Tuesday, April 10
The Woodland Park Downtown Development Authority will meet on April 10 at 7:30 a.m. in the WP Council Chambers.
The Green Mountain Falls Planning Commission will meet on April 10 at 6:30 p.m. in the GMF Town Hall.
Wednesday, April 11
TSC (Teller Senior Coalition) Transit is excited to announce our bus service on Wednesdays and Fridays in Woodland Park and the lower Ute Pass area. TSC also offers a joint venture with Cripple Creek Transit on Wednesdays to provide much needed transportation service between Cripple Creek and Woodland Park. TSC Transit will be picking up from the Senior Center and will be making stops at Pikes Peak Family Medicine, Pikes Peak Regional Hospital, City Market, Safeway, Walgreens, Walmart and the Department of Social Services upon request. In addition, new ride services are available on a limited basis to Green Mountain Falls, Cascade and Manitou Springs. Call 719-687-0256 for more details or visit the TSC website at www.tellerseniorcoalition.org. for a full schedule of pick up and drop off times.
Thursday, April 12
Tops, Take Off Pounds Sensibly. The original nonprofit weight-loss group is an educational support group providing weekly weigh-ins and programs to help members to make positive changes in the role food plays in their lives. The local chapter meets every Thursday at 9 a.m. in Green Mountain Falls at the Church in the Wildwood. Call Evelyn at 719-748-8383 for more information.
The Teller County Commissioners will meet on April 12 at 9:15 a.m. in the Centennial Building in Cripple Creek.
The Woodland Park Planning Commission will meet on Thursday, April 5 at 7 p.m. in the WP Council Chambers, next to city hall.
Spring Business Expo. The Chamber Spring Business Expo, sponsored by the Woodland Park Chamber of Commerce, is scheduled for April 12 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Ute Pass Cultural Center. This event typically features many great business displays. For more information, call Scott Leas of the Chamber at 719-687-9885.
Friday, April 13
The Pikes Peak Rotary Club will meet at 7 a.m. at the Woodland Park Public Library every Friday.
The Bella Vista Restaurant at Shining Mountain, Woodland Park’s only upscale Italian eatery, has great weekend specials and events. Don’t miss their great entrees for lunch and dinner and special entertainment during the weekend. For more information, regarding activities at the Shining Mountain Golf Course and Event Center, visit www.shiningmountaingolf.com.
Saturday, April 14
Fossil Beds Activities and Hours. Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument is open year round. The Monument is now open from 9 am to 5 p.m. Be prepared for outdoor conditions by dressing in layers, wearing a hat and sunscreen, etc. There are no additional fees for any park programs beyond the daily entrance fee of $7.00 per adult (15 and younger are free). Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument offers 15 miles of beautiful, yet lesser known, hiking trails to explore, a free Junior Ranger Program, three short self-guided trails, a park video and museum exhibits, and bookstore. Some of the key events for this month include the following: Friday, April 13, Night Sky Program, 8 to 10 p.m. Join park staff and members of the Colorado Springs Astronomical Society to gaze at the dark skies above Florissant Fossil Beds in search of planets, galaxies, nebulas, and more. Meet at the visitor center; Saturday, April 21, FEE FREE DAY! Come celebrate the first day of National Park week by enjoying a fee free day in the Monument; Saturday, April 21, Track Detectives, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Join an interpretive park ranger for a guided hike (up to 2 miles) to discover the clues left behind by the Monument’s wildlife. As a track detective you might encounter tracks, scat, feathers, rubs, burrows, and much more left behind by birds, coyotes, elk, badgers or perhaps even see some of the wildlife in person. Dress in layers and be ready to walk on uneven ground and possibly snow. Meet at the visitor center. This program is free to the public. For additional information, please call (719) 748-3253 or visit our website: www.nps.gov/flfo or on Facebook or Twitter at /FlorissantNPS
Mueller Winter Fun. Naturalist-led hikes are on the thing to do at Mueller State Park in the winter. Enjoy the peaceful silence in the snowy woods, watch for signs of wildlife and learn their different tracks, and see the hardiest of birds searching for food in the trees. It’s great to explore Mueller in winter with a naturalist during this beautiful time of year!Don’t forget to dress for the weather! Hiking at Mueller in winter can bring a wide range of temperatures and snow depths at 9600 feet. Sometimes there is not enough snow to sled on and sometimes there is a foot or two of fresh powder! Check our websitecpw.state.co.us/placestogo/
ArcheryTournaments. On Saturday April 14 and Wed April 25, Indoor Archery Tournaments for all ages and all skill levels will be held by the Cripple Creek Parks And Recreation Department. The cost is only $10. For more information, call 719-689-3514.
Sunday, April 15
The Space – The Final Frontier Concert is the 3rd themed concert by the Woodland Park Wind Symphony which involves COS Play\ costumes and space-themed video enhancement for the music. This space concert creates an atmosphere for the audience to enjoy live music and space exploration. It is scheduled for Sunday, April 15 at the Ute Pass Cultural Center, starting at 6 p.m.Music performed includes “Mars” and “Jupiter” from Gustav Holst’s The Planets; “Star Trek – Through the Years;” and “Fanfare” from Also Sprach Zarathustra.”Open Space,” by composer Brian Balmages, is a musical tribute to astronaut Gregory Reid Wiseman. Space through the eyes and experiences of astronaut Gregory Reid Wiseman, who spent six months at the International Space Station, is presented both musically and visually as he went through training, lift-off and floating and working in space. Bring your imagination and enjoy space – the final frontier through musical and visual sounds and sights. For additional information, contact Director Craig Harms at 719-687-2210 and at www.woodlandparkwindsymphony.
Upcoming.
Donkey Basketball. The Woodland Park Pikes Peak Lion’s Club will hold their 8th annual Donkey Basketball Game at the Woodland Park High School Gymnasium on April 19 at 6 p.m.
Ute Pass-Woodland Park Kiwanis Bingo. Join the fun at Shining Mountain during the 1st & 3rd Thursday of each month at6:30 p.m. Twenty dollars buys a packet for 10 games, 6 cards for each game It’s a great opportunity to have fun and socialize with your friends and neighbors. Come early and have dinner! Food and drinks will be available for purchase during the games! This event is sponsored by the Ute Pass-Woodland Park Kiwanis club. The proceeds benefit the children of Teller County. The next event is scheduled for April 19 For more information, call Rita Randolph at 719-502-5085.
MOPS Munchkin Market. The Ute Pass MOPS Munchkin Market will be held from April 26-28 at the Woodland Park Community Church, 800 Valley View Drive, Woodland Park. Munchkin Market is a HUGE consignment sale of gently used children’s items with the following types of items: Clothing (sizes 0-junior 16), shoes (infant to juniors), all types of baby gear, strollers, car seats, high chairs, cribs, outdoor play equipment, toys, media, health and safety, accessories, maternity, bedding and more!If you are interested in consigning, we would love for you to join us! You can receive up to 70% of the selling price of your items. Register to consign for the Spring 2018 Sale at http://www.utepassmops.org/
Mining tours. Experience mining old and new this summer and explore gold rush history past and present at the Victor Lowell Thomas Museum. The Museum, which has operated in its current location for over 50 years, will open on a daily basis Saturday, May 26 at 9:30 a.m. The museum will again be hosting tours of the Newmont Mining Corporation’s Cripple Creek & Victor operations near Victor. Modern mine tours will start May 26 leaving from the Museum. Tour experiences will offer the chance to see giant haul trucks, shovels and drill rigs in action in the large surface mine between Victor and Cripple Creek, Colorado. Learn about the modern refining methods while helping to preserve the district’s 1890’s history – all tour proceeds go to the Museum to help offset operations and building renovation costs. This summer the mine tours will be available May 26 through Sept. 3 at10 a.m. and 1 p.m., daily except no tours will be held on Thursdays. In addition, tours are offered Sept. 8 and 9, 15 and 16 at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Check VictorColorado.com for additional tour times and dates during the summer weekends. The cost is $8.50 per person plus a small online booking fee – an affordable way for the entire family to see a real working gold mine. Only children 5 years of age and older are allowed on the tours. Please be sure to reserve your tour dates (June is the slowest and the best time to make a reservation) as they are very popular and fill up quickly. Reservations may be made online at VictorColorado.com or by leaving a message at 719-689-4211 or starting May 26 at 719-689-5509. The maximum on each tour is 13. The best way to reserve a mine tour is online at VictorColorado.com – online reservations receive first priority.
Indoor Winter Farmer’s Market. Scheduled the second Saturday of every month from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Ute Pass Cultural Center in Woodland Park. A wide variety of vegetables, meats, fruits, toys and many miscellaneous items will be showcased. For more information, call 719-689-3133.
A Homeschool Enrichment Academy Open House will be held on Monday, April 23 from 4 to 6:30 p.m. at Summit Elementary School in Divide. Parents will receive information about offerings and programs; observe displays and demonstrations from curriculum representatives; tour classrooms, and meet teachers involved in the programs. Teachers will be available to discuss options with parents. See related story in TMJ News for more information.
Gold Spring Time Bird Walk. Springtime in the Rockies is a great season for bird watching. If you are interested in learning about the birds of southern Teller County, plan on attending a free trail walk and program in Victor on Saturday, April 28. Joe LaFleur, a wildlife biologist, will lead the walk on the Trails of Gold near Victor. Meet at the Victor Lowell Thomas Museum at 8:45 a.m. The walk will take about an hour and is free but is limited to 20 people. Be sure to sign up for this walk ahead of time as it is expected to sell out. Reservations should be made at VictorColorado.com. Be sure to dress for mountain weather.
At 10:15 a.m. LaFleur will make a free audiovisual presentation about local common birds of the spring season. The program will help you identify birds by sight and sound and will also review preferred habitats where each species is likely to be encountered. This event is being presented by the Southern Teller County Focus Group and Victor Lowell Thomas Museum as part of the non-profits’ education programs. For more information and to make reservations visit VictorColorado.com or call 719-689-5509.
Midland Days Symposium. Midland Days at Divide, Inc., along with its partners, the Teller Historic and Environmental Coalition (T.H.E. Coalition) and the Divide Chamber of Commerce, and its sponsors, proudly announces the ninth annualMidland Days symposium to be held at the historic John Wesley Ranch south of Divide on Saturday, May 19, 2018, from 9 am to 4 pm.In addition to a general focus and overview of the Colorado Midland Railway’s route from Colorado Springs to Grand Junction, just to get everyone on the same page, this year’s symposium program will cover the extraordinary story of the life and early demise of this very special railroad in terms of its company structure and operations. The symposium will begin with a social gathering at 9 a.m. followed by introductions and announcements. The agenda
for the day will include presentations (including numerous historical photographs), interviews and conversations between local author and historian, Mel McFarland, and local historians Tom VanWormer, Art Crawford and Dwight Haverkorn (who promises to have yet another railroad crime story). David Martinek, co-founder and president of Midland Days, will moderate the discussions and present, as well. Reservations should be made on or before Monday, May 14 by calling David Martinek at 719-213-9335, emailing your RSVP to MidlandDays@yahoo.com.
Cemetery tours. Step back in time and learn about Victor’s 1890’s cemetery, its resident politicians, and the history that brought them to the gold mining camp. This event is sponsored by the Victor Lowell Thomas Museum and will be held Saturday, May 19 as part of Colorado’s Archaeology and Historic Preservation Month. Local historian Veldean Myers and Alicia Petri will provide insights into the cemetery, its history and some of the residents who made up the human element of the gold rush. The event will be held at the Sunnyside Cemetery which is south of town on Seventh Street. Meet just outside the gate in Pauper’s Field by 10 a.m. Cemetery tours will be offered all summer long as well on the second and fourth Saturdays of the month. See VictorColorado.com for more info.At 12:30 p.m. the Southern Teller County Focus Group will provide a tour of the historic Ajax Mine on Battle Mountain. See VictorColorado.com for more information on that tour.For more information, visit VictorColorado.com, email museum@victorcolorado.com or call 719-689-5509.
