Tis the season…for extreme winter sports!
This winter, Colorado dishes up extreme winter sports that will literally take your breath away. From being dropped by a helicopter on top of a snowy peak, to reeling a trout out of an icy lake, to summiting an ice wall with crampons and ice axes, Colorado transforms into an extreme outdoor enthusiast's playground in the winter months. Below is a sampling of adrenaline-pumping events to watch and activities to try:
Ski and Snowboard Events and Competitions
-- ESPN's Winter X Games, January 26-29, 2012: For an unprecedented
11th year in a row, more than 200 ski, snowboard and snowmobile
athletes from across the globe will land in Aspen/Snowmass to
compete in ESPN's Winter X Games 16 on Buttermilk. All events at
Buttermilk are FREE and open to the public. In addition to the
action at Buttermilk, Aspen/Snowmass will host a FREE Bud Light
Hi-Fi concert at the base of Aspen Mountain.
www.aspensnowmass.com
-- U.S. Extreme Freeskiing Championships, February 8 -12, 2012:
Crested Butte Mountain Resort (CBMR) and Mountain Sports
International team up to bring the U.S. and World Freeskiing Tours
to the birthplace of Big Mountain competitions. Crested Butte was
the first in the U.S. to launch an extreme skiing contest, and
this season marks twenty-one years. Competitors vie for the
largest cash purse on the freeskiing circuit and coveted prizes
www.freeskiingworldtour.com
-- The Telemark World Cup, February 11-18, 2012: The Steamboat
Springs Winter Sports Club hosts approximately 100 international
telemark athletes as they compete in all telemark events over
seven days. See the world's best international telemark athletes
www.steamboat.com
Extreme Backcountry Ski and Snowboard Adventures
-- Guided Skiing at Silverton Mountain: Silverton offers extreme and
unique lift-served ski adventures accessing up to 1,819 acres of
backcountry-type terrain. There are no groomed runs, no cut
trails, just loads of nature's finest black diamond skiing in the
country. Each guided group of eight skiers or less can expect to
hike 5-10 minutes to ski runs although some drop straight from the
www.silvertonmountain.com
-- Cat Skiing at Monarch Mountain: Great powder, spectacular views,
1,000 plus acres of expert terrain, steeps, trees, cliffs, and
bowls -- that's Monarch Mountain's snowcat terrain. Considered
some of the best snowcat skiing in Colorado, guests enjoy
skiing/riding in closely spaced trees, variable snow conditions
and extremely steep slopes. Space is limited to 12 guests per day
and the snowcat runs from the end of December through early April
www.skimonarch.com
-- Heli Skiing with Telluride Helitrax: Telluride Helitrax operates
in some of the highest ski terrain in North America: ranging in
elevation from 10,000 to 13,500 feet. Telluride Helitrax is one of
the most experienced yet personal heli-ski operations in the U.S.
Up to twenty seats are available each day. Skiers are sorted by
reservation groups, ability and helicopter load weight.
www.helitrax.com
Ice Climbing
-- The 17th Annual Ouray Ice Festival, January 5-8, 2012. The Ouray
Ice Festival is the world's premier ice climbing event. This
annual gathering is attended by ice climbers from around the
world, as well as industry sponsors, inspiring speakers, and the
world's top exhibition climbers. Festival events are held in and
around the Ouray Ice Park as well as various other venues around
www.ourayicepark.com
-- 2012 Lake City Ice Climbing Festival, February 4, 2012: This event
includes timed lead and top rope ice climbing events with men's
and women's categories held at the Lake City Ice Park. Hot food
and beverages are served on site with an apres-climb awards party
www.lakecityiceclimbs.com
-- Jeep Ice Racing: For the past 36 years, Our Gang Ice Racing has been
holding jeep ice races on Georgetown Lake in the charming Victorian
town of Georgetown. On weekends in January and February, Georgetown
Lake becomes frozen over and is transformed into a race track for
Jeeps and other four-wheel drive vehicles. Races are separated by
class including a beginner's class, meaning that anyone can
participate in a race, either as a driver or spectator.
www.ourgangiceracing.com
Ice Fishing
-- Antero Ice Fishing Contest, January 14, 2012: Get your poles, your
bait, your sled and head to the Antero Ice Fishing Contest at
Antero Reservoir in Park County. This contest is loaded with
excitement, adventure and great prizes.
www.antero-icefishing-contest.com
-- Leadville/Twin Lakes Ice Fishing Derby, February 18-19, 2012: This
is an annual Leadville Rod & Gun Club event at Twin Lakes with
prizes by type of fish. Categories include mackinaw, brown trout,
rainbow trout, cutthroat trout and kokanee salmon.
www.visitleadvilleco.com
0 comments:
Post a Comment