Estes Park has a history of being the cross section of exploration and western tradition. Rodeo has been a part of its story for almost a century, surrounded by peaks that folks as brave as bull riders have summited and descended. The town of Estes Park seems to be the perfect arena for Skijoring. We braved some snowy roads and below freezing temps to witness the debut event, and it was clear from the jump that Estes is a town of western grit.

On January 25th, 2025, Estes Park, Colorado joined the club with their inaugural Skijor, joining the other legendary mountain towns in this winter tradition.

What is Skijoring?

Skijoring is a Norwegian word that translates to “ski driving”. It found its way over to North America in 1915 and found a home in the Rockies.

The sport is a classic sprint where a three-man team (horse, cowboy, and skier) compete for the fastest time through a short course. Gaining popularity in the 1930s and 50s in towns such as Aspen and Leadville, they took their own spins on the sport by adding gates, jumps, and slaloms. Cowboys tie ropes with a knot on the end of them to the horns of their saddles, pulling their skier through the course.