Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Colorado's Extreme Winter Sports Take Center Stage in 2012

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
  

Read more http://www.marketwatch.com/story/colorados-extreme-winter-sports-take-center-stage-in-2012-2011-12-21

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