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Janet Day: February finally gives way to March

Janet Day
Talk of the Valley

March Madness. We finally made it to March after a February that seemed like it would never end. Relentless winds and the flu/cold/crud that flattened a lot of us for days just weren’t offset by as many bluebird days as we should have this time of year. Now, March is here in typical fashion ” 50 degrees one day, five inches of snow the next and plenty of fun activities amid all those Spring-break visits.

The Grand Huts Association’s Fifth Annual Moonlight Ski Progressive Dinner will bring dozens of people out in the dark on Saturday, March 15. The event, at Devil’s Thumb Ranch, historically has been held in January or February, but this year was pushed back to milder March. About 200 people ski or snowshoe on two trails (one lit with lanterns) and enjoy a five-course meal. But it’s not your typical sit-down fancy spread. There will be appetizer and soup stops along the trails with the salad, main course and desert served at the Broadaxe Barn. This year’s menu includes a selection of kid-friendly food. Live music and a silent auction round out the evening.

Proceeds from this year’s event go toward the Grand Hut Association’s first project ” building a new hut at Second Creek. Tickets for the dinner can be purchased at Icebox Sports and Rocky Mountain Roastery in Fraser, Winter Park Market in Winter Park, Never Summer Mountain Products in Grand Lake and Budget Tackle in Granby. For more information, to volunteer or donate an item for the auction, contact grandhuts@gmail.com.



Kristen Lodge’s new multi-sport athlete group is having its first meeting Thursday at 5:30 p.m. at the Granby Library and every outdoor enthusiast is invited. Mara Pacyga, physical therapist and pilates instructor at Alpine Physical Therapy in Fraser, will be the guest speaker, discussing ways to stay injury-free and healthy this winter.

Get out that DayGlo one-piece ski suit or at least the platform shoes. The Red Bull 1976 Games hit Winter Park Resort Friday, with the hilarious-sounding Gaper Park Challenge and Old School Challenge scheduled for Saturday. Those of you who remember 1976 ” or whose parents remember 1976 ” sign up by going to http://www.skiwinterpark.com. Judges will be looking at costumes, style, air, showmanship and team unity before picking the winning team. There are no equipment requirements, but extra points are given for old-school straight skis.



And if you think you’ve got what it takes, try out for the Winter Park Ski Patrol later this month. Help injured guests, keep the trails safe and have fun doing it. Junior (15-17) tryouts are March 15 and 16 while regular adult patrol tryouts are March 22 and 23. Alpine or tele skis only with tests on a variety of black mogul trails.

City Slicker Slopes. I wasn’t quite sure what to make of the msn.com headline that ranked Winter Park as the top resort for “city slickers.” Winter Park is anything but citi-fied. No high-priced restaurants, no high-end shopping, no high heels. What they were referring to were resorts easy to get to from a city ” within a two-hour drive. MSN said what we all know: The sooner you can get off Interstate 70 westbound on a weekend morning, the better. Taking a shot specifically at Vail, Beaver Creek and Breckenridge, MSN said “ditch the traffic at exit 232 and snake north on Highway 40 to some 3,078 skiable acres.” The Web site gives a nod to Mary Jane’s bumps, Vasquez Cirque, the Fresh Tracks early-morning breakfast package, the Ski Train and Zephyr Mountain Lodge.

Looking Ahead. Applications for the Winter Park Alpine ArtAffair’s annual scholarships are available at Middle Park and West Grand high schools. The scholarships are open to graduating students who plan to attend college and major in the arts: music, drama, dance, photography, fine or graphic arts. College students who graduated from local high schools also are eligible. Applications are due April 1 and can also be obtained by e-mailing alpineartaffair@yahoo.com.

Scholarship funds come from the annual ArtAffair arts and crafts show, which will be held this year on July 26 and 27. Artists interested in applying for the show can find applications at the ArtAffair Web site.

Keep in Touch: What’s got your attention around the area? Let me know. I’ll try to find the answer or spread the news. Send it all to JDayQuilts@msn.com.


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