To get an event listed in the weekly calendar, send your information to OEcalendar@denverpost.com or fax 303-866-9004 (attention Outdoor Extremes). Please be sure to include a contact number for verification.
AVALANCHE AWARENESS
Jan. 6-8
Level I avalanche course; two-day, one-evening course; introduction and review of avalanche phenomena, travel techniques, decision-making strategies and avalanche rescue; classroom and mountain-based sessions; Friday 7-9:30 p.m.; all day Saturday and Sunday; $195; Estes Park. cmsschool.com/home.asp
Avalanche 1 class; topics include recognizing avalanche terrain, go/no-go decision making and rescue techniques; for those new to travel in avalanche terrain or those in need of a skills tuneup; skills required are intermediate skiing/riding skills, or travel on snowshoes, and the ability to travel in the winter backcountry for at least four hours; $220; Boulder/Berthoud Pass. alpineworldascents.com
Jan. 14
Avalanche Refresher class; a review of the avalanche phenomena at the Level 1 standard and further deepens skills, knowledge, and confidence in decision making when traveling in avalanche terrain; prerequisites: completion of Alpine World Ascents Avalanche 1 course or equivalent, strong intermediate skiing/riding skills and the ability to travel in the winter backcountry for at least four hours; $110; at Rocky Mountain National Park. alpineworldascents.com
Avalanche Rescue class; learn or refresh rescue skills to prepare for an avalanche accident; fine-tune the use of beacon, shovel probe and optimize organization of your group; $55; at Loveland Pass. alpineworldascents.com
Jan. 21
Avalanche Assessment Mentoring Tour; full-day skill tours devoted to slope and snow stability assessment; $120; at Rocky Mountain National Park. cmsschool.com
Jan. 25, Jan. 28-29
CAIC Avalanche Safety Seminar; expert instructors from the CAIC and snow science community in an interactive avalanche seminar; course includes one three-hour classroom session and one nine-hour field session; classroom session Wednesday, Jan. 25, 6-9 p.m.; field session A, Saturday, Jan. 28, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; field session B, Sunday, Jan. 29, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; $60; at the Mountain Shop of Fort Collins, 970-493-5720. themountainshop.com
Jan. 26-29
Avalanche 2 class; topics include avalanche formation and release mechanisms, snowpack formation and metamorphism; prerequisites: completion of Alpine World Ascents Avalanche 1 course or equivalent, strong intermediate skiing/riding skills, and the ability to travel in the winter backcountry for at least six hours; $350; at Boulder/Berthoud Pass. alpineworldascents.com
March 3-6
Level II Avalanche Course; four-day course emphasizes field observations and documentation; covers snow stability analysis and the forecasting process; formal snow-pit observations and recording guidelines emphasized; primarily field based, with some classroom sessions; for ski and mountain guides, ski patrollers and serious backcountry enthusiasts; $410; prerequisite CMS Level I Avalanche Course; Estes Park. cmsschool.com
CYCLING
Mountain and road
Ongoing
Rocky Mountain Cycling Club road rides, Saturday and Sunday; in the north and south metro area; 30 to 60 miles; intermediate to advanced fitness levels; helmets required. rmccrides.com
Road rides each weekend in south metro area hosted by the Highlands Ranch Cycling Club; intermediate to advanced; two to five hours; helmet required; free. highlandsranchcycling.com
Gunnison Valley Mountain Biking instruction and tours; private, groups, ladies only, half day, full day or custom; fees vary; Gunnison/Crested Butte. 970-275-0485
Jan. 1
Fourth annual New Year’s Day Century ride hosted by the Rocky Mountain Cycling Club; 100 miles starting and ending in Northglenn and visiting Boulder, Lyons, Apple Valley, Longmont, Mead, Frederick, Dacono and Brighton; 8 a.m.; at the RTD Park-n-Ride at 120th Avenue and Huron Street, in Northglenn; helmets required. rmccrides.com
Jan. 19
Bicycle Touring in France, including the Dordogne and Loire River Valleys along with Provence; slide show presented by ExperiencePlus! Specialty Tours founder and professional geographer Rick Price; 7 p.m.; Dairy Center for the Arts, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder. 970-484-8489
HIKING
Dec. 31
Sierra Club day hike to Royal Arch; 5-mile hike to Royal Arch among the Flatirons near Boulder; 1,200-foot elevation gain; 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. rmc.sierraclub.org or 720-837-0074
Jan. 15
Indian Peaks Sierra Club aerobic hike from Lefthand Canyon; a moderately difficult hike, including snowshoe (weather dependent) from the Lefthand Canyon settlement of Rowena to the top of Nugget Hill in Boulder County; 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; 5-mile route with 1,350-feet elevation. rmc.sierraclub.org or 720-837-0074
RUNNING
Ongoing
Niketown Running Club, meets in front of downtown Denver store Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m., year-round rain or shine. Includes stretches and runs or walks from 3 to 7 miles. Your choice, your pace. 303-623-6453 or nikerunning.com
Dec. 31
21st annual Wells Fargo Resolution 5K Run & Walk; $18 to $25; Washington Park. emgcolorado.com or 303-635-2815 Bravo Snowshoe Resolution Run; 10 a.m.; at Vail Nordic Center, in Vail; $25, adult; $5, kids 12 and under; demo snowshoes by Crescent Moon; groomed trail and single track 5K course for adults; 1K kids course. altituderacing.com
Resolution Run 5K at CSU; 7 p.m.; at corner Center Avenue and University Avenue, in Fort Collins; $22. 970-221-5075
Jan. 1
Kwanzaa 5K Run/Walk Celebration; 10 a.m.; at Aurora Municipal Court, 14999 E. Alameda Parkway in Aurora; $5-$15; all ages. 303-363-0055
New Year’s Day 5K; $10; at Runner’s Roost, 902 West Drake Road, Fort Collins. runnersroostftcollins.com
2006 Rescue Run; a 5K/10K and kids run at Palmer Park, Maizeland Road and North Academy Boulevard, in Colorado Springs; 10 a.m.; $18, kids free; out-and-back course on paved and dirt roads. pprrun.org
Fresh Start 5K; 9:30 a.m.; at Lakeshore Athletic Club in Broomfield, near Flatiron Crossing Mall; $15 to $30. racingunderground.com
Kwanzaa 5K Run/Walk Celebration; 10 a.m.; at Aurora Municipal Court, 14999 East Alameda Parkway, in Aurora; $5 to $15; all ages and abilities. 303-363-0055
Jan. 14
Appleton Freezer; 11 a.m.; 4 miles on paved roads, mostly flat; $3 if not a Mesa Monument Striders member; Appleton School, 2358 H Road, Grand Junction. 970-243-3721 or mmstriders.org
Crazy 8’s 8-mile/16-mile races at Aurora Reservoir; 10 a.m.; $25 to $35; at Aurora Reservoir Harbor; the second race in the Winter Distance Series; series consists of progressively longer races to help runners maintain fitness through winter. coloradorunnermag.com
2006 Lafayette Oatmeal Festival 5K; 9:30 a.m.; at Bob L. Burger Recreation Center, 111 West Baseline Road, in Lafayette; $12 to $30; 5K is a Bolder Boulder qualifier; pets welcome; includes a health fair from the Denver Museum of Nature and Science and Hall of Life. discoverlafayette.com
SKIING/SNOWBOARDING
Thursday-Saturday
FishSki at Crested Butte; a freesking ski camp for girls at Crested Butte Mountain Resort; ages 12-17; led by Wendy Fisher, a 1992 Olympian and two-time world freeskiing champion, and by Crested Butte Mountain School pros; includes one day of big mountain and one day of terrain park coaching, a two-day lift ticket, snacks, breakfast and lunch; $479-$510. fishski.com, skicb.com or 970-209-0256
Dec. 29-30
Winterstick Soul Ride Demo Tour; 9 a.m.; at Loveland Ski Area; two days of free snowboard demos and daily prize giveaways from tour partners Snowboard Journal, Standard Films, and Purl Wax. skiloveland.com
Dec. 30-Jan. 1
Burton Demo Tour; register to win free prizes, show off your skills in the free jam session in the Rail Yard terrain park, Winter Park. skiwinterpark.com or 970-726-1564
New Year’s Retro Bonanza with Chris Davenport; at Silverton Mountain; third annual New Year’s Party and Ski Camp with freeskiing champ Chris Davenport; three days of skills training and one-on-one coaching; $750, includes three days skiing, three nights lodging, lunch and a pass to the New Year’s Eve party. silvertonmountain.com or steepskiing.com/globalcamps.html
Dec. 31
Jingle Rails Rail Jam; 4-8 p.m.; invited local and regional professional/amateur athletes compete to win more than $3,000 in cash and prizes; before the competition, a short demonstration and rail overview educates guests and aspiring rail riders on safety, beginner and advanced tricks; Winter Park Station, town of Winter Park. rlyrd.com or 970-726-1590
Jan. 7
Siver Young Gun Open at Copper Mountain; 8 a.m.; at Copper Mountain Resort, 209 Ten Mile Circle, in Copper Mountain; first leg of the Young Gun Series; $30 to $60. sivercartel.com
Feb. 11-12
Inaugural 24 Hours of Sunlight; endurance race for all ages and abilities, hike/skin up Sunlight Mountain Resort and ski or board down for a 24-hour period; teams and solo divisions; benefits the Heuga Center for MS; Sunlight Mountain Resort, Glenwood Springs. 24hoursofsunlight.com
SNOWSHOEING/CROSS COUNTRY SKIING
Ongoing
Steamboat Ski Touring Center Masters Program, Wednesdays through Feb. 22; at Steamboat Ski Touring Center, Steamboat Ski Resort; sessions focus on training, technique, ski prep, nutrition, fluid intake, goal setting and tips; Silver Master Program, $60; Gold Master Program for $200; 5:30-7 p.m. steamboat.com, nordicski.net or 970-879-8180
Guided Snowshoe Tours through the forest and meadows of Granby Ranch; hike duration and endurance varies based on participant interest and ability. www.granbyranch.com or 888-850-4615
Jan. 7
Bash Series 2006 Highlands Uphill; enduro race at 6:30 a.m.; recreation race at 7 a.m.; snowshoes, track skis or telemark; $25-$35; Aspen Highlands. aspenrecreation.com
17th Turquoise Lake 20-mile Snowshoe Run; 10 a.m.; in Leadville. salidarec.com/ccrc or 719-539-4112
Jan. 13-16
Grand Lake Snowshoe Festival, at Grand Lake; 5K and 10K classic races; two GPS geocaching events; Wendy Woo concert; all ages; for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Colorado Chapter. grandlakesnowshoefestival.com
Jan. 14
Swift Skedaddle Snowshoe Adventure; 4K snowshoe fun run/walk and 10K snowshoe race; $20; 10 a.m.; at Raven Golf Club, Golden Eagle Road North, in Silverthorne. trainingrx.com
Feb. 4
Tenth annual One from the Heart Charity Uphill Race and Walk-up-athon; 1,800 feet of vertical gain, course record (snowshoes) 26 minutes, 6 seconds; may use snowshoes, telemark skis, skinny skis or heavy metal; 7:30 a.m.; $30; at Buttermilk Mountain, Aspen. aspenrecreation.com
Feb. 5
36th Salomon Frisco Gold Rush; at Frisco Nordic Center, in Frisco, 9 a.m.; skiing or snowshoeing; 5K/10K classic, 5K/10K skate, or 20K skate. 303-635-2815 or emgcolorado.com
WINTER ACTIVITIES
Saturday
Ben & Jerry’s Family Days Benefit at SolVista Basin; try the latest flavors of ice cream and help support Habitat for Humanity of Grand County; suggested donation of $1. solvista.com or 888-850-4615
Christmas Eve Torchlight Parade; 5:30 p.m.; free; Christmas carols around the bonfire at the base of Winter Park Resort, next to the Zephyr lift; a procession of torch-bearing skiers will travel down Lower Hughes trail, followed by Santa Claus and his helpers, fireworks display; base of Winter Park Resort. skiwinterpark.com
Christmas Eve Torchlight Parade at Telluride Ski Resort; watch from the town as glowing skiers descend from the Coonskin Ridge. tellurideskiresort.com
Christmas Eve festivities at SolVista Basin; free photos with Santa during lunch, interdenominational church services open to the public inside the base lodge with Christmas carols and holiday refreshments. solvista.com or 888-850-4615
Dec. 31
New Year’s Eve Party and Y06; torchlight ski down at Golden Peak, fireworks and street party. Y06 is a drug- and alcohol-free event at Dobson Events Center for high school to 20-year-old youth featuring music, casino games and more; Golden Peak, Vail Village. vail.snow.com
New Year’s Eve Celebration 2006; at Copper Mountain; begin with a torchlight parade, followed by a superpipe nighttime exhibition by the Copper Freeride Team, light show and fireworks display. coppercolorado.com
River Run’s New Year’s Eve Celebration; at River Run Village, Keystone Resort; watch Keystone’s ski and ride instructors zigzag during the Torchlight Parade on River Run Ski Hill; then fireworks display. keystone.snow.com
New Year’s Eve Torch Light Parade and Fireworks; at Breckenridge Resort, on Peak 9; 6 p.m., skiers and boarders luminary, parading from the top of Peak 9 down American to The Village at Breckenridge; 9 p.m., fireworks display. breckenridge.snow.com or 970-453-6018
Torchlight parade and fireworks at Powderhorn Resort. powderhorn.com
SKYDIVING
Ongoing
Mile-Hi Skydiving Center; open for all skydiving operations, Friday through Sunday from 8 a.m. through sunset, Monday through Sunday; tandem jump prices, $189; accelerated free-fall, $279; experienced skydives jump prices, $23 up to 12,500 feet, and $16 to 4,000 feet. 303-702-9911 or info@milehiskydiving.com
LECTURES, CLASSES
Ongoing
Maps, Compasses, & Orienteering class; a U.S. Geological Survey-hosted map, compass and orienteering class; expert instruction for orienteering skills; free; 1 p.m. Friday at REI Denver flagship store, 1416 Platte St. rei.com
Jan. 17
Fitness for a New Year; Christine Neff will be at DIVAS to help motivate and launch exercise program; clinic will identify weak links in fitness plans; 7 p.m.; free; 1133 Pearl St., Boulder. 303-449-DIVA or outdoordivas.com
MISCELLANEOUS
Ongoing
DIVAS give; through the month of December, Outdoor DIVAS will be sponsoring a Giving Tree to benefit Big City Mountaineers Colorado girls programs; BCM serves underprivileged and at-risk teens in the Denver area and across the United States; products from the outdoor DIVAS Giving Tree are raised specifically for the Colorado girls courses at Big City Mountaineers. 303-449-DIVA or outdoordivas.com
Streetbeat Concert Series; free; 6 p.m. Wednesdays; Check Point Charlie in Vail Village. vail.snow.com
Jan. 28-31
Volunteers needed for ESPN Winter X Games 10; seeking full-day volunteers, including: hospitality, crowd control, ushering, access control and credential checking; also looking for people to volunteer every day from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Jan. 26-31; must be 18 years old. xgamesvolunteers.com
Jan. 31
Writer Lindsay Yaw’s Winter Adventures; stories and photos from around the world in a multimedia presentation of ski traversing in Norway, backcountry skiing in Canada and expedition climbing in Chile and Nepal; 7 p.m., free; 1133 Pearl St., Boulder. 303-449-DIVA or outdoordivas.com
Feb. 28, March 1, 4
Best of Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour; movies on mountain sports, mountain culture and environment; 7 p.m.; at Boulder Theatre on Feb. 28 and March 1; at Paramount Theatre, 1631 Glenarm Place, Denver, on March 4. rei.com
