Innholdsfortegnelse for January 2023 i 5280 Magazine

This month marks half a century since the University of Colorado Denver was founded. That may seem like a long time ago, but according to chancellor Michelle Marks, “being a 50-year-old university is like being a teenager in university years.” And just like a teenager, CU Denver is still figuring out what it wants to be when it grows up. To that end, more than a year and a half ago, the school finalized its 2030 strategic plan. Its top goal? Become the first equity-serving institution of higher education in the United States. The initiative stemmed, in part, from a listening tour Marks did after becoming chancellor in mid-2020. During the tour, faculty, students, and staff told her they valued CU Denver’s long-standing commitment to educating people of color, working…

Picture this for a moment: On the second Sunday in February, more than 75,000 people from across the world pack Empower Field at Mile High. As the sun sets over the Rocky Mountains to the west on a clear, idyllic night, a camera pans over the sold-out stadium, broadcasting the image to nearly 100 million people. On the field, the NFL’s two best teams line up to compete for the sport’s ultimate prize in a game that defines careers and cements legacies. For one glorious night, the collective gaze of the sports world is fixed on Denver. If that’s a scene that seems too good to be true, it’s because it is. Denver is one of 15 cities with a current NFL team that either hasn’t hosted a Super Bowl…

Iron Mountain Hot Springs opened in 2015 with 16 little soaking ponds, a jetted spa, and a freshwater family pool that made for a more intimate experience than that at its sprawling neighbor, the Glenwood Hot Springs Pool. When the cozy concept proved to be even more popular than anticipated, Iron Mountain’s ownership increased the property’s soaking capacity for adults—without changing its commitment to the kiddie crowd. To be fully completed by summer 2023, the 21-and-older-only expansion will boast 10 additional small dippers plus a 55-degree cold plunge feature and a pair of two-tiered freshwater ponds connected by a waterfall. “We reproduced the most popular features from the original layout,” says general manager Aaron McCallister. Guests loved the two riverside pools and the ones with rounded, foot-massaging stones embedded in…

Antero Hot Springs Cabins Nathrop If waving a magic wand could create your dream getaway, it would probably look like one of these three rustic-chic log cabins, each graced with its own spring-fed hot pool in back. The two-bedroom Cottonwood cabin and its hand-hewn square timbers housed the Cottonwood Lakes post office in 1900; now, its hand-built, quartz fireplace and backyard hot spring warm chilly travelers. The three-bedroom Hortense cabin (pictured) dates from 1920, but its kitchen was remodeled in 2021, and the spacious Chalk Cliffs Chalet sleeps groups of eight comfortably. From $325 per night Merrifield Homestead Cabins Buena Vista Whimsically painted wood shingles, chinked logs, and natural-log railings make Holloway Cabin (which sleeps four) adorably Instagrammable. The Merrifield Cabin offers groups with children more space. The rentals have…

It’s simply a fact of life that even the least litigious among us will need a lawyer at some point. When you find yourself in that position, though, navigating the complicated legal world can be overwhelming, especially when you consider that the law has been split into dozens of categories: Everything from criminal law to bankruptcy to insurance necessitates specific expertise. That’s why we put together Denver’s Top Lawyers 2023, our ninth annual list of the best attorneys in the region. To compile the list, we first invited lawyers in the seven-county metro area to vote for the peers they respect most in 50 legal specialties. Survey responses in hand, we then did weeks of reporting to get an on-the-ground perspective: Who are the best litigators? The finest contract writers?…

THE CENTRAL PARK When traffic’s your jam. Its namesake bedroom community—home to the commute-killing I-70/I-270 bottleneck—embodies the suburban experience, so it’s only fitting that the self-driving Central Park takes that car-centric lifestyle and drives with it. While you’re enjoying amenities such as a flat-screen TV, claw-foot tub, and onboard Peloton, traffic is no longer a stressor. It’s a sanctuary. THE SIMLA Push the limits. Simla, a tiny town between Colorado Springs and Limon on U.S. 24, is the top Colorado city on speedtrap.org. Translation: The cops there want you to go fast so they can ticket you and raise more revenue. It’s a small fine to pay for tacit permission to unleash all 12 cylinders of the Simla. THE ASPEN Take flight without leaving the ground. G5 private jets are…

I grew up in the 1970s in the Bay Area, where my family often went to our favorite seafood house, Berkeley’s now-shuttered Spenger’s Fresh Fish Grotto. The sizable eatery was the spot for New England clam chowder, crab Louis, and raw oysters harvested from the 90-plus-year-old eatery’s own shellfish beds. The decor was heavy on dark woods, nautical knickknacks, and nostalgia. Stepping into LoDo’s Water Grill took me back to those family dinners of my childhood. Maritime kitsch, a bustling raw bar, and the aroma of fresh seafood greeted my dinner date and me when we arrived at the 11-month-old restaurant. Water Grill is quite a bit splashier than Spenger’s ever was, though, and that makes sense: Although it is technically family-owned, Water Grill is part of an upscale chain…

With an Olympic-size pool and two hot soaking tubs, century-old Trimble Hot Springs had long offered greater appeal for local families than traveling glitterati. But when that swimming pool fell into a state of disrepair in the winter of 2018-’19, a trio of investors offered to revive not just the pool but the entire property. “Our vision is to be a wellness facility that can compete on the national and global scene,” says Bryan Yearout, one of the purchasing partners. After executing a complete overhaul of the facilities, located eight miles north of Durango, the ownership team opened Durango Hot Springs Resort & Spa in August 2020 with a swimming pool, four hot pools, and a promise that more was to come. Now, Yearout and company’s grand vision is nearing…

Dave Bulson, who has lived near Telluride for three decades, recalls the glory days of the state’s undeveloped hot springs. “I remember Colorado before the internet,” he says, “when you could only hear about hot springs by word-of-mouth.” Things are different now, of course. But Bulson still likes taking the waters so much that, in October 2020, he and his wife, Michelle Haynes, purchased land beside the Dolores River where molybdenum prospectors had punctured a warm artesian spring, which now breaches the earth in several spots along the waterway. Known as Rico Hot Springs, the couple’s milky, mineral-laden spring emerges at 109 degrees and collects in a travertine-lined pool four feet deep and 10 feet around before flowing through a wooden flume that feeds a 106-degree secondary pond. Tucked beneath…

JANUARY CLIMB THE ICE The spectacular frozen waterfalls at Ouray’s Uncompahgre Gorge form the country’s finest place to learn to ice climb. And there’s never a better time to do so than at Ice Festival time. Come for climbs, clinics, costume parties, and a peek at the world’s best climbers scampering up the cascade at the Elite Mixed Climbing Competition. January 19 to 22; free admission; check the website for clinic times and rates ICE FISH AT THE 3 LAKES Anglers know frosty toes are a small price to pay for the chance to hook brag-worthy fish. With reliably thick coverage on Grand Lake, Lake Granby, and Shadow Mountain Reservoir, plus hungry trout that haven’t recently seen lures, early season ice fishing could be your new obsession. “January might not…

Built in 1891, Ouray’s Western Hotel is one of the oldest hotels in Colorado and one of the few remaining frontier-style wood-frame boarding-houses in the West. The fact that it’s still standing 132 years later is likely thanks, in part, to Ouray’s forward-thinking city planners. The fire department they established near the turn of the 20th century was a rare sight in the state’s flammable boomtowns and may have saved the Western from the fiery fate suffered by many of its contemporaries. More than a century later, new owner Kyle Zeppelin is rescuing it from another threat: time. “It has great bones,” says Zeppelin, co-president of Zeppelin Development, the firm responsible for revitalizing buildings throughout Denver’s RiNo district. “When you add it up, [the renovation is] certainly comparable to what…

On paper, Point Easy may look like your typical holier-than-thou farm-to-table establishment. There’s a seasonally rotating lineup of small and large plates; a dedication to local and sustainable sourcing; and, of course, trendy wines, microbrews, and cocktails with ingredients you wouldn’t have at home. But step inside the six-month-old Whittier restaurant, and you’ll find regulars along the bar rail swapping stories over approachable appetizers, such as french fries and charcuterie boards, and cheekily named drinks like the sake-spiked Not My Second Rodeo. The laid-back vibe is intentional: Owners Dan Phelps and Andy Bruch, alums of the Kitchen Restaurant Group, dreamed of opening a neighborhood eatery where patrons felt at ease while enjoying contemporary riffs on American and Italian classics. With wood tables, potted-plant-lined shelves, and gray, blue, and green accents,…

“Development” can be a dirty word among hot springers, who often prefer a light touch when nature’s plumbing gets upgraded. The makeover at 37-year-old, clothing-optional Desert Reef near Florence follows this philosophy. The just-completed renovation refurbished the existing 36-by-50-foot pool, added four new pools to the main area, and created five smaller ones, which can be privately rented. Visitors can now sleep on-site in one of five vintage Airstream campers or five tiny homes, the latter of which are outfitted with private pools. Says co-owner Chris McLaughlin, “We’re letting more people in, but we’re staying small, because nobody enjoys a crowded pool—or, at least, we don’t.” Fortunately, crowding has never been an issue at this tucked-away, attention-shy resort, where a weekday soak runs $25. Not only has Desert Reef limited…

Like a well-loved summer camp, Mt. Princeton Hot Springs has a comfortable, timeworn feel. Given that the resort dates back to 1897, that’s not a huge surprise. Now, though, glittering new on-site lodging options have boosted the getaway’s style points and created romantic cocoons for couples looking for some sizzling alone time. In spring 2022, 10 suites with leather couches, marble bathrooms, and balconies overlooking Chalk Creek came online; then, this winter, another creekside building (comprising 10 suites) joined the fold. Upper-level units feature vaulted ceilings, gas fireplaces, and kitchenettes with stainless steel appliances, while ground-level accommodations have microwaves and minifridges. The so-called Creekside Suites sit near the property’s growing network of recreational trails, which becomes all the more compelling when you learn that each night’s lodging fee includes two…

PRICE KEY (Average Entrée) $ UNDER 10 • $$ 11 TO 15 • $$$ 16 TO 25 • $$$$ 26 AND HIGHER Want More Dining Options? Visit our online listings at 5280.com/restaurants. SYMBOL KEY NEW Indicates a restaurant featured in 5280 for the first time (though not necessarily a restaurant that has just opened). 25 BEST Indicates inclusion in 5280’s 2022 list of Denver’s best restaurants. These selections are at the discretion of 5280 editors and are subject to change. A 25 BEST A5 $$$$ Downtown / Steak House The team behind Forget Me Not and Tap and Burger offers a refreshing chophouse experience with a stellar lineup of steaks in a hip, delightfully funky bar and dining room. Reservations accepted. 1600 15th St., 303-623-0534. Dinner African Grill & Bar…