SPORTS

Basketball: Colleges, high schools, and independent teams play regular schedules during winter and early spring months. Denver merchants sponsor a team in Missouri Valley Amateur Athletic League, its home court being Municipal Auditorium.

Football: In fall and winter months by universities, colleges, and high schools. Teams of institutions of higher education are members either of Mountain States Intercollegiate Conference or Rocky Mountain Conference. High school teams play for State title at close of regular season.

Golf: Played year round on approximately 75 private and municipal courses in or near larger towns and cities, with a few at summer resorts. Few courses closed to public play. Green fees usually vary from fifty cents to seventy-five cents a round.

Polo: Usual season is from June to September; played at Denver, Colorado Springs, and Fort Logan.

Softball: Played in almost every town throughout the State. At close of regular playing season, district meets determine local champions. These winners play for the State title and the privilege of participating in the national softball tournament.

Tennis: Municipal parks in the larger cities provide free tennis facilities. The majority of the courts are surfaced with clay, although some have asphalt or concrete surfaces.

OUTDOOR RECREATION

National Parks and Monuments: Rocky Mountain National Park, Mesa Verde National Park, Great Sand Dunes National Monument, Colorado National Monument, Mount of the Holy Cross National Monument, Wheeler National Monument, Yucca House National Monument, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Monument, parts of Hovenweep and Dinosaur National Monuments.

Camping: Trailer camps and auto courts in all sections of State. Improved camp grounds in all national forests and parks and in many municipal parks. Cabin sites in national forests for rent from U. S. Forest Service at $15 a year.

Dude Ranches: Dude ranches have been established throughout the mountain area, and range from the simple "board and room" type to those equipped with modern hotel conveniences; but most "dudes" prefer roughing it to some degree. Accepted attire for dudes now are loud (preferably checked) shirts and blue denim jeans or "Levi's." Vacationists may participate in ranch life, or merely look on. Featured attractions of such resorts are pack trips, riding, hiking, fishing, hunting, impromptu rodeos.

Fishing: Trout fishing in lakes and streams of mountain areas and on Western Slope. Streams and lakes away from main centers of population and main travel routes offer the best fishing; the most consistent catches are made in waters accessible only by hiking or on horseback. From the angler's standpoint, the season is divided into bait and flyfishing periods. Fishing with bait usually is the only uniformly successful method from May to July, when streams are high and roily from melting snows. The wet fly -fishing period extends roughly from first of June to close of season. Dry fly-fishing is practicable during July, August, and September. Bait fishing during later months of season evokes scorn of experienced anglers. Coldwater streams and lakes are stocked with 14 varieties of trout: four native species—the Colorado River, Rio Grande, Yellow Fin, and Green Hunchback—and 10 imported species—the McCloud River Rainbow, German Brown, Loch Leven, Steelhead, South Fork Golden, Yellowstone, Eastern Brook, Lake or Mackinaw Salmon, Landlocked or Sebago Salmon, and Silver or Coho Salmon. Lakes and streams on plains east of the mountains are stocked with warm-water fish—bass, crappie, sun fish, cat fish, and perch. Bait fishing is practiced here during entire season, with artificial lures, plugs, and flies used during latter part of season. Four streams on the Western Slope—the Dolores, the Colorado, the Green, and the Yampa—have been stocked with channel catfish.

Hiking: Well-marked and clearly defined trails crisscross Rocky Mountain National Park and national forests, and radiate from practically all mountain resorts; a few originate at points along the main high-Ways. Among the popular trails are those from Gold Park to Mount of the Holy Cross, from Camp Tigiwon to Notch Mountain near Mount of the Holy Cross, from the highway to Hanging Lake near Glenwood Springs, Manitou Springs to Pikes Peak, Estes Park to summit of Twin Sisters, Dolores Canyon Trail, and scenic trails in Rocky Mountain National Park: namely, those to Ypsilon, Lawn, and Crystal lakes, Rowe Glacier, Chasm Lake and Longs Peak, Loch Vale, Glacier Gorge, and Fern Lake. The Colorado Mountain Club, with headquarters at Denver, conducts trail trips throughout summer months for guests and Others interested in hiking.

Hunting: Colorado is well and favorably known for its big-game hunting, annually attracting sportsmen from many States. Mule and Arizona blacktail deer, black and brown bear and mountain lion are found in mountain regions and on forested mesas of Western Slope; exceptionally good hunting areas are found near Steamboat Springs, on the Flat Tops north of Glenwood Springs, on Grand Mesa, and in the San Juan, Sawatch, and Sangre de Cristo Mountains. There is a State bounty of $50 for mountain lion. Coyotes are hunted on the eastern prairies, usually with dogs and horses or automobiles. Bird hunting is virtually limited to ducks and pheasants; shooting of latter is restricted to northeastern plains section and to Delta and Montrose Counties on Western Slope. Best duck hunting is found in South Platte, Arkansas, and San Luis Valleys. Species that may be taken include canvas back, red-head, mallard, blue and green wing teal, and gadwall. A few Canadian geese are killed on lakes along Arkansas River each year.

Motoring: Among favorite scenic drives for automobiles are: Fall River Road through Rocky Mountain National Park, Mesa Verde Highway through Mesa Verde National Park, Rim Rock Drive through Colorado National Monument, Skyway Drive over Grand Mesa, Million Dollar Highway between Ouray and Durango, toll road to the crest of Cheyenne Mountain, highways through the Denver Mountain Parks and over Berthoud Pass, west of Pueblo into Wet Mountain Valley, west from Trinidad and through Stonewall Gap, and through Big Thompson, Bear Creek, and Glenwood canyons. Good graded and surfaced highways penetrate all sections of State. There are well-maintained highways to summit of Pikes Peak (14,110 alt.) and Mount Evans (14,259 alt.).

Mountain Climbing: Colorado has 51 peaks exceeding 14,000 feet and more than 1,500 exceeding 10,000 feet; these offer a veritable paradise for devotees of mountain climbing. Some ascents can be made by trail; others necessitate exceedingly difficult and hazardous rock work, which should be attempted only by seasoned mountaineers, and then only with competent guides. Mountain climbing in Colorado is not confined to summer months but offers year-round recreation for individuals and club groups. The Colorado Mountain Club sponsors summer and winter climbs of State's famed peaks. Visitors may participate and be assured of competent leadership. The Colorado Mountain Club publishes a combined booklet, A Climbers Guide to the High Peaks and Fourteen Thousand Feet, which is recommended to those interested in climbing. Some more popular climbs are: Front Range— Pikes Peak (14,110 alt.), Longs Peak (14,255 alt.), Mount Evans (14,259 alt.), Grays Peak (14,274 alt.), and Torreys Peak (14,264 alt.); Mosquito Range—Mount Lincoln (14,284 alt.), Mount Bross (14,170 alt.), and Mount Democrat (14,142 alt.); Sawatch Range— Mount Massive (14,419 alt.), Mount Elbert (14,431 alt.), Mount Harvard (14,399 alt.), Mount Columbia (14,070 alt.), Mount Yale (14,172 alt.), and Mount Princeton (14,177 alt.); Sangre de Cristo Range—Sierra Blanca Peak (14,363 alt.) and Old Baldy Peak (14,125 alt.); Elk Mountains—Maroon Peak (14,126 alt.) and Snowmass Mountain (14,077 alt.); San Juan Range—Uncompahgre Peak (14,306 alt.) and Mount Sneffels (14,143 alt.); San Miguel Range—Mount Wilson (14,250 alt.) and El Diente (14,200 alt.).

Riding: English-style riding academies on outskirts of Denver and Colorado Springs, which maintain a few bridle paths. Horses for western-style riding can be rented at all resorts, and from stables near large cities and many mountain towns. Western stock saddles are to be preferred for all riding in mountainous and forested areas.

Winter Sports: Winter sports enthusiasts find good skiing at following courses: Berthoud Pass, Winter Park, Aspen, Hot Sulphur Springs, Steamboat Springs, Grand Lake, and Pikes Peak; the first three have ski tows; toboggan slides at Hot Sulphur Springs, Steamboat Springs, Twin Forks, Homewood Park, and Watsons. Parts of mountain region are adapted to crosscountry skiing. Ice skating is confined principally to municipal lakes in cities and towns; ice on mountain lakes is too rough for skating, but Evergreen Lake, 26 miles west of Denver, is maintained in excellent condition for skating.