Chase Ellsperman won the award for Most Creative Sled at the 2025 Art Cart Alpine Rally for his sled “The Super Venison” — a deer dressed as Superman. For the 2026 race, he will be at Whoa Nelly Hill at the Aspen Recreation Center from 6-8 p.m. Saturday with his sled “The Peregrine Missile.”
Hundreds of spectators will make their way over to Whoa Nelly Sledding Hill at the Aspen Recreation Center from 6-8 p.m. Saturday to check out one of Aspen’s most unique competitions: the Art Cart Alpine Rally.
In its third year, the event invites participants of all ages to design and build creatively modified sleds, then race them down the hill for a chance to win prizes. There are prizes for fastest carts and most creative in both youth and adult categories.
The event is inspired by the annual “Art Cart Derby,” a 1980s Aspen tradition in which racers raced down Aspen Street on wheeled carts every September.
“This nostalgic event is intended to bring our community together for some local, small-town fun,” Aspen Special Events Assistant Manager Wesy Armour-Cook said in a news release.
The event is open to both children and adults. Food trucks open for business at 5:30 p.m. A variety of options will be available, including offerings from Slow Groovin’ BBQ and the Rolling Fork food truck. Hot chocolate by The Dreamery and fire pits will be provided to keep attendees warm, and a DJ will provide entertainment.
Chase Ellsperman spent two weeks building his sled “The Peregrine Missile,” pictured, which will compete in Saturday’s Art Cart Alpine Rally on Whoa Nelly Hill at the Aspen Recreation Center.
Participants will be judged based on both the speed and design of their carts. Winners will be announced at the end of the event. The annual sledding race celebrates creativity, craftsmanship and winter sports. It also encourages participants to showcase their artistic skills through the design and construction of custom sleds.
If someone wants to take first prize in the creativity category, they will have to go through defending champion Chase Ellsperman, 27, who grew up in Carbondale and won last year for his sled “The Super Venison,” a deer dressed as Superman.
“Any chance to be creative and build something cool is always something I’ll take up,” Ellsperman said. “It’s pretty sweet to see what people build. All my friends come and we have a good time. They have lights, an announcer, it’s just a blast.”
For Saturday’s event, Ellsperman built a sled called “The Peregrine Missile.”
“I made a peregrine falcon, which is the fastest animal on earth and I put rocket boosters on it and NASA logos on it. I made mine completely out of cardboard and duct tape. Some people use other stuff, but I basically drilled skis onto a sled and then I just cut it up and glued it together, trying to get a shape going.
“Some people build their sleds out of wood and scaffolding, things like that, while some people just use a sled as a base. I cut mine all up with cardboard and just duct-taped it together into the right shape. Then I spray-painted it. I think some people paint their sleds with brushes.”
Ellsperman works for the city’s engineering department. Last year’s winning sled hung in the city office before eventually being recycled.
When asked what he hopes people take away from coming out to the sled race, Ellsperman said, “I hope everyone gets a little more inspired to be creative in their own lives.”
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