The most important thing to remember when travelling to
Denver is this: Denver and the Rocky
Mountains do not have the same weather.
Denver is around 5280' (1609M) in elevation while Aspen is around 8,000'
(2438M) and other ski resorts are even higher than 10,000' (3000M). In the
winter, there may be massive snow storms going on in the mountains and ski
resorts, while Denver is dry as a bone and warm.
In general, Denver is
SUNNY all year-round with over 300 days of sunshine annually on average. Bring
your sunscreen, sunglasses and hat because at this elevation, the sun can be
quite strong. Summers are hot and dry, but nights cool off considerably. During June, there also tend to be thunderstorms during the
afternoons almost every day. They roll
in with dramatic skies and sometimes spectacular displays of lightning. The rain cools things off and clears the air.
They pass quickly, often lasting only a few minutes, before they move east over
the plains. Winters are also sunny and dry in contrast to the mountains that
receive the famous champagne (dry,
fluffy) powder (snow). A few cold days are often followed by warm temperate
days, always with lots of sun. It is not uncommon for Denver to have days close
to 60F (16C) throughout the winter months, followed, of course, by some very
chilly days. Typically there are two
weeks of really hot weather in summer and two really cold weeks in winter. In between, Denver is quite comfortable all
four seasons. Spring and fall are
beautiful. Dining outside is a three
season affair.
Getting into the mountains is easy year-round except for
during an active snow storm. Denver and
Colorado take good care of the highways and roads to make sure tourists can
access the Rocky Mountains for four seasons of recreation, relaxation, and
sports. If you are unaccustomed to
driving in snow or in mountains, it might be better to let someone else drive
or get a good rental car for snowy conditions - four-wheel drive and heavy with
GOOD tires. During the summers, nights
in the mountains can get quite chilly, even cold at high elevations.
The best time to come?
Anytime! Colorado is one of the
few places in the world where you can ski in the morning in the Rockies, and
golf in the afternoon in Denver, wearing shorts and a T-shirt for both.
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