Ain't Life Grand!

Welcome to Grand County! Some call it the "Icebox of the Nation" but this here county seat is named "Hot Sulphur Springs." Go figure.

Hot Sulphur Springs is the oldest town in Grand County, established in 1860. Maybe that's how it became the county seat. With a population of only about 700 souls it is smaller than Winter Park, Fraser, Granby, Grand Lake and Kremmeling. It looks bigger than Tabernash, so there's that.

Hot Sulphur Springs is not only known for its excellent hot springs, but also as the site of the first Winter Carnival in Colorado, back in 1911. Norwegian immigrant Carl Howelson helped get it started by buidling a ski jump on the hill to the southwest. Then he packed up his bag of tricks and headed up the road to Steamboat Springs where he built an even bigger ski jump, now called Howelson Hill (it still exists). You can find out more about the carnival if you go to the nearby geocache called "Horace's Fisrt Run" (GC6319V). While you're at it, you can also visit my friends at the Pioneer Village Museum, only a few blocks to the east, where they have another geocache "Pioneer Village" (GCABZPM).

One more thing - Grand County is named for the Grand River, which is now called the Colorado River. So go stick you toes into "America's Nile", which is just across US 40 from here and you too will think Ain't Life Grand!