ASA’s New Horizons – Sailing in the Rocky Mountains

In our second installment of New Horizons we asked Shannon Jakoby, who is the Marina Manager for (ASA certified) Dillon Marina’s Sailing School in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, what it’s like to sail in the Rockies? Jakoby said Lake Dillon is an amazing place in the world to catch the mountain breeze and get a great sail in.

“No matter which way you look, you’ll experience the most amazing views,” Jakoby said. “The mountain scenery and landscapes, along with the legendary winds make Lake Dillon & Summit County a sought-after sailing & racing destination. Sailors come from all over the world.”

Jakoby says the month of September is the best time of year to experience this awesome spot on the planet. At nearly two-miles above sea level Lake Dillon, which is actually a reservoir, is fed by three rivers – the Snake, the Blue River & the Ten Mile. It’s usually nice and sunny and most of the time the lake is predominantly  occupied by sailors and powerboaters – not much waterskiing, tubing, and those kinds of watersports that can crowd things up.

As for the actual sailing – The conditions are said to be phenomenal, but be ready for the occasional stiff mountain breeze – they see winds of up to 45-knots at times, but that’s by no means the norm. As most know, Colorado is a outdoorsmen’s paradise and Lake Dillon is a perfect example.

“It’s not only a sailing destination,” Jakoby pointed out. “It’s a full resort destination with everything available to adventure enthusiasts. There’s kayaking, canoeing, SUP-ing, biking, hiking, sailing, outdoor music venues & all kinds of other things to do.”

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