The Bristlecone Birkebeiner is a multisport winter event at the Ward Mountain Recreation Area, North Trailhead held on January 13th. It is one of the many events for Ely's Fire and Ice Festival weekend! Event options are cross-country ski, snowshoe, and fat tire bike!

Weather is unpredictable in Ely. Sometimes there is enough snow, sometimes there is barely enough snow, or sometimes there is none! If there isn't enough snow, there will be a long and short course trail run, a mountain/fat bike event, a kids trail run, and a kids mountain bike event.

The long course x-country ski/trail run will traverse the Birkebeiner Loop (D Loop). The short course x-country ski/snowshoe/trail run/kids mountain bike ride follow the Shelter Connector Trail to the Birkebeiner Loop. The kids ski/trail run is an out-and-back on the Shelter Connector Trail. And lastly, the Fat Tire Bike course is a loop using the Birkebeiner, Atta Boy, and Revenue Trails.

Schedule of Events:

8:00AM - Long course cross-country ski ($40)

8:10AM - Short course cross -country ski ($30)

8:30AM - Fat tire bike ($40)

8:35AM - Snowshoe ($30)

9:30AM - Kids cross-country ski ($15)

Not-enough-snow Schedule of Events:

8:00AM - Adult mountain bike/fat tire ($40)

8:05AM - Long course trail run ($40)

8:10AM - Short course trail run ($30)

9:30AM - Kids mountain bike ($15)

9:35AM - Kids trail run ($15)

Decision of snow or not-enough-snow events may be made the evening before the event!

We work closely with the Bureau of Land Managment for trail grooming before the event; however sometimes weather conditions do not allow for optimal grooming conditions.

Date: January 13, 2024

Time: 8:00 am

Location: Ward Mountain Recreation Area Highway 6 - North Trailhead

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