Party: The Annual Offering to the Snow God, Friday in Red Lodge

If you are not a skier or snowboarder, you may have never heard the name Ullr (pronounced Oool-er or Ooo-lar). He's reputed to be the Norse god of snow. That's not exactly true, according to a great article from Canada's Whistler ski resort. According to legend, Ullr was not a god at all, but he did like to ski and hunt. Regardless of the accuracy of his pursuits, his legend lives on at ski resorts around the nation, including up in Red Lodge.

Ullr Fest is Friday, January 14th at Red Lodge Ales.

Part of Ullr's deal is that he likes to be appeased with offerings that usually include fire, food, and beer. I can't think of a better location for the Ullr Fest than Red Lodge Ales, where they'll be lighting a giant bonfire of dead Christmas trees on the outskirts of their property. If your tree is still dropping needles on the back porch, you can bring it to toss on the pile. Drop trees off this week or you can bring it the day off. They light the fire at 6 pm and the party runs till about 9 pm.

Take a sick day and head to RL on Friday.

You deserve to play hookey. Make a day out of it by participating in the Red Lodge Mountain Town Series competition. It's for local amateurs of all skill levels and sounds like a lot of fun. At the end of the day, head down the hill for some great grub, cold (or warm) beverages, and the biggest bonfire in Carbon County on Friday night.