Swapping-homes class
A free class on house exchanging will be held 10:30 a.m.-noon Saturday at the Lone Tree Library, 8827 Lone Tree Parkway. The class will cover topics including car swapping, insurance, how to arrange an exchange and costs. For information, visit swaphow.com.
Vail Symposium
Antlers at Vail hotel (680 W. Lionshead Place), the official hotel of the Vail Symposium, is offering a “Symposium Special” package with discounted midweek rates. Rooms begin at $158 a night for two people, and the rate includes admission for two to the symposium. For information, call 800-843-8245 and ask for the “Symposium Special,” or visit antlersvail.com.
Symposium events include “From Beetle Kill to Forest Health” on Feb. 28; “Spirit of the Grizzly” on March 9; “China and India’s Ravenous Appetite for Colorado’s Natural Resources” on March 16; and a furniture-painting workshop in the style of Bauernmalerei on April 5. For a complete schedule, visit vailsymposium.org; for reservations, call 970-476-0954.
Crested Butte ski race
Crested Butte’s ninth annual Elk Mountains Grand Traverse is a backcountry ski race that follows mail routes that connected the Colorado mining towns of Crested Butte and Aspen in the 1880s. The race is a test of endurance that requires avalanche awareness, backcountry athleticism, winter camping knowledge and map reading skills. About 250 racers (125 teams of two racers each) will depart at midnight March 31 from the Crested Butte Community School, 818 Red Lady Ave. Racers pass through the base area below the Silver Queen Lift at the Crested Butte Mountain Resort ski area. Cost is $250 per team, with a registration limit of 125 teams. For information, visit elkmountaintraverse.org.
Reitman at film festival
Comedy writer-director Jason Reitman is this year’s Director Spotlight guest of honor at the 15th annual Aspen Shortsfest April 5-9 at the Wheeler Opera House in Aspen, the Crystal Theater in Carbondale and the Springs Theater in Glenwood Springs. The festival will screen a retrospective of Reitman’s short films, “In God We Trust” and “Consent.” The Closing Night presentation will be Reitman’s feature debut of “Thank You for Smoking,” which had its U.S. premiere at the Sundance Film Festival. Aspen Shortsfest will also offer its Oscar-qualifying International Competition with more than $20,000 in cash prizes, panels, workshops and dozens of filmmakers from around the world. For a complete list of events, visit aspenfilm.org in early March, or call 970-925-6882.
Archaeology and horses
“On the Trail of the SheepEaters,” an archaeology horse-packing trip to Ross Lake Meadows on Whiskey Mountain in the Fitzpatrick Wilderness, Wyo., will be Aug. 7-13. Taylor Outfitters is joining with archaeologist Rich Adams to record several known Mountain Shoshone sites and artifacts, and with John Mionczynski to gather wild edible plants and cook bighorn sheep meat in steatite cooking vessels for part of the meals. All horses, tack, food and camping equipment will be provided by Taylor Outfitters. Participants will furnish their own sleeping bag, pad and personal gear, and will be given a gear list upon booking with Taylor Outfitters. Cost is $1,500 a person. Call 800-645-6233 or 307-856-7566, or visit wind-river.org.
– Compiled by Andrea Labak
