Ouray Ice Festival to run through weekend
Ice climbers will compete for $16,000 in prize money Sunday as the 19th annual Ouray Ice Festival ends a four-day run with the Hari Berger Speed Climbing Competition.
The festival opened Thursday and will continue today and through the weekend with indoor and outdoor gear expos, clinics, films, presentations, a live auction and, of course, plenty of ice climbing. The Elite Mixed Ice Climbing Competition will take place Saturday.
For more information, visit ourayicepark.com or call (970) 325-4288.
Vallecito Nordic to host Demo Days on Sunday
Vallecito Nordic will host its 2014 Demo Days from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday on the Vallecito Nordic Trail System at Madden’s Corner, about 300 meters from the trailhead.
People can demo ski equipment and snowshoes throughout the day for free. Equipment instruction will be held at 10 and 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Meet ski manufacturers’ reps and local retailers. People should bring identification to demo ski equipment.
A kids ski race will be held at noon. A gumbo/chili contest also will be held. Waxing instruction will be provided from 2:30 to 6 p.m. Saturday at Back Country Experience, 1205 Camino del Rio.
Nordic Center to host races, women’s skate ski clinic
The Nordic Center at Purgatory will hold its second Coke Race of the season Saturday and a women’s skate ski clinic Sunday.
There will be a 10-kilometer skate ski race for adults, shorter distances for kids and also a 10K fat-tire bike race.
Registration will begin at 9 a.m. Saturday, with the ski races starting at 10 a.m. and the bike race at 11 a.m.
The cost of the race is $15 for adults and $8 for children.
Sunday’s 1 p.m. skate ski clinic for women will include classes for skiers of all ability levels. The cost of the clinic is $20 for Nordic center season-pass holders or $25 for other skiers.
Ski rentals are available at the Nordic Center.
For more information or to sign up for the clinic, call 385-2114.
Seniors Outdoors announces activities
Seniors Outdoors will host these activities:
A cross-country ski will take place Monday from Silverton to Elk Park. To RSVP, call Connie Webbe at 382-0009 or email bcwebbe@aol.com.
An easy to moderate snowshoe will take place Tuesday from Kendall Mountain Ski Hut in Silverton above the Animas north to Blair or Arrastra Gulch. To RSVP, call Rich Butler at 403-3185 or email rbbutler54@gmail.com.
A general meeting will take place Tuesday at Durango Community Recreation Center, 2700 Main Ave. Social time will begin at 6:30 p.m. followed by the meeting at 7 p.m. Jim Sumrall, an experienced outings leader with the Sierra Club, will present “Trekking in the Rolwoling Valley of Nepal.”
A hike with the Wednesday Wanderers will take place at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday at Santa Rita Park. For more information, call Eric Pahlke at 247-1130. No RSVP is required.
A moderate snowshoe hike in the vicinity of Cascade Creek will take place Wednesday. The route will depend on snow conditions and group preference. Dogs are not allowed. Four-wheel-drive is needed if U.S. Highway 550 is snowy. To RSVP, call Charles Berglund at 247-9747 or email chasberglund@msn.com.
For more information about Seniors Outdoors, visit www.seniorsoutdoors.org.
Durango Nature Studies announces activities
Durango Nature Studies will host these activities:
A bird walk will take place from 9 to 10 a.m. Wednesday at For the Birds, 1560 East Second Ave. For more information, call 769-1800 or 382-9396.
A full-moon snowshoe hike under the Wolf Moon will take place from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Haviland Lake/Chris Park. The hike is free for members and $10 for nonmembers. Snowshoes will be available to rent for $3.
A winter ecology snowshoe workshop will take place from 10 a.m. to noon Jan. 18 at Haviland Lake/Chris Park. The workshop is free for members and $10 for nonmembers. Snowshoes will be available for rent.
Winter volunteer naturalist training will take place from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Jan. 23 at Durango Public Library, 1900 East Third Ave., and from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Jan. 24 at Haviland Lake. The training is free and will include a manual of natural history and activities.
To register or for more information, email sally@durangonaturestudies.org, call 769-1800 or visit www.durangonaturestudies.org/wildwords.htm.
Herald Staff
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