Aspen Snowmass announces bike park expansion
This summer, the Snowmass Bike Park enters the second year of its multi-year trail expansion project. Combining machine and hand built sections, a new advanced hybrid trail will start from the top of the Elk Camp chairlift and descend 4.8 miles to the gondola mid-station, opening in phases. The upper section, called French Press, will open in mid-summer, and the lower portion, yet to be named, will debut in late fall when complete.
Expert riders will look forward to a new .7 mile long flow trail on the lower section of the mountain spurring off of the beloved Valhalla trail. Opening is slated for late summer. Valhalla will also see a refresh. Snowmass Bike Park kicks-off the Summer 2018 season Friday, June 22.
Demo Days
Snowmass Demo Days returns Jun. 23-24 for a two-day sponsored bike event in Snowmass Base Village. Bike enthusiasts are encouraged to come out and demo the latest bike equipment provided by featured exhibitors. Demo mountain bikes, road bikes, downhill bikes, fat bikes, or try the latest in components and equipment on the Snowmass Bike Park trails, the over 50 miles of cross country trails, or the paths connecting to Aspen and the Rio Grande trail.
Snowmass Bonus Bike Nights with New Enduro Races
In conjunction with the Farm to Table Dinners at Elk Camp restaurant, the Snowmass Bike Park will extend the park hours to stay open until dusk every Tuesday from Jul. 10-Aug. 21. Riders can purchase a late arrival ticket for just $29, valid 2 p.m. until dusk. In addition, riders can also participate in a new Enduro race series on select Snowmass Bonus Bike Nights. The series will take place Jul. 24, Aug. 7, and Aug. 21 with amateur racers testing their times on different trails in the Bike Park throughout the evening. The races will be geared toward the local gravity bikin community, and will feature advanced trails like Animal Crackers, French Press and KAR/Luge. More details including rules, timing and prizes to be announced soon.
Passholder Preview Week
Owners of a 2017-18 Aspen Snowmass Winter Ski Pass have the opportunity to ride for free at the Snowmass Bike Park for Passholder Preview Week, June 22-28. 2017-18 Winter Passholders will receive one free Snowmass Bike Park lift ticket, 50% off downhill bike rentals at Four Mountain Sports, and $10 off park ready downhill clinic, along with one free daily admission to the NEW Lost Forest, and 50% off Canopy Run Zipline Tour.
Audi Power of Four Triple Crown
The Power of Four Triple Crown prize package will be awarded to the athletes who compete in all three Power of Four races (Ski Mountaineering, Trail Run and Mountain Bike). Athletes must finish the full course in all three races to be eligible for the Triple Crown prize with the winner awarded to the top three combined finishing times for each race within the calendar year. A total prize purse of $5,000 will be divvied amongst the top three men and women finishers. The top three winners for both men and women will be awarded the following: first place, $1,500, second place, $700, third place, $300.
Big Mountain Enduro Finals
Aspen Snowmass will host the Big Mountain Enduro (BME) Mountain Bike Finals Aug. 4-5, 2018. The two-day event will blend high altitude riding mixed with some of the biggest descents and best riding in the area. The field of competitors is expected to have many professional racers and the competition course will see new trail integrations including last year’s Enduro World Series (EWS) round on the new Animal Crackers trail. The combination of the Aspen Mountain and Snowmass Bike Park terrain and the surrounding trails within the valley, offer some of the most diverse mountain biking in the country.
Aspen Mountain and the Snowmass Bike Park are the only lift-served biking in the U.S. that can take riders on 4,000-foot descents, beginning above tree line and ending in the high mountain desert. Riders will see six stages over 15,000 feet of descent and 1,500 feet of climbing, with both lift-served and backcountry access to start lines across a wide variety of raw terrain. As a bonus, BME Aspen Snowmass will also be part of the EWS Continental Series, meaning the race will also count toward Enduro World Series qualification and global rankings.
For more information on trails in the Snowmass Bike Park visit www.aspensnowmass.com.
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