Broomfield, CO Outdoor Activities

Within an hour of Mountain Angler's Breckenridge headquarters, five rivers, a trio of reservoirs, a dozen small streams, and several ponds teem with fish. Jackson Streit, author of Guide to Fly Fishing in Colorado, founded Mountain Angler in 1985 with the intention of matching experienced guides with guests eager to explore the region. Mountain Angler personnel whisk clients away on river or lake boating excursions, full- or half-day walk-and-wade trips in pursuit of brook and rainbow trout, and fishing sessions on one of four private ranches. Before plumbing the watery depths on lengthier voyages, visitors can reel in fishing skills during lessons and load up on rods, wading shoes, and low-frequency whistles audible only to worms at Mountain Angler's fly shop.

The certified staff at Tortuga Bay lives and breathes all things scuba, offering everything from training and equipment to planned trips to exotic underwater destinations. The shop's greatest claim to fame is a state-of-the-art indoor, heated saltwater pool the website claims is the deepest in captivity.

Owner Ron Bland and his team of experienced instructors introduce beginners to diving with a three-step certification system that begins with online or classroom academic training and progresses to pool lessons and open-water evaluations. The scuba center also offers advanced courses and excursions for more experienced divers.

Staged on lakes that have no competing boats, tubers or power turners, Mile High Wakeboarding’s lessons give students smooth waters to practice basic, intermediate, or advanced techniques. Professional instructors teach students of any level by pulling them with cables attached to boats or the cable park’s overhead cable apparatus. Each class has an average ratio of one instructor for every three students, resulting in one-on-one interaction. The cable park has an air cable for practicing tricks and learning how to ride and a slider cable for attempting jumps off aquatic obstacles, such as a 62-foot fun box. Friends and family members can cheer on students from the cable park’s surrounding beaches or any blimps they've rented for the day.

During summer vacation, students ages 10–18 can opt for wakeboarding day camps in Colorado and Texas. Mile High Wakeboarding also offers wakeboarding boat charter rentals, houseboat trips, swimming lessons, and private group events.

Terry Sandmeier, informally known as Captain Sandy, began cultivating his lifelong passion for sailing as a boy growing up on the Gulf of Mexico. He first acquired the taste for sailing while cruising along the gulf coast from Texas to Mississippi. Today, with more than 35 years of experience, Captain Sandy alternates between sailing Colorado's mountain lakes and the warm waters off the Florida Keys. He imparts his experience to burgeoning sailors aboard his US Yachts 18, teaching them skills from interpreting the wind to lassoing passing clouds on breezeless days.