Aspen Snowmass To Host Audi Power Of Four Ski Mountaineering Race On Saturday 2 March, For Ninth Year In A Row.

One of North America’s leading uphilling destinations, Aspen Snowmass is scheduled to host the Audi Power of Four Ski Mountaineering Race on Saturday 2 March, for the ninth year in a row.

Unlike many other ski resorts around the world that see uphilling as a controversial trend, The Aspen Skiing Company not only allows uphill traffic at its four mountains, but also encourages it, with designated uphill trails and dedicated private lessons. Skinners are permitted to go uphill during operating hours on both Buttermilk and Snowmass, and on Aspen mountain and Highlands, they’re permitted to uphill ski before and after operating hours. From January – April each year, The Cliffhouse Restaurant located at the top of Buttermilk hosts the Morning Uphill Breakfast Club, for uphill skiers to enjoy after hiking up the mountain early morning.

The Audi Power of Four Ski Mountaineering Race is the winter edition of the Power of Four series that includes both a bike and run race in the summer. The ski mountaineering event tests athlete’s endurance as they race in teams of two across all four area mountains on a grueling course that covers 24 miles and more than 10,000 feet of vertical climb. Teams start in Snowmass Village at 6am, traverse to West Buttermilk, skin up Aspen Highlands – including Highland Bowl – ski down the backside of Aspen Highlands along the Congo Trail, skin up Midnight Mine Road and proceed to ski down the front side of Aspen Mountain to complete the race in Gondola Plaza.

New this year, The Power of Four will play host to the National Championships for both the team and vertical disciplines. The new Vertical Race will take place on Sunday 3 March on Aspen Mountain, with a 7am start at the base of the mountain, seeing racers skin roughly 2,000 feet to the finish line.

For athletes not quite ready to take on the full course, participants have the option to race the Power of Two that covers the last two mountains of the full route: Aspen Highlands and Aspen Mountain. The Power of Two begins at 8am and follows the same track as the second half of the full race. It takes athletes up the famed Highland Bowl, down the Congo Trail, one of the most technical portions of the course, up Midnight Mine road, and down Aspen Mountain.

Categories for the Power of Four Ski Mountaineering Race are broken into male, female, coed, and vet. Prizing for the race consists of a $5,000 cash purse divvied out amongst the top three men’s and women’s teams that complete the full Power of Four course. Entry includes an exclusive Helly Hansen gift, post-race party, awards ceremony, chip timing with results at the finish line and a custom finisher gift.

Power of Four racers will have the opportunity to compete for the Power of Four Triple Crown prize package which will be awarded to the athletes who compete in all three Power of Four races (Ski Mountaineering, Trail Run and Mountain Bike). Athletes must finish the full course in all three races to be eligible for the Triple Crown prize, with the winner awarded to the top three combined finishing times for each race within calendar year. A total prize purse of $5,000 will be divvied amongst the top three men and women finishers. The top three winners for both men and women will be awarded the following: first place, $1,500, second place, $700, third place, $300.