Mondial de la Bière, June 8-12, 2011. Bouchard and Co. are smart to produce this in the summer. Going on its 18th year, the largest international beer festival in North America keeps outgrowing its staging grounds and next year will take place at the Bonaventure Palace and Hilton Bonaventure. The festival features over 500 beers... View Article
The Great Alaska Beer & Barley Wine Festival, January 14-15, 2011. The fest, says Roberts, brings virtually every spread-out brewery around the state together under one roof. Yes, thankfully, it’s indoors. There are three sessions, but if you can only hit one, spend the extra 10 bucks for a $40 ticket and make it the... View Article
If there’s anything we’ve learned from National Geographic, it’s that animals migrate south for the winter. But we’re neither geese nor pronghorns. Furthermore, we are craft beer lovers, not lemmings. So why follow the herd? This winter, as the Arctic winds sweep across the northlands, embrace the glacial conditions and head for the higher latitudes.
Skiing: Purgatory (despite the name change, nobody calls it Durango Mountain Resort) offers over 2,000 feet of vertical for all levels of skiers and snowboarders. The naturally terraced mountain means ample opportunities for sick air, if that’s your thing. Mountain Biking: Slothower says bikers gravitate to the Telegraph Trail system. It’s literally a choose-your-own-adventure single-track... View Article
Watersliding: If you’re going to tackle several trails, pick up Cosmic Ray’s 50 Favorite Hikes: Flagstaff & Sedona (available all about town and on Amazon) but don’t miss the chance to whisk down a red rock creek canyon at Slide Rock State Park. Fun for the whole family. Cross-country skiing: Taylor says the Flagstaff Nordic... View Article
White Water Rafting: The Snake River can be run as early as May and as late as October. The mostly class II and III rapids make it a thrill that even novices can handle. Hiking: With over 200 miles of trails in Grand Teton National Park, every direction is the perfect one, but for a... View Article
Is it a coincidence that some of the best brewing regions are set in or near the Rocky Mountains? Whichever side of the Continental Divide you find yourself on, from Wyoming down through Colorado and over into Arizona, there truly is something in the water.
Telluride Blues & Brews Sept 17-19, www.tellurideblues.com All Friday and Sunday, fest-goers get down to top-notch blues artists such as last year’s headliners Buddy Guy, Bonnie Raitt and Taj Mahal. (2010 line-up announced May 15.) The same goes for Saturday, but with an added bonus—unlimited samples from over 50 breweries, mostly smaller ones that Colorado... View Article
When I think about artists and their expressions,” said Tomme Arthur from Port/Lost Abbey Brewing, “I am reminded that art is in a constant state of evolution. Brush strokes get refined, subject matter improves and the essence of the artist and his perspective is suddenly brought to the front with amazing clarity.” Brewers, like musicians,... View Article
