Bark your calendars for K-9 Uphill in Aspen

The 20th annual Sun Dog’s K-9 Uphill is set for 10 a.m. April 12 at Buttermilk ski area.

Presented by Hotel Aspen and Molly Gibson Lodge, the annual springtime tradition has drawn up to 300 human participants along with their dogs.

Recreational and competitive divisions will be offered. Post-uphill festivities include a dog-owner costume contest, hot dog barbecue, Erik’s Epic Raffle, awards and a DJ at the base area. Discounted canine-friendly lodging is available through Hotel Aspen and Molly Gibson Lodge.

The course climbs 2,000 vertical feet over 2 miles to the finish-refueling station near the Cliffhouse at the east summit. Dogs need to be leashed and any type of equipment is welcome. The famous “demo dogs,” for those who need a teammate, and demo snowshoes from Kahtoola are available.

Preregister for $30 at http://www.active.com or at the Ute Mountaineer. Day-of-event registration is available from 8:30 to 9:45 a.m. for $35 at the Bumps ticket office. More details and images from past events are available on Sun Dog’s K-9 Uphill page on Facebook and at http://www.sundogathletics.com.

A portion of proceeds will benefit The Friends of the Aspen Animal Shelter.

For more details, contact event director Erik Skarvan at 970-925-1069 or sundog@sopris.net.