Wax On, Wax Off...The Cross Country Ski Season is Underway in Delta County. The last unofficial report says there's two feet of snow on Grand Mesa. YIPPEE!!! That's plenty of snow to ski on. The Grand Mesa Nordic Council is busy grooming trails. Updates are posted on the group's Face Book page. The Grand Mesa Nordic Council is a non profit group that maintains and grooms the trails. There are over 32 miles of groomed trails  on Grand Mesa. These are located at three different areas...Ward Creek, Countyline and Skyway. Skyway and Countyline trails are groomed for classic and skate skiing. Restrooms and parking are available at all three areas. Trail maps are available on the Grand Mesa Nordic Council Website and at the trail heads.   One of my favorite trails is the Overlook Trail at Sky... 11/02/2013

Grand Mesa Color Sunday is September 29, 2013. Every year one Sunday at the end of September is set aside as Color Sunday. No one knows for sure when peak color is going to happen...that all depends mainly on the weather. Grand Mesa is known as the world's largest flattop mountain. There are huge aspen stands that make the mountainside and top a brilliant gold in the fall.  Grand Mesa is an amazing fall drive. No matter which way you start...from Grand Junction or from Cedaredge, you will have a spectacular trip. Click here for more information on the scenic drive.  What makes the leaves change color in the fall? As I stated earlier, this is mainly weather dependent. As the summer turns into fall, there is less light and it's not as bright. The temperatures are also much cooler at the h... 09/22/2013

Land O' Lakes Trail Grand Mesa...See Forever Views. This is an absolutely fabulous trail on Grand Mesa. You feel like you are on top of the world and the views are endless. You have mountain and valley views to the east, west and south. From here you can see the San Juan Mountains about 60 miles to the south and all of the valley floor in between. This picture shows the view to the east of the West Elk Mountains.     Land O' Lakes Trail Grand Mesa...See Forever Views. This trail is one of the most heavily traveled trails on Grand Mesa. Even at that, you won't see more than a few people on your hike. Of course the view is the big draw, but this trail is only half a mile long and paved to the top. Once you get to the top make sure you take some time to study the interpretive sign. This w... 08/11/2013

Cabins for Sale and Real Estate Information for Grand Mesa Colorado. Grand Mesa is the predominate feature on the Western Slope Skyline. It's the world's largest flat top mountain and it stretches about 40 miles east of Grand Junction, Colorado. There are over 300 lakes on Grand Mesa. This is a year around outdoor lovers paradise. Fishing, camping, hiking, snowmobiling, cross country skiing, hunting and photography are all popular activities. Grand Mesa covers over 500 square miles and includes the Grand Mesa National Forest. While most of Grand Mesa is National Forest, there are some cabins for sale. At this time there are 5 active listings ranging in price from $135,000 to $235,000. One listing is pending. One cabin has sold since the first of the year. It sold for $120,000 in March. ... 06/23/2013

Winter Drought Conditions Continue Grand Mesa, Colorado. 2013 is considered Western Colorado's second dry year in a row. Light snowfalls this winter have farmers worried about what kind of irrigation water will be available this planting season, and there are already concerns over summer wildfires. Winter snowfalls are low throughout the state. Most areas are measuring well below the normal average. It's not just the total number of inches of snow that everyone is measuring. It's how much moisture is in that snow. The Grand Mesa area and Delta County needs 148% of it's usual snowfall to have enough water to fill the reservoirs for summer time water. This includes domestic use and agricultural use. So far this year the Grand Mesa is reporting 83% of it's normal snow pack. Last year was t... 03/19/2013

Mush On..Grand Mesa Sled Dog Races are Coming. The event is called The Grand Mesa Summit Challenge. It's January 26 and 27th, 2013 on Grand Mesa. Dress warm and bring the family. This is a amazing event. It's really neat to see these dogs do something they truly love. The Grand Mesa Summit Challenge is the highest event of it's kind in the USA. The starting point is 10,300 feet above sea level. Grand Mesa is the world's largest flat top mountain. Last year over 40 teams competed. The race distances are anywhere from 4 to 12 miles with dog teams of 4, 6, 8 or 10 dogs.   Mush On..Grand Mesa Sled Dog Races are Coming. So come on up...to Grand Mesa for The Grand Mesa Summit Challenge. That's this January 26 and 27th, 2013. The races start at 9AM.   Photo courtesy of mcmorgan08's photo strea... 01/06/2013

Winter Storms Bring Avalanche Danger to Colorado's High Country. Colorado's mountain areas are known for heavy snow packs, which means great fun in the snow. Recent storms have dumped a lot of snow in the mountains, and this means there's an increased risk of triggers or witnessing an avalanche. There's about 3 feet of new snow on Grand Mesa in Delta County. While Grand Mesa is the world's largest flattop mountain, don't think it isn't prone to avalanches. There are plenty of steep slopes ready to shed a snow load. The avalanche danger on Grand Mesa is currently rated moderate, but that will change after another series of storms come in before Christmas. The avalanche danger and ratings change from day to day and area to area depending on weather and snowfall. The Colorado Avalanche Cen... 12/23/2012

Cross Country Skiing, Grand Mesa, Delta County, Colorado. There are over 32 miles of groomed cross country ski trails on Grand Mesa in Delta County, Colorado. With the recent storm that came in over the weekend, the trails should be in fine condition and very ski able thanks to the Grand Mesa Nordic Council. On Grand Mesa In Delta County, Colorado you can ski in the tall pines to overlooks looking over the Surface Creek Valley and the Grand Valley areas. With a 32 miles trail system covering 3 different locations on Grand Mesa, you can find solitude and really get to enjoy the peace and tranquility of the woods in wintertime. Snowshoeing trails are available along the ski trails. One of my favorite trails is the overlook trail at Skyway. That's where this picture was taken with my daugh... 11/11/2012

The 2012 Gold Rush is On...Grand Mesa Scenic Byway, Cedaredge, CO. The fall colors are really starting to make an appearance on Grand Mesa, the world's largest flattop mountain. The Mesa, as it's affectionately called by the locals, and the surrounding Grand Mesa National Forest cover 564 square miles in Delta and Mesa Counties, Colorado.The colors are just starting to change on the south side of Grand Mesa Scenic Byway. By the last 2 weeks in September, it should be prime...and just in town for the various fall color celebrations going on around the area.The Grand Mesa Scenic Byway covers 63 miles from Cedaredge, Colorado, over the top of Grand Mesa, down past the Powderhorn Mountain Resort Ski Area to Mesa and over to Interstate 70. That is if you don't take the Lands End side trip. T... 09/08/2012

Scenes From The Grand Mesa 100 Endurance Race...Flowing Park Aid Station.  Bear sighting....that was the big news for the young volunteers, at Flowing Park Aid Station. It made a visit on Saturday evening and again Sunday morning. This appears to be an orphaned cub. The Grand Mesa 100 is three endurance races over a two day period. There's a 37.5 miles race, a 50 mile and 100 mile race. The aid stations help to support the runners with food, electrolytes, water and warmth. Orphaned, or not, this little bear wasn't shy and made himself at home in the race director's Range Rover. ( If there had been a momma bear around, I wouldn't like to think about what might have happened. )                     The bear got into the storage compartment between the front seats and grabbed a Power Bar. I... 07/29/2012

The Grand Mesa 100...They'll Be Coming Round The Mountain When They Come. The Grand Mesa 100 is a footrace run on the trails and forest service roads in the Grand Mesa National Forest in Delta County, Colorado. There are three courses for the runners to choose from. The shortest race is 37 miles, then 50 miles and the longest one is 100 miles. This year's event is taking place bright and early on Saturday, July 28 and 29, 2012. Now for most of us the thought of running 37 miles doesn't even exist in our minds. These runners are tough and train all year for The Grand Mesa 100. As if the distance isn't challenging enough...keep in mind Grand Mesa is the world's largest flattop mountain. The average elevation of each course is 9200 feet with runners topping out at 11,000 feet above sea lev... 07/25/2012

Moose Celebration Day on Grand Mesa...Another Delta County Mark Your Calendar Event. That's this Saturday, July 28, 2012. It's the third annual Grand Mesa Moose Day Celebration. This is an all day event and activities will be held at the Grand Mesa Visitor Center in Delta County, Colorado. Follow Highway 65 to the top of Grand Mesa. Make sure you look out for moose along the way. You just might have your own story to tell at the Visitor's Center. Moose were first introduced on Grand Mesa, the world's largest flattop mountain, in 2005. In the two years preceding that 91 moose were transplanted in the area. Most of the moose came from Utah and the rest of them from other parts Colorado. This transplanting effort was very successful, and biologist now believe there are about 300 moose on G... 07/24/2012

Delta County, Colorado Fishing Report, Carson Lake, Grand Mesa. For me it was a good day on the lake. Like most of the lakes on Grand Mesa, Carson Lake is surrounded by woods. I was catching 8 to 10 inch brook trout about every third cast. The color on these fish is amazing, and they are all fat and strong and put up a good fight. I was fly fishing with a number 12 Copper John, and flies seemed to be the only thing working. The bait fishermen weren't catching anything. The mosquitos are just starting to come out. They should be a factor in another few days, so bring your deet. There are still patches of snow in the woods, so if you are planning to hike to a more remote lake, keep this in mind. Carson Lake is the water supply for the city of Grand Junction, so no craft are allowed on the... 06/05/2012

The Grand Mesa Visitor Center is Open For the Summer. Now that the snow is mostly gone and summer is here in the high country, the Grand Mesa Visitor Center is gearing up for the summer season. Summertime snow is an issue at 10,000 feet elevation, even in June. The center is staffed by National Forest Service employees, so this is THE place for Grand Mesa information, current road conditions and wildlife sightings.  The Grand Mesa is usually the focal point for most visitors to Delta County. The average elevation is 10,000 feet and there are over 300 lakes on the sides and top of Grand Mesa. The visitor center is located off Hwy 65 just across from Cobbett Lake on top of the Grand Mesa. There are interpretive exhibits, books, maps, T-shirts and public restrooms. The hours are from 9AM t... 06/03/2012