AVALANCHE AWARENESS
Thursday
Avalanche Awareness clinic; hosted by the Colorado Mountain School; a free introduction on how avalanches are created, what they look like, and how to avoid them; at Bass Pro Shops, 7970 E. 49th Ave., in Denver; 7 p.m. 720-385-3600 or behix@basspro.com
Friday-Sunday
Avalanche Level II class; with on-site avalanche professionals; follows AAA guidelines; intense instruction for those wishing to become a professional in the field; learn the usage of stability tests, decision-making methods; half classroom, half field time; at Silverton Mountain; for advanced and experts; $325. silvertonmountain.com
Level I Avalanche Course; in Rocky Mountain National Park; by the Colorado Mountain School; in Estes Park; two-day, one-evening course; introduction and review of avalanche phenomena, travel techniques, decision-making strategies and avalanche rescue; both classroom- and mountain-based sessions; $195. cmschool.com
Dec. 15-17
Avalanche I class; Level I class follows AAA guidelines and ski-patrolling techniques; covers the basics of avalanche safety, including how to identify avalanche terrain, weak layers and strong layers, perform field tests for snowpack stability, rescue techniques and more; half classroom, half field time; at Silverton Mountain; for skiers and snowboarders, advanced and expert; $279. silvertonmountain.com
CYCLING
Mountain and road
Wednesday
Cyclocross Movie Premiere, “Transition 2: Cross the Pond,” presented by Boulder Cycle Sport and the American Cycling Association; documentary follows cyclocross racers through Belgium, with Danny Summerhill, Brady Kappius, Alex Howes, Troy Wells and Brandon Dwight; $10; 7 p.m. bouldertheater.com
RUNNING
Sunday
Jingle Bell 5K Run for Arthritis; at Washington Park in Denver; 10 a.m. 303-694-2030
Dec. 16
Rudolph’s Revenge 5K/10K; at Chatfield State Park, in Littleton; the first race in the Winter Distance Series; $20 to $30; 10 a.m. winterdistanceseries.com
Aurora Police D.A.R.E. 5K Run/Walk; at Aurora Municipal Court, in Aurora; $15 to $25; seniors free; 10 a.m. 303-877-8534
Dec. 17
Christmas Classic 4-Mile; kids free; also, a Santa Chase kids’ fun run twice around a 200-meter loop; at Harmony Market Place in Fort Collins; 9 a.m. 970-377-8005
Steve’s Rudolph Ramble 5K and 100 Meter Junior Dash; part of the BKB Holiday Race Series; $15 to $23; at Washington Park in Denver; 9 a.m. bkbltd.com
Ongoing
Every Girl Runs Half-Marathon Training Group; meets Tuesday and Saturday mornings with triathlon coach Rainey Wikstrom; prepares for the Moab Half-Marathon Race in March; $325-$645 for 15 weeks. 303-750-1191 or lmwikstrom@msn.com
SKIING/SNOWBOARDING
Thursday
Powderhorn opening day. powderhorn.com
Friday
Venture Snowboards Demo Day at Eldora; with Venture Snowboards, from Colorado’s San Juan Mountains. eldora.com or venturesnowboards.com
Saturday
Aspen Highlands opening day. aspensnowmass.com
Buttermilk opening day. aspensnowmass.com
Christy Sports Demo Day at Eldora. eldora.com
Saturday-Sunday
Roxy Women’s Learn to Ski and Ride Camp; Saturday, 9 a.m., through Sunday, 3 p.m.; at Breckenridge Ski Resort. breckenridge.snow.com
Sunday
Burton Demo Day at Eldora. eldora.com
Sunday-Monday
Rocky Mountain Trophy Series Men’s Giant Slaloms; opening races of the series; feature top regional skiers in giant slalom on the Meadows/Norwegian race trail; qualifier for the U.S. National Alpine Championships. 970-726-1590 or skiwinterpark.com
Dec. 13
SolVista opening day. solvista.com
Dec. 13-16
U.S. Snowboard Grand Prix at Breckenridge; including Winter X Games champion Steve Fisher and some of the world’s other best riders; also, a night-time exhibition in town under the lights. ussnowboarding.com/grandprix
Dec. 16
Women’s Tele Clinic; all female instructors, emphasize specific techniques for women; includes a half-day of professional tele instruction; $48-$51; 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. arapahoebasin.com
Early Season Warm-Up Clinic; skiers and riders; must be comfortable on blue trails; $69; 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. skiwinterpark.com
Dec. 17
Telemark Clinic No. 1; certified telemark instructors; for beginners; covers basic skills and movements; $59; 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. skiwinterpark.com or 800-729-7907
Dec. 18-19
Rocky Mountain Trophy Series Men’s and Women’s Super-G; the region’s top male and female racers on the Hughes Trail course; qualifier for the U.S. Alpine National Championships. skiwinterpark.com or 970-726-1590
Dec. 23-24
FishSki at Crested Butte; a freeskiing ski camp for girls ages 12-17; with former World Freeskiing champion Wendy Fisher; includes one day of big mountain and one day of terrain park coaching with Fisher and Crested Butte Mountain School professional ski instructors. fishski.com or skicb.com
Jan. 8-9
High School Big Mountain Freeride Camp; weekend camp for high school-age snow athletes; learn big mountain skills, focusing on steep skiing, powder techniques, tree skiing and jumping; includes two days’ coaching from guides and two nights’ lodging; $425. silvertonmountain.com
SNOWSHOEING/CROSS COUNTRY SKIING
Saturday
Fischer Go-Nordic Cruising Event; at Devil’s Thumb Ranch, in Tabernash; free lessons: skate and classic; all levels welcome; free waxing clinic at 11:45 a.m. devilsthumbranch.com
Luna Chase Snowshoe Race; at Keystone Resort, in Keystone; on Keystone’s Peak to Peak Trail; walk, jog or run the 5K course, above treeline at 11,000-foot elevation; for intermediate to advanced abilities; $28; 6:30 p.m. keystoneresort.com
Sunday
15th Annual Day of Infamy Snowshow Race; at Sunlight Mountain Resort; an 8K race through Babbish Gulch on cross country trails; walkers, runners and pets welcome; $20-$28; 10 a.m. dayofinfamysnowshoerace.org or 970-945-6994
Beaver Creek Snowshoe Adventure Series; with an East West 5K Quest, a 10K competitive run, Kids K, and a Dash for Cash; followed by a postrace celebration on the B.C. Village Plaza; at Beaver Creek Nordic Sports Center, in Vail; 11 a.m. bcsnowshoe.com
Dec. 16
Salomon Ranch Creek Opener; 15K classic, 15K skate, 1K kids fun race; free waxing clinic; 10 a.m. devilsthumbranch.com
Dec. 20
Steamboat Nordic Challenge Series Howelsen Hill Relays; at the Steamboat Springs Nordic Center; both recreational and competitive skiers; classic and skate races; with a youth course of 1 to 3 kilometers, short course (3K to 5K) and a long course (10K) $14 to $16; 6:30 p.m. steamboatxcski.org
TRIATHLON/DUATHLON
Saturday
Chilly Cheeks Duathlon, Race No. 1; a 4-mile road and dirt trail run and a 10-mile paved bike ride; at Cherry Creek State Park, in Denver; $20; 10 a.m. racingunderground.com/chillycheeks.html
Jan. 14
National Championship Tune-Up Winter Triathlon; at Devil’s Thumb Ranch in Winter Park/Fraser Valley; 5K run, 10K mountain bike and 8K ski; 9:30 a.m. 5430sports.com or 303-442-0041
WINTER ACTIVITIES
Today-Saturday
Hartford Ski Spectacular; “The nation’s largest winter sports festival for people with physical disabilities;” a week-long event; includes learn-to-ski and race programs, sanctioned USSA races and a celebrity fun race; by Disabled Sports USA, a member of the U.S. Olympic Committee. breckenridge.snow.com
Today-Dec. 17
Country Vail Snow Daze; a celebration of early-season snow and mountain lifestyle; with a concert Saturday at Ford Park; also, on-snow events and street parties. vailsnowdaze.com
LECTURES/CLASSES
Ongoing
Maps, Compasses and Orienteering class; a U.S. Geological Survey-hosted class; free; 1 p.m., first and third Fridays of the month at REI Denver flagship store, 1416 Platte St. rei.com
Outdoor discussion with Altitude Adventures staff; topics include high-altitude sicknesses, trip planning and compass reading and what to do in emergency situations. altitudeadventures.com or 303-499-1100
MISCELLANEOUS
Friday
Book release party and lecture for “Black and Brown Faces in America’s Wild Places,” book by Dudley Edmondson; with a discussion of the contributions of people-of-color in outdoor recreation and conservation efforts; at the Denver REI flagship store; 7 p.m. beckwourthmountainclub.org or rei.com
