AVALANCHE AWARENESS
Today
Avalanche Awareness class; 7 p.m.; at REI Colorado Springs; Wednesday at REI Denver and Lakewood; Thursday at REI Boulder. rei.com/stores
Thursday
Winter Survival Skills; at REI Denver; 7 p.m. rei.com/stores
Friday-Sunday
Babes in the Backcountry Avalanche School Level 1. babesinthebackcountry.com
March 16-18
Telluride Avalanche School Level 1. tellurideadventures.com
CYCLING
Mountain and road
March 2-5
Moab Skinny Tire Festival; ride through Arches National Park, Dead Horse State Park, Colorado River corridor and Canyonlands National Park; benefit for the Lance Armstrong Foundation. skinnytirefestival.com or 435-259-2698
March 3
Frostbite Time Trial; in Fort Collins; out and back course, 14 miles, flat terrain with some rolling hills; 10 a.m. redrockscyclery.net, 970-227-3901 or bitett@yahoo.com
March 4
Boulder Parks and Rec Criterium; at Stazio Fields, in Boulder; 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. dbcevents.com or 303-619-9419
May 6
Rose Hill Bike Rally 50K and 100K; fully supported, family-oriented road ride in farm country near Grand Junction; all ages and abilities welcome; $15 to $30; team discount. stmarygj.com or 970-255-7731
HIKING
Saturday
Cooley Lake Nature Walks; explore Cooley Lake wildlife area at South Suburban Parks and Recreation’s South Platte Park; a naturalist-guided walk; 9:30-11 a.m.; free. sspr.org or 303-730-1022
Ongoing
Trail access, nordic walking, guided hikes and bird and nature walks; at the Adventure Center, in Broad Axe Barn, at Devil’s Thumb Ranch in Tabernash; 4,000 acres of wilderness and trails; $5 to $15; schedule varies. devilsthumbranch.com
KAYAKING
Ongoing
Lessons and open pool sessions hosted by Golden River Sports; Tuesdays and Thursdays, 6:30-8:30 p.m.; reservations required; Golden Recreation Center. 303-215-9386
Open pool session and beginner and expert lessons hosted by Confluence Kayaks; 8-10 p.m. Tuesdays; lesson with gear, $45, open pool access only, $10; reservations required; University of Denver’s El Pomar Natatorium, 2201 E. Asbury Ave. 303-433-3676 or confluencekayaks.com
Open pool session hosted by Pikes Peak Whitewater Club and Colorado Kayak Supply; 5-7 p.m. Sundays; introductory lessons from 4-5 p.m.; Cheyenne Mountain High School pool, 1200 Cresta Road, in Colorado Springs. pikespeakwhitewaterclub.com
RUNNING
Thursday
“Goal Setting, Race Selection and Mental Strategies”; with Gareth Thomas; presented by MajRae; at Highlands Ranch Public Library; covers setting goals for the 2007 season, tips on race selection and the importance of mental strategies; $10; 6:30 p.m. majrae.com
Saturday
Tortoise and Hare 6-mile relay; in Grand Junction; slower runners are paired with faster runners to create two-person teams; $2; 10 a.m. 970-270-0774 or ernakay@aol.com
Snowman Stampede 10 mile and 20 mile; at Cherry Creek State Park; the third race in the Winter Distance Series; $35 to $40; 10 a.m. winterdistanceseries.com
Sunday
Gateway Canyons Dolores River 10K; in the red-rock canyon country south of Grand Junction; out and back on dirt/gravel road from the resort; kids free; $5 to $10; at Gateway Canyons Resort in Gateway; 11 a.m. gatewaycanyons.com
March 3
Running Tracks Tune-Up 10K; at Fruita Civic Center in Fruita; flat, accurate, paved 10K road run; $5; 10 a.m. 970-241-7866, 970-245-4243 or boogidieshoe@acsol.net
March 11
2007 Runnin’ of the Green; 7K run and walk; also a 2-mile walk; starts and ends at McCormick’s Fish House and Bar, 17th and Wazee, in Denver; 10:15 a.m. 303-694-2030 or bkbltd.com
March 31
Dialysis Dash 5K; walk or run; in Grand Junction, $15; 9 a.m.970-250-8592
SAILING
March 17
Eighth annual Spirit of Sailing Gala fundraiser; benefits children and Community Sailing of Colorado’s junior program; at Cableland, in Denver; 6:30 p.m. Blacktie-Colorado.com/rsvp or 303-757-7718
SKIING/SNOWBOARDING
Thursday
Ski and Snowshoe with Friends, ages 30 and older; at Breckenridge; downhill and cross country and snowshoe; meet at the Aurora Central Library; transportation and guide provided; $27; 7 a.m. 303-739-7950
Saturday
Sons of Norway Barneløpet: Children’s cross country ski race; at Snow Mountain Ranch in Winter Park; 11:30 a.m.; free for ages 3-16, all skill levels; parents also invited; also two orienteering races 2K novice race and 90-minute intermediate race. sofn-district6.com or fortnet.org/rmoc
American Cancer Society’s Vertical Rally; at Loveland; compete as an individual or on a team, volunteer on the event committee or sponsor an event participant. skiloveland.com or 970-356-9727
March 3
COSMIC Series Randonnee Ski Race; at Loveland; a traditional-style ski mountaineering race, involves multiple ascents and descents; includes a recreational route, with about 2,500 vertical feet of climbing and an advanced course with about 4,500 vertical feet of climbing open to telemarkers, alpinists and snowboarders. cosmicski.com or skiloveland.com
March 10
Mountain Dew Vertical Challenge; ski and snowboard giant slalom race and rail jam; 30 categories; free. skiloveland.com
March 17
St. Patrick’s Day Rail Jam; at the Treeline Terrain Park; for jibbers; at Arapahoe Basin. arapahoebasin.com
March 22-25
Spring Jam at Aspen; new-school competitions with downtown concerts, parties and core cultural events; at Aspen Mountain. aspensnowmass.com
March 24
Vert Alert Terrain Park Competition Session No. 1; annual freestyle ski and snowboard competition at Love Park; at Loveland Ski Area. skiloveland.com
April 7
11th annual 3-Pin Grin Telemark Festival; with some of the best local telemark skiers; also live music on the plaza; at Loveland. skiloveland.com
April 8-10; May 4-6
Backcountry Hut Trips to Summit County; for advanced intermediate and better; telemark, alpine or snowboard, women only; must have previous backcountry experience; April 8-10 – mother/daughter, May 4-6 – ski mountaineering; includes breakfast and dinner at the hut, lodging, snacks, backcountry safety equipment and guided instruction, and morning yoga; two-day trips, $250; three-day trips, $350. babesinthebackcountry.com or 970-453-4060
April 21
Vert Alert Terrain Park Competition Session No. 2; annual freestyle ski and snowboard competition at Love Park; at Loveland Ski Area. skiloveland.com
Ongoing
Lone Tree Ski Bus Trips; by South Suburban Parks and Recreation; chartered bus to Summit County ski resorts; trips depart Saturdays at 6 a.m. from the Lone Tree Recreation Center and leave ski area at 3:30 p.m.; must be 18 years old or accompanied by an adult; $24; through March 10. sspr.org or 303-347-5999
SLED DOG RACING
March 3-4
11th annual Mount Massive Mush; in Leadville; at the Mount Massive Golf Course; ISDRA-sanctioned classes, no eight-dog class. rmsdc.com
SNOWSHOEING/CROSS COUNTRY SKIING
Today
Fat Tuesday costumed uphill snowshoe race; at Snowmass; begins at 8,500 feet and traverses up 1,741 feet. snowmassvillage.com
Saturday
2007 Leadville Loppet; nordic ski race; 44K and 22K, skate and classic; on rolling forested terrain at the Colorado Mountain College’s Timberline Campus; men and women, classic and freestyle; $25 to $50; 10 a.m. mineralbelttrail.com
Snowshoe Fun Fit Hike; learn to use a GPS to find a hidden cabin; for adults of average fitness; at Brainard Lake west of Boulder; free; 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. fitliv.com or 303-443-8141
Billy’s Island Grill Vail Mountain 5-Miler; at Vail; final race in the Pedal Power Snowshoe Adventure Series; $20 to $25; prerace registration begins at Billy’s Island Grill in Lionshead at 5 p.m., race starts at 7 p.m. 970-845-0931
13th annual Wild Hare Snowshoe Trek for Women; 5K trek and 5K race; at YMCA Snow Mountain Ranch in Granby; all levels welcome; solo and team; costumes welcome; $30 to $35; 11:30 a.m. thesportingwoman.com or 970-887-2152
March 3
Snowshoe Adventure Series No. 4; at Beaver Creek; features the East West 5K Quest, a 10K Competitive Run, Kids K and a Dash for Cash; basic instruction available. beavercreek.snow.com
March 17
Third annual North Routt Coureur des Bois Ski Marathon and Ultramarathon; 45K and 90K events; by the Steamboat Springs Nordic Council and the Steamboat Lake Snow Club. steamboatxcski.org
WINTER ACTIVITIES
Thursday-Sunday
Purgatory Ski-Bike Festival; at Purgatory Mountain Resort in Durango; all ages and abilities; includes ski-bike tours, wax seminars and traditional gate racing and multicross events. www.in-ven-ture.net/festival.html
March 25-26
Special Olympics Winter Games; culmination of the winter sports season for the 550 athletes who annually participate in alpine skiing, cross country skiing, figure skating, snowshoeing and snowboarding; at Copper Mountain; by Special Olympics Colorado. coppercolorado.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
Monday
Banff Mountain Film Festival; at CSU in Fort Collins; also Feb. 28 and March 1 in Boulder; March 2 in Denver; March 3 in Manitou Springs; March 5 in Aspen; March 9-10 in Crested Butte. banffcentre.ca/mountainculture
