Mountain Almanac for the Week of February 18

Tuesday, Feb. 18

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.

The Green Mountain Falls Board of Trustees will hold a workshop on Feb. 18 at 6 p.m. to discuss their goals and objectives for 2025.

Wednesday Feb. 19

Wellness Walk. Scheduled for Feb. 19 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.

The Cripple Creek City Council will meet on Feb. 19 at 5:30 p.m. in the CC Council Chambers.  The meeting is available in-person and on Zoom.

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.

Thursday, Feb. 20

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. 20 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.

Friday, Feb. 21

Love Stories, Butte Theater-style. The community season at the Butte Theater features its next series of shows, which include Love Stories: 2 One Act Romantic Comedies. This series continues until 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.

Saturday, Feb. 22

Final weekend for Ice Fest. The Cripple Creek Ice Festival, one of the town’s most popular events, which kicked off on Feb. 15, continues through Feb. 23. The organizers of the Cripple Creek Ice Festival have announced the final details for the festival.  The head-to-head carving challenges  occurs on Saturday at noon, 1:30 and 3 p.m.  Carvers will compete in a stadium setting for a $1,000 cash prize during the weekends of the festival.  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 only take place on the weekends of the festival, 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. 18th for ice delivery.

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 Open House. The Cripple Creek & Victor Gold Mine (CC&V) will be holding a community meeting on Thursday, Feb. 27 at 5 p.m. at the Aspen Mine Center (166 E. Bennett Avenue) in Cripple Creek. This event is an opportunity to connect with our Sustainability and External Relations team, learn more about our operations, and engage in meaningful conversations. We believe that open communication is essential to building a strong and collaborative community. Our goal for this event is not only to share updates but also to listen to your concerns, address your questions, and gather your valuable feedback. We appreciate your participation and look forward to connecting with you. For more information, contact Katie Blake Sustainability & External Relations Manager Katie.Blake@Newmont.com ; Kaitlyn Ragsdale External Relations Supervisor Kaitlyn.Ragsdale@Newmont.com

Shining Mountain Winter Activities.  Even though the Shining Mountain golf course in Woodland Park is closed for the winter season, the spacious bar and event center is open for a variety of events on Mondays and Wednesdays, featuring line-dancing and cornball competitions.  The bar will be open these nights, starting at about 6 p.m. The SM facility also is the host location for monthly Ute Pass Kiwanis Bingo nights. Drink specials are available.  More special nights may be available in the future. For more information, call 719-687-7587.

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