Summit for Life
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About the race
Summit for Life is an annual nighttime uphill race held on Aspen Mountain on the first weekend of December. Participants ascend 3,267 feet from the base to the summit using skinning, snowshoeing, running, or hiking. The event attracts hundreds of athletes and serves as the Chris Klug Foundation's primary awareness and fundraising event for organ, eye, and tissue donation.
The event offers two ways to reach the top: the uphill race and Ride for Life via the gondola. Racers receive a long-sleeve Summit for Life shirt; prizes are awarded to top racers and top fundraisers. At the summit there is a dinner provided by The Little Nell, live music, awards presentations, and a post-event gathering.
Summit for Life includes the Michael Wells Inspirational Award, which recognizes a local individual who has supported or represented the donation and transplantation communities. The Foundation provides a fundraising guide and sets fundraising minimums for some registration tiers; a Super Early Bird tier is listed at $50 plus a $100 fundraising minimum for a specified early period. Sponsorship opportunities are offered at a range of levels, including Community Sponsor at $1,000 and Summit Sponsor at $15,000.
Volunteer roles are described for positions at the start, on the mountain, and at the summit, including aid stations, bag drop, information booth, and timekeeping. The event frames its work around raising awareness for the more than 103,000 people awaiting transplants in the United States. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
