Berry Picker Trail Run set for July 29

The Vail Recreation District on Thursday issued the following press release on the upcoming Berry Picker Trail Run:

Get ready for a challenge as the Vail Recreation District trail running season continues on July 29 at 8 a.m. with the Dynafit Berry Picker Trail Run, taking place on Vail Mountain. Sign up now at vailrec.com and join us for the fifth event in the 2023 Dynafit Vail Trail Running Series!

Beginning at the base of Gondola One in Vail Village, the Berry Picker race tests runners of all abilities on both single-track and double-track terrain over 4.6 miles of uphill running with an average grade of 14 percent. There will be one aid station on the course near mile marker two. Competitors will ascend Berry Picker and take a sharp left towards the top onto Lower Fireweed, and traverse to the east toward Mid-Vail. Racers will then exit Lower Fireweed onto the Mountain Access Road and finish at Mid-Vail, at the top of Gondola One. Want to see the course? View a course map here.

Runners can pick up race bibs or register in person on Friday, July 28 from 4 to 6 p.m. at West Vail Liquor Mart. Online registration ends at 3 p.m. on Friday, July 28. Race day registration and bib pickup will take place next to Gondola One from 6:45 to 7:45 a.m.

Racers can park for free in the Vail Village parking structure. Gondola One will run from 8 to 8:30 a.m. on race day to allow spectators to catch a ride to the Mid-Vail finish line. Spectators must pick up a free gondola voucher at the race registration table. Dogs and bikes are not allowed. Gondola One will stop running at 8:30 a.m. and will open back up to the public at 9:30 a.m., when cost to ride will be $55.

After crossing the finish line, participants can pick up their custom race T-shirt and a well-deserved, delicious Northside Kitchen donut! The awards ceremony will take place at Mid-Vail with recognition of top participants in each age division once the majority of the racers have finished. Every runner is entered to win great prizes from our sponsors; the drawing takes place following awards. Gondola One starts running again at 9:30 a.m. to take people down the mountain. Participants and spectators can also stick around Mid-Vail and grab a beer, coffee or a bite to eat at The Coop starting around 9 a.m.

REGISTER EARLY & SAVE!

Visit www.vailrec.com/register and save on individual races by registering before 

race week. Participants do not need to be registered for the series to participate in individual races.

Individual race cost is $38 preregistered, $45 week-of and $55 day-of. Student rates are $25 preregistered, $30 week-of and $37 day-of. 5K rates are $30 preregistered, $36 week-of and $45 day-of.

Race details are available at www.vailrec.com. For more information or to become a race series sponsor or a race volunteer, contact the VRD Sports Department at 970-479-2280 or email sports@vailrec.com.

Thank you to our great sponsors for making these events possible! Our title sponsor for the 2023 Vail Recreation District Vail Trail Running Series is Dynafit. Presenting sponsors include Elevated Dental, Eagle Outside, Boneyard, Bloch & Chapleau Attorneys at Law, Howard Head Sports Medicine, Town of Minturn, Vail’s Mountain Haus and The Steadman Clinic.

Partners also include Beaver Creek Resort, Central Rockies Mortgage, New Belgium Brewing, Vail Mountain Coffee and Tea, Northside Coffee and Kitchen, Skratch Labs, Jaunt Media, Lululemon, Optic Nerve, West Vail Liquor Mart, Vail Resorts, FirstBank, YETI and Vail Honeywagon.