Rocky Mountain Summer By Shonagh Walker Friday, August 5, 2011
Summer hiking in Vail, Colorado. They say you come for the winter, but stay for summer. Shonagh Walker finds herself loving every second of her summer in Vail, Colorado. The first time I set foot in Vail, Colorado, it was in the depths of USA Winter 2004. Its cobbled streets were lined with snow, the village twinkled with Christmas tree lights (never mind it was the middle of January), and the welcoming smiles of the locals warmed my heart so much that, despite sub-zero temperatures, thermals seemed superfluous. I instantly felt a deep sense of belonging. This was the place I had always wanted to be. I've visited every winter since then. Aside from enjoying Vail's powdery slopes until my legs burned from skiing and my face hurt from smiling, each trip had a common theme, with the locals, whom I now count as lifelong friends, constantly telling me, "you will love it here in the summer!" It took me until 2009 to make a summer trip there. To say that the beauty of the Colorado Rockies in summer blew me away would simply be understating their majesty.