Live music at the Vilar, Snow Cabanas, Kids Adventure Zones, Nordic and Skimo races and more: Tricia’s Weekend Picks 2/19/21

The Residency features Martin Sexton at Vilar

Martin Sexton returns to the Vilar Performing Arts Center as part of the new concert series called The Residency. Sexton will play multiple shows on Saturday and Sunday to a limited-capacity audience in the theater, which is situated under the ice rink at Beaver Creek Village.

Sexton is no stranger to the Vilar Performing Arts Center and made a stop here last year. He’s played big venues like The Fillmore and Carnegie Hall but the Syracuse, NY native never forgets his roots and his days playing in the streets and subway stations of Boston back in the 1990s.

Sexton will be playing songs from his ninth studio album and he spans the genres of rock, folk soul, Americana and R&B. Sexton will play four shows over the weekend:

• Saturday – 5 and 8 p.m.
• Sunday – 5 and 8 p.m.
• Livestream available during the 5 p.m. show on Sunday

A select number of premium tickets will be sold to the intimate performances and, for those who are not ready for the in-person experience the Vilar will offer other ways to enjoy these via streaming and other video offerings. The 5 p.m. show will be streamed for free on Fans.live. For ticket information and details on how to view the show online, visit vilarpac.org.

Snow Cabanas

If you’ve been over to Golden Peak lately, you’ve probably noticed a few new dome-like structures just outside of Larkspur Restaurant and Market. These four structures are the brand new Snow Cabanas courtesy of Gravity Haus Vail.

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Gravity Haus took over the former Vail Mountain Lodge and Spa in Vail Village and provides its members with all sorts of member amenities and discounts.

The Snow Cabanas are meant to be your “base camp” during your day on the hill. Each Snow Cabana is furnished in a cozy manner with comfortable couches and pillows, heaters, Wi-Fi, a large window to see the activities at the base area and all your dining needs will be taken care of by the Larkspur staff, which serves breakfast, lunch and après ski right to your cabana.

The Snow Cabanas can seat up to six people but your guests can come and go as they wish. If some want to head out early, your cabana rental starts at 8:30 a.m., so they can catch first chair. If there’s a conference call scheduled at noon, head back to the base and do some work while the rest of your party explores Vail Mountain. Then hop back on the Riva Bahn Express (No. 6) and come back down at the end of the day. Crank up the tunes on the Bluetooth speaker and have your own private après ski party for your group. Order everything from a Larkspur menu that you scan on your phone.

The Snow Cabanas are a hot ticket right now, so call and reserve yours in advance. This is a perfect COVID-19 friendly way to have a place to land if you’re cold, need a bite to eat, have a work call or if someone in your party doesn’t ski or snowboard. The Snow Cabanas are so inviting you’ll want to hang out there all day.

For pricing and to reserve your spot, go to snowcabanas.com. To learn more about Gravity Haus and discounts on cabanas for members, go to gravityhaus.com.

Kids Adventure Zones

Skiing and snowboarding offer an adventure for kids, but take note of some of the Kids Adventure Zones on Beaver Creek and Vail Mountain to not only entertain the little ones, but also challenge their skills on the slopes.

There are dozens of Adventure Zones throughout Beaver Creek and Vail Mountain. Some are prominently displayed like Jackrabbit Alley off of the Red Buffalo Express (No. 5) at the top of Beaver Creek or the Magic Forest off of Cubs Way on Vail Mountain, while others require you to go off the beaten path a little, like in the case of Ripparoo’s Retreat skier’s right of the Gold Dust run.

Ripparoo is the mascot for Vail and Beaver Creek Children’s Ski and Snowboard School. Look for its face as the icon on the trail maps at Beaver Creek to indicate a Kids Adventure Zone. On the Vail Mountain trail map, look for the yellow smiley face icon to indicate a Kids Adventure Zone.

These areas are designed to help children build their confidence and take their skills to a whole new level while having fun. And parents, these areas can also be used to bribe the kids: “If you eat all your veggies at lunch, we’ll take another lap on Jack Rabbit Alley.”

One more parental note, make sure you are a good enough skier or snowboarder to handle the twists and turns you may find in some of these Kids Adventure Zones.

Some of the classic places to visit include the Bear Cave and Gold Mine off of Upper Cinch and above Latigo and Gold Dust trails on Beaver Creek Mountain. On Vail Mountain, Chaos Canyon is a fun way to end the day when traveling from Mid Vail to Avanti Express lift (No. 2).

In addition to the Kids Adventure Zones, look for the Ske-cology signs on both mountains. Ske-cology signs are indicated on the trail map with a pine cone icon. Ske-cology educates youth about mountain safety and mountain ecology. Make it a contest to find all the Ske-cology landmarks within a certain area on Vail or Beaver Creek to learn about the ecosystem and wildlife.

The Kids Adventure Zones are an entertaining way to spend the day while your kids are building skills. Pick up a trail map at the base areas where lift tickets are sold or view maps on vail.com and beavercreek.com to plan your next adventure.

Beaver Creek Nordic Race

This winter, Beaver Creek is welcoming you to try different modes of transportation on snow with snowshoe, skimo and Nordic races for all ability levels. The first snowshoe race was Jan. 24 and the first skimo race was Feb. 7. This Sunday marks the first Nordic race of the season.

The Nordic race will take place at Creekside Park with a 10k and a 5k option. Don’t let the word “race” scare you, this event is intended for first timers as well as seasoned pros. It’s all about getting outside and getting your body moving while enjoying the surroundings of Beaver Creek.

Sign up in advance by going to beavercreek.com or by booking directly on Eventbrite and search for Beaver Creek Nordic Series 2021. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, all races will have a capacity of 75 competitors. Bib pick-up will be available between 8:30 and 9:30 a.m. next to Beaver Creek Sports in Beaver Creek Village and the race will start promptly at 10 a.m.

Unfortunately, there will be no post-race party this year due to COVID-19 restrictions, but there will still be awards given to the top man and woman in each age bracket as well as the top overall male and female competitor for the 5k and 10k races. Here’s the schedule for this season’s races:

• Snowshoe Races – Sunday, Feb. 28 and Sunday, March 21 – 10 a.m. start
• Nordic Races – Sunday Feb. 21 and Sunday, March 14 – 10 a.m. start
• Skimo Race – Sunday, March 7 – 6:30 a.m. start

Skimo Race on Meadow Mountain

Speaking of Skimo, there’s another opportunity to test your uphill skills and endurance. After a successful Skimo race at Arowhead Mountain last month, the Vail Recreation District is excited to introduce a new location this year. Meadow Mountain will host the next Skimo Race this Saturday.

The Meadow Mountain Skimo will begin at 8 a.m. with wave start times determined by race categories. The racecourse is still in the works but plan on starting and finishing at the Meadow Mountain ranger station north of Minturn.

The course will consist of a loop that is approximately two-miles and 800 vertical feet of elevation gain. Participants can choose to do one, two or three laps. Each lap will include uphill skinning, downhill skiing and boot-pack hiking. Helmets and metal edges are required for this race. Extra clothing can be stored at a tent near the finish line.

Race registration is available at http://www.vailrec.com/register. Registration is capped at 75 participants per event. Pre-race bib pickup will take place at Cripple Creek Backcountry in Avon on Friday from 4 to 6 p.m. Online registration will close at 9 p.m. on Friday. Race day bib pickup will take place at the Meadow Mountain parking lot beginning at 7 a.m.

Everyone who picks up their bib at Cripple Creek will be entered to win a pair of Dynafit trail running shoes. OutThere USA is giving every registered racer a free buff. Due to COVID-19 safety protocols and public health orders, there will not be an after-party but race prizes will be mailed to category winners. Every participant is eligible to win raffle prizes, which will be pre-drawn and can be picked up at the finish line.

For more information contact the Vail Recreation District Sports Department at 970-479-2280 or email them at sports@vailrec.com.