The Signal Peak Challenge NMORS race is cancelled this year due to fire damage.
But .... they are doing a kick butt Fat Tire Festival instead. Info quoted below.
Signal Peak Fat Tire Fest 2014 Summary
Welcome to the Signal Peak Challenge/Fat Tire Fest!
The reason for the venue & format change for 2014 is due to the fire on Signal Pk in May, resulting in most of the road & singletrack normally used in the race being closed. The XC race will return, but trail access & conditions will dictate when.
The trails used this year, on both days, are amazing singletrack adventures that have never been included in the race before. They are some of the local riders’ favorite rides, and range from easy to very difficult. All rides will be guided, with occasional regrouping. If riders want to push through at a higher pace than the guide, they are responsible for downloading or providing their own map of the course. See the tracks on the website.
The $20 registration is same whether you ride one or both days, and covers the food as well. Yeah, it’s deal.
The event kicks off with rides on Saturday PM, Aug 16th, at 2 PM. All ride start times are from the Signal Peak Rd parking lot, at the intersection of NM Hwy 15 and Signal Peak Road, the same place as the previous years. If you choose to park closer to the actual trail start, Little Cherry Creek, for example, please allow for the time it takes for the guide & other riders to arrive from Signal Pk parking lot.
Both Saturday PM rides will be done by 5:30, and the BBQ dinner for all registered participants & volunteers starts at 6. If you don’t arrive in time for the Saturday rides, no problem. Come for dinner & sign up for Sunday.
There are lots of camping opportunities surrounding the parking area, so feel free to bring camping equipment & spend the night at the venue. There will be music, food, & drinks
.
Please respect Forest Service closures in the area due to the fire. Be careful where you camp due to flooding.
On Sunday morning, the rides start at 9 AM for the Devils Garden/Tadpole Ridge Epic, and 10 for the Devils Garden Lite & Trinkle Trail beginner rides. The last riders from the epic ride should be back by 3 PM. All riders are welcome to come back to the parking area for a BBQ lunch.
Riders are responsible for their own water & food while riding. Make sure you have a pump, spare tube(s), tools, and lots of food & water.
Ride Descriptions
Saturday
Little Cherry Creek- Out & Back. Moderate difficulty, some technical sections, switchbacks & rock drops, with very fast singletrack & road descent. Climbs 2,000 ft on the way out, descends same amount coming back. Please use caution on the road section for cars, 4 wheelers, and hikers. Expect it to take 3-3.5 hours.
Trinkle Trail Loop – Easy loop on combination of dirt road & singletrack. Expect 1-2 hrs.
Sunday
Devils Garden/Tadpole Ridge Epic – This is the big one. If you have any question about your ability to do this ride, you should do the Devils Garden Lite, which is a hard ride in its own right. The Epic may not have as many miles as some other endurance rides, but it is a brute! Thousands of vertical feet (6-7K), endless twisty singletrack, gnarly descents, creek crossings and stunning views. Expect this ride to take 5-6 hrs of hard riding. There will be occasional regrouping, and the ride will be led by none other than Jamie T. If you can keep up, you’re a hard case.
Devils Garden Lite – Out & Back This is the route the Epic will be finishing on, and you get to see some of the best scenery of the Epic without tackling Tadpole Ridge. Fast descent into Bear Creek canyon, numerous creek crossings, 2-track riding to the Devils Garden formations, and back. This is a physically tough, but not as technically challenging ride. Expect it to take 3-4 hours.
Trinkle Trail Loop- same as Saturday PM.
This is not a race. You will be challenged, and the rides can be ridden at whatever pace you want. If you plan on pushing the pace, be sure to download the ride tracks to give you navigation.
Thanks for your interest! This will be a fun event, and if you need a weekend away from it all, seeing amazing country you’ve never seen before, increasing your fitness, put this on your calendar, and we’ll see you soon.
--
--
www.nmors.org..........O................................................ / ^ ^ \
........./ \ ,...................................... / ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ \
.......- \ - .............................../ ^ ^ ^ ^ / ^ ^ \ ^\
........./ ( * )................ / ^ ^ ^ / ^ ^ ^ ^ ^
....( * ) / ^ ^ ^ ^ / ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^
..^ ^ ^