The WEST ELK BICYCLE CLASSIC: 134 Miles of Backroads, Small Towns and the West Elk Mountain Range. The Black Canyon of the Gunnison. Kebler Pass. Crested Butte. Glorious.
This Sunday, September 6th, 2015
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- Colorado 92 high above the Black Canyon of the Gunnison
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- A county road near Crawford, Colorado
Like the Growler, this ride isn’t for everyone. However, if you are up for the challenge, this route is absolutely awe-inspiring and finishing the West Elk Bicycle Classic will ignite a glow in you that will last at least until Halloween.
Join Western State Colorado University’s Director of Mountain Sports, Dave Wiens, Labor Day weekend for this 134-mile, mass-start, timed road fondo with 9,300 ft. of climbing.
Well-stocked aid stations with smiling volunteers will greet you eight times before you finally drop into downtown Crested Butte to our post ride party that includes great food, ice cold beverages and acres of grass to sprawl in and relax as you listen to live music provided by two bands.
The ride starts on Western’s campus in Gunnison and finishes just 28 north on Highway 135.
However, the West Elk Bicycle Classic never touches Highway 135 but chooses the scenic route: plying the shores of Blue Mesa Reservoir; hanging high above the Black Canyon of the Gunnison; and visiting off-the-beaten-path communities like Crawford, Paonia and Somerset, before finally depositing riders on dirt and gravel for the final and biggest climb of the ride up and over Kebler Pass, the backdoor entrance into Crested Butte.
All proceeds from the West Elk Bicycle Classic benefit the Mountain Sports program at Western, as well as the communities we visit along this amazing route.
