Date: July 8, 2026
Location: Base of Highlands- please park at High School
Start Time: 6:00pm
Event Type: Road Race
Note: the route will not go through the Meadowood Community. See the map to show how the course goes around the Aspen Chapel.
Course Description: Both the short and long courses share the first 25 miles. From the start at Aspen Highlands ski area, racers turn left up Maroon Creek Road to the Maroon Bells. You will turn around at the exit to the main parking lot and descend back down past Aspen Highlands. In order to by-pass the roundabout on Highway 82, riders will be routed to Castle Creek via the bike path. You will enter the bike path from Maroon Creek Rd where it intersects with High School Road, after you have passed the Football Field and Bus Parking Lot for the Aspen School district. The bike path is a neutral zone – no racing and no passing! Please use care and ride cautiously through this portion of the route. You may encounter pedestrians on the path. Veer right on the bike path, uphill above the Aspen Chapel to Meadowood Drive. Take a left on Meadowood Drive and follow it to Castle Creek Road and take a right. Once on Castle Creek Road, the neutral section is over and it’s game on with an ascent up to Little Annie Road.
Short Course Finish: The short course will finish at the Little Annie Road (approximately 6.8 miles from the roundabout).
25 miles long and 2,600 vertical.
Long Course Finish: From the short course finish at the Little Annie Road racers will continue up past Ashcroft to the end of the pavement at the top of the Castle Creek Road (approximately 12.9 miles from the roundabout). They will then turn around and ride back down to the finish line at the Little Annie Road.
36 miles and 3,400 vertical.
The 200 meter sign will be displayed at short course finish to give your lead-out man/woman the cue before the finish. Long course racers don’t confuse the 200m sign on the way up with your finish.
Waves / Start Times / Courses:
Wave 1: 6:00 PM – Long Course – Men’s A
Wave 2: 6:05 PM – Long Course – Women’s A, Men’s B
Wave 3: 6:10 PM – Short Course – All other categories
Race Entries: Season registration and race entries close 30 minutes prior to the start of the first race
Warm-Up: Please do not warm up on the race course after 6:00 PM. Be respectful of traffic and property during your warmup. Do not block cars, and do not urinate in public. If caught urinating, you will be disqualified from the evening’s race. Plan accordingly.
Racer Check-In:
- All racers must verbally check-in at each mass start race. Racer check-in will take place from 5:00 PM to 5:45 PM at the start of the race (unless specifically noted otherwise).
- Check-in is not required for time-trial races.
- We will issue your race numbers at your first race. You will keep the same number for the entire season.
Volunteer: To sign up to marshal for this race or any race go to the Marshal Sign-Up
Race Cancellation Policy: Please do not phone or text the race director for race cancellation information. In the event of inclement weather on race day, the Aspen Cycling Club Board of Directors will communicate with the Race Director to determine the Club’s ability to operate a race that is reasonably safe for competitors, and, for mountain bike races, preserves the integrity of local trails. All racers should assume that a final decision will be made at the start line by the race director. However, when possible, the Board of Directors will alert racers of a race cancellation prior to the start by emailing the Club email group, and posting on the website and the ACC Facebook page by 5.00 PM.
Refund Policy: Race entry fees are non-refundable
Categories: Click Here for more information about our race categories