Embrace the Adventure with a Wealth of Midwinter Events this Snowy Season
Our winter wonderland is at its peak in the midwinter months! The snow and lower temps have settled in for the season, making it easy to take advantage of all the winter adventure available here in Grand County. Whether you're snowmobiling, exploring on cross-country skis, ice fishing, earning your turns, backcountry skiing, or taking advantage of downhill adventures at Winter Park Resort and Granby Ranch, opportunities to enjoy our majestic Rocky Mountains are abundant. Add in a calendar full of local events, and you have even more options for embracing winter in the mountains!
THREE LAKES ICE FISHING CONTEST: JANUARY 24 - 26
The longest running ice-fishing contest in the west, the Three Lakes Ice Fishing contest is set to have ideal conditions for its 37th annual event. After the recent "arctic blast," the ice is thick and ready for contestants to flock to Grand County's three lakes region for this popular winter event. Contestants can set up on Lake Granby, Shadow Mountain Reservoir, or Grand Lake throughout the three-day event. It can even be a family affair - children are welcome to sign up for free (but not eligible for cash prizes) or pay to be included in the adult competitions. The cash prizes are abundant! Our favorite is the "tagged fish" prize - 10 fish will be tagged with "winner," so the lucky anglers who catch them are put in a drawing for $1,000! Learn more about the contest and prizes here.
Whether you're participating in the contest or not, you're welcome to join the kickoff party (21+) hosted by Sun Outdoors Rocky Mountains on Thursday, January 23 from 6-9pm. Tickets are $50 and include 2 drinks, dinner and mini bowling. Door prizes, raffles, and a "frozen fish toss" add to the festivities! Be sure to snag your tickets in advance, as they sold out last year.
The contest is a fundraiser - all proceeds go to Destination Granby, a nonprofit Main Street organization that supports the Granby community. If you're not planning to fish but want to support the cause, you can sign up to volunteer to help with parking, setting up and breaking down weigh stations, and open water patrol. Whether you're participating, volunteering, or cheering on the contestants, soaking in the brisk mountain air with some of the best scenery around is a great way to spend the last weekend of January here in Grand County!
WINTER PARK RESORT MOUNTAINTOP APRES SKI: JANUARY 23 - APRIL 5
The committed get up (and often drive up) early to get "first chair" on a powder day. First tracks on a blanket of snow have been likened to the "backstage pass" of skiing, and if you've ever had the privilege, you know there's truly nothing like it. While there's stiff competition for the coveted first chair, there isn't typically as much hype around "last chair" - until you start taking advantage of mountaintop après at Winter Park Resort's Sunspot Mountaintop Lodge! When all the other lifts have stopped turning for the day, the Gondola keeps running so that you can enjoy a one-of-a-kind après ski experience at Sunspot's Mountaintop Après. Live music, signature cocktails, appetizers, and sunset views of the Continental Divide complete with alpenglow make the last chair almost as good as the first. Check out the line up here. Load the Gondola for free every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 4pm to 8pm from now until April 5 to take advantage of this mountaintop experience!
NIGHT SKIING AT GRANBY RANCH: JANUARY 24 - MARCH 1
If you're still ready for more after a day of skiing and riding or you just didn't get a chance to make it out when the sun was out, skiing under the lights at Granby Ranch is always a favorite! Lifts on their East Mountain (Quickdraw Express, Milestone, and Stagecoach) turn from 3:30-7pm, with lit runs ready for you to lap. It's easy to stop in the lodge for food and drinks and then head back out for a few more turns. The low-key, family-friendly atmosphere makes it a fun and low-stress evening. Upcoming night skiing dates are January 24 + 25, February 14 + 15, February 28, and March 1. Night skiing is included with a season pass or day pass, or it can be purchased separately for $50/person. An added bonus - kids who go to schools in East Grand School District get to ski free on Fridays, so be sure to plan accordingly if you have kids in Grand County's public schools!
STAGECOACH CLASSIC: JANUARY 25
Devil’s Thumb Ranch and the Winter Park/Fraser Chamber are hosting the 10th Annual Stagecoach Classic, a classic-only cross country race and tour. A premier cross-county destination, Devil's Thumb Ranch is voted for having the best trails in the country year over year, making it the ideal setting for this mid-winter event. Participants can choose from the 30K, 15K, and 3K kids race as well as a 15K tour, with courses that wind through the beautiful valley surrounded by rugged Rocky Mountains. Races have staggered starts, with the 30K kicking off at 9am. An end of race celebration will be held from 11am-3:30pm at Devil's Thumb Ranch's Broad Axe Barn. Participants can register online.
POND HOCKEY CLASSIC: FEBRUARY 1-2
The 8th Annual Pond Hockey Classic brings the thrill of pond hockey to Colorado's largest natural lake. Grand Lake is the ideal setting for a weekend of fun competition. Several different natural rinks are set up on the lake, with plenty of room for spectators (and their dogs!). And this year, they've added a day for a youth tournament! All games are 3v3: adults compete on Saturday, February 1, and young players ages 9 - 17 will hit the ice on Sunday, February 2. Teams can register online, and all funds raised go toward supporting the Fraser Valley Hockey Association, our local youth hockey club. Whether you're playing or watching, the tournament is a quintessential way to spend a winter weekend in the mountains.
FRASER FIRE AND ICE: FEBRUARY 8
Fraser is hosting its 4th Annual Fire + Ice Festival, a collaboration between the Town of Fraser and Fraser's Public Arts Committee. The party runs from 4 - 7:30pm at the Lion's Ponds by Safeway and is complete with music, hot chocolate, light sticks, photo booths, food trucks, an epic bonfire igniting the ice sculpture and inflating a hot air balloon, and fireworks to top it all off.
The "fire" in the Fire + Ice Festival is the massive bonfire fueled by used pallets and retired Christmas trees. Tree drop-offs started January 1st and will be accepted until the morning of February 7th. If you still have a tree, swing by the west side of the Lion's Ponds near the EV station and drop it off!
Parking for the event is limited, but you can hop on a free shuttle from the Grand Park Recreation Center, Fraser Ballfields, and Valley Life Church. They'll even be handing out free swag on the shuttles!
Fraser Fire + Ice is such a fun community event that brightens up our winter every year!
GRAND LAKE WINTER CARNIVAL: FEBRUARY 8
The Grand Lake Winter Carnival is a beloved annual tradition that fully embraces winter with lighthearted, old-fashioned FUN! Complete with a snowmobile parade, mini golf, teapot curling, snowman-building competitions, snowmobile races, bed sled races, and an ice sculpture workshop, the winter carnival truly is fun for the whole family. The event culminates with the Winter Carnival Ball at Charlies Sports Bar + Grill on Grand Lake's boardwalk. This year's theme is "Casino Royale," and the ball will have casino games, live music and dancing with FinalEyes Band, and prizes for "best dressed." Be sure to check out the schedule of events to learn more about the day-long celebration of winter!
RANCH 2 RANCH XC SKI TREK: FEBRUARY 8-9
Grand Nordic Club is our local cross-country hype group, resource, education provider, and proponent of all things Nordic skiing. And they spearhead the annual favorite Ranch 2 Ranch Cross-Country Ski Trek from Snow Mountain Ranch to Granby Ranch. Embrace the challenge, and ski the Snow Mountain Ranch trails to the Fraser to Granby Trail (which runs right through one of our favorite neighborhoods - Val Moritz Village) to the Granby Ranch Trails. Whether you choose the 12km one-way thrill or tackle the full 24km loop or choose to ski on Saturday or Sunday, it’s all about supporting youth cross-country skiing in Grand County! Learn more and sign up here.
FULL MOON SKI TOURS: FEBRUARY 15
There truly is something magical about cross-country skiing or snowshoeing in the light of the full moon - take advantage of February's "Snow Moon" at Devil's Thumb Ranch or Pole Creek Golf Course. Devil's Thumb Ranch offers guided full moon ski tours from 6-7:30pm. The cost is $30 and does not include equipment or a trail pass (that can be purchased on-site at Zach's Mercantile). A local's favorite, Pole Creek's full moon celebration runs from 3-8pm, with free access to groomed trails that wind through the golf course, a crackling bonfire under the stars by the pump house, and a unique ski + snowshoe menu at Bistro 28. Be sure to bring your own gear if you're headed to Pole Creek!
WINTER PARK RESORT CLINICS: FEBRUARY 14 - 16
Celebrate Valentine's Day weekend by upping your ski game with a winter skills clinic at Winter Park Resort! They're offering three different specialty clinics to help you learn and master those areas of the mountain you've always wanted to explore. Sign up for the Trees + Steeps clinic on Friday, February 14; the Breakthrough Women's Clinic on Saturday, February 15; or the Bump Clinic on Sunday, February 16. Learn more and register here.
THINKING OF CALLING THIS WINTER WONDERLAND HOME?
We truly believe every season here in Grand County is a gift. The sunrises and sunsets over snow-capped peaks, the wealth of adventure at our fingertips, and the small-town, laid-back mountain vibe make it easy to call this beautiful region of the Rocky Mountains home. If you're on the hunt for your mountain property, we'd love to share our deep knowledge of the local market and our decades of Grand County real estate experience with you! Connect with us to learn more about how we can help you find your dream mountain property!
Posted by Angela McDonough (Sandstrom) on
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