Beginner Category Course

Distance: 6.5 miles
Elevation gain: ~750 ft

Racers will be organized in the lower parking lot at Pajarito Mountain Ski Area for a mass start. The parking lot is wide and will allow riders to space themselves out before making a hard right turn unto a 1/4 mile long section of climbing doubletrack (Forest Service Trail # 285, aka the nordic ski trails). Again, there should be plenty of room for passing.

At the top of this first gentle climb (a good warm-up) the doubletrack forks and racers will stay right into a short descent. The doubletrack narrows to singletrack upon reaching the meadows at Cañada Bonita. Towards the high point in the meadows, the trail will turn back left onto faint singletrack. This section will be fast and flowing with ample opportunity for passing. After a few miles, it rejoins the trail that racers started on and heads back to the Ski Area.

Riders will be directed past the Lodge and along a service road for a short stretch before turning onto singletrack. From this point the trail descends and roughly parallels Camp May road (let the peanut gallery know). A tricky rock obstacle in the middle will be the first truly technical spot.

The descent ends near the base of Townsite Chairlift, and the lowpoint for the race, where a sustained climb begins on a service road. This climb... "the Pipeline Simulator"... is characterized by loose rocks and direct sun.

Fortunately, it doesn't last for long before riders will come to the top of the climb, followed by a fast and smooth descent back to the Lodge and the finish of the Beginners' race.

Map