Mountain Almanac for the Week of February 4

Tuesday, Feb. 4

The Green Mountain Falls Board of Trustees will meet on Feb. 4 at 7 p.m. in the  GMF Town Hall.  Prior to the meeting, there will be a meet and greet with the new GMF Town Manager, Caleb Patterson.

Wednesday Feb. 5

Military Appreciation Days at the Wolf and Wildlife Center. We Salute You! Beat the Winter Blues and Do Something Fun. The Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center in Divide (4729 Twin Rocks Road, Divide, Co 80814) is welcoming all branches of the military and their families to visit their center from January now through February 13th for steep discounts tours and gift shop purchases. This offer is available for active members of the military and their family from Tuesday through Friday. Reservations are required and a valid military ID. For more information, call 719-687-9742.

Wellness Walk. Scheduled for Feb. 5  at the Garden of the Gods Visitor Center at 9 a.m. Meet at the upper level and choose a one, two or three-mile hike. Maps are available. Healthy living tips and mindfulness exercises to enhance your walk. Dress for the weather, wear comfortable shoes and bring plenty of water. Free admission.

Ice Castles. The infamous winter attraction has officially opened for the second consecutive year. Tickets are now on sale. The castles have opened for the 2024/2025 season, which will extend until early March. Please go to https://icecastles.com/cripple-creek-colorado to purchase your tickets for this event.  Click on the “Buy Tickets” button to reveal the dates that tickets are available. Click on your desired date to reveal the times that are available for that day.  It is strongly recommended that you purchase tickets online to assure availability. Dates currently posted for booking are the PEAK DATES to make sure you can get your reservations in early.  Cripple Creek is proud to be the Colorado host for Ice Castles again this year.  This is a timed ticketed event, which means only a set number of tickets are sold for each session.  This allows you to know when to arrive and keeps the number of visitors at a manageable level.  Ticket sales are done online and walk-up tickets are typically not available. Ice Castle Hours include Wednesday from 4 to 9 p.m.; Thursdays from 4 to 9 p.m.; Fridays from 3 to 11 p.m.; Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.  The attraction is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Check out Locals Night specials on Wednesdays.  For information and details about parking, visit the city of Cripple Creek’s tourism website.

The Cripple Creek City Council will meet on Feb. 5 at 5:30 p.m. in the CC Council Chambers at city hall. The meeting is available in-person and on Zoom. Visit the city’s municipal website for more details.

Thursday, Feb. 6

TOPS. Takes Off Pounds Sensibly.  Meets every Thursday morning at 9 a.m. in the basement of Church in the Wildwood (10585 Ute Pass Ave.) Green Mountain Falls, CO 80819. Affordable, effective weight-loss.

The Woodland Park City Council will meet on Feb. 6 at 6:30 p.m. in the WP Council Chambers, next to city hall. The meeting is available in-person and on Zoom. Visit the city’s municipal website for more details.

Sunday, Feb. 9

Super Bowl Sunday.  The biggest sports event and football party of the year will be held on Feb. 9, as Super Bowl 59 plays out at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.  This will mark the 11th time New Orleans has hosted the spectacle. A number of local restaurants, casinos, bars and eateries are joining the action with various food/drink specials and festivities.  Don’t miss this week’s edition of TMJ, as we showcase the multi-varied picks of our local celebrities, community stars and so-called pigskin experts, and outline some great places to witness the game; unless of course, you want to fly down to the Big Easy and buy a ticket for $20,000. Kick-off time is slated for 4:30 p.m. Mountain Time.

Upcoming

Best of Cripple Creek, Woodland Park and the Teller High Country.  This annual contest, sponsored by TMJ, the oldest and most competitive “Best Of” showdown in the region, (a competition that had its genesis in 1990) when true bragging rights are declared throughout the land, has officially kicked off and extends until early March. Voting is occurring online at mountainjackpot.com. The competition features more than 70 categories, giving voters a chance to pick their favorites for best casinos, restaurants, bars, live entertainment hubs, top businesses, retail treasures and much more, including championship fights for top burgers, steaks, seafood, pizza, Mexican enticing dishes and margaritas, and picks for top dining and the most festive atmosphere. And let’s not forget the always intense individual competitions for best personalities, bartenders, wait staff, politicians, trouble-makers and rumor mongers, and more. For more information, email us at editor@mountainjackpot.com and stay tuned.  Get those voting fingers in gear.

Community Season at the Butte. The Butte Theater kicked off its 20225 Community Season with a recent performance by RiP Improv, a very talented improv troupe from Denver. The adult-only show received stellar reviews.  Other upcoming performances in the community season include Love Stories: 2 One Act Romantic Comedies, scheduled between Feb. 14 and Feb. 23, with Friday, Saturday and Sunday showings. These feature “The Proposal” by Anton Chekhov and “Welsh Honeymoon” by Jeannette Marks.  And don’t miss The Butler Did It, Again and Cripple Creek’s Got Talent in early spring. For more information, visit the Butte Theater’s website.

Business After Hours. Chamber Business After Hours is Teller County’s largest networking event.  The next  monthly Business After Hours is scheduled for Feb. 18 from 5:30 to 7 p.m., and is hosted by Foxworth Galbraith Lumber Company (300 South Chestnut Street, Woodland Park, CO 80863). It will occur from 5:30 to 7 p.m. All Greater Woodland Park Chamber of Commerce members are encouraged to attend.  Take advantage of this opportunity to network and catch up with your friends, clients and customers, plus meet new members in an informal setting.  Business After Hours is a great way to share information about your business and learn about other members. Fun, food, drinks and door prizes.  Don’t forget your business cards. For more information, call 719-687-9885.

Kids Ministry Fund-raising Opportunity. Adventures with God, a non-profit kids ministry, is looking to take a group of kids on a missions’ trip to the Dream Center LA on March 21st-31st of 2025. This kids’ ministry is devoted to discipling kids and making followers of God by teaching godly character, morals, and leading by example through daily activities. As part of our goal, we’re hoping to take a handful of kids on a missions’ trip to Los Angeles for the Dream Center. We need to raise $10,000 to have everyone be able to go! We already have a donor prepared to match whatever we raise for this trip. At the Dream Center, the kids will have the opportunity to serve the people of LA, help minister to those struggling in a big city, feed people and show love towards everyone they encounter! Our website has donation information, https://awithg.com/signup/donate-spring-trip

Cripple Creek Ice Festival. The organizers of the Cripple Creek Ice Festival are excited to announce that planning is underway for the 2025 Cripple Creek Ice Festival,  which will be held in the winter of 2025 between February 15-23.  The head-to-head carving challenges will also be returning to the event on Saturdays at 12:00, 1:30 and 3:00.  Carvers will compete in a stadium setting for a $1,000 cash prize each weekend.  Carving teams will also be doing their best to win the People’s Choice Award for a huge cash prize.  Plan your visit and cast your vote for the most impressive carving. As always this event is free and open to the general public.  Carvers will be working throughout the event on their sculptures.  Activities, vendors, and head-to-head carving competitions will only take place on the weekends (Feb 15-17 and Feb 22-23) including President’s Day.  The vendor and activities will happen between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., weather permitting. Dress warm and enjoy this incredible event.   Please note that Bennett Avenue will be closed to vehicle AND PEDESTRIAN traffic on Feb 11th and 18th for ice delivery.