See also: Get the Edge on winter fun in Colorado!
Going up? Lest you end up dating someone without the same powder predilections as you, try meeting your match at Keystone's second annual Love on the Lifts speed-dating event on the River Run Gondola. Just head for the singles line starting at 10 a.m. February 14 to get paired up for the eleven-minute ride. "Once they reach the top of Dercum Mountain, newly matched singles can choose to spend the day together, enjoying the more than seven feet of fresh snow Keystone has received since January 1," writes Keystone spokeswoman Tucker Burton. If you can keep up with each other in all that snow, follow up at the evening Valentine's Day party at 9280' Taphouse in River Run Village and buy each other some drinks, or step it up at the "For the Love of Wine, Whiskey and Chocolate" event at Warren Station ($30 per person), part of Keystone's month-long Savor the Slopes foodie celebration.
Nice day for a white wedding! Already found the powder-chaser of your dreams? Loveland's 23rd annual Mountain Matrimony mass-wedding ceremony is at noon February 14 at the Ptarmigan Roost Cabin, and comes with a "Marry Me and Ski for Free" two-for-one lift ticket deal, lunch vouchers, wedding cake and drink coupons.
The past is so bright you've gotta wear shades! Colorado skiers and snowboarders jump at any opportunity to break out their old neon gaper gear (or hit up the Goodwill), and now you can live out your Hot Tub Time Machine fantasies at the '80s Prom Valentine's Party at the T-Bar, at the base of Breckenridge's Peak 8. The '80s dance party features a photo booth (natch), chocolate-covered strawberries, and beer and wine specials. Don't forget your Zinka sunscreen.
Hit the spot! Romance is in the air at Winter Park, too, and the Lodge at Sunspot has a luxe five-course Valentine's Day dinner ($79.99 per person) on the menu February 14, promising authentic Colorado cuisine and an extensive wine list, champagne and dessert, and even a long-stemmed rose for the ladies. Call 970-726-1446 for reservations.
Go on the hunt! Made it through the night together? Congrats: now you have a teammate for the altogether wacky New Belgium Scavenge at Arapahoe Basin on Saturday, February 15 ($10 per person plus lift ticket or ski pass, registration starts at 9 a.m.). The on-mountain scavenger hunt benefits Summit County's High Country Conservation Center and coincides with A-Basin's sixth annual "We have the power to save the powder" Save Our Snow event.
USA! USA! USA! If you've been binge-watching NBC's Olympic coverage, it might be time to step outside into actual winter and check out the Team USA "Road to Sochi" Tour as it stops by Vail's Solaris Plaza on Saturday, February 15, from noon to 8 p.m. The interactive exhibit highlights Team USA, ten winter Olympic sports (yes, this is your chance to try curling), and two Paralympics sports. Bring your autograph book, because former Olympians Billy Kidd, Tai Babilonia, Chad Hedrick, Diann Roff and Donna Weinbrecht will be on hand for the festivities.
Dollar bill, y'all! Oh, and did we remind you that this is a three-day President's Day weekend? Beaver Creek's annual PrezFest is our favorite event honoring George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and other presidents. The celebration features a daily après ski parade in Village Plaza, Saturday through Monday, ice sculptures of the presidents, and other events for the whole family.Powder to the people! Do yourself a favor and check the snow report at Wolf Creek, boasting 260+ inches this season. 'Nuff said. But if you need an extra excuse to make the trek, Monday is also the ski area's annual President's Day Race, a free family-friendly fun race for skiers and snowboarders of all ages and ability levels. Sign-up starts at 9:30 a.m.; racing begins at 11 a.m. on the Charisma run.
Pro tip! Wherever you end up getting your shred on, don't even think about getting into that three-day weekend ski traffic right when the lifts close on Monday. Instead, click through to this season's edition of The Edge, where we hit up the ski and snowboard bums behind the taps at microbreweries and distilleries in every ski town in Colorado to give you the inside scoop on better ways to après ski. Better yet, book another night and call in "sick" on Tuesday.
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