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. 4
Avalanche Transceiver Basics; professionals teach how to use an avalanche transceiver to locate your companions; national ski patrol experts provide tips in avalanche awareness and mountain travel; 7 p.m.; at the Denver REI store. rei.com
Jan. 5, 17, 24, 25
Avalanche Awareness classes at REI stores; learn the basics; by the National Ski Patrol, Alpine Rescue, Diamond Patrol/Ortovox, or the Crested Butte Mountain Guides experts in avalanche awareness and mountain travel; all classes 7 p.m; Jan. 5 at Lakewood; Jan. 17 at Englewood; Jan. 24 at Colorado Springs, Denver and Fort Collins; Jan. 25 at Boulder, CU Recreational Center. rei.com
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; Jan. 6, 7-9:30 p.m.; all day Jan. 7 and 8; $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 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. 19
Backcountry Small Group Rescue; led by an expert from the National Ski Patrol; learn what to do if someone from your group is asked to assist in a backcountry rescue; covers self-rescue steps, safety procedures when traversing known avalanche terrain, key equipment, organizing your group, and recommended steps, all based on U.S. Forest Service and National Ski Patrol standards; 7 p.m.; at REI Denver store. rei.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
Winter Fest demo day includes: Atlas, Backcountry Snowsports Alliance, the Colorado Mountain Club, the Colorado Mountain School, Mountain Mamas, MSR, Tubbs, Women’s Wilderness Institute; clinics and demos on avalanche awareness, backcountry skiing, snowshoeing, hiking with toddlers and winter camping; 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; free; at Rocky Mountain National Park, Hidden Valley. rei.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
Sunday
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, Longmont, Mead, Dacono and Brighton; 8 a.m.; helmets required; at the RTD Park-n-Ride at 120th Avenue and Huron Street, in Northglenn. 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
Saturday
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-foot elevation gain. rmc.sierraclub.org or 720-837-0074
ICE CLIMBING
Jan. 9
Introduction to Ice Climbing for Women; learn to climb vertical ice; for women new to the sport clinic will cover equipment, safety considerations, and climbing technique; taught by staff of Women’s Wilderness Institute; 7 p.m.; at Denver REI store. rei.com
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
Saturday
21st annual Wells Fargo Resolution 5K Run & Walk; $18 to $25; Washington Park. emgcolorado.com or 303-635-2815 Bravo Snowshoe Resolution Run; demo snowshoes by Crescent Moon; groomed trail and single track 5K course for adults; 1K kids course; 10 a.m.; $25 adult; $5 kids 12 and under; at the Vail Nordic Center. altituderacing.com
Resolution Run 5K at CSU; 7 p.m.; $22; at corner Center Avenue and University Avenue, in Fort Collins. 970-221-5075
Sunday
Kwanzaa 5K Run/Walk Celebration; 10 a.m.; $5 to $15; all ages; at Aurora Municipal Court, 14999 E. Alameda Parkway in Aurora. 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; 10 a.m.; $18, kids free; out-and-back course on paved and dirt roads; at Palmer Park, Maizeland Road and North Academy Boulevard, in Colorado Springs. pprrun.org
Fresh Start 5K; 9:30 a.m.; $15 to $30; at Lakeshore Athletic Club in Broomfield, near Flatiron Crossing Mall. racingunderground.com
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; the second race in the Winter Distance Series; series consists of progressively longer races to help runners maintain fitness through winter; 10 a.m.; $25 to $35; at Aurora Reservoir Harbor. coloradorunnermag.com
2006 Lafayette Oatmeal Festival 5K; 9:30 a.m.; $12 to $30; 5K is a Bolder Boulder qualifier; pets welcome at Bob L. Burger Recreation Center, 111 West Baseline Road, Lafayette. discoverlafayette.com
Run for the Dream 5K Run and Walk; 10 a.m.; $5 to $15; benefits Potts Trotters Race Series; at Aurora Municipal Court, 14999 East Alameda Parkway, Aurora;
303-363-0055
SKIING/SNOWBOARDING
Thursday-Friday
Winterstick Soul Ride Demo Tour; two days of free snowboard demos and daily prize giveaways from tour partners Snowboard Journal, Standard Films and Purl Wax; 9 a.m.; at Loveland Ski Area. skiloveland.com
Friday-Sunday
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; third annual New Year’s Party and Ski Camp with freeskiing champ Chris Davenport; three days of skills training and one-on-one coaching; gain knowledge of big mountain skiing, snow safety, terrain and route selection; $750, includes three days of skiing, three nights’ lodging, lunch and a pass to the New Year’s Eve party; at Silverton Mountain. silvertonmountain.com
Saturday
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. 6
Copper Biz League; a long-standing tradition, gives teams from businesses throughout Summit County a chance to compete; open to skiers and riders; at Copper Mountain Resort. coppercolorado.com
Jan. 7
Siver Young Gun Open at Copper Mountain; first leg of the Young Gun Series; $30 to $60; 8 a.m.; at Copper Mountain Resort, 209 Ten Mile Circle, in Copper Mountain. sivercartel.com
Jan. 8
USSA Age Class Race; beginning of ongoing competition for skiers 14-and-under; begins with Jan. 8 giant slalom; by Loveland Racing Club; at Loveland Ski Area. 303-571-5580, ext. 169 or skiloveland.com
Jan. 12-15
The Session snowboard competition; see snowboarding’s elite; also parties, concerts, demo village, pro clinics and fireworks; at Golden Peak at Vail Resort. sessionvail.com
Jan. 14-29
Copper Mountain Snowboard Series; the longest-running amateur snowboard series in North America, largest in the nation; home of the USASA Nationals; sanctioned series includes giant slalom, slalom, superpipe, slopestyle and boardercross; bib pick up at Jack’s Slopeside Grill & Bar; competition 10 a.m. start; Jan. 14, superpipe; Jan. 15, slopestyle; Jan. 21, boardercross; Jan. 22, boardercross; Jan. 28, boardercross; Jan. 29, boardercross. copperseries.com or 866-841-2519
Jan. 15
Mountain Dew Vertical Challenge; free ski and snowboard giant slalom race and rail jam; medals awarded in 30 categories; also entertainment, games, contests and trivia; 9 a.m.; at Loveland Ski Area. skiloveland.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; 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; at Steamboat Ski Touring Center, Steamboat Ski Resort. steamboat.com, nordicski.net or 970-879-8180
Guided snowshoe tours through the forest and meadows of Granby Ranch; weekends; hike duration and endurance varies based on participant interest and ability. www.granbyranch.com or 888-850-4615
Saturday
Paddy’s/Eagle-Vail 5K/10K Snowshoe Race; 10 a.m.; a woodsy, technical course; $15; in Vail. 970-845-0931
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 to $35; Aspen Highlands. aspenrecreation.com
17th Turquoise Lake 20-mile Snowshoe Run; 10 a.m.; Leadville. salidarec.com/ccrc or 719-539-4112
Beaver Creek Snowshoe Adventure Series; a 5K run/walk and a 10K competitive event; 11 a.m.; $20 to $25; five-event series; at McCoy Park in Beaver Creek. bcsnowshoe.com
Winter Trails Day; a free snowshoe festival with demo snowshoes; all ages; guided hikes; snow activities; outdoor gear displays and free giveaways; 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; at Echo Lake. rei.com
Jan. 8
CBC-SMR Biathlon Sprint; 11 a.m.; by Colorado Biathlon Club and Snow Mountain Ranch; sprint format: 10K men, 7.5K women/juniors, 3K children; $8 to $15; at YMCA of the Rockies Nordic Center, in Winter Park. coloradobiathlon.org
Jan. 10, 12, 17, 18
Atlas’ Explore Winter-Women’s Snowshoe Workshop; created by Cathy Sassin; learn how to choose the right snowshoe, to what to wear to how to safely plan your trip; all the essential snowshoeing tips and tricks; 7 p.m.; Jan. 10 at Englewood; Jan. 12 at Denver; Jan. 17 at Boulder; Jan. 18 at Lakewood. rei.com
Jan. 13-16
Grand Lake Snowshoe Festival, 5K and 10K classic races; two GPS geocaching events; Wendy Woo concert; all ages; for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Colorado Chapter; Grand Lake. 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
WINTER ACTIVITIES
Saturday
Ben & Jerry’s Family Days Benefit; try the latest flavors of ice cream and help support Habitat for Humanity of Grand County; suggested donation of $1; SolVista Basin. solvista.com or 888-850-4615
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; begin with a torchlight parade, followed by a superpipe nighttime exhibition by the Copper Freeride Team, light show and fireworks display; at Copper Mountain. coppercolorado.com
River Run’s New Year’s Eve Celebration; watch Keystone’s ski and ride instructors zigzag during the Torchlight Parade on River Run Ski Hill; then fireworks display; at River Run Village, Keystone Resort. keystone.snow.com
Breckenridge New Year’s Eve Torch Light Parade and Fireworks; 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
Jan. 6-8
Humor on the Slopes; New Yorker cartoonists visit Beaver Creek in celebration of the mountain’s 25th anniversary; guest cartoonists include Bob Mankoff, Harry Bliss, Ed Koren, Jack Ziegler, Matt Diffee and Victoria Roberts; three-day event includes panel discussions, children’s sessions, “cocktails and cartoons” and a caption competition; at the children’s ski school; several restaurants on the mountain and in the village, and in the Vilar Center for the Arts; Beaver Creek Village. beavercreek.snow.com
Jan. 14
En Fuego at Copper Mountain; 6-8 p.m.; activities include a torchlight parade, street entertainers, a bonfire, fire performers and the finale of a fireworks display viewed from Burning Stones Plaza. coppercolorado.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. 8
Women’s Intro to the Backcountry; one-day backcountry basic skills workshop; space is limited; no experience required; for women of all disciplines (alpine, snowboard, telemark, snowshoe, cross country), an overview from how to get involved, what gear you will need to what things to consider when traveling in the winter backcountry; indoor and outdoor sessions covering the basics of safe backcountry travel; topics include equipment selection, avalanche awareness, hiking/skinning techniques, nutritional choices and thoughts on developing safe backcountry travel habits; 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; $85 to $105; at Breckenridge. babesinthebackcountry.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
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
