10 Best Bashes
Breckenridge’s Ullr Fest’s parade is so wild and wooly, it will knock your socks off.
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LIFT OFF
November 2–3, Copper Mountain
Countdown to lift off! What better reason for a party than opening weekend of Copper’s 07/08 mountain sports season? All systems are GO. Lift operators: start your engines.
True. Not every run is open yet, but just to get the feel of the boards under your feet is fine for now.
And, at day’s end, join the parties at the foot of the mountain...there’ll be many to choose from. Plus music galore. You won’t go home without having had a good time on the hill, and an apres-ski to long remember.
For more information, call 866-841-2481 or visit www.coppercolorado.com.
THE 36 HOURS OF KEYSTONE
November 30–December 1, Keystone
Here’s another zany way to start a season! This is one of the wildest happenings in the snowsports world. Why would people want to ski or ride for 36 hours straight? Because, thanks to Keystone’s lighted mountain, they can.
The leg-burning challenge, for teams of two to four people, began this season at 9am Friday, November 30, and went non-stop through 9pm Saturday, December 1. One lap every hour had to be logged by one of the team members, in order to enter the drawing for cash prizes of $3,600, $1,800 and $900 for first through third finishing teams.
Just lift tickets alone did not allow a team on the hill. Entry fees started at $265 per two- or four-person team, which included respite in a one-bedroom condominium the night of November 30. So, by taking turns on the hill, other team members caught some zzzs, chowed down, or took a work break.
Or, they listened to some of the region’s best bands and DJs, who kept the athletes awake with 36 hours of non-stop music.
To enter for next year, call 800-468-5004 or visit www.keystoneresort.com
UBIQUITOUS NEW YEAR’S EVE
December 31, everywhere
At every turn, someone is ringing out the old and ringing in the new.
All three ski resorts let the good times roll with torchlight parades down the mountain sides. Breckenridge boasts the highest parade, starting at 6pm at the top of the high T-Bar, with instructors and patrollers carrying torches, snaking their way to the foot of Peak 8. This signals the start of a spectacular fireworks display, which can be seen in all of Breckenridge. Just about every restaurant and night club celebrates the calendar change with New Year’s Eve dinners and drinks.
More torches on the slopes of Keystone; more fireworks lighting up River Run Village, where street parties spontaneously erupt. Then, on to the Keystone Conference Center for an evening of music and entertainment. For a more romantic evening, cozy up on two gondola rides to the Alpen Glow Stube for a gourmet dinner you’ll never forget.
At Copper, watch those torches serpentine down the hill, oooh and aaah to fantastic fireworks and let loose at a non-stop street party.
And, the beat goes on in many clubs and restaurants in Frisco, Silverthorne and Dillon.
For further information, call 800-530-3099, or visit www.summitchamber.org.
ULLR! ULLR! ULLR!
January 12-15, Breckenridge
Ullr (say ooo-ler) Fest has gotten so big and has become such a significant happening that the Town of Breckenridge declares Ullr Fest parade day a holiday. Even if you’ve seen Mardi Gras in New Orleans, the Ullr Fest parade is so wild and wooly, it will knock your socks off. Prepare to be shocked.
The parade is but one aspect of Ullr Fest, the event that pays homage to the Norse God of snow. Good old Ullr was the son of Sif and stepson of Thor. He covered the earth with snow in winter to protect the planet. Ever since Ullr visited Breckenridge 43 years ago, the townsfolk implored him to lavish his wintery ways on the Breckenridge peaks.
There’s an Ullr dating game, a Nordic event, the Ullympics, an ice skating party, and, possibly, the highest bonfire in the nation. Of course, just about every nightspot in town is jumping with live entertainment and revelers.
For a specific schedule, call 970-453-5579, or visit www.gobreck.com
