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Top Tips for Travel to Winter Park

Traveling can be one of the best experiences of our lives. After all, what isn’t to love about getting the chance to relax while also having the chance to see new things? Despite this, traveling can be a hassle and stressful occasion, especially if you are traveling someplace new or to a climate you are unfamiliar with. This need not be the case—after all, this is your time to relax and enjoy yourself. We have gone ahead and put together our top tips for travel to Winter Park so you can hit the ground running when you come and visit!

Keep an Eye on the Forecast

If you find yourself coming in the winter, make sure you keep a diligent eye on the weather reports. A whiteout can hit suddenly, and nobody wants to be navigating switchbacks on the side of a mountain when one can’t even see the lines in the road. As well, road closures can make things difficult, so always check your phone to see what the weather prediction is and the road conditions. Luckily, there is more than one way to get to and from Winter Park, so also make sure you are familiar with alternate routes. As well, make sure you take the forecast and warnings seriously; if you need to pull over and put on snow-chains, make sure to do so. For this same reason, if you aren’t overly familiar with driving in the snow, don’t feel ashamed to put your hazards on and take it a bit slower.

If you find yourself hiking in the early spring, winter storms can still strike higher elevations, so even if it’s clear and nice at the bottom, it could very well be cold at the top. For this reason, make sure you bring extra warm clothes if you decide to brave the mountain tops; you can always grab a sweatshirt from your pack if you need it, but you can’t walk all the way home to get it once your headed up the trail. Finally, always bring GPS or a compass with you.

Beware the Altitude

Many people underestimate just how much the high altitude will have an effect on them. However, remember that you’ll be living above 9,000 feet and at times as high as 11,000. For this reason, keep an eye on your body and take the time to prepare for the sudden change in elevation. Trust us, you don’t want your vacation ruined by altitude sickness, the sea sickness of the mountains. To help avoid this, try and exercise regularly a few weeks before you come, pay attention to cardio workouts so that your lungs are working more efficiently when they are in an environment with thinner oxygen (there is a reason Everest climbs are taken slowly and spread out over a long period). As well, make sure you drink plenty of fluids. Finally, try to keep alcohol consumption to a minimum. We understand that it’s your vacation and enjoying a few drinks is part of the freedom of traveling but remember that the negative effects of alcohol can be more noticeable at a higher altitude. A hangover at 10,000 feet is not an experience many will find enjoyable or wish to do again.

While these aren’t all the useful tips that one could be given for traveling in general, it is our hope that this will give you some heads up and ensure that your vacation is as relaxing and enjoyable as you envisioned. If you are curious about other travel tips, feel free to give Visit Winter Park Lodging a call at 970-363-7458 and start planning your Colorado journey!

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