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The Geiger Counter’s weekend picks

A biker races in the Freeze Fat Bike Race. This year’s race is Saturday, Feb. 19.
Joe Kusumoto/Town of Frisco

Don’t know what to do this weekend? Well, you’ve come to the right place. Pull up a seat to the counter, and I’ll tell you about everything that’s hot and happening.

I recently made a 5.9-mile trek to Uncle Bud’s Hut outside of Leadville. Owned by the 10th Mountain Division Hut Association, it is one of many mountainous outposts that are always entertaining excursions. It was my second time at the hut and probably the seventh or so backcountry hut that I’ve visited.

The weekend getaway was the first my family and friends have done since the coronavirus pandemic began, and it was refreshing to see what was an annual tradition resume again.



Less refreshing was the fact that the trip involves carrying in your own supplies, which I managed to do in just under six hours, and the egress back to the trailhead wasn’t all downhill. Maybe I should make an increased effort to put my Alpine touring gear and skins on more than once a year.

Thankfully, Summit County is paradise for outdoor recreationists, and there’s no shortage of activities for spectators and athletes this weekend. For instance, hockey fans can watch the Pabst Blue Ribbon Colorado Pond Hockey tournament from Friday, Feb. 18, through Sunday, Feb. 20, on Dillon Reservoir. Registration is closed, but a waitlist is available at ColoradoPondHockey.com.



Also Friday is Copper Mountain Resort’s free full moon showshoe tour that begins at 5:30 p.m. in West Village. Free parking is available in West Village after 2 p.m., and rentals can be found at Copper Sports starting at 5 p.m.

Layered clothing and sturdy boots are recommended, and space is limited. Guests can call 970-471-1077 or email copperambassadors@coppercolorado.com to make the required reservation.

Trade those shoes for bikes 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 19, for the fifth annual Frisco Freeze Fat Bike Race. The 14-kilometer course at the Frisco Nordic Center, 616 Recreation Way, is two laps of groomed Nordic trails. Juniors race just one lap.

The race costs $40 for adults and $30 for children 18 and younger. The fee includes a pair of merino wool socks, mug, soup and a beer from Outer Range Brewing Co.

A different sort of race will be held at the Nordic center from Feb. 23-27, when the fourth entry of Up & At ‘Em Series will be held for skate and classic cross-country skiers. The course is still to be announced, but it will be 10 kilometers in length.

Because it’s a solo race logged on the Strava app, participants are free to do the course whenever fits their schedule. New this year is a mass start at 12:30 p.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays for those who want to race with other people. An individual race in the series costs $15 for adults and $10 for those younger than 18.

Visit TownOfFrisco.com to register for either the bike or ski races.

If you’re a skier who prefers to go more vertical, then head over to Copper on Wednesday, Feb. 23. At 6:45 a.m. is the resort’s free, weekly uphill meetup in Center Village.

Jefferson Geiger
What I’m watching

Noodle the pug

The future is hard to predict. It’s probably harder if you’re a 13-year-old pug. Nevertheless, that’s what viral star Noodle does on almost a daily basis — sort of.

His owner Jonathan Graziano wakes the dog and tells folks what they should expect for the day based on Noodle’s mobility. If Noodle stays standing up, it’s a “bones day,” and people should be ambitious in their plans. If he promptly falls back down into his dog bed and shows no interest in being productive, it’s a “no bones day.”

A no bones day isn’t necessarily a bad day, but a sign that maybe you should take it easy. Give yourself some space for self-care and rest up for a bones day where you can give it your all. In the time of the coronavirus pandemic and other stressors, the short videos are funny, heartwarming and motivational.

There was a brief hiatus, but the pair is soon to resume its soothsaying on social media. Now is the time to check what’s in store yourself.

May you have a blessed bones, or no bones, day.


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