UPDATE: Aspen course chief confident

Course preparations for the Aspen World Cup races Dec. 7-9 have been set back due to warm temperatures in the Rocky Mountains the past few weeks, but the course crew is staying positive. And as of Wednesday, snow finally hit the Rockies.

COURSE PREPARATIONS for the Aspen World Cup races Dec. 7-9 have been set back due to warm temperatures in the Rocky Mountains the past few weeks, but the course crew is staying positive. And as of Wednesday, snow finally hit the Rockies.
    “We’re still confident that we’re going to pull this thing off in two and a half weeks,” said Patrick Callahan, the chief of course for the Aspen World Cup on Tuesday.
    The crew has been busy five days a week since Oct. 29 prepping the site on Aspen Mountain. This week, the crew has been working in T-shirts. As of Wednesday morning, however, Aspen Mountain reported 9 new inches of snow.
    “The moment we do get snow we’ll get everyone we can,” Callahan said Tuesday, mentioning course staff plus coaches, athletes, whomever it takes, “to basically do three weeks of work in one week.”
    They are rushed, he admitted, but still certain to pull off a world-class event. The mountain opens to the public on Thanksgiving, though a limited number of runs will be open.
    A little farther to the east at Beaver Creek, FIS officials are expected to announce the status of next week’s men’s World Cup races at around noon local time on Friday. Beaver Creek is scheduled to host four races, kicking off Nov. 29 with a super combined.