Sports & Recreation >>

• Best Bronco
  Ryan Clady
  A left tackle? Are we serious? Hell, yes, we are. Every football expert worth his jock strap knows how important the job is and identifies Ryan Clady as one of the Broncos' three top offensive building blocks, along with quarterback Jay Cutler (unless he gets traded) and receiver Brandon... More >>
• Best Bronco Surprise
  Peyton Hillis
  It seemed like a desperation move: After every other Denver Broncos running back went down with injuries, the team moved Peyton Hillis, a hardheaded rookie fullback, to tailback. Some said he was too slow, others said he was too big. But wouldn't you know it? Hillis ended up being too damn good... More >>
• Best Guess for When the Denver Broncos Will Return to the Super Bowl
  2012
  Former coach Mike Shanahan took the Broncos to their first Super Bowl victory in his third season with the team. Riding the skills of Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway and Pro Bowl running back Terrell Davis, it was a quick start for a football Mastermind. New coach Josh McDaniels may be as... More >>
• Best Free Workout (1 Comment)
  Running the steps at Red Rocks
  Expensive boot camps and pricey gyms are great for staying in shape. So are skiing, kayaking and cycling — if you can afford all the gear that goes along with those sports. But if you want a real workout — one that tasks even the fittest of the fit — try running, jumping or... More >>
• Best Rockie
  Garrett Atkins
  At first blush, the Rockies' decision to give Garrett Atkins the equivalent of a $3 million raise for the 2009 season seems screwy, given that his RBI production and batting average are down from their levels during the previous two campaigns. But his digits remain solid — he drove in 99... More >>
• Best Nugget
  Chauncey Billups
  Basketball isn't an individual game — or at least not at its best. But the addition of a single player can make an enormous difference, as Chauncey Billups proved when he joined the Nuggets early this season. In a matter of days, the Nugs were defending better, sharing the ball more often,... More >>
• Best Av
  Wojtek Wolski
  It's been a lost season for the Avs — the rebuilding year that the team's brain trust has been trying to avoid for quite a while now. But all hope is not lost, thanks to a core group of young players boasting an enormous amount of upside, with Wolski chief among them. He's big, durable and... More >>
• Best Mammoth
  Gavin Prout
  On some teams, the designation of captain is the equivalent of a lifetime-achievement award — an acknowledgement of past accomplishments as opposed to current ones. Not so with the Colorado Mammoth, whose honorary leader is also among its most productive players. In 2008, Gavin Prout... More >>
• Best Rapid
  Conor Casey
  Like Chauncey Billups, Conor Casey is a local hero who's getting a chance to prove that you can go home again. He excelled for South High School before heading off to get his kicks beyond state lines, first at the University of Portland and then for a number of European squads, including... More >>
• Best Sports Team — Professional
  Denver Nuggets
  True, we'd feel better about praising the Nuggets if the NBA season ended at the halfway point. That way, we could focus on the glorious addition of Chauncey Billups, the belated blossoming of Nene, the return of Kenyon Martin to his pre-Nugs form, the unexpected contributions from players such... More >>
• Best Sports Team — College
  Air Force Academy Falcons
  The Falcons make more out of less than any college football team in the country. Still, they seemed en route to a disappointing 2008 season until around the midway point, when coach Troy Calhoun handed over the offense to super-frosh Tim Jefferson, whose running and passing abilities regularly... More >>
• Best Coach - Professional
  George Karl
  Denver Nuggets
  The decision by Denver Nuggets management to deal Allen Iverson to the Detroit Pistons early in the season could have resulted in catastrophe — especially considering that defensive leader Marcus Camby had previously been jettisoned in a salary dump. But thanks to a big assist from... More >>
• Best Coach — College
  Steve Fairchild
  Colorado State University Rams Football
  Talk about a no-win situation: Steve Fairchild was hired to replace Sonny Lubick, arguably the most beloved coach in Colorado State University history, and the man for whom the university's football field in Fort Collins is named. But while Fairchild is a CSU alum, he's had tremendous experience... More >>
• Best Sports Team General Manager
  Mark Warkentien
  Denver Nuggets
  It takes a lot to admit you're wrong, but that's what Nuggets GM Mark Warkentien did when he wisely shipped career chemistry-killer Allen Iverson to Detroit in exchange for Denver native Chauncey Billups. Iverson, whom Warkentien brought to the team in December 2006, has helped sink the Pistons.... More >>
• Best Move by a General Manager
  Firing of Mike Shanahan
  All right, so Pat Bowlen isn't a GM. But no personnel move will make a bigger impact — and, we believe, a more positive impact — on the Denver sporting landscape then Bowlen's dispatching of Mike Shanahan, Bowlen's close friend and a Denver legend. Although new coach Josh McDaniels... More >>
• Best Sports Announcer (1 Comment)
  Mike Haynes
  Colorado Avalanche
  The casual hockey watcher knows Haynes best for his epic freakouts following game-winning Avalanche goals — happy events that have been in short supply this season. But despite his reputation, he's far from a one-trick screamer. His knowledge of the game is as wide as it is deep, and he's... More >>
• Best Mascot
  Rocky
  Frankly, we're a little bored of giving the Nuggets' most valuable non-player the nod again. We'd happily reward some other costumed critter — if Rocky wasn't so friggin' amazing. He's a sleek, four-pawed entertainment machine who doesn't have to dress in skimpy outfits to be our favorite... More >>
• Best Place to People-Watch
  Denver Nuggets home games
  At NBA games, the best seats in the house are on the floor, which means the rich and the gaudy are front and center rather than tucked away in skyboxes. Check out the enormous bodybuilder guys in silk shirts and the buxom babes squeezed into zany zebra stripes. Take a gander at the old guys with... More >>
• Best Rebound
  Chris "Birdman" Andersen
  Denver Nuggets
  When wild-dunking, shot-blocking forward Chris Andersen disappeared from the NBA in 2006 because he tested positive for banned substances, NBA fans surely believed they'd seen the last of the man they called "Birdman." But after two years of banishment, Andersen returned to the league, and last... More >>
• Best Suppression of Freedom of Expression
  Brandon Stokley
  Denver Broncos
  Being newspaper people, we're big supporters of the freedom-of-speech thing — unless it costs our team fifteen yards. That's why we salute Broncos receiver Brandon Stokley for his brave shushing of fellow WR Brandon Marshall, who after a November touchdown against the Cleveland Browns... More >>
• Best Sports Blog (6 Comments)
  Mile High Report
  With the death of the Rocky Mountain News, fiending Broncos fans will need new dealers to get their full fix of Broncos talk. Mile High Report is just the blog for the job. It's consistently populated with detailed, thorough and mostly rational analysis on subjects interesting and mundane, from... More >>
• Best Resource for Weekend Warriors
  http://denver.playcoed.com
  Okay, seriously, it's time to get off your ass. But the gym is annoying, running is boring, and drinking heavily does not, sadly, qualify as exercise under today's far-too-stringent norms. So embrace your inner fifth-grader and log on to denver.playcoed.com, where you'll find scores of leagues... More >>
• Best Birding Adventure
  Colorado Birding Trail
  In all actuality, the Colorado Birding Trail is more a conglomeration of key birding sites throughout the state than a physical trail. But the concept — sponsored by the Colorado Department of Wildlife, Colorado State Parks and a flock of birding organizations — has an interactive... More >>
• Best Place to Take a Hike
  The Flatirons
  Whether your closet looks like a Patagonia outlet store or you view hiking as a prelude to a coma-inducing brunch, Boulder's Flatirons should satisfy your hiking needs. The rocky Boulder foothills are easily accessible from busy Chautauqua Park, and a variety of trails offer challenges for... More >>
• Best Hike for Impressing Out-of-Town Visitors
  Trading Post Trail
  The 1.4-mile Trading Post Trail at Red Rocks is the perfect length and difficulty — short, easy and at a relatively low altitude — for anyone seeking a nature-y afternoon respite from the bustling streets of Denver. Plus, the gorgeous red rocks and the adrenaline-inducing rattlesnake... More >>
• Best Piece of Denver Outside of Denver
  The Denver Mountain Parks system
  Red Rocks is one. So are Winter Park and Genesee Park (where the city's buffalo roam), Echo Lake, at the foot of Mount Evans, and Lookout Mountain, home to the Buffalo Bill Museum & Grave. In fact, the Denver Mountain Parks system, created in 1912, includes 47 unusual properties totaling... More >>
• Best Beach
  Riverside at Commons Park
  There's no boardwalk, no waves, no surfers and almost no sand, but the tiny riverfront stretch down the hill from Commons Park is a peaceful way to grab a little serenity in the midst of a busy city. Close your eyes and listen to the Platte River as it trickles (or rushes after a rainfall) over... More >>
• Best Place to Get Paddled
  Confluence Kayaks
  Whitewater kayaking is not just about having the right gear, though Confluence Kayaks sells it. It's not just about scoring the right price, though you'll find that here, too. And it's definitely not about a staff that simply regurgitates a sales brochure. What the folks at Confluence Kayaks... More >>
• Best Swimming Hole
  Devil's Punch Bowl
  Tucked away on the other side of the Continental Divide, on the headwaters of the Roaring Fork River about seven miles above Aspen, lies one of the state's singular treasures: the Devil's Punch Bowl. It's not just a swimming hole; it's Nirvana with a river running through it. Imagine a cool,... More >>
• Best Public Swimming Pool
  Stapleton pools
  Stapleton may not have too many shade trees, but it has three public pools (the Aviator, the Puddle Jumper and the F-15) where overheated new-urbanists can cool off during the summer. Although all three can get crowded on the weekends, there are usually plenty of chairs and sufficient space to... More >>
• Best Public Golf Course (2 Comments)
  Fossil Trace
  The opening hole of Fossil Trace Golf Course sums things up: Rising from the middle of the fairway, about halfway through the beastly par-five, a strange rock formation juts from the earth. It looks like a middle finger, and it's a warning of what's to come: a unique, sometimes harrowing but... More >>
• Best Miniature Golf Course
  Aqua Golf
  Aqua Golf fell into ruins in recent years, an abandoned driving range on a sad little pond at the edge of Santa Fe Drive, where weeds grew tall as traffic roared by. Then the City of Denver stepped in and took a gigantic paintbrush to the eyesore, installing two miniature golf courses decked out... More >>
• Best Lunchtime Practice Session
  City Park Golf Course
  If you're going to survive either of our two best golf courses, you'll need to do what every weekend golfer despises: practice. And while there are plenty of great driving ranges in the area, none is more convenient for downtown workers than City Park's small but functional practice areas... More >>
• Best Lunchtime Basketball Game
  YMCA of Metropolitan Denver
  This is not just a game. Some of these guys have been coming to the downtown YMCA at lunchtime every Monday, Wednesday and Friday since the 1980s. There are lawyers, businessmen, laborers and former college players, and they range in age from mid-twenties to mid-sixties. What they have in common... More >>
• Best New Gym to Get Lost In
  24-Hour Fitness Parker Arapahoe Super Sport
  You know your gym? It's pretty big, right? Has everything you need? Well imagine your gym was three times the size, had four times as much equipment to make you sweat, plus racquetball courts, two pools, eight basketball hoops, and locker rooms fit for Carmelo. That pretty much describes the new... More >>
• Best Boot Camp Workout (7 Comments)
  Genesis Fitness
  Sometimes we need the added pressure of a financial investment to force a good workout. The threat of public humiliation doesn't hurt, either, and boot camp just sounds cooler than aerobics class. At Genesis, the pain doesn't come cheap, but the instructors are experts at kicking your butt. The... More >>
• Best Place to Jump Around
  Jump-Street
  Wouldn't the world be oh-so-much sweeter if we all lived in one big bouncy castle? While such a paradise only exists in our dreams, we're one step closer to it thanks to Jump-Street, a gigantic family fun center where a trampoline covers almost every surface. Somersault across the floor, pinball... More >>
• Best Year-Round Playground
  Paul Derda Recreation Center
  Broomfield's swanky Paul Derda Recreation Center has the answer to all those crummy winter days when the little ones are going stir-crazy — courtesy of its indoor playground. We're not talking about some lousy jungle gym. Think a McDonald's PlayPlace on steroids: a multi-story climbing... More >>
• Best Pick-Up Volleyball
  Washington Park
  You can keep your sandy beaches and squeaky hard courts; for our money, the best volleyball is played on grass — shirtless and shoeless, in the sun — where you're still able to run and jump (unlike on the beach, where even decently athletic players are rendered virtual invalids).... More >>
• Best Bowling Alley
  Lucky Strike
  More lounge than lanes, Lucky Strike at the Denver Pavilions isn't exactly your father's bowling alley. You won't find a soulless, big-box complex swarming with greasy-haired '50s Neanderthals, all hooting at women. Instead you'll find an intimate, plush, club-style room filled with the kind of... More >>
• Best Urban Motorcycle Ride
  32nd Avenue from Speer Boulevard to the foothills
  Trying to find a great place to ride without leaving the city can be a challenge. That's why we love this long stretch of 32nd Avenue. Meet your friends in the Highland neighborhood and then head west. You'll pass through some of Denver's oldest, most picturesque neighborhoods before crossing... More >>
• Best Skatepark
  Memorial Skatepark
  Dare we call the new Colorado Springs skatepark the best in Colorado? That's quite an assertion in a state considered to have one of the highest concentrations of quality skate parks in the nation. But skaters, bladers and BMXers have been voting with their wheels since the spot opened in... More >>
• Best Place to Get High (on Your Bike)
  Monarch Crest
  There are plenty of quality miles to pedal on the Front Range, but you didn't buy that trick, free-riding dual suspension just to ride the foothills. The Monarch Crest trail is one of the finest rides on the planet; starting at over 11,000 feet in elevation and running along some jaw-dropping... More >>
• Best Bike Ride With Food (1 Comment)
  Sunday-Morning Breakfast RidesSalvagetti Bicycle Workshop
  Cyclists in the know understand that Salvagetti is like the People's bike shop: low-key, attitude-free and street-level. The folks there fix bikes, talk bikes and simply love bikes, and they see no reason to take the fun out of buying and riding bikes. Most important, at Salvagetti, biking is... More >>
• Best Après-Ski Parking Garage with Food
  La Cantina
  While tourists in Oakleys and Prada jumpsuits sip champagne cocktails on the cutesy sidewalk cafes of Vail Village, locals — and Denver day skiers — head to the parking garage après ski. La Cantina isn't exactly a restaurant. Sandwiched into a public foyer and hallway, next to... More >>
• Best Place for Ladies to Get On Board
  Outdoor Divas
  Outdoor Divas prides itself on catering specifically to sporty women and the understanding that what works for the gander isn't always good for the goose. That's why these women's gear shops now feature women-specific snowboards from Colorado's Never Summer Industries and other major... More >>
• Best Ski Deal (3 Comments)
  Echo Mountain
  Since this winter's unseasonably warm weather never gave Denver's free Ruby Hill Rail Yard a chance to open, the next best thing to free is Echo Mountain. Even if you missed out on the pre-season sale of $129 season passes, a lift ticket at Echo still won't put you back too much: It's $43... More >>
• Best New Ski Lift
  Sheer Bliss
  The 700-acre Big Burn area is one of the most popular spots at Snowmass for its combination of rolling intermediate cruisers and expert glades. But for years, most of the traffic has been concentrated on the west side, served by the Big Burn high speed quad, while the east side has been... More >>
• Best New Gondola
  River Run Gondola
  Let's face it: Except for those elite few who hike for fresh tracks, most of us skiers and riders who prefer to stay in the lift-served inbounds can be a pretty lazy bunch. That's why we've chosen a sport that lets us ride up the hill while sitting in a chair and then coast downhill. The most... More >>
• Best New Ski Terrain
  Revelation Bowl
  Though it might sound like the creation of a clever marketing pro, Revelation is actually the longtime name of this bowl overlooking the Bear Creek Basin. Above treeline, wide open and situated on a northeastern aspect so that it gathers huge amounts of snow from Telluride's predominantly... More >>
• Best Area to Avoid Lift Lines at Breck
  Peak 10
  For wide open, empty blue groomers, Breckenridge's Peak 7 used to be the place to go because it took a little work traversing cat tracks to get there, thus deterring big crowds. That all changed this season with the opening of a new Peak 7 base development — Breck's first since 1971. Peak... More >>
• Best Terrain Park
  A51 Terrain Park
  Terrain parks seem to get bigger and badder with each passing season as ski resorts try to find new ways to attract the snow-bro crowd to their lift lines. Colorado certainly has no shortage of Olympic-sized Superpipes, big air jumps and rainbow rails for the young and the reckless to choose... More >>
• Best Half-Pipe You Can't Ride (1 Comment)
  Shaun White's secret Olympic training pipe
  It must be tough being international snowboard superstar Shaun White. After several years of completely dominating the sport in half-pipe and slopestyle riding, it's been difficult for the 22-year-old known for his shock of tomato-colored hair to get on a chairlift without being completely... More >>
• Best Collectible Lift Tickets
  Jim Hodges, "Give More Than You Take"
  Artist-designed lift tickets in Aspen aren't a new thing, but they are an enduring one. This is, in fact, the fourth year for the program, which is a collaboration between the edgy Aspen Art Museum and the folks who run the mountain, and it's usually accompanied by a full-blown museum exhibition... More >>