Crankworx Colorado: Freeride Mountain Bike Festival and Intergalactic Pond Crossing in Winter Park

Couple the gravity-fed excitement of trick riding with the easy-going charm of Winter Park and then toss in the quirky humor of the Intergalactic Pond Crossing. The result is pure fun, and suitable for the whole family.

Located about 60 miles outside of Denver, Winter Park Colorado is the trademarked Mountain Bike Capital, USA and certainly knows how to throw an event. And Crankworx, at the end of July, is definitely the event of summer.

It's all free to watch from the hills around the finish line, or take a lift up higher on the mountains and see the bikers fly around the trail. And there’s trick riding a plenty.

The Crankworx events include the Dual Slalom, Slopestyle Qualifiers, Super Downhill, Best Trick and the Slopestyle Finals.

Dual Slalom - racers compete against the clock and their opponent. The Slopestyle Qualifications combine riding with athletic tricks. The course itself includes drops, dirt jumps, elevated wall rides, and elevated stunts. Of course, the Best Trick event lets the athletes let loose with their slickest maneuvers.

For the last day, watch the riders (and anyone else who wants to join in), attempt to ride a bike across the rickety narrow boards strung together to cross the (usually) decorative pond in the center of Winter Park . Warning: Don’t try this with your favorite bikes. It will end up submerged. But if you're bike doesn't mind, you'll find that getting wet is half the fun.

While you’re there, ride the trestle track, take a lesson (and rent all the equipment you need), as well as enjoy the fun of summer in Winter Park. There's free concerts, the Vendor Village, as well as the shops and restaurants of Winter Park.

---