Folks with exercise and outdoor-focused New Year’s resolutions need to look no further than a hiking, snowshoeing or skiing tour with Georgetown Outdoor Discovery.

Georgetown resident Kimberly Knox said launching the business last March proved challenging because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but she pivoted and booked her first group in July. Since then, she’s seen a steady flow of locals and visitors alike.

“If you’re going to protect yourself from a virus, it does help to get regular outdoor time,” she said. “ … Time spent outdoors in a forest helps you heal and stay healthy, and it’s good for your state of mind as well.”

Knox, who’s been in the recreation business for decades, said she’s always been the person her friends call when they have relatives or friends in town who want to go for a hike or backcountry excursion. So, she turned that into a business, explaining, “I have always had a passion for enjoying the outdoors and sharing it with other people.”

Georgetown Outdoor Discovery offers a variety of information and personalizes it based on the trail and the clients. Knox covers local history, flora and fauna, safety training, environmental conservation, and team-building exercises. She also teaches snowshoeing and cross-country skiing.

Ultimately, she tailors the experience to the client’s experience levels, interests and method of recreation.

For those locals who’ve never hiked before, Knox said she’s happy to help them get started in a way that’s fun, educational and safe. She also hopes Clear Creek residents will recommend her business when their loved ones come to visit, explaining that most of her tours are in the Georgetown and Silver Plume area.

Georgetown Outdoor Discovery follows COVID-19 guidelines of wearing face coverings and social distancing. Prices vary based on type and length of tour, and group size.

For information or to book a tour, visit GeorgetownOutdoorDiscovery.com.

Idaho Springs restaurant to start making its own cider

When Clear Creek Cidery & Eatery opened in February 2019, co-owners Evan Lombardi and Greg Dalrymple said one of their long-term goals was to hold true to the restaurant’s name and make their own cider.

On Thursday, that goal started to take shape as staff unloaded and set up four fermentation tanks, a brite tank, and other equipment in a production room at 1438 Miner St., the storefront adjacent to the restaurant.

Dalrymple said the cidery had hoped to do it sooner but was delayed by COVID-19 and its associated closures.

Clear Creek Cidery was closed while the county was in Level Red restrictions, he explained, but reopened for indoor and outdoor dining on Dec. 26. He added that he appreciated all the community’s support, and hopes everyone’s as excited as he is to see the cidery live up to its name.

Which type of ciders it will launch first is still in the research and development process, he described, and they won’t be on the menu until they’ve passed a strict taste test.

“We will test it until 80% of people say, `Damn, that’s good,’” Dalrymple continued, explaining that the tasters will be restaurant staff and friends of the cidery.

The new equipment can store up to 160 kegs, which would ferment over three to four weeks depending on the recipe.

Dalrymple said the cidery has prospective partnerships with other Colorado restaurants, including at least one local one, to carry Clear Creek Cidery’s brand. As COVID-19 restrictions continue to ease, Dalrymple said he’s hopeful the restaurant will eventually host tastings and other community events to help launch and promote its line of ciders.

For information about Clear Creek Cidery & Eatery, visit ClearCreekCider.com.