BRECKENRIDGE - Two of Summit County's greatest outdoor passions will once again merge Saturday in Breckenridge as the Imperial Challenge marks the annual transition from winter to spring sports.

Competitors will convene at the Breckenridge Recreation Center by 10 a.m. to begin a biking ascent up County Road 3 (about six miles) to the Base of Peak 8, where they will transition into skis (or snowshoes, or any other means of hiking on snow) for a trek up the Imperial Bowl. From there, it's a mad dash down Whale's Tail, Vertigo and Claimjumper back to the base of Peak 8.

"Ninety percent of the race is about skinning up the hill," said Mark Taylor, who's competed at every Imperial Challenge since the event's inception in the early '90s. "And it's not particularly hard. ... The hardest part is trying to do it quickly."

Endurance/adventure-racing superstar Mike Kloser of Vail, who keeps a busy event schedule, seems to have a special place in his heart for the Challenge.

"It's one of my faves," said Kloser, who's won the event five out of the last seven years. "It's short, fast and intense."

Just how fast Saturday's course rides will be largely dependent on the environmental conditions.

"Eight out of 10 years, we've had bad weather," said Taylor, who helps promote the event for Great Adventure Sports in Breckenridge.

Last year's weather was dry and clear, which made bicycle selection easy.

"Most of the top finishers were on road bikes," Taylor recalled.

It could be a different story on Saturday on account of the banner snow season that swept through Summit.

Kloser said he will likely ride a cross bike instead of a road or mountain bike.

"I think I did it on a mountain bike in the early days," he said. "But then I realized there was no rules to regulate bike use, other than it can't be motorized."

The opening leg of the Challenge could be a bear to many High Country dwellers who haven't been out peddling much lately.

Kloser said that he normally logs a couple thousand miles on the road prior to the Imperial Challenge, but this year, "I'd be surprised if I've even got 1,000 miles in my legs."

If Kloser is to claim a sixth title, he will likely have to find a way to dispatch reigning champion Jay Henry.

Henry, who finished more than four minutes ahead of Kloser at last year's race (in a time of 1 hour, 22 minutes, 4 seconds), is also a frequent teammate of Kloser's at various adventure races. In late March, the Eagle County duo won the Elk Mountains Grand Traverse - a 40-mile backcountry skiing race from Crested Butte to Aspen.

"I think it depends how I ride my bike," Kloser said when asked about his chances to reclaim the top spot. "When it comes down to skinning, I think (Henry and I) are comparable."

Registration for the Challenge will remain open until 9:30 a.m. on race day. Pre-registration, which costs $40, will take place at Great Adventure Sports until 6 p.m. today. Those who wait to register at the Rec Center will be charged $50.



Adam Boffey can be contacted at (970) 668-4634, or at aboffey@summitdaily.com.