Snowmass mulls camping for bike events

Mike Canino
Snowmass Village correspondent
The Aspen Times
April 23, 2008

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SNOWMASS VILLAGE — Could camping be allowed this summer at the Rodeo Lot in Snowmass?

Discussions are under way to permit use of the site, as well as a portion of the Snowmass Village softball field for overflow tent camping as a way of accommodating a pair of mountain biking events in July and August.

This week, sponsorship and event manager for the town’s marketing and special events board, Dave Elken, and town planner Bob Nevins met with the Snowmass Village Town Council to discuss the possibility of making an exception for in-town camping during two mountain bike events this summer.

Although overnight camping is prohibited on town-regulated or town-owned property, Municipal Code Section 8-29 gives the council the right to designate a temporary area where camping may be allowed (as well as provide rules and regulations for participants).

If approved by the council, the camping areas will be limited to 150 parking spaces in the Rodeo Lot along with an additional 20 to 30 tents on the adjacent softball field for both events.

“The people who camp in the biking community are the hard-core racers,” Elken said. “These are the people who generate revenue for the promoters, and if the camping is lost, they may decide to pull out of the event, and that would be lost revenue for both the town and the promoters.”

With the summer season in Snowmass Village comes opportunities to enjoy the outdoors in ways different from the winter months. Last year, mountain bikers flocked from around the globe to participate in the National Mountain Bike Series Championship hosted by the town in August.

This year, two events are tentatively planned for July 11-13 and Aug. 8-10, which include Blast the Mass and the G-3 Gravity Race. This year marks the eighth consecutive time that Snowmass will be hosting Blast the Mass, which typically attracts about 1,000 participants and an additional 500–800 spectators, according to town documents.

“These events provide a great opportunity to showcase the summertime status of the resort,” said Elken. “And since the events will be televised, that gives us a chance to reach up to 9 million homes, which is also a great showcase opportunity.”

The second event, the G-3 Gravity Race, is new to Snowmass, and is expected to attract about 500 riders.

“With a combination of racers, families, team-support and spectators, these are large-number events that generate a great amount of revenue for the town of Snowmass,” Elken said.

In the past, exceptions have been made by council for on-site camping primarily for mountain bike events. The Spider Sabich Race Arena on the Snowmass ski slopes was the site previously designated for camping by bikers, but on-mountain construction projects that will be on-going for the next two summers prevent its use.

“We want, and need to find a temporary solution for this year and next so we can continue to hold these events,” said Nevins.

Elken seemed pleased by the reception from elected officials. “It was nice to see that council understands the value of these events,” he said.