Christmas Tree Bonfires
Minturn
The town of Minturn invites the public to its annual Christmas Tree Bonfire at Little Beach Park this Friday. Gather around the fire for a hometown post-holiday tradition from 6 to 7:30 p.m.
All week long, the town of Minturn has been receiving trees at upper Little Beach Park and will continue to do so up until the event. For seniors and those in need of assistance, the town is offering a pickup service through Friday.
There will be two fires: one that contains all the Christmas trees, and then a smaller fire for roasting s’mores. The Eagle River Fire Protection District will be on-site to keep an eye on the fires.
Come early and do some shopping in this quaint little old railroad town that was established in the late 1800s or stay later and go to dinner at some of the fun, casual eateries in Minturn. Enjoy the small town with big charm where these restaurants are pretty much within walking distance of each other. For more information about Minturn and its winter events, go to Minturn.org.
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12th Night in Eagle
Head to Bull Pasture Park in Eagle for the town’s annual 12th Night Christmas Tree Bonfire on Saturday starting at 6 p.m. Drop off your tree in advance or bring it before the trees are set ablaze. Bull Pasture Park is located on 7th Avenue and Wall Street in Eagle. For more information, go to EagleOutside.com.
Skimo Race
Skimo, an abbreviated form of ski mountaineering, is the latest sports craze to hit the mountains. The Vail Recreation District is putting together three races this winter at Beaver Creek, Arrowhead and Meadow Mountain. This Saturday, bright and early, the first skimo race of 2024 will take place at 7 a.m. on Beaver Creek Mountain. Competitors can choose the uphill or skimo (ascent and descent) option and can use any means to get up the mountain (snowshoes, skis, splitboards or winter running devices). Skis or a snowboard with metal edges and a helmet are required to compete in the skimo competition.
The uphill route will take participants up Latigo to the top of the Centennial lift. The downhill route will take participants down Gold Dust. The ascent is approximately 2,100 vertical feet over two miles from the base of Centennial Lift to Spruce Saddle Lodge. The event will conclude with breakfast and awards at Powder 8 Kitchen & Tap at the base of Beaver Creek.
Are you ready for the challenge? Register in advance and save a few bucks. Online registration closes at 3 p.m. on Friday. Day-of registration begins at 6 a.m. on Saturday. For more information and pricing and details on where to park, go to VailRec.com.
Exercise goals for 2024
Snowshoeing
If you have fitness resolutions for 2024, we have many ways to get you outside and moving. You don’t have to go straight uphill like the Skimo racers, you can do something more mellow like snowshoeing. If you can walk you can snowshoe. Snowshoeing is a low-impact activity that is good for multiple generations. Many of your favorite hiking trails in the summer make great snowshoeing trails in the winter.
Walking Mountains offers free, guided tours out of its Avon Campus five days a week. Tuesdays through Saturdays from 2 to 3 p.m. join one of the Walking Mountains naturalists and take a quick tour through the aspens. Even though you are just a mile off Interstate 70, you feel like you are away from it all. Dress to be outside for an hour and snowshoes will be used if the snow levels allow, otherwise hiking boots or snow boots will do.
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The naturalists at Walking Mountains are also offering tours on Fridays throughout the winter. This Friday they are taking a group to Maloit Park south of Minturn. The tour goes from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and covers all sorts of topics like winter animal adaptations, forest ecology, snow science and more. Meet at the Walking Mountains Tang Campus in Avon by 8:45 a.m. Transportation, snowshoes and poles will be provided. For more information, go to WalkingMountains.org to reserve your spot on a tour.
You can also take guided tours on top of Vail Mountain. The Nature Discovery Center is offering guided snowshoe tours Wednesdays through Saturdays. Follow along as your guide takes you in and out of the evergreen trees and aspens and shows you far-off vistas like Mount of the Holy Cross and teaches you about animal adaptations. Maybe you’ll see a little critter, like an ermine or fox, or at least its tracks.
These 90-minute tours depart from the Nature Discovery Center at the top of the Eagle Bahn Gondola (No. 19) and are scheduled from 10:30 a.m. until noon and 1:30 to 3 p.m. Come dressed for the outdoors with warm base layers, snow pants and jacket, hat and gloves. Snowshoes will be provided at the Nature Discovery Center. Please note that while the tour is complimentary, you must have a valid ski pass to get up to the top of the gondola or purchase a Vail Scenic Ride lift ticket to get to where the tour starts. After the tour, you will ride the Eagle Bahn Gondola (No. 19) back down to the base of Lionshead.
Nordic Skiing
Classic cross-country skiing and skate skiing are great ways to get in shape. The full-body workout is low impact and the fresh air and views are sure to create a smile while your heart rate goes up. The Beaver Creek Nordic Center has 19 kilometers of groomed track at McCoy Park and this year they also have terrain available at the Beaver Creek Golf Course.
Group cross-country lessons are available daily from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Private cross-country and skate ski lessons are also available. Rentals can be found at the Beaver Creek Nordic Center as well, which is located at the base of the Strawberry Park Lift (No. 12). Go to BeaverCreek.com for more information.
The Vail Nordic Center is another great place to go for cross-country or skate skiing. Located at the Vail Golf Course, this area affords beautiful views of the Gore Range while cruising 17 kilometers of track which is groomed daily. Join the staff for daily lessons and rentals are available. Go to VailRec.com for more details.
Fat Biking
The Vail Valley is known for its amazing mountain biking in the summer, but did you know that fat biking is popular in the winter? The Vail Nordic Center offers fat bike rentals and you can take the bikes out on 13 kilometers of trails. Get the heart pumping while spinning those legs. This could be a great activity for those in your group who don’t ski or if you just want to take a break from the mountain. Dress in layers as you will heat up while on the bike. Learn more at VailRec.com.
Holiday happenings continue
Many kids are still out of school on holiday break so if you are looking for things to do, check out the Silent Disco on Friday from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Sunbird Playground Park in Lionshead. Also, if you have not seen Kringle Crossing, check out the tiny village located on the International Bridge in Vail Village, which should be on display until Jan. 7. Here you’ll find a Post Office sending things to the North Pole, little storefronts and even stables for Santa’s reindeer. Keep the holiday cheer going with these Instagram-worthy photo backdrops along Gore Creek. Go to DiscoverVail.com for more details.
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