Tag: bear valley

deathride, events, giving back

It’s Going To Be A Wild Ride!

WITH the big day less than one (1) week out it I’m feeling it. No doubt the rest of the team is, too. The Deathride, the most iconic ride in the California Alps, and dare I say, one the most iconic in the country, if not the world, is a great source of pride for the community, or communities, of Alpine County, and the 42nd “riding” takes place this Saturday, July 15th.

IT takes a village to put on such a logistical feat, and this year, being hornswoggled into the event director role, I’ve gotten a perspective that I’ve never seen before. Like most of you I suspect, I’ve ridden a bunch of centuries and gran fondos. Getting a behind the scenes look as to what goes into making such an event happen, though? Nope. That’s a new one.

Yup! That road is also closed for the Deathride!

As I mentioned, I have the distinct (and somewhat scary) privilege of being the event director for this year’s ride. Funny…Mrs. California Alps Cycling and I moved here because of the Tour of the California Alps, but I never thought I’d be helping lead such a renown ride. Just figured I’d be riding it. Hopefully for years to come. But here in our small community it’s easy to get involved. We run on grants, with sweat-equity provided by volunteers for the most part (with some notable exceptions), and as such many of us wear many hats.

THE work, though…that’s being done by a small, yet mighty team. Some of whom are volunteers and some of whom are paid. They are, in alpha order, Michael “Bullet Points” Bayer; Corey “Chill” Bolton; Di “Bodhi” Bolton; Melissa “No Friction” Edwards; Kate “Technokid” Harvey; Dave “Register, Damn It” Scarborough, and Meghan “Numbers” Wolff. They have no idea I’ve given them these nicknames. I hope they don’t kick me in the hiney tomorrow when we all get together to kick off what is sure to be an awesome, yet challenging, week. More chillingly, I wonder what nickname they’ll give me.

Deathride Hell Week

TOMORROW, the crucible begins with a walk-through of the “flows” of the expo on both Friday and Saturday. It also starts the week of deliveries and set up. Check in stations arrive tomorrow. Generators, too. The expo store buildings are coming in on Tuesday. Dumpsters get delivered on Wednesday. The ice truck, and the all-important ice cream, come in on Thursday. The port-a-potties portage begins on Thursday and continues through Friday. Di is picking up a truck Monday, a van on Wednesday, and another truck on Thursday.

MERCHANDISE has been, and is still coming in. Jerseys, tees, pins, bib numbers, glasses, cups, food of all sorts.

Such a great kit it’s scary!

EQUIPMENT needs to be tested. Swag bags for the riders (about 1300) need to be stuffed. Posters need to be hung.

LOGISTICS are a huge lift, as you might imagine. Getting all of that stuff to the aid stations, water stations and the lunch stop is a real feat. Up and over Monitor, and Ebbett’s, to Lake Alpine, and points in between. In some cases these deliveries take place in the middle of the night or just before sunrise. Some crews camp out so they can set up, warm food and be ready for those early, Sierra-chilled, riders.

OVERSEEING the distribution of the right stuff to the right places in the right order, and then “undistributing” (i.e., reversing and re-schlepping) all that paraphernalia back into the trucks, and then back to command central takes an outfit, let me tell you. Some of “Di’s volunteers” have been at this for decades.

SUNDAY after the big day many of us meet at Turtle Rock Park and unpack the trucks. Back into storage things go. Signage, bike racks, coolers, stoves, tables, flags, cones, and on and on. Left over food gets examined and what’s safe to donate (most of it) is re-packed and delivered to local food banks.

Cha-Ching

WHILE the ride generates six-figure revenue it is by no means a profit generator. At least for the Chamber of Commerce. “Numbers” oversees our ducats, both for the Chamber and for the ride, and yours truly gets to countersign some of those large checks.

THOUSANDS of dollars for food, insurance, permits, and more. Just some examples:

  • Post-ride meal for the riders: $21k
  • Lunch sandwiches: $6k
  • Trucks and van: $1500
  • Caltrans Encroachment Permit (so we can close the roads): $7800 last year, and could be twice that much this year. Don’t have the bill yet. Cha-ching! 😉

$33,000. That’s how much we contributed to the volunteer organizations that helped us last year. Boy Scouts, Alpine Co. Fire Safe Council, Elks, Alpine Co. Search and Rescue, Tahoe Amateur Radio Assoc., and Woodford’s Volunteer Firefighter’s Association, just to name a few. This year will be no different.

ALPINE county businesses benefit from the influx of riders, too. By the end of the week, more people will have registered for the ride than live in all of Alpine County. Not kidding. Just under 1200 live in the county and we’re figuring to have about 1300 riders. With their support crews, the town of Markleeville sees and supports thousands of people that it doesn’t usually see. Hotels are full and campgrounds will be overflowing. It’s wild!

Getting Here

FOR the leadership team it’s been weeks of Zoom meetings (7:30 a.m. Tuesdays) and a bunch of in-person meetings. And that doesn’t include the individual meetings and phone calls that each of the team leaders is hosting or having.

LOCAL agencies, from the Alpine Co. Sheriff’s Office, to the California Highway Patrol, to Caltrans, to REMSA (ambulance and helicopter), to the Alpine Co. Volunteer Firefighters, to Community Development, to the Health Dept., and on it goes. We all met a couple weeks ago to make sure those safety-related plans were in place. Check.

A CAPTAIN’S meeting took place that same night at one of our local fire stations. Dozens of folks from all over the county came in to Woodfords so they could all sync-up. Ham radio operators, aid-station staffers, retail store personnel, registration greeters; all were there, and well-fed by Mad Dog Cafe. Cha-ching! 😉

PERMITS are a big deal. Two (2) are key: the Caltrans Encroachment Permit and the Alpine Co. Special Event Permit. Don’t get either. Don’t have a ride. While a stressful process (admittedly some of that brought on ourselves) it was made much more palatable by the agencies we worked with to get those permits. Coming down to the wire we were but we were able (obviously) to secure those permits. Big thanks to Alpine County Community Development, the Alpine Co. Planning Commission and Caltrans for patiently working with our team and supporting our efforts.

Let’s Rock and Roll!

BEAR Valley is ready. Markleeville is too. Speaking of ready…The roads are rough and ready after this past winter. By the end of the day Thursday, we’ll be ready too.

SLEEP? We’ll do that on Monday the 17th.

fire, grub, off the bike fun, rides

Markleeville Rising – Or…What’s Here And What’s Not

HAPPILY there’s much more of the “what’s here” than the “what’s not” but based on what we’ve heard anecdotally, there are some who think there’s more of “the not” and that’s just not the case. Sure, parts of Alpine Co., especially those hit hardest by the Tamarack Fire, are still grieving, but there’s NO WALLOWING here in the heart of the California Alps.

CERTAINLY, we lost many trees, that’s true. Many of them have been removed, mulched; or repositioned to mitigate erosion. Some of them still stand.

IT’S important to note though, that in terms of what’s visible from the highways, the damage is primarily isolated to areas of Hwy. 88, east of Hope Valley, and the section of Hwy. 4 between Woodfords and Monitor Junction. And as Mrs. CA Alps has so optimistically noted, in some places the views are indeed better.

Markleeville is still here! So is Bear Valley and so is Kirkwood. Blue Lakes Road was spared and Luther Pass took minimal damage (on the El Dorado Co. side). We are not a blackened county!

BUT, you can get some of that at the Cutthroat Brewing Company. Fish, that is. And beer, and the best burgers for miles. One of today’s specials (salivating) was stuffed poblanos, and I’m talking with elk sausage and jalapeno cheddar.

THERE’S pickleball, tennis, paddleboarding and more courtesy of Bear Valley Adventure Company.

OUR friends at Outwest Cafe have opened a weekend (all summer long) pop-up taco stand (Tres Amiga Locas) next to the Toll Station – which is again open on weekends (for beverages only) and soon will be for meals I’ve heard – so you can grind on some outrageous tacos and wash them down with some uber-cold cerveza. Ahhh.

WHAT about Kirkwood, you ask. Good to go there, too. Discwood is open and the stargazing has been amazing.

AND Wylder (formerly Sorensen’s) in Hope Valley? No worries. Still throwing some good hash out of the cafe and hosting live music regularly. Did I mention their cabins? They’re cool, keen, phat and plush.

Ed. Note: For a comprehensive list of upcoming Alpine County events, look no further than the Chamber’s events page and click here to download a copy of our Visitor’s Guide.

West Fork of the Carson near Blue Lakes Road on the western side of Hope Valley.

WILDFLOWERS and grasses are beginning to carpet the forest floors that were once just ash; and the rivers, creeks and lakes are flowing and there’s some good fishing to be had. Catch ’em if you can! 🤓

Why Am I Telling You All of This?

WELL, last week several of my colleagues at the Alpine County Chamber of Commerce and I were theorizing (“commiserating” works, too) as to why the registration numbers for the Deathride – The Tour of the California Alps were lower than expected, especially compared to the usual count just under two months out from the big day.

PANDEMIC related “recurring-cancelations-of-events-fatigue” perhaps? Yeah, there’s some of that. Many of us can personally speak to that dynamic: postponing registration, or not registering at all, for events that we would have in the past, for fear of them being cancelled yet again.

CONCERN over riding in potentially smoke-filled air, with yet another fire season looming? Another valid reason. And you’re right, climate change has made it so there’s almost no fire season anymore.

‘TWAS you, oh adventurer that caused me to tell this tale.

YOU let it slip that you thought we were a burned-out shell of our former self so I thought I’d try and set the record straight.

There is still a great atmosphere here – day and night.

Ed. Note: Captured this sunbow yesterday afternoon.

Safety note: I used selfie mode; the sun was the subject and I cropped out the part of my forehead that tried to photobomb Ol’ Sol.

The Challenge, And The Plea

SO, register for the Deathride. Don’t waffle. Tick that bad boy off your list. You know you have it in you.

OUR community needs you now more than ever (the ride provides the majority of our operating expenses by far). We’ve earned the good karma (we all have, right?) and as I wrote last fall, and as we all know so well, THE THIRD TIME’S THE CHARM.

WE’RE not as big as Emporia and our ride doesn’t get quite as many riders as that big ol’ gravel race they just had, but we’re just as friendly and welcoming and we have a little something extra.

Blue skies like you don’t often see, riding on some of the most iconic routes in the country; and mountains. Lots and lots of mountains.

COME on up and Be Alpine with us. Drown some powerbait. Get your paddleboard groove going on one of our many alpine lakes. Do some birding.

LIKE the image at the top of this post suggests…PARK IT (the car) AND RIDE IT (le’ bike)!

AND do us one more favor…Two actually.

Join our Strava Club, and tell your friends

that Alpine County is still here and

that they need to beat feet.

Raccoon feet photo undisputed proof that it was a local

Rocky hitting the hummingbird feeder. Remedied that…

The feeder comes in at night, like we know it should. 😬

community activities, deathride, events, giving back

An Inspirational Deathride Video – and Other Alpine County News

101 days and counting until the Tour of the California Alps, menacingly, yet lovingly referred to as the Deathride. When you’re on the course, especially on climbs 5 or 6 – this year there are six of those bad boys – you might feel like you are close to death, but thankfully no one has ever died on the Deathride.

The tertiary try is the charm we hope! 2020 was canceled due to the pandemic. 2021 “flamed out” because of the Tamarack Fire. Let’s go 2022!

THE Alpine County Chamber of Commerce has just issued a press release and an amazing and inspirational (we think) promotional video. We’ve never done anything like this before (at least that I’m aware of) regarding our beloved “DR” so it’s yet another first from the Deathride team.

HUGE kudos to Becky DeForest, Exec. Director of the Chamber, for herding the necessary cats to get it done.

GET’S me fired up when I watch it and I’m certainly honored that several California Alps Cycling members, including yours truly, are in it!

LET me know what you think. If you were waffling, did it change your mind? If you had never considered riding it, are you now? Will you perhaps share it on your social media channels to get others excited?

Some Tree Planting and a Community Clean-up

Putting seedlings in the hillside…Thanks CalFire!
Here’s how you put those seedlings in the ground!

THE above images are courtesy of the Markleeville Water Company. They show some members of CalFire and the California Conservation Corps doing the “seedling shuffle.” 😉

READ their post for some more information on this planting, which took place just over two (2) weeks ago. It also has some links to register for the tree plantings that will take place on April 9th (this Saturday) and May 1st, so if any of you have some spare time and would like to help us with our restoration efforts please do sign up. We’ve love to have you!

MARKLEEVILLE’S Enhancement Club (MEC) has scheduled its Spring Clean-up for Saturday, May 14th. This all-volunteer beautification committee will be doing some work in and around town, picking up trash and biomass, trimming trees and bushes, picking up litter on two (2) Adopt-a-Highways stretches of Highway 89 (California Alps Cycling’s section from Turtle Rock Park to Camp Markleeville and Alpine Watershed Group’s section from Camp Markleeville to Monitor Junction), and doing a bit of landscaping and such at Al’s Got Gas (our local fuel depot).

RIDE here? Hike here? Boulder here? Here’s yet another chance to give back. Email me if you’re interested and I’ll add you to the list.

Other Upcoming Events

WE’VE got a few other things in the works this year, on both the East Slope (east of the Sierra crest – Hope Valley, Markleeville, Woodfords) and the West Slope (west of the Sierra crest – Bear Valley, Kirkwood).

HERE are some ideas:

  • Live Music at Cutthroat Brewing Company – Fridays 6 – 8 p.m., Markleeville
  • Women’s Fly Fishing Retreat – May 13th -> 15th at Wylder Hope Valley
  • High Sierra Archery Shoot – June 11th -> 12th at Bear Valley Resort
  • Ebbetts Fest – June 12th – Benefiting the Ebbett Pass Scenic Byway Asssocation
  • Music in the Park – Starting June 25th, Alpine Co. Library, Markleeville
  • Bear Valley Music Festival – July 22nd, Bear Valley
  • Stargazing – August 27th, Alpine Co. Airport, Markleeville

FOR specific details on these events, and to peruse other options, go to the Events Page of the Alpine County Chamber of Commerce and Visitor’s Center.

Last But Not Least – Our Local Passes

MONITOR Pass is open!

Ebbett’s Pass should be soon based on the Caltrans activity I noticed on a lunchtime ride yesterday; a beauty day here in the California Alps. That’s me in front of Raymond Meadow Creek (RMC), at the 7000′ mark of Highway 4, just below Silver Creek Campground, on the Ebbett’s Pass Highway.

I chatted for a few minutes with a trio of mountain athletes from Sacramento before I turned around and headed back down the mountain. These dudes had just come back from behind the “7000′ gate” and were hanging out basking in the glory of their day’s adventures. They told me the road was just plowed but they didn’t get all the way to the top so not sure how far up the snow was removed. It was cool to see some skis, a mountain bike and a gravel bike nearby. Talk about being Alpine!

COME and get some! And remember to check our local weather and air conditions page for current weather and air quality before you head up, down, in or over.

SEE you soon!

recovery, rides, road conditions, virtual rides

Some Ride-Related News From Markleeville – And Other Goings On

WE’VE gotten some small amounts of snow here in the California Alps over the last few days; certainly not as much as we’d have liked but it’s something. Better news on that front from the higher climes, however.

SOME backcountry (and other skiing) was to be had over this weekend, said Justin, my trusty physical therapist and backcountry skiing fanatic, last Friday.

bluebird with ornamental plumage resting on twig

I’M sure he was hitting it yesterday and I’d imagine he’s out there today, as any self-respecting mountain athlete (or any snow lover for that matter) would be on this bluebird of a day. 🙂

BULLITT the mountain bike is asking me to take him out for a spin today and I think I’ll oblige. Going to be some mud-slingin’ for sure!

That Ride-Related News

THE road cycling lately has been glorious, notwithstanding the slush, and plow-pellet induced sludge, and therefore requisite cleaning and lubing (whine, snivel). I was able to get outside early in the week and on one ride it felt downright balmy! Only a base tee under the jersey and no arm-warmers!

SINCE then we’ve had a couple light snow events, as I mentioned at the start of this post, so I’ve been partaking of the paincave lately. Segue…

SPEAKING of inside…I was able to test ride the “Fatbiking in the Snow” ride recently and I’m happy to say you Fulgaz subscribers will soon be able to particpate.

BE on the lookout for the “Pick n’ Mix” release tentatively scheduled for March, said Peter the Engineer.

MONITOR and Ebbetts remain closed (Monitor at the junction and Ebbetts just past Silver Mountain City) but once we get a bit of melt of yesterday’s dusting the riding on Monitor should be pretty good. Ebbetts, being much less exposed, will remain slushy in some of the shadier areas for awhile and I suspect we won’t get much plowing done any farther up towards the pass until April.

Silver Creek (in noir-mode) and distant crags on a sunny afternoon ride up Hwy. 4.
A vividly bluebird day on a ride from Markleeville to Silver Mountain City.
That’s Chalmers Mansion (as you can see from the sign), in noir, peaking through the trees. Some slush still on the road.
A bluebird day on a ride from Markleeville to Silver Mountain City.
A few photos from last week’s forays on Hwy. 4, heading towards Ebbetts Pass.

Those Other Goings On

COMMUNITY meetings continue on several fronts as we continue to recover from the Tamarack Fire. Trails continue to be a big part of the discussion and their rebuilding in time for the spring and summer season are a priority. We’re looking holistically at trail usage and focusing on hiking, riding and equestrian in our planning. Things are certainly going to look different out there as the forest starts its long return to health, yet it’s still the Sierra and a lot of it wasn’t burned.

Burned trees and heavy equipment as seen from Airport Road, looking down at Hwy. 89 near Turtle Rock Park.
So much devasation…:-( Burned trees everywhere – as seen from Airport Road just up from Hwy. 89.

THE images above are certainly heart-breaking. I remind folks though, that a lot of the area wasn’t torched and once you get past Monitor Junction to the south, or Pickett’s Junction, to the west, you won’t see a lot of fire-related damage. The forest is nothing if not resiliant.

MRS. CA Alps points out in a “making lemonade out of lemons” kinda way that the vistas are more expansive without so many trees. She’s right and it helps to look at it that way; still so very sad to see. And lets be honest, the density of the forest was, and still is, part of the problem. Thousands of years of native americans weren’t (and aren’t) wrong, you know?

OUR rivers, streams and lakes are looking good, though, and many of the latter, like Silver and Caples, are still frozen over. We’re working hard on repairing infrastructure like Turtle Rock Park and Grover Hot Springs State Park. Plans for the “fishing opener” are in the works, we’ve got a new addition to our local Fish & Game Commission, and we’re starting to think more about native fisheries and how we can restore them. Segue…😉

SPEAKING of restoration, the county has been awarded a grant of approximately $1.8 million that will be used to help private landowners here in Alpine Co. with their recovery efforts. Work on that front continues on a fast pace.

AS does tree-clearing…

BY the way, if you haven’t checked out the Alpine Chamber’s website recently, please take a gander. Lots of great information about things afoot here in Alpine County including summer events like Music in the Park, the Bear Valley Music Festival and Hermit Fest.

WELL, it’s off to wash Blue. I promised him he’d get a bath before I took his bro out for a ride. It’s 41; starting to warm up to today’s high of 42. Won’t be just a base layer and jersey today, I guess.

STILL, it could be worse.

ENJOY your Sunday and have a fantastic week!

1/2 centuries or centuries, deathride, rides

Deathride Doodling? The Devil is in the Details!

BEEN doodling on the Deathride data that matta? Figuring out what you’ll need in order to tackle the Tour of the California Alps?

HERE are a few facts that may help in that regard.

FIRST of all (read aloud using deep lawyerly voice here) in the interest of full disclosure, for those who are not aware, California Alps Cycling LLC is not affiliated in any way with the Tour of the California Alps, more commonly known as the Deathride.

SECONDLY, I am a member of the board of directors of the Alpine County Chamber of Commerce, owner of the Deathride, so when I use we in this post, I mean the Chamber, or the Deathride, not California Alps Cycling, LLC.

GET it? Got it? Good! 😉

OKAY, appreciate you letting me clarify that; you can go back to your normal voice now. Let’s move on!

I had a little back & forth recently with my friend and CAC member, Charlie, the other day, where he asked on behalf of his cycling group, The Pain Gang, what the start and cut-off times were for the big event on July 17th. ‘Twas that convo. that gave me the idea for this post. Thanks Chuckles!

Mountain Iris’ in bloom at Scossa Ranch on Hwy. 4 about 10 miles south of Markleeville. Just took this photo today.

No More Carson

YUP, in case you weren’t aware, Carson is no longer the last big climb of the day. That honor instead falls to Hwy. 4 from just east of Lake Alpine, up and over that side of Pacific Grade (‘cuz you’ve already done the other side), into Hermit Valley and then up and over Ebbett’s Pass (for the 2nd time).

Yes, the Roads are Closed

“THE course will be closed to traffic from Markleeville through all sections of climbing, with a turnaround point at Lake Alpine where participants will head back to the finish at Turtle Rock Park.”

Staggered Start

“THE event officially starts at 5:30 am. Riders will be in a staggered start from that point forward. Any riders on the road before that time are riding at their own risk, and aid stations may not be open when you arrive.”

Rules of the Ride & the Road

THEY include more such nuggets, including: “How long do I have to complete the course to qualify for the all-pass finisher’s jersey? Riders have 13 hours, from 5:30 am – 6:30 pm to complete the course and apply for the finisher’s pin and jersey, aka “Tombstone Club.'”

THERE’S a link to all of the rules, including those having to do with Covid-19 protocols, on the Deathride site.

DO read up.

Lots and Lots (and Lots) of Riders (and their families)

IT’S going to be bike-archy! We’ll likely have 2000 riders or so and that means things will be packed to the gills with cycling energy (and lots of bodies). Hotels and camping are already filling up. The Creekside Lodge is long sold-out of rooms for that weekend but Woodford’s Inn still had rooms when I checked Saturday. Not sure about the Carson River Resort, or Wylder (formerly Sorenson’s), but it’s probably worth checking in with them just in case.

Stonefly, Out West Cafe, J. Marklee Toll Station, and Cutthroat Brewing Company will all be hopping so make your reservations early where you can, otherwise, put those patience helmets on.

Bear Valley

SINCE the course now takes riders into the western side of Alpine County, staying or eating there (or both) may be an option. Keep in mind there is no shuttle service provided so you’ll need to work out those logistics yourself.

HERE’S a link to Cabins & Lodges in Bear Valley. Bear Valley Adventure Company, run by friend and fellow Alpine Co. Chamber of Commerce Board Member Aaron Johnson, is a great source of information too, especially if you’re going to work in some gravel or MTB riding while you’re in town.

AND, you can check out dining options by clicking on this link.

We’re Looking Forward to Seeing You!

WE’VE missed you and are so excited to welcome you back for the 40th anniversary of this iconic ride. You’ve got a few more weeks to get those cycling legs ready and then it will be time to kick some passes’ asses!

SEE you soon! And please…travel safely.

1/2 centuries or centuries, deathride

It’s a Deathride Resurgence – Really!

LIKE just about every other bike event, race, fondo, you name it, the DR didn’t happen last year.

THIS year, though? That’s a different story.

The Ride is a Go!

AND we’re so excited! Not only is it going to happen, it’s going to happen on a NEW COURSE!

This new course will take you to new heights, including Pacific Grade (x2)!

FOR those of us who may be “metrically-challenged” that’s 103.17 miles, so yeah it’s a bit shorter than previous years, but it will be no less challenging. Oh, and the climbing…over 14,000 feet!

Some More West Slope

Okay, technically, you’re right, we’ve gone there before as Hermit Valley is on the western side of the Sierra Crest. This time, though, we’re going a bit farther – almost to Lake Alpine, and the course will be closed to vehicles all the way down (and up). And no, that’s not just for the “Ebbett’s climbs” in case you’re wondering. Highway 89 will be closed to vehicles on both sides of Monitor pass, too (as usual).

No more Carson but no less challenging…

Some Changes to the Timing

RIDERS will not be able to start before 5:30 a.m., and there will be cut-off times.

“Starting and finishing at Turtle Rock Park in Markleeville, Calif., the 103 mile course begins at 5:30 am…”

FOR several reasons, most related to safety, some due to logistics, riders who in the past (including yours truly) started a bit earlier (3:30 a.m. had been my start time) won’t be able to do so this year.

“Road closures will be in effect from 5am – 4pm. The 13-hour time limit ends at 6:30 pm, and all riders must be off the course by 7:00 pm. All cut-off times are strictly enforced. Segment cut-off times indicate the latest time that a rider will be allowed to begin each segment. Riders attempting to begin a segment after the cut-off time will not be allowed to proceed.”

WE’VE got a renewed emphasis on safety, one reason Carson Pass is no longer part of the course, and so as you’ve just read there will be segment cut-off times. Course marshals will be uber-sensitive to prudent pedaling and will let you know if you’re pushing the perimeter of that proverbial pouch. What can I say? I love alliteration. 😉

The participant’s jersey…
You can get the coveted finisher’s jersey (red on the collar and sleeves and “finisher” instead of “resurgence”) if you complete the entire ride!

Some Additional Data

  • OUR permit does allow for up to 3500 riders but right now we’ve got registrations capped at 2500 so we can keep things more manageable.
  • WE’VE got almost 1600 riders registered so far. If you haven’t registered yet, better do it now!
  • WE’RE working with several groups and are planning on putting on a MTB related event for folks (e.g. spouses, partners, kids) who are not riding on Saturday.
  • THE finish-line festival will include that sought-after ice cream, a vendors and sponsors expo., a Deathride store, some music (DJ provided), a finish-line arch/photo opp., and the finisher poster that finishers can sign.
  • AS for food, that’s still in the planning stages but we do have some local restaurants in mind for catering.
  • BEER? It’s all about the beer, right? That’s why I ride, anyway. Sierra Nevada and the Alpine Co. Fire Safe Council will be on hand to serve those suds!
  • NOT yet solidified but in the works nonetheless: a massage therapist and a face-painter for the kids (both large and small).

HERE’S a link to the Deathride page where you can get more information, and register, if you haven’t already.

BE sure to make hotel or camping reservations FAST as things are already filling up.

HEADS up! It’s likely that Indian Creek Campground WILL NOT be available this year as the BLM is doing a lot of work out there that will likely go through the entire summer.

WE’RE so looking forward to welcoming you to Alpine County!

TRAIN well and Let’s Kick Some Passes’ Asses! this summer.

SEE you in July!