CROSS-COUNTRY SKI TO A SLEEP YURT AT 10,800 FEET

Just outside of Leadville lies the winter adventure you didn't know you needed.

The big picture: The Tennessee Pass Nordic Center in the San Isabel National Forest has more than 15 miles of beautiful cross-country trails, which alone are worth a visit.

Yes, but: Deep among those trails are also six reservable sleep yurts and a high-end Cookhouse restaurant that you need only to strap on your skis or snowshoes to experience.

How it works: The yurts sleep six people in three double beds. They contain a propane burner, potable water, a wood-burning stove and other necessities for a cozy night (like polar booties for your midnight walk to the outhouse).

• Each group can bring a cooler, and each guest is allowed a bag, all delivered to the yurt via snowmobile. Leave behind your expectations for cell service.
• The setup frees you up to ski the trails all day until you're ready for a beer at the yurt, where your shoes will be waiting by the fire.
• Trail pass and equipment rental discounts are available to overnight guests.

Plus: You can also make lunch and dinner reservations at the nearby Cookhouse yurt. Lunch is more casual, but dinner is a prix-fixe affair.

• Those reservations can be separate as day ski trips, or you can do both: spend the evening having dinner at the Cookhouse followed by a quick ski under the stars back to your yurt.

What's next: If you can't squeeze the visit in this winter season (which ends in mid-April), the yurts and Cookhouse reopen for overnights and dinner during the summer season in June, too.

If you go: Pricing and reservation availability here.

2024-03-25T12:18:37Z dg43tfdfdgfd