Leadville Twin Lakes

LEADVILLE, Colo. — If you’re not planning to be in Vancouver for the Winter Olympics on February 20, you should be heading to Lake County, Colorado. There are five different competitions lined up in Leadville and Twin Lakes that day, with a schedule that includes a little bit of something for everyone: an ice fishing derby, a nighttime winter mountain bike race, a tele-fest and a winter triathlon, plus a drink and dessert contest to keep the taste buds happy. Here’s the lineup for the day:

— The Street Swell Winter Triathlon #2 will be held at Colorado Mountain College – Timberline Campus in Leadville and includes an 8k ski race, 10k bike race and 5k snowshoe race. The race is part of the Pedal Power Winter Nordic Snowshoe Adventure Series and starts at 10 a.m. Call (970)845-0931 or download registration forms at http://www.pedalpowerbike.com.

— The Annual Leadville Rod & Gun Club Ice Fishing Derby will be held at Twin Lakes February 20 and 21. Categories include Mackinaw, Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, Cutthroat Trout and Kakanee Salmon. Contact Larry Mason at (719)486-3929 for more information.

— The Tennessee Pass Night Jam is a fast race through the trees at Ski Cooper. Register and check in at the Tennessee Pass Nordic Center from 5-6:30 p.m. The race starts at 7 p.m. and is part of the Winter Mountain Bike Race Series. Bring your lights!

— The 5th Annual Ski Cooper Tele-Fest includes an uphill, downhill, uphill race, plus a giant slalom.  Registration starts at 8 a.m. on the top floor of the Ski Cooper Lodge. The races are at 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m., with an awards party and prize drawings in the Lodge from 2 – 5 p.m. Demo tele skis will be available from Sawatch Backcountry. Call Jeff Maddex at (719)486-3531 for more information.   

– The 2^nd Annual Crystal Carnival Original Drink and Dessert Contest runs through March 5. The contestants are: Cookies with Altitude, Doc Holliday’s, Szechuan Taste, Tennessee Pass Cafe and Wild Bill’s in the desserts category, and Bobbie’s Place, Doc Holliday’s, The Grill, The Manhattan, Pastime Bar, Quincy’s, Silver Dollar Saloon, Tennessee Pass Cafe, and Zichitella’s in the drinks category.  Ballots are available at each participating business.

        Located in the center of Colorado, 103 miles west of Denver and 129 miles northwest of Colorado Springs, Leadville is known for its outdoor recreation, rich history, Victorian architecture, friendly small-town atmosphere, and beautiful scenery. The downtown district is lined with charming shops, eateries and inns. For more information, go to http://www.visitleadvilleco.info, call 888-532-3845 or stop by the Leadville Lake County Visitor Center at 809 Harrison.

Leadville, Colorado — Winter is a cause for celebration in Leadville, Colo., the highest incorporated city in North America. At 10,152’, the residents have learned to make the most of their natural abundant snowfall and are gearing up for a weekend of ski joring and snow-themed activities. The Annual Ski Joring and Crystal Carnival events will take place Mar. 5 – 7, in downtown Leadville, and will include horse-drawn skiers racing over jumps on snow-packed streets; a snowman-building contest for kids; sled dog, Nordic, snowshoe and mountain bike races; and broomball games. 

        Leadville has been hosting ski joring competitions since 1949. Ski joring, which entails a horse and rider pulling a skier down a snow-packed road over jumps while spearing rings in a timed competition, draws teams from all over the country. This year’s event will include four classes on Saturday and again on Sunday: the Open Class, for experienced competitive teams; the Sport Class, for beginners; the Legends Class, for experienced teams who are getting a little long in the tooth for the Open Class; and, new this year, the Snowmobile Class. The Open Class will feature a $1,000 added purse each day; the Sport and Legends Classes will each feature a $500 added purse each day. The entry fee is $70 per team in the Open Class, and $60 per team in the Sport and Legends Classes. Teams must prequalify the day of the event to compete in the Open Class. On Saturday morning at 10:30, kids can also try their hand at ski joring behind a snowmobile for just $5 a ride. More details are available at http://www.leadvilleskijoring.us.

        The Crystal Carnival, which commemorates the original winter sports festival held in Leadville in 1896, offers a not-your-usual-winter-weekend experience for the entire family. All events are free for spectators; some require fees for participants. The winners of the second annual Crystal Carnival Original Drink & Dessert Contest, which began Feb. 1, will be announced during the carnival as well. The contestants are: Cookies with Altitude, Doc Holliday’s, Szechuan Taste, Tennessee Pass Cafe and Wild Bill’s in the desserts category, and Bobbie’s Place, Doc Holliday’s, The Grill, Manhattan, Pastime Bar, Quincy’s, Silver Dollar Saloon, Tennessee Pass Cafe, and Zichitella’s in the drinks category.

        Click here to see the whole schedule.

Leadville, Colorado — The specials are still rolling in! First, some winter favorites that are always a good deal. Dutch Henri Sledding Hill is open and free if you bring your own sled. There’s even a new, shorter and safer Kiddy Hill this year. Tube rentals are available from noon – 5 on Saturdays and Sundays for just $5 per hour.  Parental waiver is required for kids’ tube rentals. The Lake County Ice Rink is also open and admission is just $2.25. Skate rentals are just a buck for kids and two bucks for adults! Hours are 3:30-9pm weekdays, 1-9pm weekends. Learn more about events and activities at the Lake County Recreation Department.

Ice Palace Inn January Special: Get two free lift tickets to Ski Cooper with a one-night stay, Monday – Thursday, in the Grand Ballroom, the King’s Tower, or the Crystal Carnival. Delicious hot breakfast included! Skis & boots are available for only $11.99 per day through Alpine Ski & Sport; you can give the Ice Palace Inn your info at the time of reservation and rentals will be ready when you arrive. Based upon availability.

Leadville, Colorado — Winter is here and so are the deals! Leadville and Twin Lakes are always two of the most affordable mountain getaways in the state, but these prices are sure to bring a smile to your face this winter.

New! The Governor’s Mansion  winter special: buy 2 nights lodging and get 1 free! Plus, save $10 on lift tickets for Ski Cooper. Offer good for the entire season except for these blackout dates for lodging: 12/19/09 – 1/2/10, 1/1510 – 1/17/10 and 2/12/10 – 2/14/10. Contact the Governor’s Mansion at 719-486-1865.

Fire on the Mountain – Paint your own pottery studio has a “Create a Colorado Memory” offer:  1 free studio fee when you present a 2009-10 full- or half-day lift ticket from any Colorado ski resort. Limit one free studio fee per lift ticket ($5 value). Available  through April 20, 2010. Located at 715 Harrison Ave. in Leadville. 719-486-2071

The National Mining Hall of Fame & Museum is decorated for the holidays and offering the biggest sale of the year! Save 30% on everything in the gift shop (save 35% on onyx items) including books, gifts, rocks, minerals and ornaments. Open 11-4 daily, except Christmas and New Year’s Day. No admission charge for the gift shop! Located at 120 W. 9th St. in Leadville. 719-486-1229.

The Grill Bar & Cafe has a great deal! Buy $100 in gift certificates and get a $20 gift certificate for yourself! Plus, all retail items are 20% off, including t-shirts, hats, fleece vests, as well as all fine art by Linda Duthie, including prints, cards and original paintings. Both offers good through Dec. 21, 2009. The Grill is located at 715 Elm Street in Leadville. 719-486-9930.

Recession Ski Special! Save 15% on lodging for stays of 3 or more nights at Buckeye’s and Luna’s Cabins. Good throughout the ski season. Call 970-479-9360 for more information.

The Book Mine is offering daily specials through Christmas Eve! A different sale every day, including children’s books, calendars, best sellers, cookbooks, coffee table books, and more. Located at the corner of 6th and Harrison in downtown Leadville, the Book Mine is open 10-5 Monday-Friday;  9-8 Saturday; and Noon – 5 Sunday. 719-486-2866

Winter Special! Stay 2 nights at Inn of the Black Wolf and get the 3rd night free! Located in the heart of Twin Lakes, Inn of the Black Wolf  reopens for the holidays on Dec. 17. Rooms starting at just $70 per night for 2, including a hot breakfast! (800) 626-7812

Mercantile Too!  A complete Western store joins The Delaware Mercantile.  Featuring western boots, accessories and clothing from famous makers at 40% off retail!  Open through March 2010.  Mention “you saw it on VisitLeadvilleColorado.com” for a special Leadville/Delaware Hotel gift! Located at 700 Harrison Avenue in Leadville. 719-486-1418

The Delaware Mercantile Midnight Moonlight Madness Sale:  Extreme holiday savings throughout the store.  Saturday, Dec 5, 7 p.m. – midnight. Mention “you saw it on VisitLeadvilleColorado.com” for a special Leadville/Delaware Hotel gift! Located at 700 Harrison Avenue in Leadville. 719-486-1418

Save now! Mt. Elbert Lodge & Cabins is offering 40% off stays through Dec. 10! Located in Twin Lakes, Mt. Elbert Lodge & Cabins has private cabins and B&B lodging available, all with incredible views. Call 800-381-4433 for details.

Need help planning your Leadville ski trip? Give us a call at 888-532-3845. All specials are subject to change and dependent on availability. Please contact each business directly for more details.

The Ski Cooper/Chicago Ridge Ski Area, located atop Tennessee Pass west of Leadville, will open on Dec. 11 for the 2009-2010 season, weather permitting. This Colorado Gem offers $42 lift tickets, a “Never Ever Ski Package” for beginners that includes lessons, lift tickets and rental equipment for just $60, backcountry Snow Cat tours, and fun and funky special events such as “Chix on Sticks and Babes on Boards” days for women-only backcountry outings. To make sure ski vacations remain an affordable option for its customers, Ski Cooper and Chicago Ridge have kept the prices for lift tickets, season passes, rentals and lessons the same as last year, and lowered the price of its Snow Cat tours.

With a history that dates back to World War II, Ski Cooper and Chicago Ridge have developed a reputation as one of the friendliest and most affordable ski resorts around. Five lifts, 2 chair and 3 surface, serve 400 ski-able acres. There are 26 runs: 30 percent beginner, 40 percent intermediate and 30 percent expert, and a Terrain Park that will be expanded this year. Ski Cooper averages 250 inches of natural snowfall a year. The longest run is Trails End, at 1.4 miles. The base sits at an elevation of 10,500 feet, with the summit at 11,700 feet.

Snow permitting, Ski Cooper will be open Dec. 11- 13. The resort will be open daily for the season from Dec. 18, 2009, through Apr. 4, 2010. Full day lift tickets are $42 for adults; $23 for children 6-14; $31 for seniors 60-69; and $18 for seniors 70 or better.  Ski Cooper is offering discounted lift tickets to members of the military: $37 for adults and $20 for children (ID required.) A season pass is $280 for adults and $136 for children. Group discounts and multi-day passes are also available. Visit www.skicooper.com or call 1-800-707-6114 for more details.

For first-time skiers and riders, Ski Cooper’s Never Ever Ski Package is one of the best deals around. Choose a two-hour lesson with equipment rental and a Beginner Lift Ticket for $50, or a two-hour lesson with equipment rental and a Full-Mountain Lift Ticket for $60.
 
The base facilities include the Ski School, which offers alpine, telemark and snowboard instruction; a Day Lodge with guest services, ticket offices, first aid room, lunch room, restaurant and bar; a rental shop; the Children’s Center, featuring a Children’s Ski School, rental equipment and Day Care for children ages 3-7; the Tennessee Pass Nordic Center, with rental equipment for cross country skiing, telemark gear and snowshoes; the Tennessee Pass Cookhouse; and Chicago Ridge.

Chicago Ridge offers 2,500 acres for a guided, backcountry experience accessible only by Snow Cat, adjacent to the lift-served area for just $275 per person per day. Last year, Chicago Ridge has added a second Snow Cat, providing seven-day-a-week access to the treed slopes and open bowls in terrain suitable for advanced to expert skiers and riders. Ski Cooper also added a new yurt to the Chicago Ridge operation for serving lunch for the guests who ski or ride the Ridge.

The Tennessee Pass Cookhouse offers a unique dining adventure with some of Colorado’s most spectacular views. To get there, grab snowshoes or cross-country skis and hit the groomed one-mile trail to the yurt. An elegant, four-course gourmet dinner awaits featuring elk tenderloin, rack of lamb, salmon, roasted chicken and vegetarian specials.  The Tennessee Pass Cookhouse serves dinner daily and lunch on weekends. (Call 719-486-8114 for reservations.)

Ski Cooper and Chicago Ridge host events throughout the winter. Highlights include Après Ski Saturdays in January with live music, Special Olympics, the 5th Annual Telefast, Chix on Sticks and Babes on Boards days for women-only backcountry outings, Santa visits with live reindeer, telemark and women’s clinics, Senior Days, a Nastar race course, Youth Ski League Championships, Masters, High School races, Speed camps and the Tenth Mountain Division Annual Reunion.

Ski Cooper’s origin goes back to World War II, when the U.S. Army developed Cooper Hill and nearby Camp Hale as a training site for the ski troopers of the famed Tenth Mountain Division. Following the war, Cooper Hill opened to the public as a county-operated ski area under the auspices of the U.S. Forest Service since it’s located in the San Isabel National Forest.

Book your Leadville ski vacation now!

Read what Samantha Berman, a contributor to SKI Magazine, has to say about Leadville and Ski Cooper! “Maybe you’ve passed through Leadville en route to Crested Butte or the Sangre de Cristo mountains. And maybe you thought ‘What a cute town, we oughta stop here.’ But you never did. Well, you should. Leadville lays claim to lots of Colorado history, from the gold boom in the 1860s to silver mining up through the 1890s.” Read the whole article and then make plans to visit Leadville today!

Leadville, Colorado — From The Summit Daily News…After selling out in nearly 500 theaters for its Oct. 22 opening, the “Race Across The Sky” documentary about the 2009 Leadville Trail 100 Mountain Bike Race, will play in Leadville on Saturday.

The documentary will be shown in the ballroom of Leadville’s National Mining Museum (1 p.m. and 7 p.m.) as a fundraiser for the Leadville Trail 100 Legacy Foundation.

The 1 p.m. matinee will be a family friendly event with a drive-in movie theme, having attendees bring blankets and pillows to set up on the floor with some popcorn and soda to enjoy the film with their kids. The cost is $15 per person, with kids 5 and under admitted free with a paying adult.

The 7 p.m. viewing will be a more adult-oriented show with theater-style seating and complimentary wine, beer and hors d’oeuvres. Tickets for the evening show are $25 per person.

Thanks to Citizen Pictures, the film’s producers, who will be coordinating both local shows, the film will appear on the big screen in high-definition with high-quality sound.

Tickets for both shows will be sold on a first-come-first-served basis and are expected to sell out quickly — so act fast. To purchase tickets, call the LT100 office at (719) 486-3502 or come to the office at 213 Harrison Avenue.

“Race Across The Sky” takes movie audiences on a ride only the most intense cyclists have experienced as they compete in one of the world’s most grueling mountain bike races. The documentary also includes a panel discussion with LT100 president and founder Ken Chlouber, 2009 LT100 champion Lance Armstrong, six-time defending champion Dave Wiens, as well as other elite and amateur cyclists. The discussion was filmed in Durango during the documentary’s premiere on Oct. 20.

LT100 Legacy Foundation ( a charitable 501 (c)(3) organization) puts money back into the Leadville community by supporting local projects such as the Community Park and the annual Christmas party for the kids at The Center, as well as the Scholarship Program which awarded $26,000 in scholarships to Lake County High School seniors last May.

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Leadville, Colo., an authentic mining town with plenty of spooky characters in its history, is ready to scare the daylights out of you…if you’re brave enough to head up to North America’s highest incorporated city for some Halloween fun. Here’s what Leadville has in store for you this year:

Friday, October 30 and Saturday, October 31

6 – 9 p.m. — Stapleton Haunted Manor: Not for the feint of heart, this imaginative and popular haunted house — said to rival those in major cities — has been frightening folks for years. Located in an historic 1880’s carriage house property in downtown Leadville at 118 W. 7^th St. No reservations required. Children 13 years and younger must be accompanied by an adult. $5 admission and half of the proceeds go to benefit Full Circle.

8 p.m. — Guided Cemetery Tours: Judge Neil Reynolds, whose family has lived in Leadville for 145 years, will take visitors on a narrated, guided tour through Lake County’s historic Evergreen Cemetery. Cost: $10 per person. Reservations are required; call 888-532-3845. The tours typically sell out, so call soon to reserve your space.

This is a great time to visit Leadville and Twin Lakes: find deals on lodging by calling 888-532-3845.