The final, and historically the largest, Winter Trails Day will take place in Rocky Mountain National Park (Colo.), near Estes Park, this Saturday, February 18. This years event is scheduled to be held at the recently renovated Glacier Basin Area in Rocky Mountain National Park from 10 am to 3 pm. This event has traditionally drawn between 1,000 and 1,200 people and is expected to follow suit this weekend.
The Estes Park Chamber of Commerce has played a large role this season in coordinating the program along with REI and snowshoe suppliers Atlas, MSR, Redfeather and Tubbs. The Chamber of Commerce will also be on hand to distribute SNOWSHOE Estes cards (normally purchased for a $5 fee) that will enable the card bearer to receive specials and discounts from participating member organizations in the Estes Valley Area. Winter Trails is dedicated to encouraging those new to snow sports to try snowshoeing and/or cross country skiing FREE as an incentive to getting involved.
The majority of Winter Trails events took place on January 7 at 120 sites in 25 states and four Canadian provinces. Organizers estimate that more than 12,000 attended events this year, doubling last year's total attendance. The international Winter Trails program is coordinated by SnowSports Industries America (SIA) in partnership with the Cross Country Ski Areas Association and the American Hiking Society. Information is available at www.wintertrails.org.
