Here is an article about the Denver skate scene that was featured in the 20th issue of Steez Magazine. I wrote the article and shot the photos.
 |
| Wyatt Millhollan |
 |
| Trent McQueen (left) and Geoff Turner |
Colorado is a skater’s paradise only no sandy beaches and located a mile high. The Rocky Mountains are home to a huge population of skaters that span every age group and include every riding style. The huge variety of amazing skate spots from the parks to the streets supports them all. The weather is beautiful and the girls are too!
You can’t come to Colorado without hitting one of the fifty-bazillion skate parks. I can spit from my apartment window and hit 10 of them. These aren’t some puny wood ramps thrown up last minute. Spawned from the overwhelming support of skateboarding here one main park builder Team Pain are continuously planning and constructing concrete parks. Some up to 40,000 square feet! The features at these parks are out of control. They include 25-foot high capsules, marble ledges, brick trannies, enormous 4 blocks, 10 stair handrails, huge bowl snake runs, the list goes on and on. These parks make the next generation of skaters amazingly talented, and seem to be the training ground for some of Colorado's most hidden gems, the streets.
The amount of street skate spots in Colorado is kind of mind-boggling. Yeah there are the famous spots like Wynona Ditch, Civic Center, the bank to ledge under 25, but there are also so many untapped spots. While the downtown area is small compared to the coastal cities, there is a large industrial and suburban sprawl around Denver where many hidden spots lie. Most of the time we just drive around finding these new places to skate. In the past 6 years I can’t say I have been to many street spots more than once or twice.
Colorado has the craziest weather. One day its snowing and the next day its 75 degrees out! Most people think that Denver is freezing cold and covered in snow. But actually Colorado has more sunny days than Florida! Over 300 a year! This past winter in the city it was 50 degrees and dry while it puked over 500 inches in the mountains. Even though the summer can get really hot, there is no humidity. If Denver or the plains get too hot you can escape the heat by heading up to the mountain parks. Despite the rumors Colorado’s weather allows you to skate year round. Next time you head this way remember to bring your skateboard no matter what time of year you visit, and don’t forget your oxygen tank.
