Hi Everyone,
As we prepare for this epic event to come through our Valley on August 23rd and 24th, we are doing our best to provide you with the most accurate and up to date information as possible. Please attend a Community Informational Meeting on Monday, August 15th from 5 – 6pm at the Lodge at Mountaineer Square.
Please note that information as well as news and updates can also be found at www.upccinfo.com. There will also be updates on the new CB/Mt. CB USA Pro Cycling Challenge Facebook page.
Please reference the attached documents for the most recent road closure information as well as information regarding the Mountain Express bus service schedule on the day of the race. There will be no RTA schedule changes during race day. RTA delays can be expected due to rolling road closures though there will be no schedule deviations.
The course maps for Crested Butte, Mt. Crested Butte and Gunnison have been finalized and can be found here.
Where to Watch the Action:
- Whiterock and Gothic – Racers turn into Town at high speed
- 1st and Whiterock – a second 90-degree high-speed turn
- 1st and Elk – Racers jostle for perfect position coming into the Sprint Line on Elk Avenue
- Post Office Parking Lot – See all the action as racers cross the Sprint Line in Crested Butte, plus beer garden and jumbotron.
- The 4-way – Wide enough for racers to reach high speeds on the last serious corner before the finish
- Gothic Road and Washington Gulch/Rec Path – Watch racers crest the first ramp headed to the finish, then watch them complete the climb up to the finish area
- Pitchfork – Join locals on their front porches as riders suffer through one of the steepest sections of the climb to the finish
- Snowcrest Footbridge – Watch racers arrive into Mt. Crested Butte, then turn around to see them work for the finish. Be here early to claim one of these coveted spots as they are sure to be taken quickly!
- Finish Line Festival – watch from right beside Gothic Road as racers edge closer and closer to the finish
- VIP and Hospitality Area – for a small cost, see the racers fight to the finish from the perfect venue, complete with included food and drink. Contact Aaron Huckstep at to obtain tickets for the VIP area.
- Cottonwood Pass— A shuttle operated by Western State College will be available for transportation:
- Shuttle departures are scheduled for 7 am, 8 am, and 9 am on Wednesday, August 24. The shuttles will depart from the US Forest Service Parking Area, directly south of the Taylor Park Trading Post (http://www.taylorparktradingpost.com/images/TPRmap.GIF). Free parking is available in this area for shuttle participants. The plan is to take the first shuttle at 7 am as high up on Cottonwood Pass as possible. The 8 am and 9 am shuttles would then take passengers ¾ to ½ way up Cottonwood Pass or further up as space is available. Due to regulations with the US Forest Service WSC can only accept donations, with the proceeds supporting club sports at Western State. The suggested donation is $10 per person. PLEASE NOTE: County Road 724 (Taylor Canyon Road) will be closed at 8 am on Wednesday, August 24, 2011, please plan accordingly as you make your travel plans for the shuttle service. To make a reservation for the cottonwood shuttle contact: Laurel Butcher, , 970.943.2232.
The Event Schedule on race days includes the following:
Townie Crit,Tuesday August 23, 2011, 11:45, Elk Avenue Sprint Line
Kick off the day Crested Butte style by participating in the much anticipated return of the Townie Criterium! Watch or participate as racers speed around town, and through the legendary Talk of the Town on their most coveted bikes of all; their townie bikes. As with all great events in Crested Butte, costumes encouraged! Rumor has it that Ben Preston has been doing double-secret training to “defend” his long-lost title. To participate, register on the Brick Oven deck after 10:00. The cost is $10.
US Handcycling Criterium, Tuesday August 23, 2011, 1:00, Elk Avenue Sprint Line
As a part of the U.S. Para Cycling Challenge, and in partnership with the Adaptive Sports Center, Crested Butte will host the US Handcycling Criterium on August 23, 2011. Handcyclists will participate in a 30-minute timed race on an 8/10 mile circuit. The race will start at 1:00 p.m. at the Sprint Line for the Pro Race (Elk Avenue between 2nd and 3rd). The competition is expected to draw 15 – 20 top Para Cyclists from all over the nation. Awards will take place at 1:45pm. For more information about the race or to register, please contact Ian Lawless at or call 303-459-4159.
Crested Butte Sprint Line Beer Garden, Tuesday August 23, 2011, 11:00am – 11:00pm, Crested Butte Sprint Finish Line
Enjoy libations from Sierra Nevada and Avery Brewing Company while watching the race action unfold all day on the jumbotron. Located on the Elk Avenue Sprint line, the beer garden also boasts premier viewing of the Sprint Line, Townie Crit and US Handcycling Criterium. From 7pm to 10pm, challenge your buddies to a simulated 500 meter sprint. Participants will race side by side on stationary bikes for their own taste of victory. Spandex is optional yet encouraged.
Strider Cup, Tuesday August 23, 2011, 1:00, Mt. Crested Butte Finish Line
Even the littlest of riders can experience the thrill of racing across the finish line. Stop by the Strider tent in the Festival to register or at the finish line 15 minutes before the race. A very limited number of bikes will be available, please bring your own to ensure a spot for your child. Little racers can race across the finish line at 1:00 or on a special course within the festival throughout the entirety of the day.
Mt. Crested Butte Finish Festival, Tuesday August 23, 2011, 11 – 5, Mt. Crested Butte
In Mt. Crested Butte, the finish line will come alive with a Finish Festival including live music and a “Taste of the Town” planned from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., where you can see the race unfold via live video feeds all while enjoying beverages from Sierra Nevada. Take advantage of food and product vendors, a kids area, two jumbotrons, beer garden, and a live music stage with multiple acts throughout the day. The live music starts at 11:30 with the Fiddling Foresters. Known as the “official old-time string band of the US Forest Service” the Fiddling Foresters are a musical group composed of Forest Service employees and volunteers from the Rocky Mountain Region. Combining toe-tapping music and the message of natural resource conservation, the Foresters are sure to be fun for the whole family. Between sets , enjoy a dance performance from the Crested Butte Collective. At 1:30 Doctor Robert takes the stage. A new generation of Beatles Tribute band, Doctor Robert brings a youthful energy and fresh perspective to an amazing catalog of music. A new generation of Beatles Tribute Bands that brings a youthful energy and fresh perspective to an amazing catalog of music.
A new generation of Beatles Tribute Bands that brings a youthful energy and fresh perspective to an amazing catalog of music.The Finish Festivals are the highlight of the finish cities throughout the race with vendors traveling to each city. The finish festivals feature not only the latest bike technology but also a fun-filled atmosphere for the whole family to enjoy.
Red Lady Stage special performance, Tuesday August 23, 2011, 5:00, following awards ceremony, Red Lady Stage, Mt. Crested Butte
After the awards ceremony, make your way to the Red Lady Stage for a performance from folk/pop songstress Megan Burtt. Megan was recently honored as one of only 6 2011 NewFolk Competition winners. She has performed at the legendary Red Rocks Ampitheater, shared stages with Braddigan (of Dispatch), Brendan James and Toad the Wet Sprocket, toured listening rooms, clubs, living rooms, prisons and military barracks and is hard at work on two side projects (Travel By Skylark and The Dance Cards) as well as her sophomore recording with The Cure For Love (due early 2012). Bring your lawnchairs, family and friends and enjoy one of the last outdoor concerts in Crested Butte for the summer. Outside alcohol and pets are not allowed.
Chase the Race, Wednesday August 24, 2011, 7:00 am, Crested Butte to Aspen
After watching the spectacular Stage 1 finish in the town of Mt Crested Butte on Aug 23rd, take part in the inaugural ‘Chase The Race’ stage to watch the next day’s finish in downtown Aspen, CO.
On August 24th, as Stage 2 of the USAPCC leaves Gunnison, CO to race over both Cottonwood & Independence Passes en-route to Aspen, we will follow in the tire treads of history, by riding from downtown Crested Butte over historic Pearl Pass, and on into downtown Aspen to catch the Stage 2 finish. Being dubbed ‘Chase The Race’, this event is a chance to experience the early rides of some of mountain biking’s great pioneers, like Gary Fisher, Tom Breeze, Don Cook, and more, when they used this route as one of the inspirations to help develop the beginnings of the modern day mountain bike. An annual event every September to this day, this will be a special and unique way for cycling enthusiasts to be a part of the sports history and its future. For more information or to save your spot, go to 970 349 5430 or go to www.crestedbutteguides.com
Be safe and have a great weekend.
Corey
Search for Crested Butte and Gunnison Real Estate
Corey Dwan – REALTOR
Benson Sotheby’s International Realty
P.O. Box 210
433 Sixth Street
Crested Butte, CO 81224
970-596-3219 Cell
970-797-1810 Fax
www.CrestedButteForSale.com