DO-IT YOURSELF DIGITAL DETOX IN BUENA VISTA & SALIDA, COLORADO

Sometimes the mountains themselves conspire to promote a ‘Digital Detox’ when passing through cell dead zones. Instead of freaking out over lack of reception, surrender to it. The surrounding beauty makes clever cat videos or friends’ dinner posts seem a very poor substitute. Look up. Look around. Chaffee County’s vast Bureau of Land Management acreage and the Four Mile Recreation Area beckon. Immerse yourself in the Rocky Mountain high peaks, the wild Arkansas River and those bluebird skies. Nature has a way of enchanting even the most hopelessly connected techie, if you let it.

As a kid, Mom would shoo you away from the TV by saying, “Go outside and play!” She’s never been more right. You won’t need any devices or screens when you’re hiking, mountain biking, rafting, kayaking or rock climbing. Skiing, snowshoeing, dogsledding or snowmobiling are fabulous tech-free activities, too. All these in-the-moment adventures are abundant here. Statistics reveal the average person spends 30-percent of free time surfing the web. That’s a third of your life you could be adventuring instead.

Ever needed a vacation to decompress after your vacation?  Sadly, some statistics state that 60 percent of people say a “traditional vacation” doesn’t relieve their stress. The good news is we don’t do traditional here. We do whole days just soaking in the blissful waters of natural and odor-free geothermal hot springs. We have three different hot springs locations to enjoy. These ahh-mazing waters are rare and reason enough to come here to detox. Basking in these steamy dreamy pools will make checking your emails seem totally unnecessary. Besides, technology and water don’t mix.

Nearly everyone uses some type of electronics right before bedtime. And surprise, surprise – nearly everyone’s circadian rhythm gets screwed up by that artificial glow. In a place illuminated only by moonlight and starlight, however, you will have the best sleep you’ve had in a long time. About 80 percent of Americans live where they can’t see the Milky Way. On a clear night just beyond city limits, you’ll see it here in all its glowing glory. Away from light-pollution, get a new perspective by camping out under the sparkling stars in one of our numerous scenic options from tent-campgrounds to primitive off-the-grid spots.  Just add marshmallows.

Unplugging can cause that “Where’s my phone?!” panic. So it’s all about the art of substitution. Put a fly fishing rod in your phone-hand instead. Wildlife biologists have designated the stretch of the Arkansas River that runs through both Buena Vista and Salida as Gold Medal Trout Waters, making it some of the best trout fishing in the country. The area is also surrounded by numerous streams, alpine lakes, reservoirs and ponds stocked with rainbow trout. Get a guide and learn to fish the Arkansas River in the Headwaters Recreation Area.

Digital Detoxes are a fantastic theme for a corporate retreat and team-building experience. Imagine the connections, the clarity, and the creativity that can be enhanced when no one is staring at their phone all day. Salida and Buena Vista both have a wide variety of venues that are anything but typical for your organization’s gathering. Local organizers that can help you customize it to fit your group needs.