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As the Golden Leaf Half Marathon approaches, some scammers are taking advantage of its popularity

Yellow aspen trees tower over the Government Trail between Snowmass Village and Buttermilk Mountain on Sept. 22, 2024, about a week before this year's Golden Leaf Half Marathon takes place on the route. The popular fall trail race sells out just hours after registration opens for a field of 750 runners.
Kaya Williams
/
Aspen Public Radio
Yellow aspen trees tower over the Government Trail between Snowmass Village and Buttermilk Mountain on Sept. 22, 2024, about a week before this year's Golden Leaf Half Marathon takes place on the route. The popular fall trail race sells out just hours after registration opens for a field of 750 runners.

The Golden Leaf Half Marathon has been ranked one of the most scenic trail races in the country — an event so popular that registration can sell out in less than a day as runners clamor for a coveted bib.

The trail run from Snowmass Village to Aspen is capped at 750 athletes; there is no waitlist for those who missed out. But sometimes, life (or a training injury) happens, and runners who decide not to compete can transfer their spot to someone else to recoup the $85 sign-up fee.

Now, race organizers say scammers are taking advantage of that system, offering to sell a spot in the race even though they never registered in the first place. Scams have been attempted in the past, too, according to the Golden Leaf Facebook page.

Organizers are urging eager runners to be “extra cautious” of offers to transfer a spot, and they’ve already called out some suspect accounts. Runners looking for a transfer can email paul@utemountaineer.com to make sure someone’s registered before sending them money.

The race also has a policy against up-charging for a registration or trying to out-bid other runners for a bib transfer. Organizers have the right to disqualify anyone who tries to sell or buy an entry for more than face value; those participants can also be banned from future Golden Leaf races.

For racers who have properly secured their registration, Saturday’s race will offer plenty of golden leaves and a competitive field.

Some athletes have been training for months, and the speediest racers cover 13.1 miles and about 1,200 feet of elevation gain in 90 minutes or less. Recreational runners flock to the race as well for its fall colors and picturesque course along the Government Trail. There are several opportunities for spectators — including the start at Fanny Hill, several trail intersections on Buttermilk Mountain and the finish line at Koch Park in downtown Aspen.

The race begins at 8 a.m. and will funnel hundreds of runners onto popular singletrack routes. Those looking for a leisurely hike or bike ride along the Government Trail should wait until the afternoon, when racers will be off the course.

Kaya Williams is the Edlis Neeson Arts and Culture Reporter at Aspen Public Radio, covering the vibrant creative and cultural scene in Aspen and the Roaring Fork Valley. She studied journalism and history at Boston University, where she also worked for WBUR, WGBH, The Boston Globe and her beloved college newspaper, The Daily Free Press. Williams joins the team after a stint at The Aspen Times, where she reported on Snowmass Village, education, mental health, food, the ski industry, arts and culture and other general assignment stories.