Cirque Series Trail Run
Sat, Sep 9
The Cirque Series is redefining what mountain running is all about. Starting from the base of world-famous ski resorts, you’ll rally up windswept ridges and glacial cirques to towering peaks. You will then power down a quad-burning descent and break the tape into a festival of live music, food, drink, and a vendor village.
Arapahoe Basin hosts the sixth of eight unique races in the 2023 series, following the event in Grand Targhee, Wyoming and preceding Engelberg, Switzerland.
The elevation is serious but the mileage is manageable, and the race is as hardcore as you want it to be. Beat the pros down to earn legend status and cash prizes or enjoy the views and let the challenge be its own reward.
Event is capped at 600 participants.
Course Description*
*Potential course. Route may change. No matter what, expect it to be challenging! CLICK HERE for an A-Basin trail map.
The 2023 course begins at 10,780' ft, starting at the base of Arapahoe Basin, Mountain Goat Plaza, head up to the High Noon parking lot, then to last chance. You will cross highway 6, get on the A-Basin summer road. You will follow the summer road up to Black Mountain Lodge. From Black Mountain Lodge you can see the views of the East Wall - some of the coolest terrain at Arapahoe Basin, of which a brand new singletrack hiking trail will be part of the uphill course rounding you near top of Pali lift - eventually taking you all the way out Zuma Cornice. You will then connect back to service road continue to the saddle, crossing over to the top of Montezuma Lift, head out the Lenawee trail. From this view point you can see all the way back into the old town of Montezuma and all the high peaks that surround Arapahoe Basin, taking world class views, as you summit Little Lenawee peak. At the summit you will turn around, head back down. You will head across and hit the Summer road, stride back down. New this year you’ll cruise the high alpine trail “Half Moon Vista” Hike for world-class downhill vibes. Once you see Black Mountain lodge again you will take a right onto world-class singletrack, which is the Argentine North Fork trail, taking cover in the beautiful shaded forest, the Argentine singletrack twists & turns, an adventure in itself, taking you towards bottom of the mountain where you will finish the last mile on a brand new mountain bike singletrack with high walls like a bobsled all the way to the bottom for a finish in Mountain Goat Plaza, where there will be live music and food for all.
**The race course is located on approved established trails in the White River National Forest.
Race Day Timeline
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8:00 a.m.: Registration/Vendor Village Opens
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10:00 a.m.: Race Starts
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1:00 p.m.: Awards
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1:30 p.m.: Live Music
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4:00 p.m.: Vendor Village Closes
