CS Indy Insider 2022

Insider 2022

The Premier Guide to the Pikes Peak Region

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Insider • April 2022 • Vol. 17

COVER PHOTO BY Bryan Oller

COLORADO PUBLISHING HOUSE

CHAIRMAN & FOUNDER John Weiss PUBLISHER/EXECUTIVE EDITOR Amy Gillentine EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Bryan Grossman EXECUTIVE EDITOR EMERITUS Ralph Routon

EDITORIAL

MANAGING EDITORS Helen Lewis, Mary Jo Meade NEWS REPORTERS Anna Fiorino, Stephen K. Hirst FOOD & DRINK EDITOR Matthew Schniper CONTRIBUTORS Rob Bowen, “Hiking Bob” Falcone, JL Fields, Tim Kranz, Terr Thompson, Loring Wirbel

SALES

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING Lanny Adams SENIOR ACCOUNT PLANNER Teri Homick ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Cate Elgin, Brandon Harn, Alina Hecht, Susanna Kelland

ART AND PRODUCTION

EDITORIAL ART DIRECTOR Dustin Glatz SENIOR PRODUCTION MANAGER Mike Reid GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Zk Bradley, Ronee Smith, Rowdy Tompkins, Elena Trapp

FANCY YOURSELF

AN INSIDER? S

o you think you know the Pikes Peak region?

Well, let’s see...

If you know the best times to hit up Garden of the Gods, Barr Trail and the Manitou Incline, you might be an Insider.

If you know the most happening happy hours for Colorado craft beer, you might be an Insider.

If you know the top spots to play with your pooch (if you’re an Insider, you have a pooch), you might be an Insider.

If you know the most blazing dispensaries and the laws that go along with visiting one, you might be an Insider.

If you have one of those NATIVE bumper stickers on your Subaru or Jeep... well... OK then.

There’s lots to know about the communities that surround America’s Mountain. If you’re an Insider, that’s old news.

But if you’re not yet an Insider, don’t cover your face in shame. Instead, check out this special section, fill your brain with Centennial State certitude and your Insider status will come. Until then, fake it till you make it.

— Bryan Grossman, Editor-in-Chief

Daniel Stephen Hakes / Shutterstock.com

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Material may not be reproduced without written permission from the publisher.

CONTENTS PRIMER

RECREATION

10 Primer: Why is this like that? We explain 16 Attractions: Yeah, you’ll be attracted 18 Calendar: What day is it?

36 Hiking: It is and isn’t complicated 42 Bikes: Bring balance to your life 43 Dog Parks: Champ deserves it 44 Climbing: Like hiking, but straight up

CANNABIS 22 Cannabis laws: Where to pass the dutchie 26 Cannabis faves: High there

CULTURE 28 Performing Arts/Stage: Wherefore art thou?

30 Visual art: Hot spots for your eyeballs 32 Writing: Words with friends 34 Music: The beats for your feets

FOOD AND DRINK 46 Fine dines: Be discerning with your facehole 52 Vegan: There’s more there than you think

INSIDER 2022 | PRIMER | Cannabis | Culture | Recreation | Food & Drink

OPERATIONS

CONTROLLER Todd Smith ASSISTANT ACCOUNTANT Rachel Tyrrell DIRECTOR OF EVENTS Jenn Cancellier DIGITAL MEDIA SPECIALISTS Kara Aldridge-Folger, Sean Cassady DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Tracie Woods FRONT DESK COORDINATOR Madeline Berg ASSISTANT TO THE PUBLISHER Cathy Reilly EVENTS ASSISTANT Michayla Jones

9

THE BASICS New to the area? Here’s what you need to know about the Pikes Peak region

BY STEPHEN K. HIRST | stephen.hirst@csindy.com

INSIDER 2022 | PRIMER | Cannabis | Culture | Recreation | Food & Drink

S

10

o, you’ve fled the sky-high prices of California, the sweltering corporate fascism of Florida, the steer-crowded plains of Texas, or the all-around god-awfulness of South Carolina, and now — you’re here, in the lovely Pikes Peak region.

Possibly because you love the mountain lifestyle, or possibly because Seattle was too expensive. Regardless of the reason: Welcome. Here in Colorado Springs, the air is cleaner, the hazy IPA is colder, the green chile is spicier and the recreational marijuana is… well, that’s in Manitou actually, or 40 miles south in Pueblo, if you want more options. Sorry.

But no doubt you’ve got questions about your new home and its surroundings. Well, today is your lucky day. The Indy is here with tangible answers, and also flippant jokes to distract you from the questions we can’t answer.

How did this city get its start? What are the regional economic drivers? And crucially, where can I get a hot bartender to spit a shot of Fireball directly into my mouth? Actually, we’re not telling you that. Anyway, it’s just the word on the street. (What are you, the health department?)

How did Colorado Springs get its start?

You probably saw the statue of the guy on horseback at the intersection of Nevada and Platte avenues Downtown. Well, that’s Gen. William Jackson Palmer, a Civil War hero who bought up loads of land here and founded the Victorian-style resort and spa town of Colorado Springs in 1871. Of course, there was plenty already happening: Old Colorado City, the former Colorado Territory capital, was established in 1859 during the Pikes Peak gold rush, when it became an overnight boom town. And long before that the Ute, Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes had been gathering here and taking advantage of the sunny weather, abundant game and mountain springs for centuries.

They would gather at the base of the sacred Sun Mountain, which was renamed Pikes Peak in 1890 after Zebulon Pike, a guy who never managed to climb it.

Above by Bryan Oller, below public domain

Ute Indian camp in Garden of the Gods, 1913

Public domain

Colorado Springs, Colorado City and Manitou as they looked in 1882

Gen. William Jackson Palmer

Because this is the United States, we decided long ago to scrap affordable and convenient public transit in favor of maximizing the profits of private automobile manufacturers and oil companies. (Haven’t you seen Who Framed Roger Rabbit?) But OK, yes, it’s particularly bad here, and there are reasons for that.

One is that it’s big, and populations/communities tend to be very spread out. For reference, Seattle is about 84 square miles, San Francisco just 47. Colorado Springs is 195. Additionally, covering all that ground in bus routes or light rail would cost a fortune, and there simply isn’t the political will to raise taxes for that. The (infrequent) city bus routes do serve much of the city, so depending on where you live and what your commute is like, you could conceivably do without a car — but most buses stop running relatively early, and as in most American cities, your options will be severely limited without one.

But there have been notable improvements lately!

Last fall the city began a year-long trial of an electric scooter program that covers Downtown and the Westside. And big plans are in the works for a new Downtown transit center to replace the current 1970s building. The plan is for the hub to connect various modes of transit: local and intercity buses, a link to potential Amtrak/Front Range Rail train stations, and electric scooters. The center is projected to be completed in 2027, so this doesn’t help you much now, but there’s hope.

Which counties make up the Pikes Peak region?

That depends on who you’re talking to, as the “region” isn’t a formal government entity, but a term loosely referring to El Paso, Park and Teller counties. But some people say Park County doesn’t count, and others will say Pueblo County counts as part of the PPR as well. For what it’s worth though, the Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC only includes Teller and El Paso.

What are the governing bodies in El Paso County?

In 2010, Colorado Springs voters decided to change the structure of the city government from council-manager to council-mayor (AKA, “strong mayor”), effectively curbing the power of the city council and handing the mayor a bit more City Council has nine members, consisting of one member from each of the six council districts in addition to three “at-large” members.

Each Council member serves a four-year term, with a limit of two consecutive terms. Council elections are held every two years (in odd-numbered years).

El Paso County also has a board of five commissioners, each elected to represent districts of equal population (district boundaries are reestablished by the board every two years). continued on p. 12 ➔

INSIDER 2022 | PRIMER | Cannabis | Culture | Recreation | Food & Drink

Public domain

Why is the public transportation so lacking? (And do I need a car?)

11

What is TABOR and how does it affect my life?

➔ continued from p. 11

The Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights became part of Colorado’s Constitution when it was approved by voters in 1992, with an eye toward limiting the growth of government spending and revenues. Ultimately, it places the power to reject or approve tax increases in the hands of Colorado voters. That sounds really cool, but it also unfortunately leads to important sectors like health care, education and transit becoming chronically underfunded. Since 1992, Colorado voters have not approved increases to the state’s sales tax or income tax rates, although smaller “vice” taxes on gambling, nicotine and cannabis have managed to get passed. Various efforts have been made to lessen the power of TABOR in recent years, but for better or worse, it remains firmly embedded in the state’s legal framework. One nice feature of TABOR is that it puts money back into the hands of residents. This year the city accumulated $35 million, which is $15 million over the TABOR cap. That means eligible residential and commercial electric accounts will show refunds of around $68.

How many people live here, and what is the ethnic makeup?

Colorado Springs’ population is estimated at 491,031, making it the second-largest city in Colorado behind Denver. The latest U.S. Census data says El Paso County as a whole has about 745,345 residents with an ethnic breakdown that’s 83.3 percent white, 6.9 percent Black/African American, 7.7 percent Hispanic or Latino, 3.1 percent Asian and 4.9 percent who are two or more ethnicities. So while perhaps not the whitest place you know, it’s pretty overwhelmingly white. The greatest diversity in the Springs can be found in the Southeast (and not coincidentally, some of the area’s best restaurants as well).

INSIDER 2022 | PRIMER | Cannabis | Culture | Recreation | Food & Drink 12

Where to start? The gold rush was pretty exciting.

When rancher Bob Womack found gold on Pikes Peak’s western slope, the gold rush crowd arrived soon after. Tens of thousands of hopeful prospectors arrived in the region, and mining in the Cripple Creek and Victor area exploded. The well-preserved Old Colorado City was the territorial capital for a very brief time, and if you squint, you can still sort of imagine what it looked like back in the days when they used to drunkenly race elk down Colorado Avenue.

Nikola Tesla, the world famous Serbian-American was here as well. The electricity pioneer set up his laboratory in modern-day Knob Hill near Memorial Park. Those famous photos you’ve seen of him sitting nonchalantly as bolts of electricity careen above him were taken here. He was only here for one year, however, as money problems and issues with local utilities soon drove him away. The lab was dismantled and sold to pay his debts, but for a time, the largest Tesla coil in the world (49.25 feet in diameter) was here.

Those interested in the history of the region should not miss the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum Downtown at 215 S. Tejon St., in the beautiful old county courthouse building. Some good books for those looking to do a regional deep-dive are The Life and Good Times of Colorado Springs: Newport in the Rockies by Marshall Sprague, A Lady’s Life in the Rocky Mountains by Isabella Bird, and for indigenous history, American Indians of the Pikes Peak Region by Celinda R. Kaelin.

Where do I get my power/natural gas/ wastewater/water service?

That would be Colorado Springs Utilities, the cityowned agency that provides all of these things, for both homes and businesses. They do have assistance programs for low-income households, and Project COPS (Citizen’s Option to Provide Energy) allows families and individuals who are having financial problems due to an emergency or personal crisis to apply for assistance — regardless of their actual income. Visit csu.org for more information, or call 719-448-4800 for residential/ general/emergency service, and 719-448-4808 for business services.

Dickenson V. Alley, via Wikimedia Commons

What are some local historical highlights?

Nikola Tesla’s laboratory was in the Knob Hill neighborhood.

There’s so much wide-open space around here!

That probably just happened naturally, due to the invisible hand of the free market, right? Or is this massive quality-of-life perk perhaps a sign of our tax dollars at work?

You’ve probably noticed there’s still an awful lot of elbow room in Colorado Springs, as well as in the rest of El Paso County. Palmer Park, Garden of the Gods, Quail Lake, Cheyenne Mountain State Park, Ute Valley Park, Bear Creek Regional Park. The Springs boasts over 9,000 acres of parkland and 48 open space areas. Some of these (like Palmer Park) are legacies handed down from the city’s founders and old guard, but the Trails, Open Space and Parks tax approved by voters in 1997 has gone a long way toward making sure the region retains that spacious feel.

Red Rock Canyon Open Space is a great example of a place we wouldn’t have without TOPS. The .1 percent sale tax helps preserve open spaces so things (hopefully) don’t get too sprawl-y, and (ideally) no resident is too far away from hiking trails, viewpoints, or simply good places to chuck a Frisbee around with some friends.

I remember the ’90s. What happened to all that noise about the “hate state” and the “hate city”?

A fairly dark chapter in local history, Amendment 2 was passed by Colorado voters in 1992. It prevented the state from enacting any anti-discrimination laws for gay, lesbian or bisexual people. A massive boycott ensued, mostly focused on tourism, with lots of national organizations canceling conventions and events in Colorado, and some city governments forbidding official travel to the state.

All of this set off a massive legal battle, and led to a historic first: the first legal case regarding homosexuals to reach the United States Supreme Court.

The state supreme court shot it down in 1994, and the highest court in the land followed suit two years later, declaring the amendment unconstitutional in 1996 in a 6-3 decision. That may have been 30 years ago, but Amendment 2’s supporters are still here, and the issue still simmers — look no further than the local school board battles over the treatment of LGBTQIA2+ students and issues, particularly in Colorado Springs School District 11 and Lewis-Palmer School District 38.

EQRoy / Shutterstock.com

The United States Olympic & Paralympic Museum

What are the region’s major economic drivers?

According to the Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC, the key industries are: aerospace and defense (El Paso County is the only county in the nation with five military commands), health care and medical technology, information tech and cybersecurity (Colorado Springs is home to the National Cybersecurity Center), manufacturing, and sports. That last one may be a little surprising if you don’t know that Colorado Springs is Olympic City USA, home of the U.S. Olympics Committee and one of three Olympic training centers. The region is a mecca for all kinds of athletes, who come here to reap the benefits of training at a higher altitude. Being home to Fort Carson, the United States Air Force Academy, Peterson Space Force Base, Schriever Space Force Base and Cheyenne Mountain Space Force Station also helps to insulate the local economy from national trends — whatever else is happening, federal/military money keeps flowing.

You’ve probably noticed that North Nevada, North Cascade and North Wahsatch avenues are all wide enough to accommodate several M182 Abrams traveling abreast. It’s a bit mysterious, but we know that one Robert A. Cameron, a fellow Union general of Palmer’s, laid these out. Most say it’s because this was the frontier, and so the major arteries of the old city were designed for an eight-horse carriage to be able to easily turn around. Other say it’s because Cameron was an incorrigible drunk. The world may never know. But it’s probably the horse thing.

Why is there awesome green chile everywhere?

This isn’t limited to the Springs by any means, but something you’ll notice throughout the state. Culinary influences from New Mexico and Mexico have blessed our state with “Colorado Green,” which used to conjure images of delicious chile — but these days, one can see how that term could be confusing. Typically the green chile here contains roasted/shredded pork shoulder, but there are plenty of vegetarian versions around, so just ask.

A big reason for its ubiquity is that southeastern Colorado has some of the most optimal growing conditions for delicious chile peppers anywhere in the world, and is home of the world-famous Pueblo chile. Now, some people will tell you New Mexico’s Hatch green chilies are better. Those people are bad and wrong, the filthy liars. In fact, if you hear anyone say that, report it — it’s a hanging offense throughout the Pikes Peak region. continued on p. 14 ➔

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INSIDER 2022 | PRIMER | Cannabis | Culture | Recreation | Food & Drink

Why are the major Downtown streets so wide?

13

➔ continued from p. 13

How rough are the winters and how can I prepare?

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You’ll need all the regular winter gear, heavy jacket, wool socks, gloves with the finger flaps, boots with the furrrrr. But the good news is that while the winters are cold, this is a very sunny place. The Utes didn’t call it “Sun Mountain” for no reason. This means snow tends to melt away fairly quickly — it doesn’t pile up and turn into gross icy grime that mars the streets for days like, for instance, in New York. You can likely make it through the winter without snow tires if you’re not driving too far outside the city and you plan carefully, but if you’re going to be traveling about the region and hitting the ski towns, you’re likely going to need them.

Some helpful numbers: El Paso County averages 60 inches of snow per year (compared to the U.S. average of 28 inches) and there are roughly 247 sunny days per year here (compared to a national average of 205). December has the coldest temperatures for the county, with an average of 16.2 degrees, and July the warmest, with an average high of 84.1 degrees. It’s also extremely dry, so take care to stay hydrated, always carry lip balm, and don’t freak out if you wake up with a random bloody nose — it’s fairly common during the winter at this altitude.

Should I fly out of Denver International or Colorado Springs Airport?

INSIDER 2022 | PRIMER | Cannabis | Culture | Recreation | Food & Drink

Depending where you’re starting from in the Springs, Denver could be a bit over an hour or close to an hour-and-a-half drive.

Currently, gas prices are a major factor in this decision. Combine that with parking fees in Denver, and you’ll find it’s often worth flying out of Colorado Springs. But Denver International Airport is also one of the biggest hubs in the U.S., so there, your chance of flight delays goes up. If you’re supposed to land at 11 p.m., and you end up touching down at 2 a.m. instead, then you’ll be making the drive back to EL Paso County in a significantly sleepier state than you’d intended, so that’s something to keep in mind. Then of course, Denver offers far more direct flights, so if you’re seeking to avoid layovers and connections, you should check there first. Look, there’s no absolute answer here, you’ve just got to check the flight prices/layover times, and crunch the gasoline numbers yourself. And maybe you can park at your friend Jake’s place in Denver and he can drive you to the airport, that’ll save on parking at least. But it turns out Jake doesn’t actually live in Denver, what he actually meant was that he lives in Arvada. God, what a hassle. Thanks for nothing, Jake.

14

Where are the closest/best places I can ski?

You have a lot of options, and many of those within about a 2.5 hour drive from the city. Look for a resort that best fits your skill level and once you find a mountain you like, see what kind of deals they have for season passes (many resorts partner with each other). Breckenridge, Copper Mountain, Winter Park, Arapahoe Basin and Keystone are all less than three hours drive from the Springs. The family-friendly Monarch Mountain is roughly the same.

Ski Cooper is about 150 miles away; it’s smaller, less glitzy and more chill than the others on the list.

Bryan Oller

Homebuilder Classic Homes | classichomes.com Doctor Gina Bamberger | tinyurl.com/GinaCB-UCH

Neighborhood Old Colorado City | shopoldcoloradocity.com D r i n k o r F o o d E ve n t Manitou Springs Colorado Wine Festival tinyurl.com/mani-wine O u t d o o r Fa m i ly F u n Cheyenne Mountain Zoo | cmzoo.org Hotel The Broadmoor | broadmoor.com Museum Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum | cspm.org Nonprofit Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region hsppr.org Media Personality Matt Meister | @thewxmeister Local Radio Station KRCC 91.5 | cpr.org/krcc

Orthodontics SMILE | mysmilehq.com A l t e r n a t i v e H e a l t h Ca r e Medical Alternatives Clinics – Medical Marijuana Doctor | medicalalternativesclinics.com A s s i s t e d L i v i n g Fa c i l i t y Brookdale Senior Living | brookdale.com Af terlife Ser vices Swan-Law Funeral Directors | tinyurl.com/indy-slfd I n - H o m e C a r e P r ov i d e r The Independence Center | theindependencecenter.org Ch i l d D ay C a r e Little Sprouts Learning Center, Chapel Hills | littlesproutslearningcenter.net Tr a d e S c h o o l Pikes Peak Community College | ppcc.edu Higher Ed Institution UCCS | uccs.edu

Local T V Station Rocky Mountain PBS | rmpbs.org

Natural Food Store Mountain Mama Natural Foods | mountainmamanaturalfoods.com

B a n k o r Cr e d i t U n i o n Ent Credit Union | ent.com

Grocery Store King Soopers | kingsoopers.com

Law Firm McDivitt Law Firm | mcdivittlaw.com

Co o k i n g Cl a s s The French Kitchen | tfkcc.com

Beauty Bar Flower Shop Platte Floral | platteflorist.com S t o r e f o r Fa s h i o n A c c e s s o r i e s Terra Verde Boutique | terraverdestyle.com Cl o t h i n g B o u t i q u e Terra Verde Boutique | terraverdestyle.com Jewelr y Store Terra Verde Boutique | terraverdestyle.com

Ta t t o o A r t i s t Aaron Moore, West Side Tattoo | westsidetattoo.net @aaronwestsidetattoo G a r d e n S u p p ly/ N u r s e r y Rick’s Garden Center | ricksgarden.com H a r d wa r e S t o r e Ace Hardware | acecoloradosprings.com

M o t o r c y c l e/M o t o r s p o r t s D e a l e r Pikes Peak Harley-Davidson | pikespeakharleydavidson.com

Landscaping Ser vices Timberline Landscaping | timberlinelandscaping/com

Au t o Re p a i r S h o p Aspen Auto Clinic | aspenautoclinic.com

Antique Store American Classics Marketplace | americanclassicsmarketplace.com

Medical Spa Genesis Medspa | genesis-medspa.com Place for Eyewear Abba Eye Care | abbaeyecare.com Nail Salon Beauty Bar | beautybar-inc.com Barbershop Lincoln St. Barbers | lincolnstbarberscoloradosprings.com Bryan Tryon

Ta t t o o S h o p West Side Tattoo | westsidetattoo.net

Dealership Heuberger Subaru | bestbuysubaru.com

D ay S p a Sunwater Spa | sunwellness.net

Rick’s Garden Center

Piercing Shop Pens & Needles Body Piercing and Fine Jewelry | pens-needles.com

Hair Salon Veda Salon & Spa | coloradoveda.com Adult Store Fascinations | fascinations.net

Thrift Store Arc Thrift Stores | arcthrift.com Used Furniture Platte Furniture | plattefurniture.com Eclectic Shop The Leechpit Records & Vintage | leechpit.com S t o r e f o r M u s i c , M ov i e s a n d Video Games Independent Records & Video beindependent.com Va p e S h o p Chief Vapor | chiefvapor.com

continued on p. 25 ➔

INSIDER 2022 | PRIMER | Cannabis | Culture | Recreation | Food & Drink

COMMUNITY To u r i s t At t r a c t i o n Cheyenne Mountain Zoo | cmzoo.org

Dental Practice The Downtown Dentist | thedowntowndentistcs.com

15

CULTURE IS KING Museums, natural wonders and history await

16

A

little over century and a half ago, Colorado Springs was an unremarkable tract of treeless prairie, relieved only by Fountain Creek, nearby mountains and the snow-capped summit of Pikes Peak.

Visionary city founder William J. Palmer saw things differently — the barren prairie would be the site of a distinguished and beautiful city, where residents and visitors alike could enjoy splendid scenery, abundant sunshine and healthful lives. A farsighted railroad baron, Palmer also founded Manitou Springs and Salida, laid out the city’s street grid and lived in the city he founded in 1871 until his death in 1906.

Half a million of us live Palmer’s dream, and millions more visit every year. In keeping with Palmer’s entrepreneurial origins, we haven’t been shy in figuring out how to welcome visitors, inform our community or create interesting experiences. There are scores of museums, attractions and curated experiences available to all — so here are a few.

Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center

Located a few blocks north of Downtown, the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College is housed in a 1936 pueblo modernist building designed by John Gaw Meem. The FAC’s superb collection includes Native American (Pueblo Plains, Plateau and Great Basin cultures), Hispanic and Spanish Colonial, and 20th-century American art (fac.coloradocollege.edu). Open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday.

Manitou Springs

Manitou Springs sits literally at the foot of Pikes Peak. As Manitoids love to point out, there are no Springs in Colorado Springs, but seven in Manitou. The historic little city is home to Miramont Castle Museum, Cave of the Winds, Manitou Art Center and what may be the region’s premier attraction: The Broadmoor Manitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railway (cograilway.com).

National Museum of World War II Aviation

Not to be missed: The National Museum of World War II Aviation (worldwariiaviation.org). It displays 27 fully restored flying aircraft in its hangar, including a B-25 Mitchell and a Lockheed P-38 Lightning. Not all are on display at one time, but it’s quite a time machine.

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

Especially if you have kids in tow, consider spending a day at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (cmzoo.org). Literally located on the slopes of Cheyenne Mountain, the zoo started as Broadmoor hotel founder Spencer Penrose’s private menagerie. It’s now one of the best zoos in America (ranking No. 4 on USA Today’s Readers’ Choice 2021). Giraffe feeding daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

United States Olympic & Paralympic Museum and Hall of Fame

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

INSIDER 2022 | PRIMER | Cannabis | Culture | Recreation | Food & Drink

BY JOHN HAZLEHURST

The Olympic & Paralympic Museum (usopm. org) is 60,000 square feet “dedicated to America’s greatest athletes and their compelling stories, with the artifacts, media and technology behind the athletes who make the United States proud.” The museum includes interactive exhibits, to include a virtual reality experience replicating the Opening Ceremony’s Parade of Nations.

Bryan Oller

Pikes Peak Cog Railway

First opened on June 30, 1891, the beloved Cog was designed and built by inventor/entrepreneur Zalmon Simmons. It operated continuously until 2017, when it was closed for a four-year, $100 million rebuild. During that time, Colorado Springs tore down the junky 1965 Summit House and ancillary buildings, replacing them with the new summit complex, a light-filled architectural masterpiece.

Western Museum of Mining & Industry

The Western Museum of Mining & Industry (wmmi.org) has a remarkable assemblage of working mining machinery, plus a model mining drift and gold panning stations. The museum is dedicated to “interpreting the rich mining history of Colorado and the American West.”

Old Colorado City National Historic District

Going west? Start with the Old Colorado City National Historic District, a restored 19th century downtown. Parking is easy, and OCC features dozens of locally owned galleries, bars, clothing stores, restaurants and shops of all kinds. It’s the heart and soul of its diverse, much loved Westside neighborhood. Visitors beware — you may never leave.

Pikes Peak Highway

If trains aren’t your thing, there are plenty of options. Drive the Pikes Peak Highway, stroll 14 miles up the Barr Trail (starting just across from the Cog station), ride a bike or go all 1889 and rent a donkey… up to you to find one! Or you can skip the summit entirely, and head up Ute Pass to Woodland Park, Divide and Cripple Creek.

Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum

The Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum (cspm.org) is located in the resplendent 1902 El Paso County Courthouse in the heart of Downtown. There’s plenty of metered parking along the streets, admission is free and the collections and exhibits — like COS@150, which explores the city’s 150-year history through objects — are fabulous.

Plus, its Starsmore Center for Local History is a treasure trove for researchers. But it’s far from the only Downtown and near-Downtown attraction. A few blocks to the southwest, check out Weidner Field (weidnerfield.com), a new soccer stadium that’s home to the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC professional soccer team.

The Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center (rmdrc.com) is a science-friendly, kid-friendly dinosaur museum up Ute Pass in Woodland Park. A few miles farther on, the Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center is just west of Divide (wolfeducation.org). It’s an extraordinary outdoor wolf sanctuary that’s home as well to other endangered canids.

Visitors can directly interact with wolves and learn about these splendid, muchmaligned apex predators.

Cripple Creek

Think you’re lucky? Drive 18 miles south from Divide to Cripple Creek (visitcripplecreek.com), once the greatest gold camp in the world. They’re still mining, but with gigantic machines instead of picks and shovels. If the gambling gods are kind, maybe you’ll hit a jackpot at one of the Creek’s many friendly casinos. Have fun, but remember the old adage: “Casinos were not built by the winners.” Win or lose, visit the Outlaws & Lawmen Museum (tinyurl.com/ymzw3nfk) in the heart of the casino district.

It’s located in the 1901 jail building, which was in use for 90 years. Talk about serving some hard time — yet it’s fun, instructive and inexpensive ($3 for adults, kids free).

And if the jail isn’t open, try the Cripple Creek Heritage Center (facebook.com/cripplecreekheritagecenter), the free city-owned history museum.

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MILLIONS MORE VISIT EVERY YEAR.

Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center and the Wolf and Wildlife Center

Bryan Grossman

Half a million of us live Palmer’s dream, and

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Garden of the Gods

WHAT DAY IS IT? A peek at fun tidings in and around the Pikes Peak region

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COMPILED BY MARY JO MEADE | maryjo@csindy.com

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APRIL Earth Day Walk in Garden of the Gods April 16 | Garden of the Gods Visitor & Nature Center, 1805 N. 30th St., tinyurl.com/EDay-gogwalk Start getting in shape for the summer with a free 5K or 10K walk through the stunning geology of Garden of the Gods Park.

You can bring your (leashed) pupper too.

Rocky Mountain Women’s Film Institute’s Shorts Night April 22 | Stargazers Theatre, 10 S. Parkside Drive, rmwfilm.org/shorts-night An annual fundraising festival that features the year’s best short films from around the world — including award-winners from Sundance, Cannes and the Academy Awards. The popcorn’s free!

Pikes Peak Restaurant Week April 22-May 1 | Colorado Springs, tinyurl.com/PPRW-2022 This weeklong celebration is designed to bring awareness to the local food scene.

Check the website for a list of restaurants

that will be offering discounts, special menus and secret menu items.

The Bluest Eye April 21-May 15 | Ent Center for the Arts, entcenterforthearts.org Theatreworks’ production of the play adapted from Toni Morrison’s powerful novel.

MAY Cañon City’s Sesquicentennial May 4-8 | Cañon City, canoncity150.com The Music & Blossom Festival is a big annual event here, but in 2022 it’s just one of many honoring the city’s history, people and culture during this year-long celebration.

Run to the Shrine May 14-15 | 4250 Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Road, tinyurl.com/cmz-shrine Run — or walk — like an animal on this 4-mile course through Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, up to Will Rogers Shrine of the Sun and back down again.

Top: John Hoffman / Shutterstock.com, bottom: Royal Gorge Chamber Alliance

Cañon City’s Sesquicentennial

Visit Cripple Creek

Top of the World Rodeo

The final performance in Colorado Springs Philharmonic’s comeback season. The program includes Mozart’s “Haffner” Symphony and Copland’s beloved Appalachian Spring.

MeadowGrass Music Festival May 27-29 | La Foret, 6145 Shoup Road, rockymountainhighway.org Three days of live music and family-friendly activities, with camping, latenight shows, yoga, a beer festival and a whole lot more.

Territory Days May 28-30 | Old Colorado City, shopoldcoloradocity.com

Top of the World Rodeo June 11-12 | Cripple Creek, visitcripplecreek.com A Colorado Pro Rodeo Association-sanctioned event — everything from bareback riding to mutton busting — that comes with a street dance, food vendors and a beer garden.

Juneteenth Festival June 17-19, America the Beautiful Park, 126 Cimino Drive, csjuneteenthfestival.com This second annual Springs Juneteenth fest celebrates community along with the end of slavery in the U.S. in 1865. Bring the whole family to this free gathering that includes live music, keynote speakers, a fashion show, a 5K run, a car show and more.

continued on p. 20 ➔

A Memorial Day staple, held in the streets of Old Colorado City, with live entertainment, food, craft booths, pony rides, kids’ play area, petting zoo, toy train rides, gold panning, live birds of prey and two beer gardens.

Visit COS

JUNE Downtown Walking Tour: 2022 Art on the Streets June 4 | Downtown, Wild Goose Meeting House, tinyurl.com/cs-aots-22 Get acquainted with the art and artists featured in this 24th annual Art on the Streets exhibit.

Manitou Springs Colorado Wine Festival June 4 | Memorial Park, 502 Manitou Ave., Manitou, manitousprings.org/ manitou-springs-colorado-wine-festival Sample the best that Colorado wineries have to offer and enjoy food and live music in the park.

Royal Gorge

Whitewater Fest

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Appalachian Spring May 21-22 | Pikes Peak Center for the Performing Arts, 190 S. Cascade Ave., csphilharmonic.org

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➔ continued from p. 19 Colorado Renaissance Festival June 18-Aug. 7 | Larkspur, coloradorenaissance.com Jousting and turkey legs, noble knights, revelers and artisans. Mingle with authentically costumed 16th-century merrymakers who also perform on the festival’s stages. Tickets go on sale in May.

Old Fashioned 4th of July Celebration July 4 | Woodland Park, woodlandparkchamber.com

Cañon City, along with plenty of bands and beer for landlubbers.

With games, food, beer/cocktails and patriotic music by the Woodland Park Wind Symphony.

Rocky Mountain State Games July 22-24 & 29-31 | Multiple venues, coloradospringssports.org/rockymountain stategames

William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night July 7-31 | Ent Center for the Arts, 5225 N. Nevada Ave. entcenterforthearts.org/ theatreworks/upcoming-season

This annual sports festival is for athletes of all ages and abilities, and includes everything from inline hockey to cricket to powerlifting to orienteering to cornhole.

“some of the best names in the comic art community.” Have your picture taken with your heroes!

Pikes Peak Cycling Hill Climb Aug. 13 | Pikes Peak, coloradospringssports.org/cycletothesummit A USA Cycling-sanctioned bicycle race up “America’s Mountain” with multiple medal categories to accommodate cyclists at all skill levels.

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Steve Boice / Shutterstock.com

Colorado Renaissance Festival

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Pikes Peak International Hill Climb June 26 | Pikes Peak, ppihc.org This 100th running of the famous Hill Climb will offer the “perfect opportunity for drivers to bring their best game to Pikes Peak to cap the first 100 years of competition while ushering in a new century of racing on America’s Mountain.”

Keb’ Mo’ June 30 | Pikes Peak Center, 190 S. Cascade Ave., pikespeakcenter.com/events/detail/ keb-mo With 14 albums to his name and five Grammy awards, the genre-defying Keb’ Mo’ is a “modern master of American roots music.”

JULY Sunnyside Cemetery Tours July 2 & 16, through Sept. 17 | Sunnyside Cemetery, Victor, victormuseum.com Learn about pioneers and their children and hard-rock miners from Victor’s gold rush days.

“This madcap tale of identical twins, lost at sea but found by love” sees UCCS’ Theatreworks taking on one of the Bard’s finest.

Mary Chapin Carpenter July 8 | Pikes Peak Center, 190 S. Cascade Ave., pikespeakcenter.com/events/detail/ carpenter2022 “One of just 15 women voted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, with over 15 million albums sold, 5 Grammy awards (from 15 nominations) and the recipient of two CMA and ACM awards.”

Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo Days July 13-16 | Norris Penrose Event Center, 1045 Lower Gold Camp Road, pikespeakorbust.org More than 200 contestants from the U.S. and Canada will test their skills and endurance through bareback riding, saddle bronc riding, barrel racing and more.

Family-friendly entertainment with the flavor of the Old West.

Royal Gorge Whitewater Festival July 22-23 | royalgorgewhitewaterfestival.com Whitewater competitions based in historic

AUGUST Downtown Walking Tour: Making History Downtown Aug. 6, Story Coffee Co. in Acacia Park, tinyurl.com/make-hist-cs This public walk will explore “the meaning of Downtown for previous generations and tour participants’ own lives, as they consider stories of celebration and protest, identity and belonging, entrepreneurship, and traditions.”

Mountain Arts Festival Aug. 7-8, Ute Pass Cultural Center, 210 E. Midland Ave., Woodland Park, themountainartists.org The 37th annual festival, with juried works from Colorado and national artists including jewelry, woodwork, photography, pottery, metalwork, fiber art and more.

Colorado Springs Comic Con Aug. 19-21 | Broadmoor World Arena, 3185 Venetucci Blvd., cscomiccon.com A three-day pop culture fest with celebrities from TV, movies and cartoons, plus

Flash Cadillac Aug. 20 | Stargazers Theatre, 10 S. Parkside Drive, stargazerstheatre.com Local favorites Flash Cadillac formed their rock ’n’ roll band in Colorado in 1969 and gained a wider audience through their appearances in American Graffiti and Apocalypse Now. Hot Rod Rock & Rumble Aug. 26-28 | Pikes Peak International Raceway, 16650 Midway Ranch Road, ppir.com With a hot rod and rat rod showcase, drag racing, hi-banked racetrack cruising, Power Wheels for the kids, music stages, a pinup contest and more.

SEPTEMBER Colorado Springs Labor Day Lift Off Sept. 3-5 | Memorial Park, 1605 E. Pikes Peak Ave., coloradospringslabordayliftoff.com One of the Springs’ biggest and most colorful events, a family-friendly staple of the Labor Day weekend. Hot-air balloons morning and night (weather permitting), skydiving demonstrations, paddle boarding, live music and entertainment and lots more.

Two Summer Experiences:

Courtesy Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

Ages 7-12

Two Summer Experiences: June 27 - July 2 Mission to Mars

Boo at the Zoo

Another Memorial Day staple, this one loaded with juried art from potters, jewelers, painters, sculptors, photographers, glass artists and more — plus live entertainment, food and drink and loads of activities for kids. ”Weird Al” Yankovic: Unfortunate Return of the Ill-Advised Vanity Tour Sept. 6 | Pikes Peak Center, 190 S. Cascade Ave., pikespeakcenter.com/events/detail/ weirdalyankovic “Almost four years after his first foray into unfamiliar concert territory with his highly acclaimed Ridiculously Self-Indulgent, Ill-Advised Vanity Tour, ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic is pressing his luck again.”

Silent Night at the Zoo Sept. 11 | Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, 4250 Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Road, cmzoo.org Step away from the maddening noise of the world and enjoy quiet time among the animals. “Turn off your phones, quiet your voices and tap into your own mindfulness.”

Heritage Brew Festival Sept. 24 | Soda Springs Park, 1070 Manitou Ave., Manitou, manitouspringsheritagecenter.org/heritagebrewfest Sample craft beer from more than 20 breweries and food from local purveyors, plus live music.

OCTOBER October is Arts Month (Engage!)

All month | venues all over El Paso and Teller counties, artsoctober.com “Arts Month elevates the visibility of arts & culture across El Paso and Teller

Counties by showcasing local talent, providing opportunities for arts advocacy, supporting innovative cross-sector community collaborations, and creating new avenues for arts engagement and cultural enrichment.” The Cultural Office of the Pikes Peak Region wrangles this enormous collection of arts experiences.

Blues on the Mesa Oct. 1 | Gold Hill Mesa Community Center, 142 S. Raven Mine Drive, amusiccompanyinc.com

719-576-8000

A day outside on the lawn, with regional and national blues acts.

Downtown Walking Tour: Ghosts of Downtown Oct. 1 | Loyal Coffee, 408 S. Nevada Ave., tinyurl.com/cs-ghosty “Hear untold stories of historic buildings and get to know the Ghosts of Downtown. Some stories are real; some are fake — can you tell which is which?”

Reynolds Ranch House Harvest Festival At WMMI Oct. 2-3, and Miners’ Pumpkin Patch Oct. 9-30 (see schedule) | Western Museum of Mining & Industry, 225 North Gate Blvd., wmmi.org Live demonstrations, including the apple cider press and gold panning, games, a tractor-pulled hayride and food trucks.

The following weekend, enjoy the pumpkin patch and find your way through the hay maze.

Your Life

is Calling A new career may be just a couple of years (or even a few months!) away.

Make it happen » ppcc.edu

Boo at the Zoo Oct. 21-23 and 28-31 | Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, 4250 Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Road, cmzoo.org Put on your scariest costume, grab your candy bag and head to the zoo for trickor-treating amongst the wild creatures of the night. (All of the candy is made from sustainable palm oil, which helps protect wild orangutans.)

Photo by PPCC student Jade-Nicole Esquibel

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Commonwheel Artists Co-op Labor Day Arts Festival Sept. 3-5 | Memorial Park, 502 Manitou Ave., Manitou Springs, commonwheel.com/ festival.html

July 11 - July 15 Space Exploration

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ITS NOT

EASY BUYING

GREEN The ins and outs of marijuana in Colorado Springs

BY GRETA ANDERSON

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Shutterstock.com

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W

elcome to Colorado Springs — you might’ve come here for the pot.

For cardholding medical marijuana users (Colorado residents only), you’re in luck — there are 119 medical dispensaries in the Springs.

However, the city of Colorado Springs and El Paso County do not allow recreational sales, despite the ever-growing business and tax incentives of opening cannabis shops.

In 2021, Colorado collected an all-time high of about $423.5 million in sales tax and fee revenue from marijuana sales, the most since the state began permitting retail and medical sales in 2014. Total sales since legalization surpassed $12 billion last year. That’s a lot of green.

Here’s everything you need to know if you’re new to the Springs’ green rush.

CONCERT LINEUP

MAY - HARRY MO & THE CRU JUNE - TEJON STREET CORNER THEIVES JULY - RYAN FLORES AUGUST - INTERROBANG SEPTEMBER - CC WELLS Shutterstock.com

SCAN FOR DETAILS

Coloradans who are at least 18 years old and have a qualifying medical condition — like cancer, seizures, severe nausea, severe pain (anything that could be treated with an opioid), to name a few — can apply to get their medical card with recommendations from two medical providers and about $30.

As of January, applicants who are under 21 years old also need to submit certifications from their two recommending doctors, who must be from different medical practices.

Adults over 21 can purchase 1 ounce of recreational marijuana at a time and possess up to 2 ounces, an increase that was established under law last year.

The Colorado Legislature also recently decreased the amount of medical marijuana concentrate registered users can purchase; 21+ MMJ users can buy up to 8 grams in one day (down from 40 grams) and 18- to 20-year-old MMJ users may purchase up to 2 grams of concentrate in a day.

Rec Users: Get Out of Town

For 21+ visitors and Colorado residents in pristine health looking to pick up recreational marijuana — hate to disappoint — you’ll have to go outside the Springs to get it.

Although private cannabis use and retail sales were legalized statewide in 2014, our county and city said “no thank you” and opted out of allowing retail stores.

For now, neighboring Manitou Springs or Pueblo County are the closest places to buy recreational marijuana. Adults with a valid government ID can purchase up to an ounce of weed at one time.

Cannabis Destinations

Manitou has limited options — just two stores in town — and a recent special tax hike from the city’s government made their selections some of the most expensive pot in the state. Because the two shops are the only ones in El Paso County, expect long lines.

Pueblo is a bit farther from the Springs — about 35 minutes south from Downtown, depending on traffic — but offers a couple recreational stores *super-strategically* placed right off Interstate 25 just over the county line. Perfect for all those Springs residents who need to travel for their stash, and Pueblo County’s tax on retail marijuana sales is 6 percent, compared to Manitou’s 10 percent. Just sayin’. continued on p. 24 ➔

Music FREE

CONCERTS MAY-SEPT

Every last Wednesday from 6-8 p.m.

235 S. Nevada Ave.

The Colorado Farm and Art Market will be joining us at 3 p.m. for these events. Stop by early to shop and support local!

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The Best Medicine

23

P INSIDER 2022 | Primer | CANNABIS | Culture | Recreation | Food & Drink

➔ continued from p. 23

24

Know Before You Roll

Please drive safely back to the Springs, or wherever you stay — do not consume marijuana products while operating a vehicle, or risk a DUI charge. Everyone in the car, in fact, is barred from using or having “open containers” of weed under state law, even if the car is not moving. That goes for medical users, too. You also may not cross state borders with cannabis.

Best practice: Keep your vehicle clear of all marijuana products and packaging.

It is legal to possess up to 2 ounces of cannabis in Colorado and it may only be used on private property — yours or your weed-smoking buddy’s house are good options.

If you rent, your landlord may have different rules for use on their property. There are some 420-friendly hotels in the area, but that’s also at the owner’s discretion.

No form of marijuana use is allowed in public places — parks, ski resorts, businesses, restaurants, common areas of your apartment or condo complex, walking down the street — no cigar (or joint, rather).

Grow-Your-Own

For the green thumbs, El Paso County allows up to 12 marijuana plants (only six at a time may be mature) to be grown for personal use per dwelling, no matter how many people live there and whether or not the grower is a medical cardholder. The state says six plants per person, and any grower must be 21 or older, of course.

Making THC oil concentrates or dabs at home, however, is illegal and highly dangerous.

ersonal marijuana use has been legal in Colorado for about eight years (and medical use for more than two decades), but people who use pot should be aware of their employer’s drug use and testing policies — you could still be fired or miss out on a job opportunity if you piss hot.

Bosses have free rein when it comes to testing employees for cannabis and acting on a positive test.

Even prescribed and cardholding medical marijuana patients could be terminated for taking their medicine off the clock.

It’s happened before — a quadriplegic MMJ patient working for Dish Network sued the company for firing him in 2015. The Colorado Supreme Court backed Dish.

The federal government still considers marijuana a dangerous, schedule I drug (on the same level as heroin), so employers can interpret cannabis use as an “unlawful activity.”

In some cases, employers are required by federal law to drug test employees for potentially impairing drugs like marijuana to ensure workplace safety. In other cases, your boss might just be a jerk.

But Colorado lawmakers this year started to discuss protecting all employees from adverse action — pot advocates call it discrimination — if they light one up after work hours. A bill introduced in February by a state representative even proposed forcing employers to allow medical marijuana patients to use while at their job.

After fierce pushback from business advocates, though, the representative sponsoring the bill is apparently planning to scrap it, Pew Research Center’s Stateline reported.

She’s going to suggest lawmakers and stakeholders study the issue instead, before making another attempt.

There’s momentum for the idea, but the necessary employer support is lacking for the moment. So fair warning, stoners: You may need to reconsider your weed habit — or that job you’re applying for — if you want employment security.

Shutterstock.com

WHAT THE BOSS SAYS, GOES

M M J D i s p e n s a r y, N o r t h Maggie’s Farm | maggiesfarmmarijuana.com M M J D i s p e n s a r y, S o u t h The Green Source | nationalgreensource.com

Re c r e a t i o n a l M a r i j u a n a Dispensary Maggie’s Farm | maggiesfarmmarijuana.com Place for CBD Products The Green Source | nationalgreensource.com M M J D i s p e n s a r y, Downtown Altitude Organic Medicine | altitudeorganic.com

M M J D i s p e n s a r y, We s t Maggie’s Farm | maggiesfarmmarijuana.com N e w D i s p e n s a r y, Co l o r a d o S p r i n g s/ P u e b l o (s i n c e 7.1 . 2 0) Cookies (Pueblo) | cookies.co Head Shop The Bomb Head Shop | thebombheadshop.com

The Green Source

continued on p. 33 ➔

Bryan Oller

CANNABIS

M M J D i s p e n s a r y, E a s t The Green Source | nationalgreensource.com

GET SOCIAL WITH THE

art by teri homick • mixed media paintings • unique leather accessories • home and lifestyle goods Stop by Gallery 113 downtown to see my current work, as well as 17 other local artists!

terihomickart@gmail.com | 719.231.3574 | terihomickart.com

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CANNA BONANZA The Indy’s cannabis connoisseurs share their top green picks

BY TERR THOMPSON and ROB BOWEN

FAVORITE Products & Strains Top Choice: Godfather V.S.X.L. Cannagar

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Terr Thompson

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(madeinxiaolin.com)

COVID’s still here and doesn’t look to be leaving us anytime soon, so I’ve been trying to “seize the day!” And the product that really makes me say carpe diem! like an ancient Roman is the Godfather V.S.X.L. (Very Special Xiaolin) Cannagar, a cannabis cigar from Xiaolin (a “creative rolling studio” and “temple”).

It’s hard not to feel spoiled living in Colorado with the abundance and almost overwhelming variety of marijuana products legally available here.

The downside, though, is that it can be hard to keep getting stoned and stay excited when you’ve seen everything — from weed lube to microdose edibles.

Forget micro... I say the best cure is to go big or go home! And The Godfather is truly the pinnacle of “big” luxury craftsmanship.

With a burn time of two to three hours and a combination of gold foil, 10 grams of flower and 2 grams of hash, it’s more than enough to make even the most gargantuan stoner with the highest tolerance think they’re poking smot instead of smoking pot! It’s hard to offer something that really stands out from the crowd but Xiaolin does it by being one of the only companies in the United States selling cannagars. I may not be able to smoke a real tobacco cigar (makes me nauseous) but at least I’m at peace knowing I can replicate that coolness with a cannagar. Try out a Xiaolin Cannagar; they’re available at both medical and recreational locations. Best part about being in Colorado though? There will be even better products to talk about next year! — TT Five other favorites 1. White Mousse Champagne Concentrate (whitemousse.com) 2. Olio Concentrates (dabolio.com) 3. Coda Signature Chocolate Bars (codasignature.com/product _ cat/chocolate-bars) 4. Escape Artist Salve (letsescape.com) 5. Mary’s Medicinals Transdermal Patches (marysmedicinals.com)

Top Choice: Clementine Kush

When I look back over the past year and the various strains that I’ve sampled, there have been so many tasty tokes. The best of those smokes acted as bright spots in otherwise bleak and desolate days, two years deep into this COVID pandemic.

But there was one strain that stood head and shoulders above the rest, and that was Clementine Kush.

The Clementine was such a wonderful bit of flower — everything you could want from the herbage! It was flavorful, sticky, shiny and oh so potent! It’s one that quickly disappears off dispensary shelves, so re-up before it’s flown the proverbial coop.

The nugs were dense and smoked so slow. At over 30 percent THC, when the high rolled in, it was not playing. The buzz built like it was going to be a slow burn too. Then it suddenly kicked into high gear. Heady and blissful, it definitely brought a little sunshine to the cloudiest days of the last year! — RB Five other favorites 1. Wilson Zero 2. Hercules 3. Super Lemon OG 4. Wedding Cake 5. GMO

Consume Flower

Top Choice: With a Cherry on Top

Being the resident flower-focused smoker on the Indy review team, I thought I would provide some insights on my favorite ways to imbibe. And when it comes to the best methods for firing the flower, oddly enough I like to toss a bit of shatter, wax or budder on top of the bowl. It’s a method referred to by some in the cannabis community as a “cherry on top.”

Not one to straight dab myself, that doesn’t mean I don’t dabble when the mood so moves me. In fact, I always appreciate a good chunk of concentrate, only I prefer it with a healthy fixing of flower on the side (or rather underneath), for those times when I want the toking to truly take me to the next level. And when you have some fine flower, a cherry on top just makes the creamiest of the crops the dreamiest to boot. — RB

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Follow-up 5 1. From glass pipe with carburetor 2. Wrapped in a Black & Mild 3. A simple spliff 4. Packed in a hookah 5. Gravity bong

FAVORITE Dispensary Top Choice: Apothecary Farms (apothecaryfarms.com)

I’ve been helping grow pot since I was 18 and writing and reviewing dispensaries since September of 2020. I’ve also worked in the marijuana industry since 2015. So I thought by now picking a favorite dispensary would be easy. In fact, though, the more dispensaries I’ve visited, the harder it is to pick favorites. Variety, after all, is the spice of life!

But if you’re going to twist my arm, I’d say there is one that stands out: Apothecary Farms. I prefer hash above flower, edibles or any other marijuana product, so Apothecary Farms is a natural choice because they make hash their primary focus.

Hash is stronger in flavor than flower, which appeals more to the weed snob/ connoisseur. Most dispensaries seem to focus on flower — edibles and concentrates come second ­— because flower is the crowd favorite and makes the most “green.” What sets Apothecary Farms apart from the rest is not only their focus on concentrate but that some of the best hash comes from there, and the dispensary offers one of the largest selections of live resin, rosin and any other hash your heart hurts for.

Finally, everybody can enjoy Apothecary Farms because there’s a medical location in the Springs and a newly opened recreational location that’s very close to us in Pueblo. So if you’re looking for something more potent than the usual, Apothecary Farms is just the place that’ll pucker you up for the most pungent and primo pot — because Colorado truly has the best cannabis in the country! — TT Runners-up for favorite dispensary 1. Primal (tinyurl.com/42rj6c53) 2. Vital Cannabis (weedmaps.com/dispensaries/cys-center-2-80916) 3. Green Farms Medical Dispensary (greenfarmsmed.com) 4. Herbal Healing (tinyurl.com/y7mhvj2c) 5. Cookies (cookies.store/stores/pueblo)

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FAVORITE WAYS TO

27

ON STAGE Colorado Ballet Society The Nutcracker

Need a performing arts fix? Here are our go-tos

28

Courtesy Ormao Dance Company

INSIDER 2022 | Primer | Cannabis | CULTURE | Recreation | Food & Drink

BY ANNA FIORINO | anna@csindy.com

Courtesy Colorado Ballet Society

W

hether you’re in the mood for theater, comedy, burlesque, dance or drag, odds are there is some organization in the Springs doing it excellently. So without further ado, here are all the acceptable answers to the question, “What are you doing this weekend?”

COATI

Ormao Dance Company

10 S. Spruce St., ormaodance.org Ormao Dance is extending their 30th-anniversary celebrations with an exciting spring season. On the books is a Concrete Coyote site-specific performance, an anniversary celebration concert and a runway community project. Ormao is best known for their dance classes and performances, but the organization is also deeply invested in their community; the outreach programs they manage, like Hands Are for Holding and Dance for Parkinson’s, help empower people through dance.

coatiuprise.com We all know COATI as that “cool collective space,” home to a medley of restaurants, pop-ups and community events … and now, drag shows! These productions, hosted by drag king Gareth GorgUs, are themed, for all ages and free. So grab a cocktail from Rival Bar (or if you’re under 21, a paleta from the Paleta Bar), and enjoy the show.

Colorado Ballet Society

danceinthesprings.com Colorado Ballet Society is under new leadership this year, with former professional dancers Dex Honea and Kate Walsh Honea at the helm. Over the past couple decades, CBS has brought our city classic ballet productions like Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, The Sleeping Beauty, La Sylphide and The Sound of Music. This spring, Colorado Youth Ballet and Colorado Ballet Society’s Pre-Professional Division present Coppelia, a three-act comic ballet set to Léo Delibes’ score.

Fine Arts Center Cinderella Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College

Jeff Kearney and FAC

Dragonfly Aerial Company

fac.coloradocollege.edu/theatre Producing Artistic Director Pirronne Yousefzadeh, who officially joined the Fine Arts Center team in late 2021, says, “As hard as this moment is to be making theater, I think it is as essential as ever, if not more, in light of what we’ve been through.”

This season’s productions included plays like Guadalupe in the Guest Room, which addressed loss and grief, and Tony Award-winning musicals like Working, which explored our relationships to our professions. This June, keep an eye out for The Wolves, a critically acclaimed play by Sarah DeLappe that centers on a group of girls on an indoor soccer team. For the rest of the 2021-22 season, see the FAC website. Remember, free museum admission is included in the cost of theater tickets — so take advantage!

Peaks and Pasties

peaksandpasties.com Colorado’s burlesque super troupe has been entertaining the Pikes Peak region since early 2008 and has well over 100 members. While they are best known for their Champagne Cabaret at the Gold Room, you can now find them at La Burla Bee, a new cabaret club (and Italian restaurant) in town owned

by Bunny Bee aka The Glamorous Blonde aka Queen of Burlesque. Stop by for holiday-themed events, comedy nights, weekend cabaret shows — and maybe a meatball sub while you’re at it.

Pikes Peak Center for the Performing Arts

pikespeakcenter.com Built by El Paso County citizens in 1982, the regional entertainment and cultural center hosts over 200 performances annually. This is where you’ll find the big productions, like Rent: the 25th anniversary farewell tour, Aretha: Queen of Soul (May 2022) and Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons (June 12).

Drag shows at Bar-K, bar-kco.com

The Manitou Springs Ghost Walking Tours

by THEATREdART, theatredart.org Stand-up comedy at Loonee’s Comedy Corner, looneescc.com

Springs Ensemble Theatre

springsensembletheatre.org The Springs Ensemble Theatre, known for “compact theater” (producing big theater in a small space), puts on a variety of regional productions throughout the year, ranging from sci-fi crime dramas to comedies. And after a brief pandemic hiatus, SET has returned to the (real-life) stage for its 12th season. The last two plays (catch them if you can!) in the five-play season are Life Sucks by Aaron Posner (April 2022) and The Revolutionists by Lauren Gunderson (June 2022). Stay tuned for the 2022-23 lineup ... and if you’re a fan, consider getting the season punch card.

Theatreworks at Ent Center for the Arts

entcenterforthearts.org/theatreworks Theatreworks, founded in 1975 as a UCCS outreach program, is a professional regional theater company whose mission is to connect and empower the Pikes Peak region through diverse, provocative performances. Led by Artistic Director Caitlin Lowans, the company typically presents around seven shows per season. (UCCS students receive free admission to all Theatreworks productions.)

The Millibo Art Theatre

themat.org The Millibo Art Theatre (MAT), once known as the Manitou Art Theatre, came to life in 2001. Today, they’re an arts leader in the community, never failing to offer original, unique theater experiences — like their February cabaret, featuring music, comedy and circus acts, and recent play Heroes, a comedy revolving around three World War I veterans. Their award-winning improv group, RiP, performs full-length shows regularly.

Check their website for schedule updates.

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funkylittletheater.org Funky Little Theater Company, a local nonprofit that strives to bridge the gap between professional and community theater, has been around for almost a decade now. Tickets are affordable (Thursday shows are usually discounted), and their performances range from world premieres to regional premieres to stage classics.

Keep an eye out for:

Courtesy Dragonfly Aerial Company

Funky Little Theater Company

dragonflyaerialco.com Dragonfly’s senior staffers have taught and performed on stages around the world for decades. Catch their aerial adaptation of Rudyard Kipling’s classic Jungle Book on April 9 and 10.

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AOTS, Gregg Deal

ART HOT SPOTS Must-know venues for contemporary works, street art and everything in between

BY ANNA FIORINO | anna@csindy.com

C

olorado Springs is home to a sprawling visual arts scene, and if you know where to look, you’re sure to find something you enjoy.

And take it from me: You don’t have to be familiar with “acrylic painting techniques” or “the characteristics that defined Baroque-era architecture” to appreciate what our arts scene (or any arts scene, for that matter) has to offer. So pick a place, bring a friend and “ooh” and “aah” over incredible local, regional and national talent. We’ll see you there.

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Bar-K

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tinyurl.com/Bar-K-FB One of the few places in town where you can find a good martini and excellent, eclectic artwork under the same roof. Every month, independent local curator Joshua Coates finds a new (emerging or established) artist to showcase — and we have yet to be disappointed.

Cottonwood Center for the Arts

cottonwoodcenterforthearts.com According to Jon Khoury, the executive director of the nonprofit arts organization, curating relevant and timely exhibits is one of Cottonwood’s biggest priorities. “One of our trademarks is adjustability and adaptability to circumstances that change,” he says. “[It] makes [us] more responsive to what the community is looking for expressions of. And I think that’s the secret to Cottonwood.” Memorable exhibits from the past year include Inside Voices, which featured art by incarcerated Coloradans, and Metamorphosis, which paid tribute to artists’ evolution via pairs of old and new works.

Galleries of Contemporary Art

entcenterforthearts.org/goca With the Galleries of Contemporary Art, you have two locations to choose from: their flagship site at Ent Center for the Arts, or their Downtown satellite gallery. (And you can’t go wrong either way!) In addition to their standard art exhibitions, GOCA manages Art WithOut Limits, an ongoing project that features art outside gallery walls, and produces programs like the Artist + Critic Series, which invites artists and scholars to present lectures.

New to GOCA is the Project Space Series, pop-up exhibitions that “allows flexibility in the curatorial calendar, offering artists a platform, funding, and inviting guest writers to respond to the works and add to the critical dialogue across the community.”

Art on the Streets

tinyurl.com/AOTS-in-CS This summer marks the 24th year of Art on the Streets, a Downtown Partnership program that invites artists from around the world to transform Downtown Colorado Springs into one big outdoor gallery.

Keep an eye out in June for new murals, sculptures and installation works.

Sheary Clough Suiter

Kreuser Gallery

kreusergallery.com When Kreuser Gallery first opened their doors 11 years ago, they were in the Arts Depot District. Today, you’ll find the gallery on East Boulder Street, where they have month-long exhibits by a diverse mix of artists. With three exhibition rooms in the gallery space, Kreuser can spotlight up three or more artists at a time. On the roster for 2022: installation artist Su Kaiden Cho, sculpturist Sean O’Meallie and Bee Vradenburg Executive Director Claire Swinford. lery and Hagnauer Gallery, studios, classrooms and even a PPLD library branch. Plus, everyone has the opportunity join the MAC Makerspace for access to the center’s equipment and resources (metalshop, woodshop, darkroom and more) — to make some art of their own.

G44 Gallery

g44gallery.com G44 Gallery, which is owned and curated by Gundega Stevens (and right next to Kreuser Gallery), presents monthly rotating solo shows by artists from Colorado Springs and beyond. While art style varies from artist to artist, G44 loves to showcase abstract contemporary and contemporary realism works. Don’t forget to drop by for the annual Holiday Show in December!

lic art. Currently, the area is home to over 50 murals — a spectacular display of street art that you can drive by or walk through.

Manitou Art Center

manitouartcenter.org For over 30 years, the Manitou Art Center has served as the community’s creative center. It has two main galleries, the Intemann Gal-

The Space

thespacecos.com Don’t let the exterior fool you; this State Farm Insurance agency doubles as an art gallery. (Which somehow makes it so much cooler, right?)

Thanks to collaboration between insurance agent Rusty Fanning and curators Chelsea Boucher and Felicia Kelly, the corporate office functions as a welcoming and accessible space

for art-makers and gallery-goers. The Space is truly a testament to the idea that “art belongs everywhere.”

New Gallery Alert: Ultra Flat Black Gallery and Lounge

tinyurl.com/UltraFlatBlackGallery-FB West Colorado Springs’ newest art space will be part gallery, part bar and part selfie museum — so basically, the best of all possible worlds. Rae Madigan, the curator for Ultra Flat Black, wants to promote local art; around 80 percent of featured artists will be based in the Springs, and 20 percent will be from Colorado. “I don’t want to do the same thing that has been done before,” says Madigan. “I want to keep it new. I want to keep it fresh.”

UFB will be hosting two art shows a month and partaking in First and Third Fridays; each exhibit will have both in-person and virtual viewing options. Darin Newhouse, Jay Ohh and other artists will be officially breaking in the gallery space with their group show in April. For updates, hours of operation and more info, see their Facebook page.

More Galleries We Love:

Commonwheel Artists Co-op, commonwheel.com The Machine Shop, jointhemachine.com The Studio, chefbrotherluck. com/the-studio

tinyurl.com/KnobHillUrbanArtsFB K.H.U.A.D., a grassroots arts organization that recently acquired their nonprofit designation, is dedicated to building community through pub-

The Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College

csfineartscenter.org The FAC is a prominent cultural fixture, a popular tourist attraction … and an overall arts staple.

The center, established in the early 1900s, has been celebrating the arts for over a hundred years now. Upcoming exhibitions we’re particularly excited for: Reframing Birds of America: Conversations on Audubon (April through July 2022) and Robert Blackburn & Modern American Printmaking (May through August 2022).

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Knob Hill Urban Arts District

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ALL PROSE, NO CONS Calling all reading enthusiasts, spoken word poets and novelists-to-be

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poetry719.com Poetry 719 originated as a small Facebook group in 2009, and several years later it had transformed into a full-fledged community organization. Poetry 719 combines poetry and community engagement to celebrate self-expression — and amplify marginalized voices. The Black-run organization puts on monthly events that are open to everyone, like themed poetry nights, discussion panels and open mics. For those of us not quite ready to perform in front of an audience? On Facebook, followers can participate in Poetry Prompt Monday. (It’s easy: Respond to the prompt, then tag or DM Poetry 719 to be featured on their page.)

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GOLD

pikespeakwriters.com Pikes Peak Writers is the optimal writers’ support group. Every first Thursday, writers can participate in an open critique via Zoom. And every fourth Sunday, the organization offers a free “Writers’ Night,” where members can meet up in person to network, ask questions and offer advice. Then, of course, there is the annual Pikes Peak Writers Conference with workshops that cover, among many other topics,

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Pikes Peak Writers

the publishing process, leveraging your platform and developing solid character profiles.

Hear Here Poetry

hearherepoetry.org Hear Here Poetry, which “encourag[es] young people to actively listen, write & share,” hosts poetry workshops, open mics and friendly slam competitions. They’re also one of the organizations behind the Pikes Peak Youth Poet Laureate Project.

Pikes Peak Library District (PPLD) Book Clubs

ppld.org/book-clubs The Pikes Peak Library District offers 15 different book clubs across the region; they vary in location, genre, and monthly meeting date and time. And look, there’re no rules against club hopping! Take up the Cheyenne Mountain Mystery Club for a few months, switch over to the Rockrimmon Mostly Fiction Group — and who knows? Maybe the Virtual Carnelian Coffee Club will end up being the best fit.

Non Book Club Book Club

facebook.com/nonbookclubbookclub The NBCBC is a meetup for creatives of all kinds (writers and poets included) — a place to discuss ideas, swap books, share inspiration and more. “This event was created in order to break down the traditional ideas of learning found in school systems while also bridging art cliques in COS,” the NBCBC explains on their Facebook page. “We feel the most important information out there is what individuals curate into their own lives. We want to create and aid in the construction of safe places for open discussion and free expression.”

Poet Laureate Ashley Cornelius

Bookstore Poor Richard’s Bookstore | poorrichardsdowntown.com/#books Photographer Lars Leber | larsleber.com (now in Salida) P l a c e f o r Co m e d y Loonees Comedy Corner | looneescc.com

Artist Liese Chavez | chavezartgallery.com

M u s i c Ve n u e The Black Sheep | blacksheeprocks.com

Art Gallery Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College | fac.coloradocollege.edu

S p e c i a l E v e n t Ve n u e Stargazers Theatre & Event Center | stargazerstheatre.com

D a n c e Co m p a ny Peaks and Pasties | peaksandpasties.com

Local Band Tejon Street Corner Thieves | cornerthieves.com Local Solo Musician Grant Sabin | facebook.com/grant.sabin

Liese Chavez

continued on p. 45 ➔

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GET TUNED IN Local venues hope 2022 makes live shows normal again

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BY LORING WIRBEL

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his time last year was supposed to represent the return to normal for a live-concert scene decimated by the lockdowns of 2020. For a short time in 2021, the bookings and audiences looked like a mirror of the 2010s. Then along came Delta and Omicron, and venues had to hit the reset button, sometimes partially and sometimes at full reboot.

The Black Sheep (blacksheeprocks.com) returned to a near-full schedule last year that included big gigs like The Mountain Goats, though many bands requested vaccination cards. Spread-out areas near the long southside bar were augmented by better ventilation, with a resulting enviable record of no outbreaks. By the waning weeks of Omicron, The Black Sheep was up to full billing of national acts, and patrons were easing up on mask use. The spring features everyone from Sleep to GWAR to Circle Jerks, along with oft-rescheduled national shows like the return of Airborne Toxic Event.

Vultures, located close to The Black Sheep (vulturesrocks.com), is in full swing, featur-

Bryan Oller

ing national acts like Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band, as well as local favorites Joe Johnson and Grant Sabin.

Lulu’s Downstairs (lulusdownstairs.com) finally returned to a full schedule in early 2022 for its spacious red-themed plush show bar, hosting local acts like Jeremy Facknitz and Xanthe Alexis. The postponement of a national show by Son Volt from February to August proves that venues are not out of pandemic surprises yet, but a successful show

by Cactus Blossoms, and upcoming dates for Sarah Shook and Southern Culture on the Skids indicate Lulu’s is firing on all cylinders.

Smaller shows are featured at Manitou Springs’ Buffalo Lodge Bicycle Resort (bicycleresort.com), which treats its small music area as an adjunct to its adventure lodging.

Fireside concerts feature local acoustic performers like Dylan Teifer and Jarod Facknitz, though the lodge anticipates broadening its repertoire with the return of good weather.

The smaller bar venues face the most challenges with crowded spaces, though Triple

Nickel Tavern (triplenickeltavern.com), a bar with a long history of reconfigured floor space and financial relaunches, appears ready for 2022 with a busy schedule ranging from metal and screamcore to folk punk. Bar-K Lounge (bar-kco.com) is back to open mics of music and poetry, though it has yet to return to pre-pandemic levels of hosting local music.

For a short time in 2021, the bookings and audiences looked like

A MIRROR OF THE 2010s.

MeadowGrass Music Festival

The Gold Room (goldroomlive.com) relied on local Colorado showcase events and weekly Rude Blues Jams through late 2021 and early 2022, but will have its first national act April 23 with the Don and Eye from Musalini and 9th Wonder. The space is small, but its configuration on two floors with an open balcony allows more social spacing than many of Downtown’s recorded-music clubs.

For big gigs, Pikes Peak Center for the Performing Arts (pikespeakcenter.com) has relied more on theater performance than music, due to the large number of postponed tours in 2021, but this year will see such highlights as Boz Scaggs, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Alan Parsons Project, Keb’ Mo’ and Gary Allan. The venue is back to full seating. The Broadmoor World Arena (broadmoorworldarena.com), managed jointly with Pikes Peak Center, has no music planned for the spring, but this is due to the lack of larger touring gigs, rather than any COVID hangover.

Similarly, Ent Center for the Arts (entcenterforthearts.org) has hosted unique pop music artists like Kaki King in past years, but its schedule for 2022 is centered on UCCS’ Theatreworks and the CS Philharmonic — more due to the lack of national touring acts of an appropriate size.

The Eastside of the city has lost a venue with the closure of The Social, which had significant plans for show upgrades from its previous incarnation as Rawkus, but could not make it through the leaner pandemic months. Posts and outside signs claim a temporary closure, but phones have been disconnected and plans for summer 2022 appear nonexistent.

By contrast, Stargazers Theatre (stargazerstheatre.com) has maintained a busy schedule through well-spaced tables, three tiers of seats, and bar service at the front entrance, eschewing table-based wait staff. A March 5 local show headlining Edith Makes a Paper Chain was the kickoff for a full spring and summer heavy on tribute bands, but also featuring everything from a rare appearance by Canadian folkie Bruce Cockburn in May to an Edie Carey album release concert in June.

On the Northside, Boot Barn Hall in the Bourbon Brothers/ Bass Pro shopping complex (bootbarnhall.com) bravely kept concerts going throughout 2021, taking advantage of a large indoor space and good ventilation. Like Stargazers, Boot Barn features tribute bands, as well as country acts like Easton Corbin, Casey Donahew and Kentucky Headhunters.

Farther afield, watch for Black Rose Acoustic Society (blackroseacoustic.org) to expand from multiple monthly jam sessions for the vaccinated, to a return to live shows by national acts, which began with Chris Pierce on March 11. The wide-open log cabin with linoleum floors remains a good place for social distancing, and the Black Rose staff plans for a broad mix of acoustic acts.

Palmer Lake’s Tri-Lakes Center for the Arts (trilakesarts.org) has a similar large indoor space with gallery nooks for visual art.

It has hosted musicians from Judy Collins to Rhys Fulber (Front Line Assembly) to The Accidentals. The 2022 schedule already includes Claude Bourbon, Paul Overstreet and Janie Fricke.

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The sometimes muddy, always awesome Memorial Day weekend extravaganza is back this year with a lineup that includes headliners Ranky Tanky, bringing the sounds of South Carolina’s West African-rooted Gullah community; award-winning indie folk quartet Darlingside; and Marc Broussard’s Louisiana-influenced blues and rock. (May 27-29, rockymountainhighway.org)

35

HIKE Hiking is great, but come prepared and tread lightly

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BY BOB FALCONE

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o, you want to be a hiker…

Hiking can be both easy and complicated. On the one hand, you’re just going for a walk in the woods, and heck, almost anyone can do that, right?

But, what separates hikers from the casual strollers is not only how far back into the forest you go, or how high up into the mountains you go, but how well prepared you are for the hike, and how well you understand your impact on the environment.

Let’s start with preparedness and the “10 Essentials,” a generally accepted list of the bare necessities for the backcountry.

1. NAVIGATION. Maps, a compass, printed directions, GPS and more importantly, how to understand them, are vital. Do you know how to read a topographical map, how to read and use a compass, and how to use a GPS? If not, learn before you go. If you like mapping apps, the Colorado Trail Explorer (COTREX, trails.colorado.gov) is hard to beat. Locally produced Pocket Pals Trail Maps (pptrailmaps.com) are some of the best paper maps for local trails and parks, and they also offer downloadable versions.

2. LIGHTING. Bring an LED flashlight — a headlamp will keep your hands free — along with spare batteries. Check your flashlight before you go. If it’s a rechargeable light, top it off before you leave for the trailhead. Never assume that you won’t need light because you are only planning on hiking during daylight hours. You are one wrong turn or one twisted ankle from your day hike turning into an overnighter.

Shutterstock.com

TAKE A

SMOKER

CITY

3. SUN PROTECTION. At Colorado elevations, there’s not a lot of atmosphere between us and the sun. UV exposure can be more intense, and skin cancer rates here are higher than in the rest of the country. So, bring the sunscreen; wear a widebrimmed hat, clothing that has UV protection built in and sunglasses that protect your eyes from UV-A and UV-B radiation; and get regular skin cancer screenings.

4. FIRST AID KIT. Cuts, scrapes, blisters, bee stings and insect bites, poison ivy, sprains, and even broken bones, can impact anyone. Buy a first aid kit, and then do one better and take a first aid class. Like using a map, compass or GPS, you’re better off when you know what to do. Don’t forget to also take a CPR class. Pro tip: If you take prescription medications, bring them with you, especially anything that needs to be taken at specific times or intervals.

5. K NIFE OR MULTI-TOOL. You never know when you’ll need to make a splint, or pull a cactus needle or a thorn, or fix a broken piece of equipment... I carry both, and you should too.

6. SOMETHING TO START A FIRE. Whether it’s to stay warm, cook food, or signal for help, you’ll want something with which to start a fire. My suggestion is to carry “strike anywhere” matches in a waterproof container. Always check on any fire restrictions that may be in effect. In Colorado, you can be held responsible for any unsanctioned fire, even accidental ones.

7. SHELTER. In case you get lost or injured and your day hike turns into an overnighter, or you get caught in bad weather, you should have a way to shelter yourself. You may not want to carry a full-blown tent, even a small one, in your day pack, but something as simple as a large trash bag or packable poncho can provide shelter when needed.

8. FOOD. You expend energy when you’re hiking, and much like your car, you need to refuel. Bring food, preferably something that doesn’t need to be cooked. Try something packaged that has a long shelf life.

9. WATER. This should be a no-brainer. You work. You sweat.

You need water. Even in the winter and cooler weather. Bring water. And don’t risk drinking water from streams or rivers without first filtering or purifying it. You never know what microscopic swimmers are in there waiting to throw your digestive system into disarray.

10 . EXTRA CLOTHES. The key to keeping warm (it gets pretty chilly in the mountains, even in the summer) is to dress in layers. No matter the season, bring an extra layer or two, and always pack some kind of raingear. Remember that poncho or trash bag I suggested you carry as a shelter? It’s also suitable for raingear, and even as an extra layer in the warmer months.

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Here are a few additional suggestions: Extra shoelaces, or a long length of parachute cord. Boots with broken laces mean an exercise in misery, but the laces can also be used to tie together a backpack strap that might have a bro- ken buckle, or to lash together a splint.

A personal locator beacon.

When activated in an emergency, these small devices send a signal to search and rescue satellites with your GPS coordinates. Operators on the ground then notify local authorities, who come to the rescue. t

oc

continued on p. 38 ➔

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GREAT SELECTION OF:

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LEAVE NO TRACE

➔ continued from p. 37

BUT WHERE DO I GO?

A

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ny hikers worth their salt are also good stewards of our public lands, and they do it by following the seven “Leave No Trace” principles:

ow that we’ve got preparation and the rules out of the way, let’s talk about where to go. Here, in no particular order, are some of my favorite hikes in the Pikes Peak region. Some of these are easy, some are more difficult, some are pretty popular, and some, not so much.

Do your homework and plan before you go.

1. PLAN AND PREPARE AHEAD. Almost everything you read in this article is about being educated and prepared.

2. TRAVEL AND CAMP ON DURABLE SURFACES. Stay on rock, sand and gravel as much as possible. Stay off sensitive vegetation, out of mud puddles, and if you’re in the desert, such as in Arches National Park, be aware of cryptobiotic soil, which is actually an extremely fragile living thing. If you’re rock hopping in the high elevations, avoid areas with lichen. Lichen is extremely fragile and is also food for mountain goats and other animals.

3. DISPOSE OF WASTE PROPERLY. Don’t be a slob. You brought garbage with you, take your garbage back where you came from. Only the lowest-class hiker or camper leaves garbage behind.

4. LEAVE WHAT YOU FIND. Those plants, rocks and flowers you want to take with you as a memento? Well, they’re not yours. They are food or shelter for other plants or animals. Leave them alone. Take only pictures, leave only footprints.

5. MINIMIZE CAMPFIRE IMPACTS. Do you really need a roaring fire to enjoy the outdoors? Do you know how to make a safe campfire? Do you even know if there are any fire restrictions in place? If the answer to all these questions is “no,” then you shouldn’t have a campfire. If you do start a campfire, make sure it is completely out before you leave. If you can’t put your bare hand in the ashes without feeling any heat, then it’s not out. And don’t even think about leaving until it’s out. In Colorado, it’s a criminal offense to leave a campfire unattended.

6. RESPECT WILDLIFE. This one is easy: Leave the animals alone. Don’t feed the raccoons, don’t “rescue” unattended animals and do not get too close to big wild things.

7. BE CONSIDERATE OF OTHERS. The biggest pet peeve people have about other campers and hikers? Noise. If you can’t enjoy the outdoors without making a scene reminiscent of the toga party in Animal House, maybe stay the hell home.

Putney Gulch

Dixon

Bob Falcone

I thought about including the insanely popular and frequently over-crowded Crags Trail in this list, but the nearby Putney Gulch Trail (Forest Service Trail #704) is much less crowded, more isolated and a lot of fun to hike. It’s also another (albeit longer) way to reach Horsethief Falls and Pancake Rocks. (tinyurl.com/Bob-PGTrail).

38

One of the newest trails in the Pikes Peak region is Dixon Trail in Cheyenne Mountain State Park, which offers some of the best views from the top of Cheyenne Mountain. This all-day hike starts on Talon Trail at the park’s Limekiln Trailhead. At the end of the Talon Trail, turn right onto North Talon Trail until reaching the start of the Dixon Trail, 3.75 miles into the hike. The Dixon Trail starts off easy, and thanks to some really good trail construction, never gets too difficult as it steadily climbs Cheyenne Mountain. About 3.2 miles later (7 miles after starting), the trail crosses a beautiful meadow and meets the south end of the Dragon’s Backbone Trail, and a short distance later, it intersects with the south end of the Mountain Loop Trail. If you bear left and stay on the Dixon Trail, it ends about .75 miles later, where it becomes the Mountain Loop. If you have the time, do the Mountain Loop clockwise until it meets the Dragon’s Backbone Trail and then take it clockwise until it circles back to the Dixon Trail to start your return down the mountain. This is a 15.5-mile round trip hike, with almost 4,000 feet of elevation gain. Plan on spending all day. The Dragon’s Backbone Trail hugs the eastern edge of the top of Cheyenne Mountain, with steep, long drops just feet away. This part of the hike requires competent navigational skills and sure footing. If you have acrophobia or are not good on slippery surfaces, the Dragon’s Backbone is not for you. Instead, just close out your hike on the more sedate Mountain Loop and return down Dixon Trail. One more thing: There is no backcountry camping in Cheyenne Mountain State Park, so you’ll need to plan to do the entire hike in one shot. I created this route for you to view or download on the Colorado Trail Explorer (COTREX) website: trails.colorado.gov/routes/69037. continued on p. 40 ➔

Shutterstock.com

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Dixon Trail

Open 7 days a week, start climbing with us today!

∞ Address 6220 Tutt Blvd.

Colorado Springs, CO 80923

∞ Phone (719) 559-4747

∞ Email info@gripstone.com

∞ Website

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www.gripstonecs.com

39

Seven Bridges Trail

➔ continued from p. 38

Seven Bridges Trail, #622 (tinyurl.com/sev-b-trail) is one of the most popular trails in Pike National Forest, adjacent to Colorado Springs’ North Cheyenne Cañon Park. An easy hike, and only a bit more than 3 miles round-trip to the seventh bridge and back, it’s a nice hike on hot summer days, and in the winter, a great place for snowshoeing.

North Cheyenne Cañon Park

Colorado Springs’ North Cheyenne Cañon Park has just about everything a hiker could want. Easy trails. Moderate trails. Difficult Trails.

Creeks, waterfalls, towering stone faces, and Mount Muscoco, the highest point in any Colorado Springs city park. The parks department recently finished construction of a network of trails in Sweetwater Canyon, on the southwest side of the park, an area roughly bounded by Mount Muscoco to the east and Gold Camp Road to the west. These new trails, which take a bit of effort to get to, are some of the finest trails in the Colorado Springs parks system. None of them are hard, and they are all family-friendly. For more information: tinyurl.com/NCCP-sweet.

11 Mile State Park

One of Colorado’s most remote state parks, 11 Mile State Park (tinyurl.com/11-mspark) is known mostly for boating and fishing on 11 Mile Reservoir that the park surrounds. However, it is also home to some nice hiking trails in the southeast corner of the north shore of the park. The easy trails have great views and they are never crowded. Bonus: Leashed dogs are allowed on the trails, fall colors there are great, and for photographers, getting photos of the Milky Way over the reservoir is pretty easy due to almost no light pollution. To get there, take US 24 west from Colorado Springs to the town of Lake George. Just past the town, turn left onto County Road 90 (look for the sign for 11 Mile State Park) and take it for 11 miles. Entry fees do apply.

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A trio of trails in the Tarryall Mountains make my list of favorites, and each one is much different than the others. First, Lizard Rock Trail #658 (tinyurl.com/ lr-trail), is a pleasant, mostly easy hike with little elevation gain for the first mile and a half of the 3-mile (one way) hike. As the trail crests a saddle about 2.3 miles from the start, look for the unmarked trail to the left. This short spur takes you to the north side of Lizard Rock, and if you feel daring enough, you can scramble onto the rock itself, for some great 360 degree views. To get there, take US 24 west from Colorado Springs to the town of Lake George. Just past the town, turn north onto County Road 77, and follow it for about 13.5 miles to Spruce Grove Campground. Park outside the campground gate, walk to the campground and look for the trailhead crossing a bridge near the pit toilets.

The mileages I have listed here start at the campground gate.

Photos by Bob Falcone

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Lizard Rock Trail

Bob Falcone

Bison Mountain

Also, in the Tarryall Mountains, Bison Mountain (tinyurl.com/bimo-trail) is one of my favorites, if not only for being a bit of a challenge — more than 3,800 feet of elevation gain, but also for its very wide summit and views. The wide summit has many huge rock boulders, one of which, if you look at it from the right angle, looks like a high-masted sailing ship. This hike is about 12 or so miles round-trip, and is pretty rigorous, so while it’s not for everyone, those who go will find it rewarding. To get there, follow the directions for Lizard Rock, taking County Road 77 for a bit over 20 miles to the Ute Creek Trailhead.

From there, take Ute Creek Trail #629 for about 4 miles to where it intersects with Brookside McCurdy Trail # 607. Turn right and follow it to the summit.

Lost Creek Wilderness

And finally, in the Tarryalls, and in Lost Creek Wilderness, the Hankins Pass Trail #630 (tinyurl.com/lcw-hank) is particularly nice in late summer when wildflowers are in abundance. This trail, which is also the southern leg of a 23-mile loop, has a bit of everything — creek crossings, open meadows, dense forest and nice views. Going from west to east, the trail starts at Goose Creek Trailhead and summits the pass about 4.3 miles later, where it intersects with the Lake Park Trail #639. Turn around here for an out-andback hike of about 9 miles, with almost 1,900 feet of elevation gain. To get there, take County Road 77 north from Lake George for 7 miles and turn right onto Forest Service Road 211/Matukat Road. Follow it for about 11.5 miles to the turn-off at Forest Service Road 558 and take it for about another mile to the Goose Creek Trailhead parking lot. Roads 211 and 558 are dirt roads and are generally well maintained, and when dry are passable by almost any vehicle. This trail is entirely in the Lost Creek Wilderness, and as such, only foot and equestrian traffic are allowed.

Hamlett Spay and Neuter Clinic

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We are grateful for 45 years of support from our friends in the CS cycling community.

Your source for: Giant, LIV, Trek, Pivot, Surly, Electra, Momentum bicycles.

426 S Tejon St • (719) 475-8589 • oldtownbikeshop.com

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Thank you for your votes

41

THE TWO-WHEEL DEALIO Roads, trails and mountains... oh my!

BY TIM KRANZ

F

rom mountain to trail, fat to skinny — when it comes to cycling, the Pikes Peak region has a little of everything. If you’re new to the 719 and want to check out Downtown or venture a little farther afield, check out PikeRide, the Springs’ local nonprofit e-bike share. Their bikes are operable from south of Fillmore Street to Las Vegas Street, and from west of Union Boulevard all the way through Manitou Springs! You’ll see their docking areas all around town, and they’ve got an app — pikeride.org.

ROAD BIKING

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When you’re in Colorado Springs, mountain biking is true to its name; there aren’t a lot of rides where climbing isn’t par for the course.

But there are a lot of rides — our mountain bike trail system has been growing along with our ridership. Consider this list of mountain biking areas: Palmer Park Open Space, Red Rock Canyon Open Space, Cheyenne Canyon, Ute Valley Park, Cheyenne Mountain State Park.

All of them have significant mountain biking trails. Trailforks.com and mtbproject.com are great resources for more detail on the trails. Even better, our local bike shops are super knowledgeable.

A lot of our trails are shared, so remember the rules. Always ride in control, always yield to folks on foot and uphill cyclists. We also highly recommend a bell to let folks know you’re there.

Finally, between the rain and the snow, our mountain biking can be pretty seasonal. Our trails get muddy... we’re talking stick to your tires and muck up your chain until things won’t move anymore muddy. Rule of thumb is if your tire sinks an inch into the mud, it’s too wet. Respect the trail and call it for another day. Check out Colorado Springs Trail Conditions on social media and know before you go. If you want to pay back the trail love, join up with our local nonprofit trail builders and maintainers at Medwheel.org or Rocky Mountain Field Institute (rmfi.org) for volunteering opportunities.

A lot of our trails are shared,

SO REMEMBER THE RULES.

Ashley Anderson

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The trail system in the Springs has been growing, and there are some good options for getting those miles on your road bike from the relative safety of a trail. Running north-south, the Pikes Peak Greenway has miles of trails. It’s paved from Woodmen Road to just north of Monument Valley Park (MVP). You can then ride hard-packed trails through the park or hit the surface streets to reconnect to the paved trail on the south side of the park. It continues paved south from there all the way to El Pomar Youth Sports Park. There are many more miles of hard-packed trail to ride south of the park or north of Woodmen.

A bunch of our favorite rides kick off from the Greenway Trail and head east or west. For some mileage to the east, the Rock Island Trail connects north of MVP and goes all the way out to Powers Boulevard. If you feel the need to climb, check out Sinton Trail. You can leave the Greenway Trail just north of the baseball fields on Mark Dabling Road and head west. Sinton climbs parallel to Garden of the Gods Road until it joins it. Continue to 30th Street and catch the Foothills Trail into Garden of the Gods Park, do a hot lap of the Garden (be wary of tourists parked in the bike lane) to view the sights, then finally coast the Midland Trail back Downtown (to your favorite restaurant, you’ve earned it).

MOUNTAIN BIKING

RUN. PLAY.

Your local bike share

Our favorite dog parks in the Springs

BY INDY STAFF

S

o many Frisbees to catch, so many furry dog butts to sniff, so many wide open spaces in town where Fido and Rex can do their doggie thing. Below is a list of public spaces where your furry family members can run leash-free. Caveat: While many of these spots have bag dispensers and community water bowls, play it safe and bring your own.

2010 Duckwood Road Fountain Creek Regional Park opened this 3-acre fenced space on the park’s west side in 2019. It has a trail and a dedicated parking lot.

Red Rock Canyon Open Space

3550 W. High St. Two unfenced loop trails — halfmile Lower Dog Loop and 1-mile Upper Dog Loop — bag dispensers/ trash cans and a portable toilet. Dogs must be leashed elsewhere in the open space.

Bear Creek Dog Park

1685 S. 21st. St. This very popular 25-acre fenced space has a play area just for little guys (under 25 pounds) and a large playground for dogs of all sizes. Includes pathways, (much-loved) creek access, a water station, bag dispensers/trash cans, restrooms, an agility course and even a dog memorial (plaques available for a donation of $150 or more).

Rampart Dog Park

8270 Lexington Drive A flat fenced space with agility equipment, bag dispensers/trash cans, a community water bowl (bring your own water), plus benches for humans.

Eastridge Dog Park

2324 Shawnee Drive Wide open spaces (2.5 acres fenced) where pups can run, located out east past Powers Boulevard. Benches and restrooms for people, bag dispensers/trash cans, but not a lot of shade for two- or four-leggeds.

Palmer Park Dog Park

3650 Maizeland Road It’s a no-frills fenced space (it used to be a baseball field), but the dogs don’t seem to mind. Has a parking area.

A fun, healthy, and planet-friendly way to get around!

• Full fleet of e-assist bikes for easy riding.

• Daily, monthly and annual passes.

• Easy! Download the app, follow the directions, and enjoy! pikeride.org

pikeride

/PikeRide

Sponsored by:

Fox Run Dog Park

2110 Stella Drive Five fenced acres on Fox Run Regional Park’s southeast corner, with a half-mile loop trail, 1.5-acre small-dog area (25 pounds and under), and benches and shady woods for all.

Falcon Dog Park

10990 Eastonville Road Ten fenced acres of prairie with a shade structure and bag dispensers/ trash cans.

For critter-related state, county and municipal laws, check out hsppr. org/law/laws-ordinances.

Colorado and southwest photo art by “Hiking Bob” Falcone

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Duckwood Dog Park

43

CLIMB ON Have you ever tried to hike... straight up?

STORY AND PHOTO BY TIM KRANZ

C

limbing’s popularity has been growing at an incredible rate. Need evidence? We present to you the 2021... er, 2020 Summer Olympics, which featured climbing events for the second Games in a row. (But don’t get us started on the Olympic format; we’ve got opinions!) That popularity is reflected locally as well, both in terms of the number of folks

getting after it on the rocks, and the increasing number of climbing gyms along the Front Range (a Google search shows at least 10 in Denver alone).

If you’re looking to get into climbing, the gyms are a great place to start. Colorado Springs has four as of this writing, with rumors of at least another on the way up north.

In the meantime, check out these tried and true local spots.

Springs Climbing Center

Springs Climbing Center is the original gym in the Springs and wasn’t far behind some of the first centers in the country. North of Downtown, they opened as the Sports Climbing Center in 1992! They’ve since renovated and shifted to being a bouldering-focused gym.

Springs Climbing Center

springsclimbingcenter.com

CityROCK Climbing Center

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CityROCK is in the middle of Downtown. Fun fact, their building was originally a theater. Conveniently, given their central location, there is a parking garage right across the street. They have both bouldering and roped climbing, and they have a bar!

44

CityROCK Climbing Center climbcityrock.com

Pure Bouldering Gym

The name says it all, Pure Bouldering Gym is just that. Southwest of Downtown, the gym is handily co-located with a used outdoor gear shop, Gearonimo (cute, right?), next door.

Pure Bouldering Gym

pureboulderinggym.com

Gripstone

Devil ’s Head, north of Woodland Park

Gripstone is the new kid on the block here in the Springs but not new to the climbing gym biz, with operations in Florida and Arizona too. They are off Powers Boulevard in the northeast, and have both bouldering and roped climbing.

Gripstone Climbing & Fitness gripstonecs.com

Gyms offer classes, and if you’re serious about developing into a strong climber, they’re highly recommended.

Technique in climbing is very important and can take you a long way. But just going to the gym and getting your climb on is a great and fun workout, not to mention an introduction to an engaging community.

If your passion includes getting outside and climbing in some of the natural beauty Colorado offers, then we can’t overstate the importance of education. Gravity is a harsh mistress. There are local guide services, as well as the gyms, that offer classes to transition you from indoor to outdoor climbing. Indoor climbing does have its risks, but it’s a much more controlled environment than anything you will encounter outside. Proper training is absolutely crucial to get outside and climb safely and responsibly.

That said, you don’t have to go far to get out and climb.

Garden of the Gods has been enticing climbers with its sandstone spires and fins for decades. You might even find metal hardware that was hammered into the rock well before you were born. Red Rock Canyon Open Space is a more recently developed area and also includes a lot of that iconic red sandstone. Crucially, sandstone gets soft and can be damaged if climbed when it’s wet. Make sure it’s had a chance to dry out before you go. Both locations require an online permit from the city prior to climbing.

To get on some of that Colorado granite, Cheyenne Canyon is a short drive away. Climber opinions on the granite in the canyon are mixed; some think it’s more like kitty litter and not worth the effort. Others appreciate a local crag you could bike to and a creek in which to soak your feet after a solid climbing session.

Short drives from the Springs open up a whole world of climbing opportunities in the South Platte and at a Colorado climbing mecca, Shelf Road. Mountain Project (mountainproject.com) is a fantastic resource for finding information on climbing areas. Our local outdoor shops, like Mountain Chalet (mtnchalet.com), also carry lots of guide books and gear and have people who are fonts of knowledge.

Climb on!

Pilates Sun Pilates Studio | sunpilates.co Yo ga Cambio Yoga | cambioyoga.com G y m o r F i t n e s s Ce n t e r VASA Fitness | vasafitness.com

R u n n i n g Cl u b Jack Quinn’s Running Club | jackquinnsrunners.com Outdoor Outfitter Mountain Chalet | mtnchalet.com B i ke S h o p Old Town Bike Shop | oldtownbikeshop.com Place to Buy Skis and Snowboards The Ski Shop Inc. | theskishopinc.com

BACKCOUNTRY SKIING // ROCK & ICE CLIMBING // HIKING MOUNTAINEERING // BACKPACKING // TRAIL RUNNING SKI MOUNTING & TUNING // BOOT FITTING // DEMOS // RENTALS

P e t G r o o m e r (t i e) House of Hounds Grooming | facebook. com/HouseofHoundsGrooming Soggy Doggies Grooming | soggydoggiesgrooming.com P e t D ay C a r e & S i t t i n g Camp Bow Wow | campbowwow.com D o g Wa l ke r Playtime Pet Sitters & Dog Walkers of Colorado Springs | playtimepetsitters.com Ve t e r i n a r y Cl i n i c Westside Animal Hospital | westsideanimalhospital.com

719.633.0732 | MTNCHALET.COM | 15 N Nevada

continued on p. 51 ➔

Plan a DAY OUT in the VCO! A destination rich in natural beauty, recreation, character and history. victorcolorado.com Follow us on Facebook! facebook.com/ victormainstreetprogram 1 scenic hour west of Colorado Springs

Old Town Bike Shop

3rd weekend in July

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Place for Adrenaline Junkies Manitou Incline | coloradosprings. gov/parks/page/manitou-incline

P hy s i c a l T h e r a p i s t Rocky Mountain Rehab Physical Therapy | rockyrehab.com

Bryan Oller

RECREATION I n d o o r Fa m i ly F u n CityROCK | climbcityrock.com

Ch i r o p r a c t o r Manitou Chiropractic | facebook.com/ manitouchiropractic

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Matthew Schniper

INSIDER 2022 | Primer | Cannabis | Culture | Recreation | FOOD & DRINK

P

46

eople often reach for the term “hidden gem” to describe a favorite local spot they feel may be overlooked (for some reason, justified or not). When traveling, they scan guidebooks, social media and online forums for recommendations on everyone else’s hidden gems, as if anything truly hidden would be printed for all to see. It’s not a secret anymore, ahem. So, I say let’s get literal, people: Can we just call our beloved go-to’s “places worth attention” or to be crass about it, “shit you should know”?

Great, I’m glad you’re on board. And since we’re on-page with one another about the conveyance of vital info about deserving spots, with limited time and dime, I want to articulate the thought behind the places I’ve chosen to highlight below. With annual local guides such as this, we don’t attempt to be fully comprehensive (’cuz it would read like an old-school phone book), but we take a scatter-shot approach to show some love across a wide range, with content diversity in focus. In this case, I’ve chosen a range of neighborhoods and certain parts of town, plus smaller satellite cities — basically several picks with a brief note why, or other useful intel. Consider these places to go if you haven’t been already, or somewhere you’d tell a friend or visitor about.

FINE DINES Go-to food and drink spots for every part of town

BY MATTHEW SCHNIPER | matthew@csindy.com

CENTRAL

Ephemera

Downtown’s already got the highest concentration of craft/indie bars and restaurants and it continues to develop rapidly, with many announcements for openings in 2022. This is the hardest area to be selective because of that volume and lots of great places. But here goes: Cyberpunk Chiba Bar’s (chibabar.co) a superstar and it’s the saketini and a salmon donburi bowl for me, please. And there’s beer, beer everywhere, but Local Relic (localrelic.com) pushes the boundaries most with experimentation, and while you’re at The Carter Payne, Araucana Bespoke Cocktails (facebook.com/araucanacocktails) shakes with the best. Speaking of experimental, Ephemera (ephemeradinners.com) inside the COATI food hall takes an ambitious, artful approach to fine dining. Bingo Burger (bingoburger.com) really brings the beef and so does Green Line Grill (greenlinegrill.com) with a different style. Story Coffee (storycoffeecompany.com) shows a tiny house aesthetic’s influence on stellar latte drinks. Everybody goes down The Rabbit Hole (rabbitholedinner.com). We have to give the community-spirit award to Chef Eric Brenner at Red Gravy (redgravyco.com), also a worthy Italian hub. And around the Tejon and Boulder Street block, there’s a strong concentration, given longstanding pizza place Poor Richard’s (poorrichardsdowntown.com), eclectic Odyssey Gastropub (odysseygastropub.com), fine-dining Four by Brother Luck (fourbybrotherluck.com), Japanese-spun Rooster’s House of Ramen (cosramen.com) and superior Josh & John’s ice cream (joshandjohns.com), plus terrific gin speakeasy Brooklyn’s on Boulder (facebook.com/BrooklynsOnBoulder) and sober spot Ohana Kava Bar (ohanakavabar.com) round the corner.

Matthew Schniper

Warm Beer.

Lousy Food.

Poor Service.

Best Sushi in Town! · SPECIALS · Dine-in only

Awesome options including Walleye, Sloppers & Cheese Curds!

We could almost go SW and SE here, as we head either toward Cheyenne Mountain or the airport. Here’s some choices for each, starting with the town’s OG food hall of sorts, Ivywild School, anchored by one of the Springs’ oldest and most beloved breweries, Bristol Brewing Co. (bristolbrewing.com), which boasts the most steady and solid flagship beer lineup (that’s probably on the most beer taps in bars/restaurants elsewhere around the city, too). Not far away is Burrowing Owl (burrowingowllounge.com), a vegan dive bar so popular it’s won over the omnivore crowd as well. Closer to Fort Carson, The Public House (thepublichouseco.com) is everything you want a neighborhood bar to be, with especially good bar food, and Narai Siam Cuisine (narai-thai.com) fulfills Thai cravings beyond satisfaction. And if you’re high-rollin’ or special-occasion dining, nothing beats the five-star resort quality at The Broadmoor’s portfolio of eateries and drink houses (broadmoor.com). By contrast, on the SE side, find an affordable and fine Korean meal at Tong Tong (coloradomenu.com/tong-tong-menu) and save room for dessert at Viva La Vida (vivalavidasnax.com). More Mexican eateries and markets abound, but not all of them have an attached taqueria for the real deal like Carniceria Leonela (carniceria-leonela.com). And Don Guillo (facebook.com/ Don-Guillo-878047759218636) should be hit for legit Puerto Rican fare. Farther south to Pueblo, check out past Indy coverage for details on: The Clink (stationontheriverwalk.com/the-clink-lounge) and Brues Alehouse (bruesalehouse.com), La Forchetta da Massi (laforchettadamassi.com), and locate the mobile units The Sacred Bean (facebook. com/sacredbeanpueblo) and Puff Puffette Pass (puff-puffette-pass.business.site). And to the Penrose/Florence area, check out: Penrose Pizzeria & Pub (penrosepizzeriapub.com) and The Pour House Coffee Shop (allgoodthings.coffee).

Fiona Truant

continued on p. 48 ➔

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Full bar including eight local craft beers!

We also have a live Lobster tank so come by and take home some live Lobsters!

Bristol Brewing Co.

5660 BARNES RD, CO SPRINGS • 719-424-7645 WWW.THELOBSTAHTRAP.COM

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SOUTH

Tong Tong

Daily Lunch Specials Chicken Bowl $9 and California Roll with Tempura $12 Monday - Saturday Lunch Special 20% OFF Rolls Monday Madness 5pm-7pm 30% OFF Everything!

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Wednesday & Thursday 2 for 1 wine for happy hour 5pm-7pm!

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➔ continued from p. 47

There’s no way to avoid the truth that I’m feelin’ the pain of the chain drain as the Springs’ newer developments lean toward corporate grub and franchise spots that add a ubiquitous homogeneity to the landscape (such that all bigger city metropolitan areas will eventually look the same). But there are pockets of resistance (local businesses) to celebrate along or near Academy and Powers boulevards. Lucy I’m Home (facebook.com/lucyimhomefoodtruck) has a Cubano sandwich that will brighten any day, and an all-round awesome Cuban menu. The French Kitchen (tfkcc.com) and Rumba Latin Cuisine (rumbaauthenticlatincuisine.com) are neighbors who kill it with their respective crafts, offering outstanding pastries and culinary education at the former, and damn good food from the Caribbean countries and a little beyond at Rumba. The Wobbly Olive (wobblyolive.com) makes the most kick-ass cocktails at First & Main and Dynamo Coffee Roasting (dynamocoffeeroasting.com) reps quality craft coffee in style. Fala Filo (fala-filo.com) is an exceptional Middle Eastern place (get the lamb plates). And out to the Falcon/Peyton area, check out the concentration of goodies at The Shops at Meridian Ranch, to include: JAKs Brewing Co. (jaksbrewing.com) and Ban Sushi (bansushi.com).

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Matthew Schniper

Fala Filo

48

Fiona Truant

EAST

WEST

Adam’s Mountain Café

Starting just past Downtown, you quickly roll up on deserving craft Asian fusion spot 503W (503w.co) where a poke bowl and cocktail are wise.

Then you hit Cerberus Brewing Company (cerberusbrewingco.com), which shows equal care to food and IPA considerations. And Frankly Coffee (facebook.com/franklycoffee.co) for the delightful Buzzing Bee cold brew as you round the bend towards OCC. There, hit flavorful Monse’s Taste of El Salvador (monsestasteofelsalvador.online) for a dedicated gluten-free pupusa menu, and Uchenna (uchennaalive.com) for the most cooked-with-love food in town, that being beautiful Ethiopian fare. Ristorante Di Sopra (ristorantedisopra. com) has you covered for excellent Italian fine dining (above Paravicini’s Italian Bistro). On to Manitou Springs, Adam’s Mountain Café (adamsmountaincafe.com) is a longstanding treasure and leader for vegetarian (and some vegan) food and mindfully sourced ingredients and outstanding flavors across the board. Manitou Brewing Company (manitoubrewing.com) should be visited for an order of truffle fries and whatever sour beer’s on at the moment.

And consider a show night at Lulu’s (lulusdownstairs.com) or just drop by for a drink at the bar.

Farther up Ute Pass, the Mucky Duck (muckyduckco.com) makes Green Mountain Falls worth a stop-in. The Donut Mill (thedonutmill.com) and Righteous Grounds Coffee (righteousgrounds. com) can be hit in tandem in Woodland Park to power any drive out into the mountains for leisure activities. Divide offers Paradox Beer Company (paradoxbeercompany.com) as a comfortable spot with a gorgeous view over the back side of Pike’s Peak to sit and sip interesting barrel-aged blends. continued on p. 50 ➔

OVER A QUINTILLION SERVED

Don’t drink and drive.

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Brought to you by your friends at:

49

➔ continued from p. 48

NORTH

Matthew Schniper

Departing from downtown, Nightingale Bread (nightingalebread.com) is a phenomenal retail bakery, but the vital wisdom is limited pizza nights (epic crust) and exceptional grab-and-go sandwiches like the ham and Havarti. The local-food-devoted Margarita at Pine Creek (margaritaatpinecreek.com) hosts a full list of programming, from farmers markets and lavish brunches to patio events and nightly multicourse chefs’ menus. Thai Mint (thai-mint.com), Viet’s Restaurant (vietspringrestaurant.com) and Asian Cookery (asiancookery.net) make up a close cluster of Thai, Vietnamese and Malaysian spots, all great — there’s tough competition in the area from many more worthwhile Thai spots not too far away, too. At Briargate, choose Basil & Barley (basilandbarley.com) for super Neapolitan pizzas, and at Interquest hit Atmosphere Gastropub (atmospheregastropub.com) for cocktails, and — yes this kinda breaks my format by being a chain nod — the Englewood-launched Parry’s Pizzeria & Taphouse has the best craft tap list in town according to a trusted beer-nerd friend who frequents it.

North Gate also has you covered for great beers (self-pour in this case) at Beasts & Brews (beastsandbrews.com). A jaunt east into Black Forest north of here brings you to R&R Coffee (rnrcoffeecafe.com), where the breakfast plates and pastries are as good as the house-roasted java.

Back west to the I-25 corridor, Monument holds one of our favorite coffee shops, Lolley’s (lolleys.com), which makes fantastic vegan flavors alongside the dairy ones. Take a fun moonshine tour at 3 Hundred Days of Shine (3hundreddays.com), where it’s hard to pick a favorite between the apple pie, sweet tea, Colorado honey and Firebomb flavors. To Palmer Lake, La Rosa (larosasouthwesterndining.com) should be visited for posole, carne adovada or really anything on the Southwestern menu.

at th ew Sc hn ip er

50

FOOD TRUCK

M

INSIDER 2022 | Primer | Cannabis | Culture | Recreation | FOOD & DRINK

Beasts & Brews

The Joint Vegan Street Food

They’re here, they’re there, they’re every ’effin-where: food trucks. The wider Springs area hosts more than we can tally. We’re constantly finding new ones, but here’s a batch that have stood out to us for various reasons in recent years: Tepex (tepexbyfernando.com), the Filipino Food Truck (tinyurl.com/FilFood-CS), Solsage (solsagefoodtruck.com), El Chapin (facebook.com/elchapintacos), Mira Sol (facebook.com/ mirasolfoodtruck), High Grade Jamaican (highgradefoods.com) and The Joint Vegan Street Food (facebook.com/thejointveganstreetfood).

Smoothie and Juice Bar Pikes Peak Lemonade | pikespeaklemonade.com

FOOD & DRINK Ch e f Brother Luck (Four by Brother Luck & Lucky Dumpling) | chefbrotherluck.com, fourbybrotherluck.com, luckydumplingco.com Fine Dining Brother Luck (Four by Brother Luck & Lucky Dumpling) chefbrotherluck.com, fourbybrotherluck.com, luckydumplingco.com O ve r a l l Re s t a u r a n t Shuga’s | shugas.com N e w Re s t a u r a n t (s i n c e 7.1 . 2 0) White Pie Pizzeria | whitepie.com B r e a k fa s t Urban Egg: a daytime eatery | urbaneggeatery.com Brunch Urban Egg: a daytime eatery | urbaneggeatery.com B a ke r y Boonzaaijer’s Dutch Bakery | dutchpastry.com Ch o c o l a t i e r/Co n f e c t i o n s Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, Old Colorado City | rmcfocc.com Dessert Menu Marigold Café & Bakery | marigoldcoloradosprings.com

Barista Jake Norment, Caffeinated Cow | caffeinatedcow.com D r i v e -T h r u Co f f e e Kangaroo Coffee | kangaroocoffeellc.com L o c a l Co f f e e S h o p/Co f f e e Roaster Loyal Coffee | loyalcoffee.co Barbecue Front Range Barbeque | frbbq.com Burger Skirted Heifer | skirtedheifer.com G r e e n Ch i l e King’s Chef Diner | kingschefdiner.com Pizza Slice 420 | slice420.com Seafood Bonny & Read | bonnyandreadseafood.com Steak MacKenzie’s Chop House | mackenzieschophouse.com Ta c o s El Taco Rey (closed); Silver winner: Dos Santos | dossantostacos.com/csmenu Wings O’Furry’s | ofurryscs.com G l u t e n - F r e e - F r i e n d ly TAPAteria | tapateria.com

French La Baguette, Old Colorado City | labaguette-co.com

Ca t e r e r Picnic Basket Catering | pbcatering.com

Indian Little Nepal Restaurant & Bar | lnepal.com

Lunch Shuga’s | shugas.com D o g- F r i e n d ly Re s t a u r a n t Cerberus Brewing Company | cerberusbrewingco.com Patio Cerberus Brewing Company | cerberusbrewingco.com

Bryan Oller

Italian Paravicini’s Italian Bistro | paravicinis.com

Diner King’s Chef Diner | kingschefdiner.com F o o d Tr u c k Chef Bob’s Lobstah Trap | thelobstahtrap.com Ch e a p E a t s Piglatin Cocina | piglatincocina.com Late-Night Dining The Rabbit Hole | rabbitholedinner.com Re s t a u r a n t f o r To u r i s t s The Rabbit Hole | rabbitholedinner.com L o c a l o r Re g i o n a l Ch a i n La Casita Mexican Grill | lacasitamexigrill.com N e i g h b o r h o o d Re s t a u r a n t , Downtown Shuga’s | shugas.com N e i g h b o r h o o d Re s t a u r a n t , North Urban Egg: a daytime eater | urbaneggeatery.com N e i g h b o r h o o d Re s t a u r a n t , South Burrowing Owl | burrowingowllounge.com

Front Range Barbeque Japanese and Sushi Fujiyama | fujiyamasushi.com Ko r e a n Tong Tong | 719-591-8585

N e i g h b o r h o o d Re s t a u r a n t , E a s t Chef Bob’s Lobstah Trap | thelobstahtrap.com

Latin American Monse’s Pupuseria | monsestasteofelsalvador.online

N e i g h b o r h o o d Re s t a u r a n t , We s t Paravicini’s Italian Bistro | paravicinis.com

Mediterranean and Middle Eastern Jake and Telly’s Greek Taverna | jakeandtellys.com

Ca j u n & S o u t h e r n Front Range Barbeque | frbbq.com

Mexican Crystal Park Cantina | crystalparkcantina.com

Ca r i b b e a n Rasta Pasta | realrastapasta.com Ch i n e s e Coal Mine Dragon, Uintah Street | coalminedragoncs.com

Cerberus Brewing Company

Irish Jack Quinn’s | jackquinnspub.com

German Edelweiss German Restaurant | edelweissrest.com

Thai Thai Basil | thaibasilcoloradosprings.com Vietnamese Saigon Café | coloradosaigoncafe.com

continued on p. 56 ➔

INSIDER 2022 | Primer | Cannabis | Culture | Recreation | FOOD & DRINK

F r o z e n Tr e a t Josh & John’s Ice Cream, Downtown | joshandjohns.com

Ve g e t a r i a n & Ve ga n Burrowing Owl | burrowingowllounge.com

Bryan Oller

Donuts Amy’s Donuts | amysdonuts.com

51

ANYTHING YOU CAN DO, Bryan Oller

I CAN DO VEGAN Yes, Colorado Springs has a (vibrant!) vegan scene; here are the essential details

BY JL FIELDS | jlgoesvegan.com

INSIDER 2022 | Primer | Cannabis | Culture | Recreation | FOOD & DRINK

52

T

imes have changed, and so has the vegan scene worldwide. That proves true right here in Colorado Springs.

Whether trekking through Colorado in a vegan van filled with plant-eaters, or traveling with friends and family who don’t quite see the world as green as you do, there’s something for everyone, including you, my veg-forward friend.

Let’s start with vegan restaurants (yep, we’ve got a few): • T he Burrowing Owl is the OG. Dubbed a dive bar (not even close) this neighborhood joint serves up canned beer, boxed wine, hand-crafted organic cocktails — and, hey, the drinks and the entire food menu are 100 percent vegan. Do it up Colorado-style and get The Pueblo, an open-face Sloppy loaded with green chile.

• Santana’s Vegan Grill started out as a kiosk-style, all-vegan drive-thru that got so busy the parking lot couldn’t handle the traffic. So they moved on up to an old taco joint where you can dine in or drive through for the vegan burgers, dogs and much more. Get the Deluxe BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger.

And, pro–tip, the seasoned fries are essential.

• T he Joint Vegan Street Food started out as a food truck — and that truck keeps rolling with weekend service at local breweries and pop-up events — but the business now has a home at Lulu’s Downstairs (though conveniently upstairs) in Manitou Springs most Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Chef Aaron Posey is a culinary genius and he’s got the smoked brisket to prove it.

The Burrowing Owl

VEGAN FRIENDLY

Colorado Springs boasts an incredible number of vegan-friendly restaurants, too. Seriously, just check out the long list of dining establishments that participate in the annual Vegan Restaurant Week that I organize (tinyurl.com/JL-cosvegan). Three that are not to be missed: • Adam’s Mountain Café in Manitou Springs has been serving up vegan and vegetarian fare right next to the animal stuff for decades. Truly, this is the place for everyone. All of these years later, the Senegalese vegetables over udon noodles with sesame-crusted tofu remains one of the best vegan meals in town. Full stop.

• Speaking of something for everyone, go to church: The Carter Payne, a historic Black church turned community food and drink hall. There’s always a vegan option on the Immerse Cuisine menu and vegan-friendly beer, wine and drinks round it out, thanks to Local Relic Artisan Ales, Crusade Wine Bar and Araucauna Bespoke Cocktails.

•M onse’s Taste of El Salvador is a low-key, high-vibe destination on the Westside. The beans are vegan and four plant-based meat options are available. Go big and try the Yucca Fries, loaded with black beans, but be sure to add the vegan pastor and turn that starter into a full-on meal. continued on p. 54 ➔

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Open for Lunch and Dinner Mon-Sat. Welcome to the Saigon Café the award winning Vietnamese restaurant in Colorado Springs.

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28

53

➔ continued from p. 52

GROCERY STORES

Restaurants aren’t the only place to feed your plant-centric belly. Whether you’re shacking up in an Airbnb or hanging out with family, there are plenty of local grocery stores that have what you need: •B read & Butter Neighborhood Market (Downtown) features local creators and makers of plant-based fare, as well as popular vegan versions of eggs, milk, meat, cheese and more. ountain Mama Natural Foods (Westside) is also locally owned, and a great •M spot for bulk items like beans and grains.

•T he Asian Pacific Market (Eastside) also offers big bags of beans and the like, but also lots of interesting fresh and frozen items like bean curd, dumplings and more. It’s a vegan condiment dream come true, too.

INSIDER 2022 | Primer | Cannabis | Culture | Recreation | FOOD & DRINK

Brienne Boortz

But if you are resolved to hit a big-box store to shop, you’ll find beans, veggies, grains, plant proteins — and the really important stuff like ice cream, candy and mac ’n cheese — at chain stores such as Sprouts, King Sooper’s (our local Kroger store; the Simple Truth plant-based options are reliable and affordable), Safeway, Natural Grocers and Whole Foods.

54

Monse’s Taste of El Salvador

BEYOND EDIBLES

Vegan means more than food, of course. For cruelty-free health and beauty items, hit up Simple Body (simplebodyproducts.com) in Old Colorado City. Next door (and Downtown, too), you’ll find animal-fiber-free clothing and jewelry and other gifts at Eclectic Co. (shopeclecticco.com). And, finally, depending upon the time of year, you just might stumble upon a special vegan event: •S prings Vegan Markets (springsveganmarket.com) are held quarterly. olorado Springs Vegan Festival (tinyurl.com/JL-fest) happens in October.

•C • Vegan Restaurant Week (tinyurl.com/JL-cosvegan) takes place in the first week of November.

Paid advertisement • 719.577.4545

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34 E. Ramona Ave. (South Nevada & Tejon) 633-2220

For 50 Years Edelweiss has brought Bavaria to Colorado Springs. Using fresh ingredients, the menu invites you to visit Germany.

Support local business! We’re open and doing drive-thru and take-out with a limited menu that can be found on our website! www.edelweissrest.com.

ITALIAN

Louie’s Pizza

4815 Barnes Road (Barnes & Oro Blanco) 591-5241 www.louies-pizza.com

Serving The Colorado Springs Area Since 1985! Locally owned and operated. In the top 3 “Best Tasting Pizzas” for the last 15 years.

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Since 1974. Features authentic Tex-Mex & Mexican fare in contemporary Sante Fe-styled establishment. Across from Acacia Park, and west of Powers & Carefree. Josemuldoons. com. Support local restaurants! We are open for delivery, carry out, and dine-in at both locations! Please check our Facebook page for hours daily, as they are subject to change.

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CRAFT

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55

M a r ga r i t a The Loop | theloopatmanitou.com H a p py H o u r M e n u Jack Quinn’s | jackquinnspub.com Cider House Boxing Brothers | boxingbrotherscider.com

NIGHTLIFE O ve r a l l B a r ICONS | icons-co.com Best Upscale Bar Shame & Regret | shameandregret.com

HUNGRY YET? COMING SUMMER 2022 #COSburgerweek

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INSIDER 2022 | Primer | Cannabis | Culture | Recreation | FOOD & DRINK 56

View our

1701 S 8th St PBcatering.com 719-635-0200

Sports Bar Tony’s Downtown Bar | tonysdowntownbar.com

B a r t e n d e r o r M i xo l o g i s t George Dillon, The Archives | thearchivescos.com

Store for Spirits Coaltrain Fine Wine, Craft Beer and Spirits | coaltrainwine.com

Ta p r o o m ( B e e r) Trail’s End Taproom | trailsendtaproom.com

Store for Wine Coaltrain Fine Wine, Craft Beer and Spirits | coaltrainwine.com

Brewpub or Brewer Goat Patch Brewing Company | goatpatchbrewing.com

S t o r e f o r Cr a f t B e e r Coaltrain Fine Wine, Craft Beer and Spirits | coaltrainwine.com

L o c a l ly P r o d u c e d B e e r Hazy IPA, Goat Patch Brewing Company goatpatchbrewing.com

N e i g h b o r h o o d B a r, D o w n t o w n Tony’s Downtown Bar | tonysdowntownbar.com

Ta s t i n g Ro o m (S p i r i t s) Axe and the Oak | axeandtheoak.com

Our professionally trained culinary staff will feed you like family. Our polished service staff will handle everything from set up to clean up.

Creative ingredients, carefully prepared. Call us when you have more taste than time.

Dive Bar Tony’s Downtown Bar | tonysdowntownbar.com

N e w B a r (s i n c e 7.1 . 2 0) ICONS | icons-co.com

Distillery Axe and the Oak | axeandtheoak.com

Catering or Sou ern Colorado

H a p py H o u r Mother Muff’s | mothermuffs.com

N e i g h b o r h o o d B a r, N o r t h Atmosphere Gastropub | atmospheregastropub.com

Cr a f t Co c k t a i l M e n u Shuga’s | shugas.com

N e i g h b o r h o o d B a r, S o u t h Burrowing Owl | burrowingowllounge.com

Wine Menu Cork & Cask | corkandcaskdrinks.com

N e i g h b o r h o o d B a r, E a s t Abby’s Irish Pub | abbysirishpub.com

Wine Bar SWIRL | swirlismybar.com

N e i g h b o r h o o d B a r, We s t Mother Muff’s | mothermuffs.com

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Colorado Springs locations (MEDICAL ONLY) 4335 E. Platte Ave. 2489 S. Academy Blvd. 3636 Jeannine Dr. (719) 574-4230 | Open 7 Days Store Hours: 9:00 am – 8:55 pm

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SECRETS OF THE GARDEN Learn The

Before You Visit The Park

AMERICAN BUFFALO

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Photo by: Sean Holveck

FREE NATURE CENTER!

NATURAL HISTORY

DYNAMIC MUSEUM EXHIBITS • Interactive, educational, and fun exhibits

• Mountain Majesties, a virtual tour of Colorado’s highest peaks

• Replica of the World’s only Theiophytalia kerri dinosaur

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• Discover the Park’s converging ecosystems

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“HOW DID THOSE RED ROCKS GET THERE?” A show a million years in the making in the Geo-Trekker Theater

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