re: How would you rate Denver?

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When you factor in mileage + traffic, it's a hassle, and you don't go to the Rocky's as much as you'd think. The Rocky Mountains are not in Denver's backyard.

For instance, using the Zoo/City Park as a starting point due to its central location, and going to say...Echo Lake Park or Georgetown, CO, you're looking, at minimum, 1 hour. That's on a great day, as that doesn't factor in traffic, road closures, etc. Going further into the Rocky's, that's 2 hours. So, a 4-hour rounds trip. Unless you're camping out, it's extremely difficult to do many day hikes, skiing, and such.

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This has not been my experience at all. Like others said, Golden and Morrison are 15 minutes from the city. I also hike in Summit all of the time. It's an hour.