A few summers ago Dill and I completed a cross country road trip from San Francisco to Chicago with a friend of ours. Aside from the adventure on the road and great food along the way, it was the mountains that we saw that really made that trip. When given the opportunity to head back to those mountains, we of course took it! Soon we were months out and planning our big return. Destination? Colorado!
There was something so special about a snowy mountain trip right around Christmas time. Plus, staying with family made the trip that much more exciting. So, mid December we flew into the Mile High City to begin our trip. And what a trip it was! As luck would have it, our luggage didn’t quite make it to Denver so we had to wait a few days to get all of our things back. Fortunately, we were able to borrow ski pants and coats from family!
D and I then made our way to our destination of Colorado Springs. We then prepared for our first activity on our docket: hitting the slopes. (Dill had been before, but it was my first time ever! Can you say nervous?) We awoke early and drove a few hours to the Collegiate Peaks up to Monarch Mountain for skiing and snowboarding. It was absolutely gorgeous! The huge white snow flakes and tall trees made me feel like I was in a snow globe. And despite my original fears, I made it down quite a few times and grew to love it. Toward the end of the day we drove through Salida and stopped for dinner. What a great little town full of shops and restaurants and beautiful views.
We then made our final jaunt to the Mount Princeton Hot Springs! We immediately headed for the springs when we got in. There were actual pools, but also a flowing river with natural springs that came up along the river bank. After some sprints in the frigid air, we found ourselves laying in these incredible natural hot springs looking at stars. Since we arrived at night, we didn’t really see the incredible views right outside our door. The next morning was such a pleasant surprise! We took in those views and then headed for the Saint Elmo’s ghost town. It was so cool. D and I both loved walking around and peering through windows taking some really great photos.
We then made our way back to Colorado Springs for the rest of our trip. We relaxed, tried some new restaurants, enjoyed some drinks, and enjoyed time with family and some new friends! One of the highlights though of Colorado Springs is most certainly Garden of the Gods. Honestly, the pictures speak for themselves. Being surrounded by such beauty was breathtaking. We had fun exploring and taking in each new view along the way!
This trip was incredible. We managed to cram so many different things into a relatively short amount time which was great. And those mountains? They sure didn’t disappoint. Already planning our next trip out west!
-Kell
Kelly Olson Creative 
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