--- title: "Birkie West" date: 2026-10-27 featured_image: "https://www.birkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/snow-mountain-ranch-ski-trail-5.webp" --- # Birkie West [Registration Opens Tuesday, Nov 3!](#registration) ![Snow mountain ranch ski trail](https://www.birkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/snow-mountain-ranch-ski-trail-4-700x467.webp) ### Birkie Cross-Country Ski Races in the Mountains of Colorado! Join us at Snow Mountain Ranch in Granby, CO for a new race experience brought to you by the YMCA of the Rockies, Snø Racing and the Birkie! Hit the trails to bring our Northwoods Birkie events and traditions out west to the Rocky Mountains! Members of the Snø Racing team will be attending the event along with top regional racers. **Cash prize purse for 1st-3rd overall men and women!** #### **2027 Birkie West Events** ![Birkie west 42k freestyle](https://www.birkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/birkie-west-42k-freestyle-700x746.webp)42K Freestyle ![Birkie west freestyle](https://www.birkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/birkie-west-freestyle-700x746.webp)21K Freestyle ![Junior west](https://www.birkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/junior-west-700x746.webp)Jr Birkie West 6K & 4K ![Barne west](https://www.birkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/barne-west-700x746.webp)BarneBirkie West 2K & 1K For those who would like to complete a classic race in the Fraser Valley the same weekend, Devils Thumb Ranch will be having their annual Stagecoach Classic on Sunday, January 24. 30k and 15k distances available. [Learn more and register for that event here](https://skigrandnordic.org/grand-nordic-race-series/). ## Registration ### Birkie West Registration Opens Tuesday, November 3! [Register Here](https://register.birkie.com/?event=0b04c5e8391b35e8cdcb) | | November 3 – November 12 | November 13 – January 23 | |---|---|---| | **Birkie West 42K** | $80 | $110 | | **Birkie West 21K** | $60 | $90 | | **Jr Birkie West** (U12/U14: 4K or U16/U18: 6K) | $25/participant | | **BarneBirkie West** (1K or 2K untimed) | $15/participant | Your 42K/21K race entry also includes an après-race meal with vegetarian options. ### Race Policies & Registration Details All participants in the Birkie West must be 16 years of age by January 22, 2027. Junior Birkie West participants must be between 10 and 17 years of age by 1/21/27. BarneBirkie West participants must be between 2 and 9 years of age by 1/21/27. There are no refunds allowed for any reason including race cancellation. Entry fees are non-transferable between individuals or to future races. Skiers must ski the distance they have registered for. No participant in Birkie West 42K can ski the Birkie West 21K without officially changing their race entry (see below for how to request an Event change). Participants who complete a technique for which they are not registered will not be given a finish time, will not be eligible for awards, and will not be included in the official results. - *To update personal info (email, address, etc) for this event at any time log in to* [*your registration account*](http://manage.birkie.com/)*.* - *To change your event/technique for this event(Deadline Jan 22, 2027):* - *Login to your registration account:* [*Access Your Account*](https://manage.birkie.com/) - *Scroll down to ‘Your Upcoming Events’ and select Birkie West – Colorado* - *Click ‘View Registration’* - *In the bottom right of the screen, select ‘Registration Options’ and then click ‘Switch Categories’* - *Select the new category you would like to change to and then click the green ‘Switch’ button to complete the registration* - *If you’ve already switched your event once, please reach out to registration@birkie.com to complete additional event switches.* - *There is a $15 fee to switch events* ### Registration Refund Protection Protect your registration! **Get reimbursed up to 100%** on your registration if you can’t compete for a number of reasons. Protecht offers refund protection so you can insure your non-refundable registration fee in the case of **injury, illness, or other unexpected events**. Protecht can be purchased during your initial registration or up to five days after registration is completed. [![Protecht logo](https://www.birkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/protecht-logo-700x368.webp)](https://static.sandbox.protecht.com/policy/16f8c5a8-29fd-4fc9-a0d4-54070fbaf937/coverage/1acac8e4a8f44c59803b2eb2a87a0088.pdf)- [View the terms & conditions and conditions of coverage here](https://static.sandbox.protecht.com/policy/16f8c5a8-29fd-4fc9-a0d4-54070fbaf937/coverage/1acac8e4a8f44c59803b2eb2a87a0088.pdf). - [Customer Guide](https://app-na1.hubspotdocuments.com/documents/3283517/view/1054996218?accessId=9652e9) - [Registration Protection FAQs](https://app-na1.hubspotdocuments.com/documents/3283517/view/1054997614?accessId=0e177f) ## Course & Venue Information ### Course Information **To be determined based on snow conditions.** We plan to have accessible yet challenging courses for all distances with a 21km loop for 21km and 42km participants. Adaptive courses will be available as well. We will post more information as we get closer to the event with full course description and map(s). ### Venue Information #### **About YMCA of the Rockies – Snow Mountain Ranch** Bring the family! Make it a getaway! Stretched across a breathtaking 5,100 acres of rolling meadows, aspens, and spruce-filled forests, YMCA of the Rockies – Snow Mountain Ranch pulses with energy and adventure! It is an expansive outdoor playground in the heart of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains. Enjoy affordable lodging and hearty on-site dining, plus a spectacular array of complimentary activities every day. At the Snow Mountain Ranch Nordic Center, world-class terrain meanders through pine forest, wide meadows, and along Pole Creek. Highlights include: - 82.5km Groomed Track & Trail - 40km Pet-Friendly Trails (Both Nordic and Snowshoe Trails) - 5,100 Acres of Mountain Terrain - 40,000 Visitors #### **Getting to the Venue** Snow Mountain Ranch is a two hour drive from Denver International Airport. You can also arrive via bus or Amtrak to Winter Park, Fraser or Granby and catch a shuttle (Home James – https://www.ridehj.com/) to the property. Once you arrive on property you’ll make your way to the Nordic Center/Camper Hub parking area and head west to the Camper Hub to pick up your bib. The start/finish stadium is just to the west of the Camper Hub. More details on race start/finish area will await you at the Camper Hub. #### **Parking** Parking at race venue in Camper Hub/Nordic Center parking lot. Overflow will be directed to parking area and shuttle provided. ## Bib Pickup & Expo ### Bib Pickup Bib pickup will be available at the [Snow Mountain Ranch Camper Hub](https://maps.app.goo.gl/6QTEuX953usG8SSo9) on: - **Thursday, January 21:** 4:00-6:00pm - **Friday, January 22:** 11:00am – 6:00pm - **Saturday, January 23:** 7:00am – 9:30am ### Expo Check back soon for information on the Expo! ## Race Schedule Your 42K/21K race entry includes a post-race meal available starting at 11am on both race days. For our inaugural year all races will be mass starts. **Self-seeding will be in effect at the start line so be on-time and ready if you want a spot on the front line!** ### Friday - 11:00am start: 6K Jr Birkie West U16/U18 Race - 11:15am start: 4K Jr Birkie West U12/U14 Race - TBD: BarneBirkie West 1K/2K Untimed Tour - 1:00pm: Awards Ceremony at the Campers Hub ### Saturday - 10:00am start: 42K Skate - 10:30am start: 21K Skate - 1:30pm: Awards Ceremony at the Campers Hub ## Aid Stations & Cut-Off Times Aid Stations include Start/Finish/Lap area for all races. Additional 2 aid stations on course for 21K and 42K distances. All aid stations will have water, hydration drink, cookies, and energy food (gels, gummies, etc.). All 42K participants will need to complete 21K (first lap) by 12:00pm. ## Spectators ### Join Us to Watch the Racers Take on the Challenge of the Course! The course is accessible and “open” but please respect the racers and do not impede racers on course. Spectating from the start/finish area is a great place to watch the race and cheer racers at the start into the finish or back out on course for their lap(s). We also plan to have spectator “zones” on some of the major climbs to help racers get up the hills! ## Results Results will be accessible and posted to this page after the races. ## Lodging ### Stay at Snow Mountain Ranch Stay in a cozy, private cabin or a spacious lodge room. **Each racer will receive a $25 meal credit when booking lodging at Snow Mountain Ranch for the race.** On-site dining options include an all-you-care-to-eat buffet; a grill with fast, fresh breakfast, lunch and dinner options, and the Nordic Center’s cafe with casual food and warm beverages from 10am-2pm. [Book Your Lodging at Snow Mountain Ranch Now](https://book.onagilysys.com/onecart/wbe/room/2475/YMCARockiesSMR/2026-10-12/2026-10-13/STANDARD/1) ## Training Plans [Volunteer for the Birkie West »](/volunteer/#current-opportunities) [![YMCA of the Rockies](https://www.birkie.com/images/sponsors/standardized/ymca-of-the-rockies.jpg?v=14536)](https://www.ymcarockies.org/things-to-do/nordic-center) [![ABSF](https://www.birkie.com/images/sponsors/standardized/absf.jpg?v=14536)](https://www.birkie.com/) Learn more about Birkie partnerships by contacting Jen DeYoung at [Jen.DeYoung@birkie.com](mailto:jen.deyoung@birkie.com).