2010-07-19T17:00:00-06:002010-07-19T17:00:00-06:00

2010-06-15T16:03:00-06:002010-06-15T16:03:00-06:00

VAIL - Saturday's Summer Solstice Twilight Trail Run on Beaver Creek Mountain kicks of this season's La Sportiva Vail Mountain Trail Running Series.
There will be a a 5k walk/run, 10K and kid's fun run on Beaver Creek Mountain. The race benefits the Vail Valley Charitable Fund.
There will be free food from the Dusty Boot and music by local bluegrass band, Hardscrabble. Festivities begin at 5 p.m. with the kid's fun run, followed by the 5k and 10k at 5:30 p.m.
The Charitable Fund is a nonprofit organization founded in 1996 that provides financial assistance to residents of Eagle County who are experiencing a medical crisis. Executive Director Karen Simon says the fund raised and distributed a record $700,000 to locals in need last year, and the trail run is important to its success.
"In the past two years we've generated nearly $10,000 from the running race for the charitable fund," said Simon. "We hope to increase attendance this year and encourage people o

2010-06-14T14:06:00-06:002010-06-14T14:06:00-06:00

VAIL - The Berry Creek Bash takes racers ages eight and older on jeep roads and singletrack featuring distances ranging from 3.5 miles for youth racers to 11 miles for the pro and expert racers. The race, the third in the Vail and Beaver Creek mountain bike race series, takes place Wednesday in Edwards.
Day-of registration will end at 5:30 p.m. The race will begin at 5 p.m. with the youth series for riders ages 8 to 14, followed by junior, men and women beginner and sport, men's and women's vet sport, men's masters sport and Clydesdales at 5:45 p.m.
The men and women pro and expert, as well as masters expert, single speed and vet experts will race at 6:30 p.m. There is no never-ever category for the Berry Creek Bash. The never-ever category will return July 7 for the Davos Dash.
The Kind Cyclist is the official shop of the Berry Creek Bash and will provide neutral support for racers with last minute mechanical issues.
The race will include an after party at E-Town in Edwar

2010-06-10T17:13:00-06:002010-06-10T17:13:00-06:00

EAGLE - The Western Eagle County Metropolitan Recreation District will host a University of Colorado football camp, featuring well-known coaches and players this June.
The camp costs $120 and runs June 21-23 at the Eagle County Fairgrounds. Boys and girls ages 6 to 13 are welcome.
University of Colorado player Jashon Sykes will host the football camp. Sykes, 30, is a former CU and Bronco linebacker, and will begin a career as a radio commentator this fall. CU defensive backs coach Ashley Ambrose and current Denver Bronco tight end Daniel Graham will be guest speakers.

2010-06-10T13:05:00-06:002010-06-10T13:05:00-06:00

2010-06-09T18:20:00-06:002010-06-09T18:20:00-06:00

BEAVER CREEK - Hikers off all ability can visit a variety of destinations when the Beaver Creek opens its hiking center Saturday.

Located inside the new Summer Adventure Center on the Starbucks plaza level in Beaver Creek Village, the hiking center is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and offers scheduled and private hikes and biking tours in Beaver Creek Resort, around the Vail Valley, and in the historic Leadville area, all within the White River and San Isabel National Forests.

Tours take hikers to pristine alpine lakes and Colorado's 14,000-foot peaks.

Hiking options are varied and include a free, hour-long hike on the Spruce Saddle Loop for beginners and the full-day ascent of a Colorado 14er for an advanced hikers. For a complete list of Hiking Center offerings including international trips a new Monday Mixer hike to 12,000 and 13,000 peaks in the area visit www.BeaverCreek.com.

All hikes include transportation, a professional guide and the use of Salomon pack

2010-06-09T14:47:00-06:002010-06-09T14:47:00-06:00

VAIL - Horseback tours from Eagle's Nest on Vail Mountain begin Friday. The tours wind through Vail's Game Creek Bowl. Summer sunset tours and rides to Game Creek Restaurant for dinner and Sunday brunch will begin June 24.
Besides the horseback tours, mountain bike enthusiasts will be able to ride the Lion Down, Hank's Hideaway and Onza Alley trails used during the recent Teva Mountain Games. The trails are suitable for intermediate to advanced riders.
"We've been working hard to get Vail Mountain ready for summer and the bike trails on the lower portion are in great shape for riding up from the base areas," said Julie Rust, director of Vail Ski Patrol, Yellow Jackets and Community Guest Services. "Bike hauls on the Eagle Bahn Gondola will not be available this weekend due to remaining snow on the upper mountain, but will be offered as soon as conditions permit."
Besides horse and bike riding, on-mountain dining is now availab

2010-06-06T09:19:00-06:002010-06-06T09:19:00-06:00

CARBONDALE - Aspen has skiing and Glenwood Springs has its whitewater park, but Carbondale may just emerge as the bicycling epicenter of the Roaring Fork Valley.

The town sits at the crossroads of what could easily become tourist destinations in their own right - the Rio Grande Trail, which already links the valley between Aspen and Glenwood, and the Crystal Trail, which will eventually allow bikers to pedal the 16 or so scenic miles between Carbondale and Redstone without venturing onto dicey Highway 133.

Someday, the town may also be the northern terminus of the Carbondale-Crested Butte Trail - a prospect that leaves bicycling enthusiasts drooling.

For those with a single-track mind, the town is sandwiched between Red Hill and The Crown, two areas within riding distance of the downtown watering holes that fat-tire enthusiasts might make their post-ride destination.

"It would be nice to see Carbondale become a Moab on a lesser level," said Jef

2010-06-04T16:18:00-06:002010-06-04T16:18:00-06:00

VAIL, Colorado - At the opening of Teva Mountain Games in Vail, Colorado on Thursday, SOS Outreach plunged into stand-up paddle boarding with kids from Eagle and Summit County's SOS University programs.
C4 Waterman, the first manufacturer of stand-up paddleboards, hosted SOS kids at Bighorn Park in Vail. C4 athlete Archie Kalepa spoke to the group about having dreams and sticking with them. "My paddle boarding dreams are turning into reality and now I travel bringing the sport to people everywhere," Kalepa said.
SOS students snowboard or ski in the Vail Valley-based organizaiton's winter programs and enroll in summer outdoor programs such as climbing, backpacking and other sports. Sports are the vehicle to increase self-confidence and passion. SOS also volunteer throughout the community.
"I was nervous at first but once I got my feet in the water and my balance down it was really fun," SOS participant Bri Smith said of stand-up paddle bo

2010-06-03T14:13:00-06:002010-06-03T14:13:00-06:00

VAIL - A new, free running club will be open to residents and visitors this summer through the Vail Recreation District.
The weekly club will be led by local runner Greg Decent and will meet at 5:30 p.m. on Thursdays, beginning June 24, at the base of the Vista Bahn in Vail Village. Participants will run on a variety of roads and paths and will be divided into groups according to ability, interest level and speed, Decent says.
Most runs will be between five and eight miles and all ages, experience and abilities are welcome. "This running club is meant to be fun and will be an opportunity to run in one of the most beautiful mountain towns in the country," said Decent.
The rec district needs volunteers to help lead different ability and running levels for the club. Additionally, the rec district is holding a contest to name the club, with the winner receiving a 2010 series registration for either the La Sportiva Vail Mountain Trail Running Series or the Land Rove

2010-06-02T16:17:00-06:002010-06-02T16:17:00-06:00

2010-05-28T11:37:00-06:002010-05-28T11:37:00-06:00

VAIL - The Vail Nature Center opens Saturday with its plant and animal exhibits, wildflower and morning bird walks and evening beaver pond tours,
The center also offers a summer speaker series, a hiking club, fly fishing and stream ecology classes, photography in nature classes, raptor education presentations, youth and adult art in nature programs, creek side tours, campfire story telling and star gazing.
The Nature Center will be open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Labor Day weekend and is located adjacent to Ford Park and across the street from the Vail athletic fields. For the 2010 summer schedule, visit www.vailrec.com.
The Nature Center is expanding its Art in Nature program to incorporate youth programs this summer. The newly-revised Art in Nature/Nature in Art program is a partnership among the Nature Center, The Art Center in Gypsum and the Town of Vail's Art in Public Places Program and will combine art with nature including wind mobiles, paper and candle maki

2010-05-20T00:05:00-06:002010-05-20T00:05:00-06:00

EAGLE-VAIL - The Eagle-Vail annual community spring cleanup will take place Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon.
Residents of Eagle-Vail and anyone interested in helping to clean up the community should meet at the Eagle-Vail swimming pool at 9 a.m. Volunteers will be given vests and trash bags, and assigned an area to clean. Lunch for anyone who volunteers will be provided at the Golf Clubhouse from noon to 1:15 p.m.
In addition, residents who have trash that needs to go to the landfill - excluding appliances and hazardous materials - can put it street side on Saturday for free pick up.
"Every year when the snow melts in Eagle-Vail, we see a lot of clean-up that needs to be done," said Rick MacCutcheon, community manager of Eagle-Vail. "We have wonderful residents and community members every year who want to help keep our streets and public areas clean and beautiful, and we're looking forward to a great turnout again this year."
For more

2010-05-20T00:05:00-06:002010-05-20T00:05:00-06:00

VAIL - The Vail Athletic Club climbing team is hosting an open house on Saturday for kids and their families who want to know more about the summer season.
The climbing team offers weekly indoor and outdoor climbing for kids, ages seven to 18. The indoor sessions are held at the Vail Athletic Club, on Vail's only indoor climbing wall, and the outdoor sessions are held in cooperation with Adventure Travel Guides International, Inc. in the White River National Forest.
"The goal of the VAC climbing team is to introduce and refine proper climbing technique to kids, maintaining a strong emphasis on all aspects of climbing safety, and promoting a positive team environment," says head coach Larry Moore states. "These mainstays of the VAC climbing team enable students to build confidence, improve self-esteem, and become stronger climbers in a fun, supportive atmosphere."
The climbing team is split into multiple teams based on age and ability. The developm

2010-05-17T12:19:00-06:002010-05-17T12:19:00-06:00

VAIL - Vail's Whitewater Park at the Gore Creek Promenade in Vail Village is ready for action. Although water levels have not yet reached the preferred 400 cubic feet per second, the town has activated the park to take advantage of rising water levels.
Free demos at the park will begin Tuesday and continue Tuesday evenings from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. through June 22. The demos are run by Alpine Quest Sports and instructors will be on hand to demonstrate their skills and to show kayakers how to freestyle.
The park has an adjustable whitewater wave that allows kayakers to experience maximum conditions during peak flows. The system will operate into late-June or as runoff allows.
"With lower runoff volumes expected this season, the ability to tweak the wave according to flow means boaters still get the best feature possible at this location," says Gregg Barrie, the town's landscape architect. "The Teva Mountain Games really benefited from the enhancements

2010-05-14T16:43:00-06:002010-05-14T16:43:00-06:00

VAIL VALLEY, Colorado - Undisturbed mountain lands - that's how Hidden Gems proponents described the proposed wilderness parcels during a flight over the Vail Valley and surrounding areas Friday.
The Wilderness Workshop, organizers of the Hidden Gems proposal, and EcoFlight, an Aspen-based group that advocates for protection of wilderness, offered an airplane tour of the Hidden Gems lands for local media.
The proposal, which was recently submitted to Colorado's Congressional delegation, would designate 244,000 acres in Eagle and Summit counties as wilderness.
The wilderness designation prohibits mining, commercial logging, oil and gas drilling, new roads, mountain biking, jeeps, snowmobiles and dirt bikes. It would still allow hiking, hunting, horseback riding and camping. Proponents say the land is important mid-elevation wildlife habitat.
But the plan has run into vocal opposition from snowmobilers and other users of motorized vehicles, who say the public lands should

2010-05-11T13:52:00-06:002010-05-11T13:52:00-06:00

VAIL - As a warm up for Tetra Brazil soccer camp taking place this later this summer, the Vail Recreation District will hold a free soccer clinic for kids age seven to 16 on May 18 at the Ford Park athletic fields.
The clinic will take place from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. for ages seven to 11 and 6:15 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. for ages 12 to 16. Leading the camp will be a Tetra Brazil soccer coach. Kids should bring a soccer ball to the clinic.
Registration is underway for the Tetra Brazil Soccer Camp, which will take place Aug. 2 to 6 at the Ford Park fields and offer young soccer players an opportunity to learn from top Brazilian coaches. The camp will combine learning of Brazilian techniques, footwork and moves. Costs are $150 for a half day, 9 a.m. to noon or $190 for a full day, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Children must be eight years or older to attend the full day.
Fore more information, visit www.vailrec.com.

2010-05-11T09:35:00-06:002010-05-11T09:35:00-06:00

LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN - According to these guys - and no one knows more about speed on a skateboard than they do - there's a hill in Colorado with the distinction of being the fastest skateboarding street in the world.

Although it isn't impossible to sleuth out, they're hesitant to say exactly where it is. They even prefer not to mention the town it's in.

That's because skateboarding on a road is illegal in Colorado, albeit a misdemeanor of the jaywalking variety, punishable with a $22 fine. But for the throng of more than 100 gritty gravity-fueled street surfers who gathered last weekend for the second annual Buffalo Bill Downhill Race on Lookout Mountain, that kind of money can add up quickly.

It's one of the reasons the enthusiastic crowd of longboard racers is so stoked about the fledgling Buffalo Bill event. For two days out of the year, a steep, twisted mile and a half of South Lookout Mountain Road is closed to car traffic and opened to skaters donning leat

2010-05-10T13:17:00-06:002010-05-10T13:17:00-06:00

VAIL - Adventurous, rope-swinging, mountain biking kids are encouraged to participate in the Vail Recreation District's first-annual Vail Kids Adventure Race, taking place Aug. 7 in Vail Village and on Vail Mountain. During this inaugural race, kids ages six through 12 will team up into pairs and participate in a variety of outdoor sports and challenges including mountain biking, hiking, tubing, archery, a low ropes course, a zip line, Tarzan rope, slip-n-slide and more.
Race organizer Billy Mattison said the race will emphasize teamwork, problem solving and fun.
"The idea behind the race was to create an event that had all the fun things we dreamed about as kids," Mattison said.
Mattison said the race also will encourage team independence as family members will be only allowed to spectate and watch as the teams navigate the course on their own.
"Part of the fun will be to allow the kids to take ownership of the race and do it by themselves," Mattis

2010-05-07T13:16:00-06:002010-05-07T13:16:00-06:00

VAIL - The Vail Recreation District is once again partnering with Mathew Bayley, owner of On Target and Vail Academy of Martial Arts, to offer shooting instruction for rifle, pistol and shotgun at the Minturn shooting range.
Classes are for ages 8 and older and will include instruction by Bayley on safety information and safe handling of firearms, plus beginning, intermediate and advanced firearms instruction. Students taking lessons in rifle and pistol will use target shooting, while shotgun students will have an opportunity to practice with sporting clays.
When properly taught, firearms training is one of the safest of all organized recreational activities, says Bayley, who is a National Rifle Association basic pistol and personal protection instructor.
"Unparalleled safety in firearms handling is a fundamental trait of a true master hand or long gunner," said Bayley. "Unfortunately it is almost a lost art when teaching the art of firearms accuracy. I tea