ASPEN TO MT. CRESTED BUTTE
August 31, 2025
The Grand Traverse Mountain Bike is no ordinary mountain bike race. It is a point-to-point from Aspen to Crested Butte, Colorado. In total, bikers travel 40 miles across the Elk Mountains with over 6,800′ of elevation gain. The course starts with a 3000′ ascent up Aspen Mountain before continuing deep into the Elk Mountains. This mountain bike race is not for the faint of heart.
The Grand Traverse is operated as a fundraising event for Crested Butte Nordic, a 501(c)(3) recreational non-profit organization.
Triple Crown and priority registration opens at midnight on Sunday, November 17th.
General registration for the ski, run, and bike opens at midnight on Sunday, December 1st.
Questions? Contact events@cbnordic.org.
REGISTRATION
Registration for the 2025 Grand Traverse opens on Sunday, December 1st, at midnight. Per our Forest Service permits, the bike is capped at 150 individuals. Historically, it sells out in late winter. Though we will maintain a waitlist, we recommend registering promptly if you wish to race in 2025.
Individuals wishing to enter 2025 Grand Traverse Triple Crown competition may gain guaranteed entry into the Ski event through priority pre-registration beginning November 17, 2024. See the Triple Crown page for more details.
POLICIES, DATES, and DEADLINES
We do not offer race entry refunds or transfers between participants.
We strongly recommend purchasing Racer Protection at registration. Racer Protection covers your registration purchase in the event that you cannot attend the event due to unforeseen circumstances (injury, illness, loss of a job, etc.). You can find more information on Racer Protection on the Run Sign Up registration page.
We will operate a traditional waitlist. As numbers allow, the Race Director will contact waitlisted teams with an event registration link. The waitlist and registration will close about two weeks prior to race day.
THE COURSE
This is a 40-mile point-to-point event. If you preview any part of the course, be prepared for a long day out in the alpine.
MANDATORY GEAR
Bikers are required to carry the following gear:
waterproof windshield with hood
hat or buff
gloves
helmet (must be worn at all times)
The listed gear are the essentials required to race. However, every athlete should exercise their own backcountry sense as to what supplementary gear they may wish to pack.
A Colorado Outdoor Search and Rescue Card (or a current Colorado hunting/fishing license) is required to participate in any Grand Traverse race. You will have to show proof of purchase at bib pick-up. Do this ahead of time and save yourself the headache. This $5 supports Colorado Search and Rescue and offers great protection in the unlikely case of a backcountry rescue.
AID STATIONS & FINISH LINE BAGS
There are three aid stations on the bike course. Drop bags are not permitted, but finish line bags will be transported from Aspen to Mt. Crested Butte.
SHUTTLES
We offer a post-race shuttle from Mt. Crested Butte back to Aspen. Spots are limited. The shuttle leaves Mt. Crested Butte at 5 p.m. We also offer bike transport for dual sport athletes.
Shuttles and bike transportation will be available to book on Run Sign Up at registration.
PRIZE PURSE
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Male and Female Podium Cash Awards:
1st Place - $1,000
2nd Place - $700
3rd Place - $400
Podium winners, age group winners, and randomly selected finishers will receive product awards.
RESULTS
VOLUNTEER
This race takes a village. We rely on our amazing community of volunteers. Volunteer roles will be posted starting December 1st.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
FRIDAY, August 29, 2025
Bib Pick-up, Registration, and Athlete Expo | Crested Butte Nordic Center
1:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 30, 2025
Bib Pick-up | Ajax Park - 1001 S. Ute Ave, Aspen, CO
12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
SUNDAY, AUGUST 31, 2025
Late Bib Pick-up and Drop Bag Collection | Ajax Park - 1001 S. Ute Ave, Aspen, CO
6:00 a.m. - 6:40 a.m.Pre-race Blessing and Final Race Announcements
6:45 a.m. - 6:59 a.m.Bike Race Start
7:00 a.m.Bike Finish Line | Crested Butte Mountain Resort Base
12:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.Podium Ceremony | Crested Butte Mountain Resort Base
3:00 p.m.
IMPORTANT: All information is subject to change. For the safety of racers and volunteers, weather conditions may require a change in the race start time or location, the official course, or race rules – or may lead to cancellation.
ELITE ATHLETE ENTRY
The Grand Traverse will allocate up to 5 competitive entries per gender in the Trail Run and Mountain Bike events to create a competitive field in each event.
Athletes must submit the Summer Grand Traverse Elite Entry Application by Friday, August 15th at 5 p.m. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis (submit your application early). Entries are at the sole discretion of the Race Director, and athletes will be notified of all decisions by Tuesday, August 19th at 5 p.m. Please note that elite athletes will be given an access code to register but will still be charged event entry fees.
FAQs
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No. Race registration is used to pay contractors and support organizations like Crested Butte Nordic, Crested Butte Avalanche Center, Crested Butte Search and Rescue, Gunnison Valley O.H.V Alliance of Trailriders, Central Colorado Mountain Riders, and Western Search and Rescue.
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No. We understand that life happens and things come up that could impact your ability to race with us. We highly recommend purchasing the racer protection which refunds your registration in the event of job loss, COVID, injury, etc. Learn more about racer protection here.
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Yes. The ski gear list can be found here (be sure to read through all five pages). The run requires a waterproof windshield with hood, hat or buff, gloves, and a CORSAR card or current CO hunting or fishing license. The bike requires the same gear as the run and a bike helmet. Every athlete should exercise their own backcountry sense as to what supplementary gear they may wish to pack.
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Yes. A Colorado Outdoor Search and Rescue Card (or a current Colorado hunting/fishing license) is required to participate in any Grand Traverse race. You will have to show proof of purchase at bib pick-up. Do this ahead of time and save yourself the headache. This $5 supports Colorado Search and Rescue and offers great protection in the unlikely case of a backcountry rescue.
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One partner will complete the initial registration and create a team name and password (which will need to be shared with their partner), and the second partner will have until December 15th to complete their half of the registration. Incomplete teams after December 15th will forfeit their entry. If one partner is injured or cannot race, an individual may register a new teammate between December 15th and March 9th. The new teammate must register and pay a 1/2 ski team entry.
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We will operate a traditional waitlist. As numbers allow, the Race Director will waitlisted members in the order they registered. The last day we will pull teams from the waitlist is two weeks before the race itself.
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Yes. The Grand Traverse will allocate up to 5 competitive entries per gender in the Trail Run and Mountain Bike events to create a competitive field in each event. Athletes must submit the Summer Grand Traverse Elite Entry Application by Friday, August 15th at 5 p.m. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis (submit your application early). Entries are at the sole discretion of the Race Director, and athletes will be notified of all decisions by Tuesday, August 19th at 5 p.m.
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Yes, but we do expect our racers to have a good understanding of the route because portions of the course will be done in the dark, and trail markings are hard to see. You can access course maps and descriptions on our website and in the racer manual.
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Please see the racer manuals for full descriptions of aid locations and details.
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No. If you own your own Garmin/Spot device you can share your details with your family and friends. We do not offer live tracking at this time.
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Yes. Each of the three races has different cut-off times and locations. Please see the racer manuals for more details.
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Yes. Shuttles will be available for purchase during registration. The following shuttles are offered (registration cost varies on the contractor providing the service):
GT Ski- Aspen → CB
GT Run- Aspen → CB
Dual Sport Bike Transport - CB→ Aspen
GT Bike- CB→ Aspen
