The Original Growler Endurance Mountain Bike Races event

Presented By: Ergon Bike Ergonomics

The Original Growler XIV

May 28-29, 2022

Gunnison, Colorado

Brought to you by Gunnison Trails and presented by Ergon. The Original Growler is the primary fundraiser for Gunnison Trails, a Colorado 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Gunnison Trails is dedicated to maintaining and expanding the singletrack experience in the Gunnison area, and we've been hard at work building the Valley's newest network of trails in the Signal Peak area. All proceeds from the Original Growler support Gunnison Trails and our trail maintenance and building here in the Gunnison Valley. 

COUNTER-CLOCKWISE COURSE IN 2022



Since the first race back in 2008, the Original Growler has not wavered from our guiding principal of asking you to trade your hard earned dollars for three things:

1) An awesome day on the bike. The Growler offers a challenging, singletrack heavy mountain biking experience on some of the finest trails on the planet.

2) A killer party. Food, drink and camaraderie in downtown Gunnison (for those that still have some party left in them)

3) Top shelf trails, both existing and developing. Regardless of where you live, you become a stakeholder in Gunnison area trails as every penny of your entry fee goes directly to the 501c3 not for profit, Gunnison Trails, and Gunnison Trails’ mission is focused solely on improving and expanding area trails.
 



The Original Growler showcases most of the trails at the Hartman Rocks recreation area on BLM public lands. “Hartmans,” as we call it, was chosen as one of the top 20 mountain biking destinations on BLM lands and offers a one-of-kind trail riding experience. If you have ridden Hartmans, you know all about the magic of these high desert trails.

If you haven’t, you owe it to yourself as an experienced mountain biker to test your skills and fitness on the trails at Hartman Rocks. You’ll be forced to alternate relentlessly between fast and flowy trails through seas of sagebrush to tricky and technical rock moves on islands of granite and in the many micro canyons that pock this primal landscape. While there are no big climbs and the total vertical gain isn’t remarkable, the seesaw nature of the Growler course is a supreme test of all around mountain biking. Go ahead, commit. But be prepared to challenge your mind, body and skills.


Saturday May 28, 2022 - The Classic, around 32 miles on dirt (limited to 350 riders)
Sunday May 29, 2022 - The Pup, around 20 miles on dirt
Sunday May 29, 2022 - The Big Bad, around 40 miles on dirt (Sunday starters for the Pup and Big Bad limited to 350 riders) 






THE ORIGINAL GROWLER IS A DIFFICULT RACE. NO BEGINNERS, PLEASE!

The Original Growler is a tough, singletrack heavy affair and is for experienced mountain bikers only. Riders must possess the skills and judgment necessary to assess technical, difficult and challenging trails and roads and get up, down, over and through them safely. This says nothing about the fitness that is required simply to ride this course. Additionally, the Growler is a backcountry race so you could be far from medical help if you get injured. Please come to Gunnison prepared!

Registration opens at 8pm MDT Saturday, December 1st, 2021.  

Refunds and Transfers: The Original Growler’s only reason for existence - along with offering you an epic challenge and an amazing experience - is to raise money for Gunnison area trails, trail advocacy and other local non-profits.

2022 Refund Policy: Full refunds are available until March 31, 2022 at midnight. Refunds will only be granted if we receive an email at [email protected] prior to this date and time. In this email you can also request a partial refund, contributing an amount of your choice to the Gunnison Trails cause. Thanks in advance for that!

From April 1, 2022 to May 16, 2022 at midnight, a full refund, less a $25 contribution to Gunnison Trails, is available. Again, you must email us at [email protected] within this time period and you can also contribute more than $25 if you choose, just let us know in your email.

Apologies, but there will be no refunds after May 16, 2022. However, check out our transfer policy below as we will allow transfers until May 21, 2022.

Transfers: Transfers will be allowed until May 21, 2022 at midnight. We have set up our registration platform at bikereg.com to allow users to edit their registration. This will allow you to log on and change categories, team name, rider's name and contact details, etc. This will also allow you to transfer your entry to another rider if you're unable to race and have someone who can take your place. 

COVID PRECAUTIONS 

The health and safety of our racers and volunteers is our #1 goal. As we move into an uncertain winter, we want you to know we'll be doing everything in our power to adhere and adjust to local County and State health guidelines. 

Full Original Growler details are at our website HERE 

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