Trail Mix

The Christmas before last, my significant other bought us a matching set of snowshoes, with visions of snowflakes and canteens filled with hot cocoa dancing in her head. A year later, we've resolved to actually use them. Lucky for us, Colorado is part of Winter Trails, a free national winter-sports participation day that takes place in more than 100 state forests, Nordic centers and parks, with the goal of introducing folks to the less-commercial winter sports. Today, four venues around the state — Bear Creek Nature Center in Colorado Springs, Echo Lake at Mount Evans, Frisco Nordic Center and Keystone Nordic Center — will showcase cross-country skiing and snowshoe demonstrations, as well as offer organized snowshoe hikes, winter safety courses and orienteering. And on Saturday, February 16, Estes Park will host an additional Winter Trails program. Visit www.wintertrails.org for details, as times and activities vary.
Sat., Jan. 12, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., 2008