After historic Thanksgiving snowfall with over 3 feet of fluff, we've kicked off our season in epic fashion. Scroll, you're on a roll......
As Aspen's longest running originally owned adventure sports company since '96, our instructors' over 28 years of teaching & guiding experience will will directly & positively affect your adventure experience. As pioneers, we offer NEW one of a kind adventures each season; another reason for our longevity.
We customize EVERY aspect of YOUR adventure. Why use your valuable vacation time with a standard Aspen or Snowmass snowshoeing, cross country skiing, biking or hiking tour, with a high volume operator, when you can enjoy the area's most experienced guides & instructors, be guided in the best areas for your abilities and goals and gain new skills to boot? New skills lead to new thrills! Without all those pesky spills.
December '24 UPDATE!
An historic storm, dumping 42 inches of snow on Aspen Mt. in 3 days leading into Thanksgiving, has made for some of the most epic early season snow conditions we've experienced. We've been eagerly sharing powder snowshoeing with guests and welcome cross country skiing & fat biking guests, who'd like to have a blast with family & friends with a fully customized adventure designed for your groups' needs during the holidays. Contact us any time for more.
NEW for Winter '24-25: Complimentary trailside picnic lunch for groups of 3 min. for private all-inclusive snowshoeing, cross country skiing or FAT BIKING instructional adventures featuring meat or veggie legendary BIG WRAPS & organic fruit.
NOW offering full moon snowshoeing, celebrating the lunar energy locals have enjoyed for decades. It's magical. Of course, we offer you the latest greatest Crescent Moon EVA foam snowshoes, like walking on a cloud. Once you feel the foam, cushioned with rocker, it's the only way you'll roam.
EVA foam snowshoe technology we helped develop with our partner Crescent Moon Snow Shoe, the only Colorado snowshoe manufacturer is truly ground breaking. Wait, it's snow floating.
We're more than happy to accept your inquiries about one of a kind snowshoeing, cross country skiing & Aspen's exclusive on snow FAT BIKING instructional adventures, as we kick off our 29th winter season as the area's most experienced adventure sports instructors & guides. We love talking shop, then getting out of the shop to adventure with our guests from near & far.
Allow us to maximize your safety, skills & thrills! It's all about good, clean & safe wholesome fun. As 40 year local athletes, sharing our experience, passion & love with thousands of guests from around the world the past 28 years, adventuring with our instructors will be a highlight of your time recreating in Aspen. Adventuring with you & your family is what we live for, sharing what we love with you the best part.
Scroll down for year round instructional adventure options...
Adventure in Aspen & Snowmass with the original Sun Dogs...
OUR STORY:
After a dozen years of racing & establishing our adventure sports school to share what we'd learned & loved, there was no manual on how to teach mountain biking in the mid-90s. We literally had to write it, as we developed and refined our teaching methodology, saving our guests years of time & effort as compared to "The School of Trial & Error" or "School of Hard Knocks." OUCH! No need for all that pain & wasted time.
With a lot of passion, hard work & a bit of traction & success, we added long time local athletes & instructors and pioneered NEW exhilirating adventure sports programs, most recently one of a kind adventures like on snow FAT BIKING & flat water canoeing in our nature preserve. Your time is Aspen is precious. Maximize your time, while gaining NEW SKILLS with some of the most experienced cycling & adventure sports instructors in America offering you 100% guest satisfaction & rare 100% clean safety record.
It's a compliment the copy cats would follow. But, when you're not the lead dog, the view's always the same! It's all about having fun, with safety #1, for YOU as our guest.
Please contact Founder/Owner, Head Instructor & Chief Baker (have you tried his organic dark chocolate chunk cookies?) Erik Skarvan any time for more. He lives & loves to share!
970 925 1069 or sundog@sopris.net
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OUR DAILY HOURS
We're open 8:00 AM-5:30 PM daily 365 for Questions, Rates & Reservations...or just talk shop. Better yet, talking getting out of the shop!
CONTACT
WE'LL HELP YOU MAXIMIZE YOUR ATHLETIC ADVENTURES & QUALITY TIME IN ASPEN & OPEN THE DOOR TO A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE
Quickly, safely & enjoyably GAIN NEW SKILLS & experience NEW THRILLS!
Aspen & Snowmass Mountain Biking Private customized Instruction & Guided Tours
As Western Colorado's original mountain biking instructors in 1996, we love to share mountain biking skills; our primary passion and save you years of time & effort as compared to "the school of trial & error" or tips from friends. You will also experience Aspen's most amazing mountain biking trails & Snowmass' sweetest singletracks.
You may want more than just another "cookie cutter" Aspen bike tour. Riding with Sun Dog Athletics, you'll not only experience the best of Aspen mountain biking trails for your ability; you'll immediately improve your abilities for bike handling, climbing and descending. As pioneers in western Colorado, we developed and evolved mountain biking instruction, honing our teaching process over 28 years of teaching and guiding. Our competition, including those who focus on higher risk downhill mountain biking, don't offer half our teaching and guiding experience. You benefit by maximizing your time, efforts and investment progressing quickly & safely. New skills mean new thrills...& less spills! Why just take an Aspen mountain biking tour, when you can be guided and significantly improve your riding with a highly passionate & experienced mountain biking instructor?
We're perfectly capable of customized a guided tour or adventure as well, as we aim to please; mountain biking is all about BIG FUN!
Aspen & Snowmass Road Biking Instruction & Private Customized Guiding/Tours
Gain NEW skills to become a road warrior!
You may be able to survive the ride, but why not thrive? We'll show you our favorite (& somewhat secret) Aspen & Snowmass road bike rides and techniques to immediately improve your safety, performance & enjoyment. New road biking skills focus on efficiency with body position & pedal stroke, climbing, descending, cornering & drafting. This is Aspen road biking adventure at its best!
Aspen & Snowmass Private Customized Fitness/Nordic Hiking
Bonus: Dog friendly! You and your family will experience the most amazing Aspen hiking trails and get a great workout at your own pace.
Why get an experienced instructor for hiking? We'll help you or your private group maximize the experience in terms of the most beautiful and appropriate location, offer you new skills and state of the art gear, including trekking poles, which add significant stability, propulsion & additional calorie burn. You'll see more stunning views, get a better workout and learn much more about hiking, the local flora, fauna and rich history than if you go on your own.
Aspen FAT BIKING
Experience the best of Aspen fat biking and release your inner child!
Fat biking is not only the fastest growing part of cycling; it's the hottest new sport on snow because it's release your inner child fun! As Colorado's original FAT BIKING instructors, we'll take care of all the details, from the finest and fattest bikes, to the most gorgeous Aspen & Snowmass FAT BIKING locations and key fat biking instruction to maximize the experience. Join us, MAXIMIZE YOUR RIDE & DAY and experience the healthy kind of FAT!
The Best of Aspen & Snowmass Snowshoeing
Feel the float at your own pace & put a smile on your face
Since snowshoeing has been our primary passion for almost 40 years, your fully customized private adventure will be the most amazing outdoor experience of your time in Aspen. We offer you incredibly beautiful locations, state of the art instruction and Colorado made snowshoes, including the world's first EVA foam snowshoes from our partner Crescent Moon Snowshoes in Boulder, CO. Are you ready to rock the snowshoe revolution with Eva? Once you feel the foam; light, cushioned with rocker, it's the only way you'll roam! We also offer you all the latest accessories, like adjustable snowshoeing poles & gators & boxed Flow Spring Water & Honey Stinger Organic Waffles to keep you well hydrated & powered up! Gear matters and so does passion and experience. Our long time experience will directly & positively affect your adventure experience.
Flatwater Canoeing
Peaceful paddling through the North Star Nature Preserve
This is a truly one of a kind Aspen canoeing adventure. Learn a few basic paddle strokes or simply kick back for the most beautiful, peaceful escape on the magical meandering waters of the upper Roaring Fork River through our wonderful nature preserve. There may not be wild rapids, but there's plenty of wildlife to enjoy. Outrigger floats, like training wheels for a boat, ensure no sudden swimming adventure in the frigid snow-melt. This customized half day excursion is limited to one or two guests in "Winnie," our super stable & safe 17 foot Wenonah special edition Lewis & Clark canoe.
Our love of canoeing goes back over 50 years, to the days of growing up in Wisconsin. That love & experience translates directly to your one of a kind Aspen canoeing adventure.
Athletic Event Announcing
Professional Announcing and MC Services
Sun Dog Athletics Owner Erik Skarvan has become "The Voice" of Roaring Fork Valley events for over 25 years announcing local and national level endurance sports events, including road & mountain bike races, running races, triathlons, ski mountaineering & ultra races including most recently the popular Grand Traverse and Power of Four races. He's been a live sports announcer at X Games, NORBA National Finals & the Blue Ribbon Alpine Challenge women's pro bike races (seen here). He's acted as an enthusiastic Master of Ceremonies at local fundraisers, live & silent auctions.
Erik brings his 35 year background as a multi-sport endurance racer, high energy, unique humor and local knowledge which informs & entertains the competitors & race fans like no one else. His motto "the next best thing to racing is talking about racing" reveals his love of event announcing. Erik Skarvan offers your event unparalleled racer insight, energy, passion, dependability and professionalism.
Please contact us today @ (970) 925-1069 message us via the form above or e-mail sundog@sopris.net for further details, rates, reservations or just to talk shop. We love to share our passion for adventure sports!
