Skin up, saddle up and paddle down

Prizes, raffle and free beverages

Sure, the weather has been tough to take recently but the forecast for this weekend looks promising—and what better way to celebrate than the CB3P on Sunday, April 28.
The CB3P is a pole, pedal, paddle race starting on Crested Butte Mountain and finishing at the Gunnison Whitewater Park.
The race, a mountain triathlon of sorts, is open to individuals and teams of all abilities and interests and gives you a chance to ski, bike and boat, all in one day.
The race kicks off from the base of Crested Butte Mountain with a Le Mans start. Competitors will run up a short hill and then click in to their skis or strap in to their snowboards and start climbing.
Not that far mind you, but enough to get the heart rate up.
It’s just a casual tour up Warming House Hill and Houston before heading over to the middle part of Ruby Chief.
Tear the hides there, bomb down to the bottom of Paradise, put the skins back on and then head back the way you came. All told it’s about 3.6 miles long with 1,500 feet of climbing.
Race officials will have the course marked to avoid any confusion, including specific transition areas.
“The course will be really obvious,” says race director Tiff Simpson.
Once participants return to the base area, it’s time to ride. Jump on a bike—road bike is suggested but any bike will do—and ride from Mt. Crested Butte to Garlic Mike’s, a total of 27 miles.
At which point, CB3Pers must hop in their watercraft of choice and paddle approximately five miles of the Gunnison River, including the first feature in the Gunnison Whitewater Park.
“We’re guessing the cfs to be between 200 and 250,” says Simpson. “There are some class II riffles along the way and the first drop in the Whitewater Park.”
The finish line will be 20 yards below the first feature on the river right side. Competitors must exit their craft and cross the finish line shouldering their boat. There will be some leeway granted to rafters.
Winners will take home custom-made, event-appropriate trophies from Zach Springer at Daisy Creek Forge and shot skis compliments of ROMP Skis and Mountain Spirits Liquors. There will also be tons of raffle prizes up for grabs for all participants.
 CB3Pers have until Friday, April 26 to register online at www.crestedbutte3p.com. The first 50 to register will get a canvas bag with assorted goodies. Due to the timing system for the race, Simpson asks that people register online so that timing chips can be prepared. If, for some reason, you decide on Saturday you want in, the first 20 people to show up at the pre-race party/mandatory racers’ meeting at the Brick Oven on Saturday, April 27 at 6:30 p.m. can register.
Cost is a mere $50 for individuals and $90 for teams. There will be separate classes for the serious and not so serious racers.