Aspen Power of Four mountain bike race canceled due to rain
Aspen Skiing Co. announced Friday evening that it had to cancel the Power of Four mountain-bike race, scheduled to take place today, due to inclement weather.
Skico spokesman Jeff Hanle sent out a statement saying that deteriorating and muddy trail conditions as well as risk of damage to the trail necessitated the cancellation. It has been raining consistently in Aspen since Wednesday night.
“While we regret having to make this decision, it is the prudent action for the safety of the racers and preservation of the trails,” the statement said. “The Power of Four Trail Vertical K will take place as scheduled (today). At this time, the Power of Four Trail Run will take place as scheduled on Sunday.”
The mountain bike race is a 33-mile point-to-point race combining single- and double-track trails across the four ski mountains — Aspen, Snowmass, Aspen Highlands and Buttermilk. It features 8,389 feet of vertical gain and 8,897 of vertical loss before ending at the base of Aspen Mountain.
The Vertical K trail race is a running course that covers 3 miles of terrain with an elevation gain of 3,267 feet, while the Power of Four Trail Race’s signature race is a 50k ultra run covering all four ski areas and a 12,178-foot elevation gain and 11,632 feet of elevation loss over 31 miles, ending in the Snowmass Base Village.
There’s also a 25k race along the Government Trail that covers Buttermilk and Snowmass, and a 10k, which is new this year, that starts at Elk Camp restaurant and finishes in Snowmass Base Village. The 10k, 25k and 50k are scheduled to take place Sunday.
For more information, visit http://www.aspen snowmass.com.
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