sizes, and exact locations with GPS coordinates and directions. Also included is fishing information for most of the streams and rivers including access points and public areas with road contact and crossing points and also includes fish types and average sizes. NEW NEW Now with a complete set of 32 full sized U.S.G.S. Topographical Maps for the entire county that normally cost from $12.00 to $14.00 each but are included on the disk for FREE. These maps are complete full sized 7.5 minute series quadrangle maps in 1:24,000 scale maps. Contains complete information on American Lake Anderson Lake Avalanche Creek Avalanche Lake Bear Creek Bench Lakes Big Kline Creek Capitol Creek Capitol Lake Carter Creek Castle Creek Cathedral Lake Chapman Creek Chapman Lake Coal Creek Connundrum Creek Cooper Creek Copper Creek Crater Lake Crystal Rivers Cunningham Creeks Deadman Lake Devaney Creek Diemer Lake Difficult Creek Dinkle Lake East Creek Fryingpan Lakes Fryingpan Rivers Granite Creek Granite Lake Grizzly Creek Grizzly Lake Grizzly Reservoir Hardscrabble Lake Hawk Creek Heart Lake Hell Roaring Creek Homestake Creek Homestake Reservoir Hunter Creek Independence Lake Isolation Lakes Ivanhoe Creek Ivanhoe Lake Jack Lake Last Chance Creek Lincoln Creek Linkins Creek Linkins Lake Liy Pad Lake Lonesome Lakes Lostman Creek Lostman Reservoir Lyle Creek Lyle Lake Maroon Creeks Maroon Lake Marten Creek Midway Creek Midway Lake Moon Lake Mormon Creek Mormon Lake Nast Lake New York Creek New York Lake Nicholson lake No Name Creek Petroleum Lake Pierre Lakes Pine Creek Reudi Reservoir Roaring Fork River Savage Lakes Sawyer Creek Sawyer Lake Scott Lakes Sellar Creek Sellar Lake Sioux Creek Snowmass Creeks Snowmass Lake Sopris Creeks Tabor Creek Tabor Lake Thompson Creek Truro Creek Truro Lake Upper Homestake Lake Weller Lake Williams Lake Willow Creek Willow Lake (*) are floatable or canoeable rivers)