As CC students, you likely know the thrill of waking up early on the weekend and receiving instant verification that the friends you made plans to ski with also followed through with their abysmally early alarms. The hard part is over, and once the car is packed up and the wheels hit the road, you know there are only good things ahead…and if you’re like us, those might include the promise of a warm, handheld breakfast item set against the backdrop of a beautiful drive.
Welcome back to Pow and Chow! We are excited to return from abroad and get right back into writing this column, where we review food stops that will pair well with your drive to and from the ski mountain.
On this cold, snowy Sunday, we headed to Arapahoe Basin Ski Area. Mere minutes into our drive, we began to ponder our prospective stops to find a breakfast that would best satisfy our current needs: greasy, comforting and filling. To put it another way, we were in search of a hangover cure.
An hour in, murmurs arose of breakfast burritos. Located in Idaho Springs, at Exit 240 Ski and Ride Rental, was an unsuspecting yet promising option for the best breakfast burrito on the I-70. After a few quick rounds of Wavelength accompanied by a playlist consisting solely of girlband hits, the aforementioned exit 240 was soon approaching.
Settled between three gas stations, the small establishment was nothing special from the outside. However, as we walked into the rental shop, we were greeted by a cozy fireplace and a friendly man named Bart, who we later learned was the owner of the family-run shop that has been renting skis and serving from their espresso bar for 20 years. But while Bart and his shop were equipped to serve us coffee and delight us with lively conversation, the commercial kitchen that brings their infamous breakfast burrito to life had yet to make their delivery of the week. Disappointed, we followed Bart’s advice to head to the Shell across the street, where we discovered Santiago’s breakfast burritos.
Santiago’s is a Colorado Front Range staple, owned and operated by Carmen Morales, who opened the first location in 1990. There are now 28 store locations in the area, all of which are owned by either a member of Morales’ family or close friends.
Morales told “Westworld,” “I really didn’t open the first Santiago’s for me; it was to give employment to friends and family who were having difficulties. I worked organizing and empowering youth and I guess I learned something from it.”
This community-oriented approach to her business is what compelled her to name the restaurant after a Saint—Santiago is the Spanish name for Saint James. Santiago’s has become such a popular institution throughout Colorado that in 2025, when Denver Mayor Michael Hancock proclaimed Oct. 14 to be the city’s “Breakfast Burrito Day,” Morales spoke on behalf of Santiago’s, as the representative of Denver’s favorite breakfast food.
At the Shell in Idaho Springs, we had the opportunity to choose between Mild, Hot, Half and Half and Bean and Cheese varieties. Anya opted for the Hot, while Olivia tried out the Half and Half. We assume that the spice level specifically refers to the pork with green chile sauce that Santiago’s is known for. Neither of the burritos completely satisfied our anticipated spice level, and we suspect that this was due to the lack of meat and sauce that we noticed in general from this specific batch.
We are willing to give Santiago’s the benefit of the doubt that the lack of this crucial ingredient had to do with the fact that these were purchased from a Shell on the side of I-70 and not an official restaurant. As for the other ingredients, the potatoes were a standout and there was a solid amount of scrambled egg. The flavor profile was reminiscent of a tamale (we love tamales). The tortilla had softened into a gummy texture. Anya was excited, but this left Olivia wanting something more crispy and seared. By far, the most striking part of the burrito was its thin, long shape. As the driver, Olivia appreciated the ergonomics of this: nothing would fall out or cause a distraction as she multitasked.
The gas station convenience coupled with the fact that we were able to support a local business that has done so much for Colorado made us happy with our choice. And for a day of skiing where we avoided a lunch stop out of fears that a warm environment would curb our enthusiasm to brave the sub-zero temperatures, Santiago’s burritos did a good job of keeping us satiated until our favorite stop of all on the way home. If you’ve been following our column, you should be able to deduce which stop we are referring to.
Ski days and road trips are among the things we missed most while studying abroad, and we can’t wait to bring more reviews to The Catalyst this semester. Stay tuned!