Talons Challenge at Beaver Creek
We’re 13 weeks into the ski season and Beaver Creek has a challenge for you, the Talons Challenge that is. For 16 years, skiers and snowboarders have taken to the Talons area of Beaver Creek to conquer 14 of the resort’s toughest black and double black diamond runs in order to have bragging rights and a sense of satisfaction after conquering 26,226 vertical feet in one day.
This Saturday, competitors of all ages will tackle the steep terrain on Grouse Mountain, Birds of Prey and Larkspur Bowl.
In between runs you can always stop and rest at the Talons restaurant, nestled at the base of the three lifts that service this area. The Talons restaurant will also play host to the Talons Challenge Apres Ski Party from 12 to 4 p.m. and new this year, the celebration will continue in Beaver Creek Village from 4 to 6 p.m.
Registration includes your access to the Talons Challenge, a lanyard and credential for tracking your runs, special 16th Edition Talons Challenge swag and food. Please note that your lift ticket is not included in registration.
The physical challenge is also a fundraiser for SOS Outreach, an organization that uses adventure sports to teach underserved youth core values and leadership development. At the base of each lift, kids from SOS Outreach programs and volunteers will be there to keep you honest by marking your lanyard after each run. The kids have also been known to give you plenty of words of encouragement to keep your energy levels and spirits up.
The Ultimate Talon limited edition package gets you additional perks beyond the standard Talons Challenge giveaways. If you go the Ultimate route you will get a commemorative Talons Challenge duffel bag from Helly Hansen, which is a $140 value as well as a $40 donation to SOS Outreach and discounted drinks at the village apres event. The Ultimate Talon packages tend to sell out, so act fast.
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Registration is non-refundable. If you would like to transfer your registration to a new guest, please contact Beaver Creek. To learn more go to http://www.beavercreek.com and search for signature events.
Ski with Olympians Jonny Moseley and Tyler Hamilton
Vail Mountain also has a ski benefit on Saturday. Can Do MS is calling it “powder with a purpose” and wants everyone to come out for its annual Ski for MS event, which brings teams from all over the region to Vail to participate in amateur races, a costume contest and an apres ski party to help fund its programs for those living with Multiple Sclerosis (MS).
The locally based Can Do MS organization was formerly known as The Jimmy Heuga Center for Multiple Sclerosis. Jimmy Heuga was an Olympic bronze medalist in alpine skiing. He and teammate Billy Kidd made America proud when Kidd finished second and Heuga finished third on the podium in Innsbruck, Austria at the 1964 Olympic Games.
Heuga was diagnosed with MS early in his career, but his athletic background fueled the drive to change the way people with MS were treated. Rather than live a sedentary life and avoid exercise, Heuga revolutionized treatment with a whole-body approach. He wanted to focus on the things that those with MS can do versus the things they can’t do.
Can Do MS hosts seven ski events from California to New Hampshire, inviting people to participate in a day of fun while also raising funds to help those living with MS. This year the teams will be joined by Olympic skier Jonny Moseley and Olympic cyclist Tyler Hamilton.
The Express Lift at the bottom of Gondola One in Vail Village will serve as the home base for registration from 9 to 10:30 a.m. on Saturday and the group will return for the apres ski awards party and raffle from 3 to 5 p.m. During the day there will be amateur ski races at the Black Forest Race Arena near the Avanti lift and a Celebration Ski Down to honor Can Do MS Founder, Jimmy Heuga.
There will also be some fun and games where Moseley and Hamilton will lead the participants in wacky competitions like a lunch tray race, a ski bike obstacle course and skiing uphill with one ski.
There is no cause or cure for MS, but Can Do MS provides hope and a pathway to take charge of the disease. To find out more please visit http://www.cando-ms.org.
Learn more about Vail’s History
If last weekend’s Vail Legacy Days events whet your appetite for more information about Vail’s history, make sure you stop by the Colorado Snowsports Museum for Tales from the 10th with Sandy Treat, a long time local who shares his stories on Fridays at 3 p.m.
Treat was a ski racer at Dartmouth when the call came for not only ski racers, but also forest rangers, lumberjacks, outfitters and guides to join the newly formed 10th Mountain Division. Formed late in 1941, the original 10th Mountain Division was the only U.S. military unit since the Civil War to be recruited by a civilian entity, the National Ski Patrol.
These famed soldiers on skis trained just south of Vail at Camp Hale and fought in Italy’s mountains during World War II. Tales of training, camaraderie, loss and then triumph fill Treat’s voice as he explains his memory of what happened along the ridges in Italy.
Come early or stay a while after Treat’s talk to view more at the 10th Mountain Division’s exhibit and the other exhibits that showcase the history of winter sports in Colorado. For more information, please go to http://www.snowsportsmuseum.org.
Margaritas and music at the Westin’s FAC
It was just brought to my attention that February 22 is National Margarita Day. According to the official website of National Margarita Day, http://www.nationalmargaritaday.com, the origins of the margarita date back to the 1930s and 1940s. This tequila, triple sec and lime concoction has several variations and the Westin Riverfront decided to celebrate the drink with a Winter Friday Afternoon Club (FAC) from 6 to 9 p.m. tonight.
The lobby at the Westin is hopping almost every night with live music filling the great room, but they let the party go a little longer and a little louder for FAC. This month brings live music by The Platonics, a band based out of Eagle that features many talented locals singing everything from pop, rock, alternative and country music. The group first came together for a benefit in 2014 and had so much fun they decided to keep the music going. Give them a listen at http://www.theplatonicscolorado.com.
Along with live music there will be $3 tacos and $5 beers. And since it is National Margarita Day, make sure you order one of their special margaritas. The Maya Margarita features Portico Silver, tamarin, citrus with a chile pequin rim. The Prickly Pear margarita is the Westin’s custom-made marg with Maestro Dobel Diamante Reposado, citrus and Patron Citronge Orange. For more information visit http://www.westinriverfront.com.
Nordic Skiing at Beaver Creek 
Come discover the other side of Beaver Creek Mountain by going cross-country skiing. High above the village there are 32 kilometers of tracked trails for all ability levels at McCoy Park. The Beaver Creek Nordic Center is situated at the base of Strawberry Park, right across from the Strawberry Park chairlift. Here, you can rent skis, boots, poles and lessons are available.
Cross-country skiing is a great way to mix things up during your vacation, take a break from alpine skiing or snowboarding or burn some calories after enjoying the wonderful gourmet dishes from area restaurants. It’s also a low-impact sport, so it is easier on your joints. Dress in layers, wearing fabrics that help wick away moisture. Cross-country skiing is a whole-body workout and you don’t want to overheat and become uncomfortable on the slopes
McCoy Park’s trails are marked just like the alpine trails with green trails being the easiest, blue trails more intermediate and black indicating the most difficult trails. Grab a trail map and pack a lunch and work up an appetite and enjoy a picnic from the trail or the yurt. Sit back and take time to stop and enjoy the views. McCoy Park allows you to see three different mountain ranges. For more information, visit http://www.beavercreek.com.
