Contact CU Independent News Staff Writer Julia Spadaro at julia.spadaro@colorado.edu
What’s on tap this weekend at the resorts? We’ve got a pond hockey tournament, some Bluegrass Music, a snow sculpting competition to die for and the end of the most event-filled Gay Ski Week in America, all just a couple of hours away. If you can’t have fun this weekend, you just can’t have fun. Get to the slopes today!
Here is a look at what is happening just a couple of hours away …
KEYSTONE
It’s a busy weekend at Keystone, with a variety of events ranging from a hockey tournament to fireworks to a Burton Festival.
The 9280 Pond Hockey Tournament is the premier outdoor pond hockey tournament in the country, featuring 60 teams in the adult division and 30 teams in the ages 6 to 18 division. There is no charge for admission to the event at the Keystone Lake Lakeside Village. So, get your hockey on, have some fun watching high-level games and enjoy the unique sounds of the ‘80s from Ronnie Raygun and the Big Eighties.
If Bluegrass music is your thing, Keystone is the place to be this weekend. Winter Bluegrass Weekend happens on Friday and Saturday nights at Keystone’s River Run Village featuring bluegrass favorites Pine Beatles and Steel Pennies, along with Boulder’s own Timber! For more information, look here.
Wait, there’s more! Burton’s Mountain Festival takes place all weekend and features lessons for kids ages 3 to 6 and some, ahem, adult entertainment at The Last Lift Bar après ski.
Of course, Keystone features fireworks over Dercum Mountain each Saturday at 7 p.m. throughout the winter.
ASPEN/SNOWMASS
Aspen Gay Ski Week ends on Sunday, the conclusion of the longest running gay ski week in America. The Festival serves up seven nights of parties, concerts, comedy, films, symposiums and dinners. During the day, Festival goers enjoy Aspen Snowmass’ four mountains of terrain, special lunches, receptions and parties. Venues include the four mountains of Aspen Snowmass, the Wheeler Opera House, and a variety of hotels and restaurants around town.
And if speed if your thing, the Coldwell Banker Mason Morse Town Race Series returns on Saturday for the second race in the series, a giant slalom event on Golden Horn and Thunderbowl on Aspen Highlands. The series is the longest-running town-race series in North America and consists of three giant slalom competitions and three slalom competitions spread throughout the winter. The race series will be scored both on an individual and a team basis.
ARAPAHOE BASIN
January is nearly over, and so are A-Basin’s Learn-To-Ski-Month deals. There are two lesson dates available — this Sunday, Jan. 24, and then on Jan. 31 – to take advantage of the Super Sunday Lesson Specials for first timers. From 9:55 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., ski enthusiasts and snowboarders will receive a single-day lift ticket and a lesson for $80 for ages 15 and older.
The Super Sunday Lessons are just one of a variety of lesson packages offered by A-Basin. See here for more options and get up and get to the mountain for some winter fun!
Saturday night features a sold-out event, the Moonlight Dinner Series – A Night In Italy – spotlighting a culinary journey through the Italian countryside. The event features wines from the Carpineto Winery in Tuscany, with live music. The event begins at 6 p.m. and is sold out, so call 888-272-7246 to get on the waiting list.
COPPER
This is a big weekend at Copper with the Copper’s fifth?annual night mountain bike race benefitting Cloud City Wheelers education and advocacy efforts on tap for Saturday and Sunday. Registration for WinterBike is $20 and takes place in Burning Stones Plaza. You need a helmet and you need a light for your bike. Otherwise, bundle up and go for a great cause! Registration opens at 3 p.m. and the race begins at 6:30 p.m. Join in for the after-race party at Incline at 8:30 p.m.
BRECKENRIDGE
If you’ve ever played in the sand at the beach and know the fun of building sandcastles, you’re going to be amazed at what’s going on at Breckenridge in addition to the great conditions.
Through Feb. 7, Breckenridge hosts the Budweiser International Snow Sculpture Championships. Watch as teams from around the world each work to turn 20 tons of snow into incredible works of art within just a few days. You’ll learn about the process of snow sculpting, how the teams came to be, where their design inspiration comes from and more.
As a spectator, you’ll also get a chance to vote for the People’s Choice winner. Choosing your favorite among the towering sculptures isn’t always the easiest. The Riverwalk Center is also home to the Ice Village, where each ice carving is sculpted into a glowing statue to represent many of the supporters of the Snow Sculpture Championships. The sculptures will be exhibited in the Tiger Dredge parking lot adjacent to the Riverwalk Center.
WINTER PARK
Warming up for its 40th Birthday Party for the Mary Jane Mountain on Jan. 30, Winter Park has its Disco Skate Night scheduled for Saturday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Village Ice Rink. Yes, that means you can dress in whatever cool (I guess?!) gear you want from the 1970s and skate to the beats of disco music. Bee Gees, anyone?
Editor’s Pick: My pick this week is a hard one. Disco Skate Night at Winter Park sounds like one heck of a good time, but Keystone’s activities are unbeatable. A free pond hockey tournament is not something that comes around very often, and to add good music and a festival hosted by Burton on top of it? Count me in.
