Cerca Calendar, February 2012

Load up your skis or snowshoes and head out to have some fun in Cerca country.

Monday through Saturday, Elko: 28th annual National Cowboy Gathering. A weeklong celebration of Western life featuring traditional and contemporary arts, poetry, music, film and photography. Exhibits, workshops, film screenings. Western Folklife Center. (775) 738-7508. www.westernfolklife.org.

Friday and Saturday, Big Bear Lake, Calif.: Winterfest 2012. This event features extreme sports, fashion and music. The Village at Big Bear Lake. (800) 424-4232. www.bigbear.com.

Saturday, Death Valley National Park, Calif.: Death Valley Borax Marathon, Half Marathon and 10k. The relatively flat course runs from Furnace Creek Ranch along Highway 190 and into the heart of Death Valley. www.envirosports.com.

Feb. 11, Lake Havasu City, Ariz.: 27th annual Winterfest. A weekend of family fun featuring a giant street fair with merchandise vendors, music and entertainment. Children's activities including pony rides and bounce houses. (928) 855-4115. www.golakehavasu.com.

Feb. 11, Zion National Park, Utah: Native Plant Seed Propagation. This workshop focuses on native plant landscaping from propagating seeds and the care for your new plants in the pot and in the ground. Reservations needed. Zion Canyon Field Institute. (800) 635-3959. www.zionpark.org.

Feb. 16-19, Lake Havasu City, Ariz.: Western Winter Blast. During this annual meeting of the Western Pyrotechnics Association, visitors will be able to watch random launching and detonation of new fireworks, as the "pyros" test various products and show off their newest mixtures. SARA Park. (928) 855-4115. www.westernpyro.org.

Feb. 17-19, Wickenburg, Ariz.: 64th annual Gold Rush Days. Celebrate the town's gold mining origins. One of the highlights is the parade with more than 125 entries, including 1,000 horses, classic auto floats and marching bands. Other activities include carnival, food booths and arts and crafts. (800) 942-5242. www.wickenburgchamber.com.

Feb. 18-19, Camp Verde, Ariz.: Buffalo Soldiers. The Buffalo Soldiers will celebrate African-American Heritage Month with living history demonstrations. Fort Verde State Historic Park. (928) 567-3275. www.pr.state.az.us.

Feb. 18-20, Bryce Canyon, Utah: Bryce Canyon Winter Festival. This annual event features cross-country ski races, an archery clinic and an archery biathlon competition. Snowshoe tours, photography clinics, snow sculpture, children's fun races, entertainment and other activities. Ruby's Inn. (866) 866-6616. www.rubysinn.com.

Feb. 24-26, Carson Valley: Eagles and Agriculture. This three-day event features opportunities to view and photograph birds of prey. Falconing field demonstrations, photography workshops and access to some of the area's working ranches and historic barns. (800) 727-7677. www.visitcarsonvalley.org.

March 2, North Lake Tahoe, Calif.: 31st annual Snowfest. Celebrate winter with on- and off-the-mountain events. The festival includes parades, live music, comedy shows, ski races and a polar bear swim. (530) 583-7167. www.tahoesnowfestival.com.

March 3, Death Valley, Calif.: Spring Death Valley Century, Ultra Century and Double Century. This intense bike race travels from Furnace Creek through the Badwater area and beyond in Death Valley National Park. www.adventurecorps.com.

March 3, Lone Pine, Calif.: Early Opener Trout Derby. Sign-up starts at 6:30 a.m. Fishing continues until the 3:30 p.m. weigh-in. Prizes and cash prizes. Diaz Lake. (760) 876-4444. www.lonepinechamber.org.

March 6, Tahoe City, Calif.: The Great Ski Race. More than 1,000 Nordic ski racers compete on a 30k course from Lake Tahoe to Truckee, Calif. Fundraiser for the Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue Team. (530) 583-5475. www.thegreatskirace.com.