LEADVILLE — The first weekend in March marked the 77th running of the wildly fast and extremely wild Leadville Skijor, a high-octane happening that's the result of pairing cowboy culture with ski culture.
The event, which dates back to 1949, revolves around skiers being towed down the town's main thoroughfare (which is transformed into a snowy obstacle course) at speed while tightly gripping a length of rope that's tied to a sprinting horse.
While staying upright as you "water-ski" over hard packed snow might seem like a challenge enough for this competition, skiers are also tasked with jumping off ramps and collecting rings all while the horseback riders they're partnered with urge their mounts to speeds of 30 to 40 miles per hour.
This year's event saw dozens of skiers enter the competition and drew a crowd of several thousand.
For previous coverage of this event:
- Galloping Through Town: Leadville celebrates 76 years of skijoring
- https://www.koaa.com/news/news5-originals/wild-and-fast-leadville-celebrates-75-years-of-skijoring
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