Wednesday, October 31

Colorado Lowdown

By Keith Eric Davidson
EXPN.com

When most people think about Colorado, they envision snowcapped mountains, John Denver, or perhaps one of the dozen or so world famous Ski Resorts. Skaters however, see Colorado as an untapped mecca that hasn't seen the normal media exploitation by the industry. The Colorado's Front Range or more specifically, Denver is fast becoming a destination for traveling pros looking for a place to skate that's different from the same spots they see on a daily basis in Mags and Videos.

Why Denver? With it's 5400 foot elevation the "Mile High City" might appear to not be such a skate friendly environment during the winter months, but the city actually stays pretty mild with average temps in the 50's. Summers can get pretty hot, but the nights are surprisingly cool so a lot of kids bust out the generators and get busy in the cooler night air.

Sean Robinson soars over this kickflip

Denver has a fairly large population of skaters, and a lot of these can be found at many of the skateparks that are sprouting up in adjacent communities. Some of the better parks in the immediate area are located in Boulder (concrete, free, good flow and fast speed lines), Thornton (free, concrete, sketchy neighborhood), and of course the new Vans Skatepark in Westminster.

Of course you really don't need to drive anywhere because Denver just opened the largest free, concrete park in the nation. Located next to the river at 19th and Platte streets the 50,000 square foot, phase one of the park opened in July to much anticipation and hype. The park is enormous and has five separate bowls, a street plaza, and various ledges that surround the perimeter of the park. Open everyday and lit until 11:00 p.m., the park can get a little hectic at times, especially with the combination of skaters, bmx'ers, rollerbladers, street razors, and moms on mountain bikes all vying for the same flyout line. You might even be lucky enough to collide into Jamie Thomas or Geoff Rowley who have been going on filming missions to Denver in hopes of acquiring some "where's that spot?" footage for their respective upcoming Zero and Flip video releases.

If the scene at the park gets a little too hectic or you snap a board, head two blocks south to the best skate shop in Denver, Emage Skate, located at 1620 Platte. The shop is huge and the dudes that run it are on point. You can chill out and watch the latest video or you can bug the crap out of owners Sean, Brandt, or Branden while they sell you all the gear you need to impress the large amount of females that hang around the skatepark.

Sam Irby in, and out of, the bowls in Boulder.

After a long skate sesh, Illegal Pete's is the spot for food, conveniently located on the 16th street walking promenade at Wazzee street, Pete's serves up ripping Burritos and other cheap Mexican treats and employs a lot of skater types, so if you tip well you might get some free guacamole with your fish enchiladas.

Night life in Denver is like any other large city, but the local skate crew tends to kick it at the Park Bar at 11th and Washington. Pool tables and cheap beer are the major draw, just don't stay out too late or you might not be able to skate the next day at some of the bust free spots: YMCA ledges and the Civic Center.

Denver is a happening, growing skate scene with some of the best parks in the world located nearby, so check it out!

While you are are planning on moving, check out the SKT Galleries.

Related Photos:
Colorado Scene Gallery