Steamboat Pilot & Today

Hike up, sled down

Emerald Mountain has become my favorite place to take my dog for a walk. Although leashes are required, nobody seems to keep their dog on one. Fortunately for dog owners, the walls of snow on both sides of the trail ensure their pets don't run off. But that isn't the only advantage of Emerald.

You get a great workout from the continuous uphill climb, there are a variety of routes to take so you don't get bored, and you always run into someone you know -- or at least hope to. And sledding down is always fun.

Rabbit Ears Pass has proven to be a great place to take dogs, as well -- after you get past the horror of unloading your dog without a leash near U.S. Highway 40.

Just don't make the mistake that I did by thinking you can cross-country ski on your freshly tuned and waxed tele-skis.

Hair blowing in the wind

Listening to Berdoo's heavy metal was a refreshing change from the plague of the Colorado jam band (nothing against jam bands). A member of Berdoo even had head-banging long hair tossing in the wind of the smoke machine. It doesn't get any better than that. Old school hard core meets Steamboat Mountain Theater.

From the back row, I saw a surprisingly well-mannered, seated crowd. I guess there was no room to head bang.

Pit stop

All the head-bangers were in the mosh pit at the Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant on Saturday night.

It was difficult to get an accurate count of how many guys took off their shirts at the Plagiarist show. They were moving too fast.

It was a blur of tattoos, mohawks and impressively strong women establishing their place in the pit.

The only obstacle was trying to get past all of the moshing to go to the bathroom. But there were some kind gentlemen who cleared a path for the ladies and their margs.

-- Allison Plean