Usually, skiers can’t wait for the first turns of the season; lift lines are long and stoke is high. But for a growing number of snow sliders in the Roaring Fork and Colorado River valleys, it’s not the downhill that has them chomping at the bit — it’s the climb.
Uphill skiing — also known as skinning or skimo — has shifted from the fringes to the mainstream in the last decade. And on Dec. 18, that uphill enthusiasm will converge again for the kickoff of the Moonlight Race Series at Sunlight Mountain Resort.
The four-part evening skimo series, created and run by Cripple Creek Bike and Backcountry (CCBB), turns five this winter, though, as co-founder Doug Stenclik notes, “We’ve tried a few iterations of this for over a decade. This is actually the 14th season if you count the early days.”
Half-dozen to full-blown
The Moonlight Race Series hasn’t always been a valley-wide get-together on snow. The series began with a handful of early-morning and late-night experiments, long before Sunlight had designated uphill routes or official patrol support.
“In the early days, we had Sunlight’s permission to do this before they had an uphill route or pass,” Stenclik says. “When they launched the uphill pass, we thought it was a good way to bring the community together and raise awareness around the uphill policy.”
Turnout back then was modest.
“We’d get 12 and that would be a good turnout,” he says. “Sometimes six.”
The race took a couple years off, changed days and formats, and then solidified during the pandemic winter.
Sunlight’s support has grown steadily, along with that of mountain gear brand Dynafit and the uphill community itself. Now, the series regularly draws around 60 skiers on race nights.
Welcoming
Part of the Moonlight Series’ growth comes from its deliberately inclusive format. While the races are timed, Stenclik says they were never meant to be just for elite skimo athletes.
“After the first year, we started doing a recreation element,” he says. “We offer free demos with Dynafit so people can try lighter-weight uphill gear for the first time. We get a lot of juniors and others who’ve never tried uphilling on a light setup.”
The demo gear and the “group skin” have become signature features of the Moonlight Series. Everyone sets off together, creating a rare scene where first-timers and top racers share a start line. The recreational skiers peel off before the summit, unless they’re confident skiing down by headlamp; meanwhile, the competitors charge through the long and short courses.
The long course climbs under the Segundo lift with kick turns and what Stenclik calls “a pretty heinous bootpack,” then descends and climbs back up Sunlight’s main uphill route, with a short diversion into the trees. The short course completes only the initial climb under Segundo. Reflectors mark the route, and the layout stays the same all season so racers can track their progress.
Who shows up?
Participants come from Glenwood Springs, Carbondale, the mid-valley, as well as a steady contingent from the Vail Valley and Aspen. Stenclik estimates turnout grows around 15% each year.
The vibe is ultimately what defines the series, he says. Ski touring is often a solitary pursuit — early mornings, cold headlamp starts, long solo climbs. Solidarity is part of the Moonlight Series’ appeal.
“It’s pretty rare to have 70 people together who all ski tour in one place,” Stenclik says. “It’s the only way to bring the community together.”
And it wouldn’t be skiing without the option to apres. On race nights, Todd’s Tavern — Sunlight’s singular bar — stays open late and offers employee pricing on beer for participants.
The Moonlight Series dovetails with two other valley skimo institutions: the Heathen Challenge, held on Sunlight’s terrain and one of the longest-running skimo races in the country, and the Power of Four in Aspen.
“I always say the Moonlights are the prep for the Heathen, which is the prep for the Power of Four,” Stenclik says.
Race details
The Moonlight Race Series takes place at Sunlight Mountain Resort every third Thursday at 6pm: Dec. 18, Jan. 15, Feb. 19 and March 19.
Participants can sign up for single events or purchase a discounted four-race bundle.
Registration, pricing and full details are available at www.tinyurl.com/MoonlightatSunlight
As always, Sunlight will make the call on conditions. “We just have to hope for a lot more snow in the next two weeks,” Stenclik says. Alternative routes exist if needed.