As Madeline’s General Manager, I’m pretty spoiled for choice when it comes to winter sports. When I want to feel the thrill of soaring down the mountain, I ski. When I want to explore the deep tranquility of the backcountry, I snowshoe. When I want to feel as if I’m floating over the snow, I hop on my fat tire bike. Now, after an amazing half-day adventure with Mountain Trip, I have an exhilarating new winter sport to add to my repertoire: ice climbing.

Telluride really is an angler’s paradise, with some of the finest trout streams in the Rocky Mountains along with countless high country lakes, ponds and alpine creeks that make for stellar fly fishing year-round—even in winter. Here’s a guide to the best spots for fly fishing Telluride, CO and its environs any time of year. 

I love skiing the slopes just as much as any local. But I’ll admit it: Summer might be even better than winter for enjoying elevated adventures at Madeline. Not only is playtime on the peaks infinitely more varied in the warmer months—because of the temperate weather, it’s also the best time of year to play above the peaks. As the days get longer, there’s more time than ever to try these adventures. Here are my top five favorite ways to enjoy the “high” life in Telluride. Why don’t you try one (or all five) this summer?