Power of Four Ski Mountaineering Race
Holy extreme! This event has participants covering 11,000 vertical feet of climbing and ski descents on Snowmass, Buttermilk, Aspen Highlands, and Aspen Mountain—without ever getting on a bus. Aspen has a lot of extreme events, but this is serious! It’s the first year, so it should be interesting to see how it goes!
The race begins in Snowmass Base Village at 7:15am. How crazy is this course: skin to the top of High Alpine via Sheer Bliss and The Dikes, traverse to Hanging Valley Wall, ski down via Roberto’s and Lower Ladder, traverse from Elk Camp to West Buttermilk through the backcountry. Skin to the top of West Buttermilk and ski to the bottom of Tiehack. From Tiehack, cross the footbridge to the Aspen Recreation Center and head across Maroon Creek Road to the Five Trees chairlift to begin the climb up Aspen Highlands. Racers will go all the way to the 12,300-foot summit of Highland Bowl. Ski down the bowl, then ski through backcountry terrain to Castle Creek Road via the Congo Path. Racers cross Castle Creek Road and begin the final climb of the day up Midnight Mine Road to the Sundeck on top of Aspen Mountain. The final ski would be down Copper Bowl and Little Nell before the race ends in gondola plaza.
Organizers estimate that the fastest racers and teams will complete the course in four to five hours, while the slowest racers would take eight.
“It ties in with the brand,” SkiCo spokesman Jeff Hanle said. “We have four mountains — hit ’em all.”
Registration ends TODAY, click here for more details.
Chris Bove Memorial Uphill Challenge
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Chris Bove Memorial Uphill Challenge (aka the “Buttermilk Uphill”)
The annual events is set for this Saturday too, with racers and hikers of all ages on skis, snowshoes, or other uphilling gear competing in an uphill race and walk-up-a-thon to benefit Challenge Aspen’s local scholarship program and the Children’s Hospital Immunodeficiency Program of Denver.
Less extreme, probably a lot more fun 🙂 Click here to register!