Crown Jewel

THURS, 6/3

Beginning today, weekend warriors can jump on the adventure-race bandwagon at the Teva Mountain Games in Vail, the largest extreme-sports festival in the country. "This is the crown jewel of the outdoor industry," says Joel Heath, president of Untraditional Marketing, organizers of the event. "There is just so much to see and do, and all of our events are open to the public."

Over the next four days, more than 1,000 people are expected to compete in fifteen events, from kayaking and rafting to mountain biking and bouldering. The Gore-Tex U.S. National Trail Running Championships, a ten-kilometer race on the face of Vail Mountain, takes place on Saturday morning. And on Sunday, three-person teams consisting of both professional and amateur athletes are eligible to compete in the GNC Mountain Adventure Sprint Race. Challenges include trail running, mountain biking, trekking, rappelling and inner-tubing. Other outdoor activities include a climbing wall, a mountain photography competition and the Sports Illustrated Adventure Gear Town.

"Adventure racing is really becoming a mainstream sport," says Heath. "Trail running is getting bigger every year, and the kayaking events are always a crowd favorite."

The entertainment lineup is equally stellar, beginning with a free concert by the Hackensaw Boys at 7 p.m. this evening in Vail Village. The groove continues with shows by Jurassic 5 tomorrow night and Gov't Mule on Sunday night, both starting at 6:30 p.m. at the Ford Ampitheater in Vail's Vilar Pavilion. On Saturday, the public is invited to the Mountain Ball, a free party starting at 9 p.m. at the Tap Room. For a complete schedule of events, call 1-970-477-0111 or go to www.tevamountaingames.com. -- Julie Dunn

Showdown at Invesco Corral
Wild West Lacrosse plays in the great outdoors
SAT, 6/5

Building on the recent success of the Colorado Mammoth professional indoor lacrosse team, savvy marketing men are turning their attention to bringing the pro outdoor game here. Major League Lacrosse, a three-year-old outdoor league, rolls into town today for Wild West Lacrosse, a promotional game at Invesco Field between the Baltimore Bayhawks (featuring the Mammoth's Gary Gait) and the New Jersey Pride. The contest will also serve to showcase outdoor lacrosse, in an effort to increase Rocky Mountain interest in the predominantly East Coast sport.

"It's a fun, exciting, action-packed game," says Invesco's Andy Gorchov. "It's fast-paced, and there's a lot of hitting. If you like hockey or indoor lacrosse, you'll love this."

The game starts at 7:30 p.m.; tickets, $8 to $27.50, are available at 303-830-TIXS, www.ticketmaster.com, or the stadium box office. -- Adam Cayton-Holland