REZ | Articles – Page 3 – REZ

Colorado History Walking Tour

The state of Colorado has a lot of history and so does its capital. The United States Congress passed an enabling act on March 3, 1875, specifying the requirements for the Territory of Colorado to become a state. On August 1, 1876, U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant signed a proclamation admitting Colorado to the Union as the 38th state. There’s now a unique walking tour in Denver that will teach you about our history. Continue reading for more information. Also, if you are looking to buy or sell a home in Colorado, consider Mark Eibner as your agent.

Walking Through History

Lower downtown Denver is the city’s oldest neighborhood. It is home to some of the best restaurants and attractions in Denver. The best way to get a look at this historic area is by walking. Denver Local Tours will be doing their history walking tour from now until the end of the year, so there’s plenty of time to fit it into your schedule. Each tour is one and half hours and includes a local guide. Your guide will share the fascinating history of the area and point out the best places to eat and drink. This tour is great for anyone who is just moving to the city or visiting friends and family. You will even get to experience many historic landmarks.

Along the route of the walking tour are Union Station, The Dairy Block, Coors Field, Market Street, 16th St Mall, and Larimer Square. One of the oldest buildings on the tour is the Oxford Hotel. The Oxford Hotel was built in 1891. Though a lot of the building has been updated, many of its features remain the same or have been restored. In the 1950s, the Oxford Hotel was considered a flophouse. In the 1980s a new owner improved the hotel. The hotel restaurant was operated by McCormick’s Fish House from when they signed a lease with the Oxford Hotel in 1987 until 2016.

Winter Road Trips

Going on a road trip is just as American as eating apple pie. Colorado is one of the best states for road tripping, even in winter. Colorado has some of the lightest, driest snow on earth, perfect for a ski holiday. It is also great for snowboarding, snowmobiling, and brushing up on your western history. Here are some of the most popular places for winter road trips in Colorado. Also, if you are looking to buy or sell a home in Colorado, consider Mark Eibner as your agent.

Colorado Winter Road Trips

At the top of the list for Colorado winter road trips is Vail and the Vail Ski Resort. the resort boasts an astounding 5,200 acres, big enough for pros and beginners. Just remember to be careful when driving through the mountains. Toad accidents nearly double during winter in Colorado, so be careful. What’s great about Vail is that it has a number of great hotels with affordable rates, especially if you plan your trip in advance. Also, Beaver Creek, Vail’s sister resort and Eagle County neighbor, is only fifteen minutes west of town. Adding it to your trip will keep the good times rolling!

We know that some road trippers like to make their adventures more educational, especially if you have kids. We see you and support you! Colorado is great for educational trips and is very kid-friendly. For example, Glen Eyrie is a great place to entertain the brain. This town outside of Colorado Springs has a history that goes back to the 1800s. Also, this close to the Springs you’ll have access to other great attractions like Garden of the Gods, Cave of the Winds and Manitou Cliff Dwellings. And believe it or not you can drive up to the 14,115 foot top of Pikes Peak year round. Again, check the forecast before you hop in the car!

Night Skiing in Colorado

Just because the sun goes down doesn’t mean that the skiing has to stop. Have you ever heard of Night Skiing? Night skiing is available at a number of ski resorts around the state of Colorado, each with varying dates and hours or operation. They will even groom a portion of their slopes again in the afternoon to prepare for night skiing. Here are some of the most popular nigh skiing spots in Colorado. Also, if you are looking to buy or sell a home in Colorado, consider Mark Eibner as your agent.

Popular Night Skiing Spots

Ski Hesperus is one of the most popular ski resorts that offer night skiing. Herperus actually has a shorter ski season overall, but it operates longer each day when it’s open because of night skiing. You can ski here on nights throughout the week. The resort is located on Purgatory Mountain, which has very diverse terrain. This makes the trails good for every skill level. The 160 acre ski area provides a quick escape for the residents of La Plata and Montezuma counties. It’s situated on Colorado 160, heading west out of Durango toward Mancos and Cortez.

Night skiing does have its disadvantages. For example it will be colder and possibility icier if the daytime temps were high enough to smelt the snow. However, fans of night skiing will tell you that the advantages greatly outweigh the disadvantages. Lift tickets for night skiing alone are cheaper than day skiing, slopes are less crowed and the lift lines are long gone. Granby Ranch is another popular spot for night skiing. Granby is great for beginners and intermediates, especially if you’re new to night skiing.

Free Days at The Denver Museum

Denver is full of venues with fun for the entire family. For example, the Denver Museum of Nature & Science is a municipal natural history and science museum with tons of artifacts. It has a variety of exhibitions, programs, and activities concerning the natural history of Colorado, Earth, and the universe. It boasts 716,000-square-feet of interior space, so there’s something for everyone. The museum also offers discounts and even has free days! Continue reading to find out more. Also, if you are looking to buy or sell a home in Colorado, consider Mark Eibner as your agent.

Free Days & Events

In order to make their exhibits accessible to more people, the Denver Museum of Nature & Science offer a handful of free days throughout the year. At the time of this post, there are two available dates. On May 1st, the Día del Niño exhibit is free to visit. Likewise, on October 9th the Out! at the Museum exhibit is also free to all visitors. As guidelines due to Covid shift, make sure to check the Museum website as they may add additional free dates. Remember, even though these days are free, you’ll still have to get a ticket in order to attend, so make sure you plan in advance to secure your spot.

Can’t make these free days? No worries, the museum also offers a ton of discounts. If your family is a part of the SNAP program, than you can get one dollar Museum Admission for up to 10 people. If you serve or have served in the U.S. military you can get a three dollar discount on general admission to the Museum and a ten percent discount on Dual through Family Plus level memberships. For these discounts, just make sure you bring some identification when you purchase your tickets—that’s your SNAP card or your military ID card respectively.

Top Ski Areas in Colorado

It’s no surprise that winter in Colorado is a magical time. We get snow and a lot of it, which makes it the prime state for winter sports like skiing. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to live or travel that far from Denver to find fun skiing opportunities. Here are some of the best skiing areas that are near the capital. Also, if you are looking to buy or sell a home in Colorado, consider Mark Eibner as your agent.

Popular Ski Areas in Colorado

One of the best places to go for skiing is Mount Evans road. Located in the Pike National Forest, about an hour and a half away from downtown Denver, you will experience Nordic skiing on this road at higher elevations. Expert cross-country skiers can enjoy this snow-packed road for a real workout. If you are beginner, start with a half-mile trek around Echo Lake which can be found down towards the base of Mount Evans. The most experienced skiers that the eight-mile trail from the top of Mount Evans road down to Chicago Lakes. Mount Evans is also a great place to go for mountain views in the summer because of its paved road to the top.

Another great place for skiing is the Keystone Resort Nordic Center. This area is located in Keystone Colorado, right off the slops of the Keystone and Independence Mountains. There are a tone of trails here for skiing. In fact, there are more than nine miles of groomed trails and access to more than 35 miles of nearby trails throughout the White River National Forest. This area is a favorite for skiers of any skillset because of it’s proximity to great towns and lodgings. Keystone is close to Silverthorne and Dillon, the pristine Dillon Reservoir, and even Breckenridge to the south. Breckenridge is also a popular skiing area. Not to mention Cooper Mountain right past the town of Frisco on US-70.

Highest Rated Plumbers in Colorado

If your plumbing is not properly insulated, the cold weather this winter in Colorado could cause you some problems. This is especially true if you own an older home with older plumbing. There are a ton of plumbers in the metro area, and it can be difficult to find a truly vetted professional. Here are a few of the highest rated plumbers that we’ve discovered in your area. Also, if you are looking to buy or sell a home in Colorado, consider Mark Eibner as your agent.

Top Plumbers in Colorado

First on our list is Plumbline Servies. Plumbline was originally established in 1998 and has served over 150,000 homes in Colorado. With over 150 employees, Plumbline focuses on residential and commercial plumbing repair, replacement, and installation services. They also specialize in drain clearing, water heater repair and replacement, tankless water heater repair and replacement, leaky and frozen pipes repair and replacement and sewer line repair and replacement. No matter what plumbing issue you have, this company can fix it. They even have a 24-hour emergency service.

Another highly rated plumbing company is Time Plumbing and Heating. They were established in 1982 as a small family owned business and has served a whopping 74,000 homes since then. Time Plumbing prides itself on its employees, “We search far and wide to find the best employees we can. We then do extensive training to help them become better at servicing our customers. All of our employees take pride in everything they do. We will work hard to earn and keep your business.” They are great at even the most unusual plumbing jobs like sump pump failures and sewer ejectors.

Cleaning Your Fireplace

Colorado is no stranger to cold weather, which is why many homes have fireplaces. Not only are they great for staying warm, they add a cozy ambiance to any room. However, fireplaces do require maintenance. The cleaning frequency for a wood-burning fireplace depends on how often it is used. Continue reading for some tips on how to clean your fireplace. Also, if you are looking to buy or sell a home in Colorado, consider Mark Eibner as your agent.

Steps to Cleaning A Wood-burning Fireplace

The first thing you going to want to do is remove the ashes and leftover burning materials. Always allow ashes and debris in the fireplace to cool completely before attempting to remove them. Place a drop cloth on the floor to protect it from soot, especially if you have carpet. Then use a metal bucket and trowel to scoop out the debris. If you have a garden, you can add this to the soil as compost. Once you get out the bulk of the ashes, it is safe to use a shop vacuum to clean out the rest. Since you have the vacuum handy, go ahead and clean up the mantle and surrounding fireplace area.

The best way to be proactive about the maintenance on your fireplace is to conduct a regular chimney inspection and cleaning by a professional. When you burn wood it releases creosote, which can build up in the chimney. If it is not taken care of, this build-up could potentially start a fire if you’re not careful. Also, if you own an older home with an older fireplace that does not have a cap you should consider adding one. Caps prevent animals and birds from building nests in the chimney. Looking for a professional to repair a broken or malfunctioning fireplace? Here are the top Fireplace Repair Companies in Colorado.

Ski Areas Near Denver

Photo by Banff Sunshine Village on Unsplash.

Colorado is the best state for fun in the snow. We’ve got everything from snowboarding, skating, hockey, and snowmobiling. One of the biggest winter pastimes in Colorado is skiing. If you live in the Denver metro area, you may think that finding a great place to go skiing is out of reach. Actually, there are many places you can find great skiing experiences not that far from the city. Here are two of the best places to go this winter. Also, if you are looking to buy or sell a home in Colorado, consider Mark Eibner as your agent.

Nordic Ski Areas in Colorado

Ruby Hill Park is a favorite among Coloradans for skiing. You’ll have to catch this one at the perfect time of year when there is enough snow. Ruby Hill features many gently rolling hills mixed with flat spaces which makes it a great place for cross-country skiing. Sledding is also great at this park. Plus, the park recently added a free Ruby Hill Rail Yard for skiers and snowboarders. Ruby Hill is located in southern Denver, right above Englewood and to the right of Lakewood. If you are coming straight from downtown you’ll be there in thirty to forty-five minutes tops. You can’t beat that!

You can shave a few minutes off that trip if you take I-25 a little further east to The Highline Canal Trail trailhead in James A. Bible Park and Hutchinson Park. This trail spans seventy-one miles through Denver’s urban landscape and is one of the longest continuous urban trails in the country. The mostly flat terrain here is ideal for cross-country skiing. One of the biggest benefits to using Highline Canal Trail is that it has many opening. You can start and stop along any of these spots and cater the experience to what best fits your schedule and skill level. Still looking for the perfect ski area for you? Here are a few more Nordic ski areas near Denver.

Winter Home Maintenance

Winter is in full swing in Colorado. We’ve already seen some snow this year and odds are we’ll see a lot more. Now is the time to make sure that your home is ready for winter. Some of the most common complaints from homeowners during winter are frozen pipes, dead lawns, and emergency furnace repairs. Continue reading for some tips to help you and your home stay safe and warm this winter. Also, if you are looking to buy or sell a home in Colorado, consider Mark Eibner as your agent.

Protecting Your Home in Winter

Above all else, the most important goal this winter is staying warm. You will probably know by now whether your home’s heating system boots up efficiently and heats your home correctly. If you have notice any problems, call a local HVAC expert to inspect it while the weather is still relatively nice. It will be harder for them to get to you during a heavy snow day, not to mention it will cost more to repair. On that same note, saving energy and saving money goes hand in hand. Set your thermostat on a schedule to optimize energy usage during the day. Most smart home thermostats like the Nest will help you figure out your schedule. If you don’t have one of these, ask your local HVAC expert for their advice.

One of the easiest thinks you can do to make your home more comfortable during the winter is reversing the direction of your ceiling fans. Warm air rises, which means that the air from your heating system is warming your ceiling faster than you. Reversing your ceiling will push that warm air back down to you and your room. Switch your fan blades to run clockwise with the small switch on the body of the fan. Fireplaces are great for Colorado winters, but remember to clean it properly before use and even consider getting it inspected. Built-up debris in your chimney could become a fire hazard. If your fireplace needs repairs, now is the time to get them serviced. Here are some of the top fireplace repair companies in Colorado.

Preparing For Winter Driving

That Colorado snow will be here before you know it. Though it looks beautiful in pictures, having snow on the ground comes with its own safety concerns. Driving during tough winter conditions in Colorado can be dangerous, so you should do everything you can to prepare. Here are some tips that can help you get ready for the tricky winter driving this year. Also, if you are looking to buy or sell a home in Colorado, consider Mark Eibner as your agent.

Driving Safe in the Winter

It doesn’t take long for conditions to become treacherous in Colorado depending on where you live. Roads can get slick and icy fast, making driving a challenge for even the most seasoned driver. They usually don’t stay bad for long until they are plowed or salted, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be prepared. You’ll avoid a host of problems if you have your car winterized before the snow gets here. How do you do that? Here are some of the essential things to do.

First off, you should have your engine tuned-up at the mechanics. A quick check up at your local repair shop will work just fine. Also, have the professional check to make sure that all of your lights are working. Make sure that your headlights are clear and clean so that they can shine as bright as possible. Have the battery checked. The last thing you want is to get stuck in the parking lot in the snow because your car will not start. Ensure that all fluids are at their appropriate levels. Have the wiper blades cleaned and/or switch to winter wiper blades. Of course you’ll also want to make sure that you oil is changed and ready to go for the winter.