Editor’s note: This is part of The Know’s series, Staff Favorites . Each week, we offer our opinions on the best Colorado has to offer for dining, shopping, entertainment, outdoor activities and more. (We’ll also let you in on some hidden gems).

I was about 20 feet off the ground when I began to wonder if I had made a grave mistake.

I was starting the ascent up the Gold Mountain Via Ferrata in Ouray, a high-adrenaline excursion that had been on my bucket list for many years. But with each step up the iron ladder, reality was setting in. I realized the only things that would carry me through the impending 1,200 feet of elevation gain were my own strength and coordination.

Suddenly, I wasn’t feeling so confident.

But as I completed the first of 12 pitches, a sense of exhilaration too

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