This weekend in the Vail Valley: Check out peeping awesome views, gourmet hikes and a race to Minturn
The fall colors are popping and there are plenty of ways to enjoy the outdoors this weekend
Hike, Wine and Dine
The 16th annual Hike, Wine and Dine returns to the trails of Beaver Creek. This active fundraiser encourages folks to get out on the trail and enjoy the fall scenery of Beaver Creek while also being treated to some nibbles and sips from some of Beaver Creek’s local eateries. You won’t go hungry on this hike, from tuna sashimi and lobster rolls to roasted mushroom ravioli.
Registration starts at 9 a.m. on Sunday. Tickets are $150 for adults and $75 for teens. Those 12 and under are free. Come early and enjoy coffee, breakfast sandwiches, and other goodies before embarking on a moderate, family-friendly 5-mile hike that winds through aspen groves and leads you to more tastings.
Once back at the base of Beaver Creek, enjoy the apr猫s hike party that goes from noon until 3 p.m., so if you can’t make it in the morning and want to join later and support the cause, the ticket price is $50 for food, drinks and live music by Turntable Review ($25 for teens). The apr猫s hike party is already included in your $150/$75 ticket.
The money raised goes toward the Shaw Cancer Center and Jack’s Place, the cancer-caring house that bears the name of Dr. Jack Eck, one of the first doctors in the Vail area.
Beaver Creek will be the place to be this Sunday with the following restaurants and beverage companies participating: Beaver Creek Chophouse, Blue Moose Pizza, Mountain Fish House, Dang Sweets, Grouse Mountain Grill, The Osprey, Park Hyatt Beaver Creek, Rimini Gelato, Stoke & Rye, Vail Mountain Coffee & Tea Co., Vail Brewing Co., Avon Liquor and West Vail Liquor Mart. For more information, visit .
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Cougar Ridge Classic trail run
You hear about people skiing from Vail to Minturn in the winter, but how about running from Vail to Minturn? That’s the idea behind the Cougar Ridge Classic, a new race being put on by the Vail Recreation District this Saturday.
This 26K race will start in Vail Village and take runners up the Cabin Trail, which pretty much follows the Gondola One line to Mid-Vail. From there, the racers will head up Kinnickinnick Trail to Wildwood, which is the highest point on the route. A traverse across Game Creek Bowl will bring runners to the technical, steady descent on the Cougar Ridge Singletrack Trail. Once you hit Minturn’s city limits it’s a short distance to downtown.
The after-party will involve Minturn eateries offering a free lunch, free beer or free non-alcoholic beverage for race participants along with an expo and awards ceremony from 10 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. The race is limited to 175 participants, so go to to get yourself signed up.
Amy Helm performs at Underground Sound in Beaver Creek
Underground Sound is a concert series that brings up-and-coming performers and lesser-known artists to the Vilar Performing Arts Center stage, but sometimes you get a more established artist like Amy Helm. Helm is roots music royalty as the daughter of Levon Helm of The Band and singer/songwriter/actress Libby Titus. To understand where Helm is now as a Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter and instrumentalist, you need to look at her past.
Helm was born in Woodstock, New York, in 1970. After her parents split, Mac Rebennack, better known as “Dr. John,” became her stepfather, and Donald Fagan of Steely Dan is Titus’ husband now. As a child, Amy Helm would sing harmony with Dr. John in clubs in New York City and would share the stage with her father as she got older in the 1990s and 2000s. This lineage led Helm to carry on a blend of gospel, Americana and soul and has earned her Grammy Awards for her singing and instrumental talents.
An individual ticket for the show costs $39.55 or you can still purchase the Underground Sound pass for $125 and that gets you the five remaining concerts and one drink at each concert, plus, it is fully transferable in case you want to share it with others if you can’t make it to each show. There is also a VIP Pass experience if you want more perks. Go to to learn more.
Last weekend for lift service at Vail
Take advantage of lift access this weekend if you want to see the fall colors or hike or utilize the bike haul on Vail Mountain. After Sunday, the lifts will be closed until Vail opens for its 63rd season on Nov. 15.
Gondola One (No. 1) in Vail Village and the Eagle Bahn Gondola (No. 19) will be open this Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. with the last ride down at 4:30 p.m. The ticket office will be open from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. and offers scenic lift ride tickets. Keep in mind that children 5-12 ride free with each paying adult.
If you want to go up either gondola and grab lunch at Mid-Vail Grill or Talon’s Deck, there is a special lift and lunch ticket you can purchase. Bike haul can be added as well, in case you want to save your energy for the trails.
Epic Discovery is open and offers fun for all ages with the Forest Flyer Mountain Coaster, the tubing hill, a smaller tubing hill and a zip line for the younger set. Additional activities include the bungee trampoline, climbing wall and mini golf. Tickets for all Epic Discovery attractions can be purchased at the ticket office at the base.
Keep in mind that the Centennial Express (No. 6) closed on Labor Day, but Beaver Creek does offer mini golf, climbing wall, a bungee trampoline, gem panning and Jeep tours on the mountain.
If you have your Epic Pass for the 2024-2025 season, you can access the gondola for free. Epic Passes are on sale now and the price is going to go up on Oct. 9. For more information, go to .
Bike Scavenger Hunt
Mountain Youth is offering an outing of family fun on the bike on Sunday. The second annual Bike Scavenger Hunt will happen in Eagle from 2-4 p.m. on Sunday and is open to all abilities. Participants will follow clues that lead to various stations around town. At each stop, there will be opportunities to play trivia, learn bike skills and other surprises.
Before the scavenger hunt, there will be a bike maintenance clinic from 1-2. Come by Seagull’s Cycles from 1-2 p.m. and learn tips and tricks on how to keep your bike in top condition.
The second annual Bike Scavenger Hunt is presented by Move Chat Connect, which is an interactive fitness and mindful experience for the whole family. The goal of this program is to increase awareness and access to activities that can improve both our mental and physical health.
“Biking is a big part of the outdoor culture in Eagle County, and this month Mountain Youth wanted to give families the opportunity to learn more about this great way to get outside and provide a pro-social setting for community members to connect with each other and available resources,” said Jo Pennock marketing and events manager for Mountain Youth.
The event is free, but please RSVP by going to .
