by North Forty News Staff | NorthFortyNews.com
Community members invited to honor first responders during the 25th anniversary remembrance event in Estes Park
Registration is now open for the 2026 Estes Valley 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb & 5K, giving Northern Colorado residents an opportunity to honor the lives lost during the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks while supporting firefighters and their families.
The event is scheduled for September 11, 2026, at the Estes Park Visitor Center, where participants can choose to complete a 5K, the memorial stair climb, or both. Registration costs remain the same regardless of which option participants select. Organizers say the event is open to firefighters, first responders, and community members of all fitness levels.
The Estes Valley event is part of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation’s nationwide 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb program. Participants climb the equivalent of the 110 stories of the World Trade Center, symbolically completing the journey made by FDNY firefighters who responded during the attacks. The program honors the 343 firefighters who lost their lives while raising funds to support firefighter families and fire service programs.
According to event organizers, the Estes Valley stair climb and 5K have become a growing annual tradition in Estes Park. The event includes a memorial ceremony and community gathering focused on remembrance, service, and support for the firefighting community. Recent events have attracted firefighters, emergency medical personnel, local businesses, and community members from across the region.
The 2026 event marks the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks and continues a Colorado tradition that helped inspire memorial stair climbs across the country. The first stair climb honoring fallen FDNY firefighters was organized in Colorado in 2005 and later expanded nationwide through the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation.
Those interested in participating can register online through the event website:
Estes Valley 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb & 5K Registration
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Source: Estes Valley 9/11 Stair Climb & 5K organizers and the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation.