Asking someone what the best flavor of ice cream might be compared to asking what is the best season in the Arkansas Valley. Certainly winter has to be right at the top.

Often called the "Banana Belt" of Colorado, Chaffee County averages winter highs and lows of 40 degrees and 12 degrees. Because of the Arkansas River Canyon these temperatures are often 25 degrees to 35 degrees warmer than adjacent valleys. The lofty Sawatch Range to the west attracts most of the winter snow--with as much as 300 to 400 inches falling on Monarch Pass. At the same time an average winter snowfall in Salida or Buena Vista may be about 35 inches.

So what's going on here in the wintertime? Try snowmobiling, downhill and crosscountry skiing, snowshoeing, ice fishing and when you are done with an exhausting day of outdoor activities, try the Valley's hotsprings.

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