February 3, 2018
The Alley Loop is an event not to be missed! Take Downtown’s main street, Elk Avenue, and transform it into a corduroy track extending to side streets, alleys, footbridges and the hilly outskirts. Throw in hundreds of nordic skiers dressed in some of the wackiest and wildest costumes ever. And you have the Alley Loop!
The Alley Loop is part of the American Ski Marathon Series and an American Birkebeiner qualifying race. The Alley Loop’s one-of-a-kind course starts in downtown Crested Butte, meanders throughout the snow-lined alleys of downtown, over footbridges, alongside residences, and on to the nearby groomed Nordic trails just outside of downtown Crested Butte.
In addition to the fun races for all ages and abilities, the event also features a Friday night pub-ski crawl and an awards ceremony on Saturday with great prizes and a raffle.
WARNING: The Alley Loop is not your typical American Birkebeiner Qualifier. The course starts, finishes, and passes through the heart of downtown Crested Butte winding around on snow covered streets, narrow alleys, and one lane bridges. At any given time, you may be cheered on by an alley party, find yourself surrounded by oompa loompas, or skiing past a train of people connected by a crazy costume. Racers are sometimes forced to make quick passes and depending on their luck, may even get stuck on a bridge for a few seconds. Once you make it through town, you are rewarded by pristine tracks and epic views on the outskirts of Crested Butte. If you like normal, you may want to look for another race. If you are up for anything, this is right up your alley!
For more information on the Alley Loop and a complete schedule of events, visit the Crested Butte Nordic Center website.
