Low snowfall and warming temperatures across the Sierra Nevadas have forced Royal Gorge XC Resort to cancel the Gold Rush, Silver Rush, and Bronze Rush races originally scheduled for March 21, 2026. Pre-registered racers will be offered a refund or a deferred entry to the 2027 races.
The long course races are off, but the Gold Rush Festival itself will carry on in a modified form on Saturday, March 21. Royal Gorge is planning a full day of activities, including live music, food, ski demos from Atomic, waxing clinics from Maplus, a laser biathlon demo courtesy of the U.S. Biathlon Association, and their redesigned Slush Cup Super Sprints.
The festivities kick off Friday evening with the cafe and bar opening at 4:00 p.m. serving tacos, pizza, fries, and drinks, followed by a free Maplus-USA glide waxing clinic at 5:00 p.m.
Saturday’s schedule runs from 8:00 a.m. through the afternoon:
8:00 a.m. — Resort opens for demos and skiing
9:00 a.m. — U.S. Biathlon Association “Take a Shot” laser rifle demo
10:00 a.m. — Cafe opens; Maplus-USA glide waxing clinic
12:00 p.m. — Music on the deck
1:00 p.m. — Slush Cup Super Sprints qualifiers (day-of entry only; $20 adults / $10 under 20)
The Slush Cup Super Sprints will feature a super short loop with single-lap qualifying, terrain elements, and gates. There will be Beginner, Fitness, and Expert classes, with heats of six following qualifying. Expert Class heats will be a minimum of 600 meters.
- Atomic ski demos
- Bronze Rush
- California cross-country skiing
- citizen racing
- cross-country ski events
- cross-country ski festival
- Gold Rush
- Gold Rush Festival
- Gold Rush race cancellation
- laser biathlon demo
- Maplus wax clinic
- Maplus-USA
- Nordic ski community
- Nordic ski events
- race cancellation
- Royal Gorge
- Royal Gorge XC Resort
- Sierra Nevada skiing
- Slush Cup Super Sprints
- Soda Springs
- spring skiing
- spring skiing California
- U.S. Biathlon Association
- waxing clinic
