Grand Lake’s annual pond hockey tournament brings together players from across the state for old-fashioned fun

Emily Gutierrez/Sky-Hi News
Each year for the past eight years, hockey players have been traveling to Grand Lake for the chance to play on Colorado’s largest natural lake.
Grand Lake’s Pond Hockey Classic took place over the course of two days, with games beginning Saturday, Feb. 1. Players competed in their divisions until sundown, and the hockey games continued Sunday, Feb. 2, with 14 teams competing in the youth division.
Brian Blumenfeld is the founder of the Grand Lake Pond Hockey Classic and works to organize the event each year.
The event is unlike other traditional hockey tournaments, he said.
“Everyone who has been before can tell you that it is — by design — more of a redneck tailgate party in celebration of the sport of hockey and the glory of Grand Lake than it is a competitive event,” Blumenfeld wrote in an email to players.
Each year, Blumenfeld tells participants to “bring the right mindset” in order to get the most out of the experience. He assures players that winning isn’t everything at this tournament.
“Every year, there seems to be a few 20-something-year-olds who care more about winning than partying,” Blumenfeld wrote.

On Saturday, Blumenfeld and other pond hockey volunteers helped tally scores, keep time and keep the tournament running smoothly. He said the event is orchestrated by a few local volunteers, including the building and maintenance of the rinks.
Each rink has been cleared and flooded numerous times, in an effort to build up a smooth and consistent surface on which to skate. No two rinks are the same, with each one featuring its own natural imperfections.
In an email to players, Blumenfeld made sure to warn that there are natural cracks within the ice and that the surface of the rinks only gets rougher as the day goes on.
“We don’t have nearly enough manpower or equipment to resurface during the tourney or make additional rinks,” Blumenfeld wrote.
He commended the local volunteers who helped turn Grand Lake into a “hockey winter wonderland.”
Proceeds from the main event go toward supporting other local events through the Grand Lake Chamber of Commerce, and funds from the youth day help support the Fraser Valley Hockey Association.
This year, a total of 75 teams participated in the Pond Hockey Classic, according to Blumenfeld. Local players mingled alongside others from across the state.
Teams play using a 3-on-3 format and wear their unique team regalia during the tournament. Each game includes two 10-minute periods, and teams are guaranteed three games.
In previous years, the event has sold out of team spots within a day, but the spots sold out within minutes this year, according to Blumenfeld.
Chachi Frey, a player for the Hideaway Park Brewery team, said he has fun at the event every year. Frey played with some new friends and new coworkers this year, and he gave his thanks to everyone who helped organize the event.
“It gets better every year,” Frey said.
Jeffrey Lowndes, a Denver resident, has been playing in the Grand Lake pond hockey tournament for the past three years.
“Today could not be any better. We had some nice snow in the morning and the ice conditions are prime,” Lowndes said. “It’s just great to be out here with all the boys, drinking beer and playing hockey.”

Finalists competed in a championship game with winners receiving prize packages and getting their team name etched onto the Grand Lake Pond Hockey Classic Champions Cup, which is then displayed at the Grand Lake Chamber of Commerce year-round.
Winners from each division of the Pond Hockey Classic received a trophy: The Conifer Twigs won the beginner division, Lunar Sauce won the intermediate division, and the CNY Powderhounds won in the advanced division.
This event brings hundreds of visitors to Grand Lake during a time when tourism levels are low. Local businesses welcomed event attendees, including Sagebrush BBQ & Grill, which offered specials to tournament participants. One Love Rum Kitchen was on the ice serving up hot chili throughout the day to keep players and spectators warm.
“We’re celebrating the sport of hockey. We’re celebrating the glory of Grand Lake, and everyone is just having a big ol’ party,” Blumenfeld said.


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