Winter Races in Leadville, Colorado

This winter, race to Leadville, Colorado, to test your mettle in a wide array of winter sports! When the snow flies, you can zip through backcountry alpine touring, fat bike, mushing, and Nordic ski races. Come for the Twin Lakes Ice Fishing Derby and Leadville’s famed Ski Joring and Crystal Carnival Weekend!

The nation’s highest-elevation city, Leadville is a top spot for winter races. No matter what your favorite sport is, we have an event for you.

Backcountry Alpine Touring

April 6 – Father Dyer Postal Route Backcountry Ski Race
Tackle the highest-elevation backcountry ski race in North America! Climb three peaks over 12,000′, including Centennial 13er Dyer Mountain (13,855’), and ski three demanding backcountry lines.

Fat Bike

Feb. 9 – Winter Mountain Bike Series – WinterBike @ Copper Mountain
A night ride at nearby Copper Mountain!

March 2 – Winter Mountain Bike Series – Mineral Belt Mayhem
Ride Leadville’s famed Mineral Belt Trail at night!

March 16 – Winter Mountain Bike Series – Fatty Paddy 50k
Enjoy a day exploring Leadville’s East Side Mining District, full of historical mining sites and jaw-dropping mountain views.

April 20 – Winter Mountain Bike Series – East Side Epic
A chance to roll through Leadville’s historic and scenic East Side Mining District.

Ice Fishing

Feb. 9-10 – Ice Fishing Derby at Twin Lakes
Last year, more than 200 people joined the region’s longest competitive ice-fishing derby! Spend two days ice fishing at scenic Twin Lakes, and you could bring home your biggest fish (and fish tales) ever, plus competition prizes, bucket prizes, and raffles.

Mushing / Dog Sledding & Dog Ski Joring

Feb. 2-3 – Mt. Massive Mush 1
Dog sled or dog skijor one- to eight-mile courses on soft rolling terrain with astounding mountain views.

Feb. 23-24 – Mt. Massive Mush II
Dog sled or dog skijor one- to eight-mile courses on soft rolling terrain with astounding mountain views.

March 2 – Shelter Dog Shuffle & SkiJor Race
Walk, run, snowshoe, or ski with your pooch! Pups don’t have to be shelter dogs to participate.

Nordic Ski

Feb. 16 – Leadville Loppet
Tour Leadville’s famed Mineral Belt Trail while it’s groomed for winter! This is a fun day of freestyle (skate) or classic skiing in 10k, 22k, and 44k races, a 5K Costume Party Fun Race/Tour, and a chance to qualify for the American Birkebeiner.

March 1 – Harrison Nordic Knockout Sprints
Ski Leadville’s main street at night, before the ski joring horses do.

March 3 – Leadville Nordic Paintball Biathlon
Nordic skiing plus paintball at Tennessee Pass Nordic Center.

Skiing

Feb. 3, March 24, and March 30 – Cooper Cup
Win a medal for your best time in the Cooper Cup Alpine Ski Race Series, a public race at Ski Cooper open to alpine skiers, telemark skiers, and snowboarders of all ages. Register on race day between 9 and 11 a.m.; timed runs start at noon, and awards parties follow each race. Like everything at Ski Cooper, it’s affordable–only $5 for kids to age 14 and $10 for ages 15 and up.

Ski Joring

March 1-3 – Leadville Ski Joring & Crystal Carnival Weekend
Okay, so you need a lot of experience to enter this one, but everyone can catch a thrill just from watching horses thunder down Leadville’s snowpacked main street, pulling skiers over jumps. In this timed competition, skiers must spear rings with one arm, while holding onto a rope attached to a horse galloping up to 40 miles per hour. Whew! Be sure to check out the many other races and activities on this special weekend devoted to winter sports!