March madness is officially underway in ski country this week, with more contests, concerts and creative celebrations than could be crammed into a 65-team bracket. After filling out the NCAA Tournament office pool, dive into some of these high-country happenings:
• Spring Jam kicks off in Aspen/Snowmass on Friday with the annual KickAspen Big Air under the lights at the base of Aspen Mountain. Saturday’s Core Party concert downtown features Vampire Weekend.
• Echo Mountain’s Liptricks Not Lipstick event invites skiers and snowboarders to celebrate Echo’s fourth birthday Saturday. Show your skills in The Junkyard for an $8 entry fee online, or $12 the day of the event.
• Loveland will put on a Tall T’s ‘n’ Tacos terrain park contest Saturday. All ages and abilities are invited to compete, with lunch provided by Wahoo’s Fish Tacos.
• Sunlight is hosting “Spring Thing” on Saturday and Sunday with events for all ages, including a bump skiing contest down Showdown and a Poker Run to raise money for the CARE animal shelter.
• After springing forward, Telluride is kicking back. The ski resort is taking advantage of extra daylight by shifting daily operating hours to 10 a.m.-5 p.m. for the remainder of the season.
