Estes Park to add ‘Skijor’ event in January

ESTES PARK — As part of its continuing efforts to boost tourism in non-summer months, Visit Estes Park will hold its inaugural “Skijor” event Jan. 23-26.

The competition is a meld of skiing and horsemanship in a unique event in which skiers are towed at high speeds by horse-and-rider teams, navigating a challenging snow-covered course filled with gates, jumps and obstacles. The sport, which means “ski driving” in Norwegian, originated as a mode of winter travel and has evolved into a competitive event.

Estes Park has a longstanding connection to skiing through Hidden Valley, a ski area that operated until the 1980s in Rocky Mountain National Park. Hidden Valley continues to inspire winter sports enthusiasts through backcountry skiing, snowshoeing and sledding, keeping the town’s skiing legacy alive.

The Estes Park Skijor, to be held at the town’s events complex on Community Drive, will feature high-speed races for cash rewards and prizes plus other activities from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. each day. A “warming hut expo” hosted by the Estes Park Mountain Shop will include local vendors and the event streamed on a big screen. A food truck row will feature dining options and local craft brews, and a dedicated space for children will include a strider course, mini golf, coloring stations and more.

More information and advance ticket sales are on the Estes Park Skijor event, and special accommodation packages are available at visitestespark.com/events-calendar/estes-park-skijor. 

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