#158 - Aaron Barber, Race Director of Flagstaff Skypeaks

Send us Fan MailThe mountain weekend Flagstaff has been waiting for just showed up with big legs and bigger lungs. We sit down with race director Aaron Barber to unpack how Flagstaff Sky Peaks evolved from a “nice race in the pines” into a full three-day festival at Arizona Snowbowl, built around steep ski runs, high-altitude ridgelines, and a finish-line scene right by the lodge. From a Friday uphill lung-burner to Saturday’s slate with a 2,500-foot opening climb, fixed-time vert loops, and distances from 5K to 50 mile, to a Sunday point-to-point that tops out near 11,500 feet, this is mountain racing with teeth.Aaron shares the playbook behind the overhaul: hard-won permits through Coconino National Forest, alignment with resort management to unlock summer terrain, and a design that prioritizes big climbs, real technicality, and community. We dive into the 50-mile circumnavigation of the San Francisco Peaks caldera, why short doesn’t mean easy, and how gnarly ski-run grades change pacing, fueling, and gear choices. If you’re planning a late-summer or early fall schedule, we lay out who should target which race, how to prep for altitude swings and unpredictable weather, and why descending on tired legs might be the weekend’s real decider.We also explore the competitive layer: potential prize purses, what scalable anti-doping could look like, and early conversations that align the event with skyrunning-style courses and live coverage. Flagstaff’s running culture, from Buffalo Park sessions to big-vert weekends, frames the story, while the Snowbowl venue adds food, beer, and an easy basecamp to keep the community together between efforts. Whether you chase the uphill, stack a vert challenge, or go all-in on the point-to-point, Sky Peaks now offers a sharper test for elites and everyday mountain runners alike.If you enjoy the show, tap follow, share it with your crew, and leave a quick review so more runners can find us. Ready to pick your race and build your plan? Subscribe and tell us which climb you’re tackling first.Register for Flagstaff Skypeaks - @flagstaffskypeaksUse code SteepStuff for 20% your cart on Sidas.usFollow James on IG - @jameslaurielloFollow the Steep Stuff Podcast on IG - @steepstuff_podFollow Sidas USA on IG - @sidas_usa