Pikes Peak Region Trail Finder

Photo by The Aspen Times

By JON MALETZ, THE ASPEN TIMES

Aspen Mountain is ready for its close-up.

Preparations for this weekend's return of World Cup racing have “gone about as smoothly as ever,” Winternational Chief of Race Jim Hancock proclaimed Wednesday. Such a sentiment is quite a departure from recent years, when crews confronted the full brunt of Mother Nature and were left scrambling to ready the hill in the days and hours before the first competitor stepped into the starting gates.

As of Wednesday afternoon, the course surface was primed, weekend forecasts appeared favorable, and only a few small projects remained — namely adding safety netting and padding in certain spots — Chief of Course Pat Callahan confirmed.

As a result, the members of the crew likely will be spending much of Thanksgiving with their families instead of toiling on the hill.

Hancock said, “The fact that we had such good temps and snowfall early in the month enabled us to get the snow we needed more quickly. In turn, that gave us more time to get our work done. The build-up period was less stressful than normal.

“I don't really relax until the races are over, but it's all systems go. I'm very happy.”

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