Aspen Mtn. uphill returns

Aspen will take the high road next weekend.

The 21st annual Aspen Mountain Summer Hill Climb is back again.

The annual fundraiser for the Aspen High School cross country program will return to Ajax on Saturday, Aug. 22.

The race is the first in the Aspen Summer Races, a series organized by cross country coach Chris Keleher.

The summer uphill will start at the base of Aspen Mountain on Summer Road.

The 4.6-mile course will follow Summer Road to the top of Aspen Mountain. The finish is at the Sundeck after a climb of 3,400 vertical feet.

There will be aid stations along the climb, including one at Bonnie’s restaurant.

Entry fee is $20, and it’s tax deductible.

The uphill race is for runners/hikers and mountain bikers.

The mountain bike climb will begin at 8 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 22.

The running/hiking wave will start at 8:15 a.m.

Interested participants can preregister at the Ute Mountaineer until 5 p.m. Friday.

There also will be race-day registration at the gondola plaza, starting at 7 a.m. on Saturday.

The official course records for the Aspen Mountain Hill Climb include a time of 45 minutes, 24 seconds in the running uphill, set by Jeremy Wright in 1998.

The fastest women’s time up Ajax was recorded by 2014 winner Megan Lund (Lizotte). She set the mark of 56:06 in 2003.

The fastest bike time up Aspen Mountain was set by Aspen’s Tom Hayles in 2000 at 51:23.

Barb Baysinger set the fastest women’s bike time at 57:35 in 2000.

The second race in the Aspen Summer Race Series will be the Chuck Severy Memorial 5K cross country race on Saturday, Oct. 10.

For more information, contact Keleher at 970-319-7519.

dstrode@aspentimes.com