2018 LaGrange Classic Mountain Bike Race - Long Course route

The start and finish are on Weaver Bally Road at 2,125 ft. A forest service road that is open year round. After only 0.1 miles, the singletrack begins.

At 1 mile from the start, is Garden Gulch. Expect some water in June in this rocky creek. There is no bridge, pick your line across the round river rock.

Since the start of the race, the course is sun exposed, traversing a burn scar. At mile 1.5 the wildfire hit a prescribed burn and stopped. Now a short climb is set to begin as you enter the 10 Cent Gulch area and its oak filled shade.

10 Cent Gulch climbs up to Howe Ditch, 2.3 miles from the start. No, you are not imagining it. The oaks really are arching over the trail from both sides.

Now that you are on Howe Ditch, it's easy street. The hydraulic gold miners needed water. To get that water, they built miles of ditches. Howe Ditch is one such ditch line. One of many, moving water to the mines. There is no longer any water in this ditch. Just a gentle climb as you go, what would have been, upstream to Jackass Ridge.

Once on Jackass Ridge at mile 3.4, it will just be 100 ft on this closed road to the Upper Howe Ditch and back to singletrack. For the next 1.6 miles, watch out for trees and rocks that will want to clip a part of your bike. Notice the transition of oaks to conifers?

Upper Howe Ditch ends at mile 5, dumping the rider onto the East Weaver Creek Trail. East Weaver Creek Trail is one of the longer trails in the Weaver Basin. The course traverses various sections of this trail. This particular section is doubletrack with lots of room for passing.

It won't last long because mile 5.1 is the start of the Serenity Ditch Spur. A short little downhill to Serenity Ditch, which does contain water for most of the year. If you happen to ride this section in late June or August, budget some time to pick a few blackberries.

Alas all good things come to an end and Serenity Ditch ends at Rainbow. Hang a right and head downhill as the short and long courses part ways. At the bottom of the hill is East Weaver Road. Head straight across.

Just on the other side of East Weaver Road, 6 miles into the race, the first real climb begins at 2500ft with Musser Hill Trail. At mile 8.4 (3,300 ft) the singletrack ends and the roads begin, with the climb ending at mile 10 (3,800ft).

After a brief descent down Musser Hill Road, turn off at mile 10.5 for LaGrange Ditch Trail. The trail meets the ditch at the Mud Tunnel, turning left away from the tunnel. The LaGrange Ditch is one of the 3 gems of the long course. This historic ditch still has some of the wooden trestles supporting the flume that is now gone. Race atop this ditch, fighting the rocks at times to keep your line. Watch out as the trail occasionally dips at places where the ditch has broken away. At the end of LaGrange Ditch (mile 13.5), is a steep, switchback descent to East Weaver Creek.

Cross over the creek at the bridge and merge back onto the short course to descend Day Ranch Trail, a sweet flowy descent for 2 miles, the second gem of the long course.

At mile 16, begins the return to the bridge via the other side of the creek. The second real climb begins now at mile 16.5 (2,700ft) along the East Weaver Creek Trail. Continue pass the bridge as the trail crosses through the creek at a wide spot. The climbing continues until mile 19.5 (3,500ft) when the 2 mile, 1000ft descent of Jackass Ridge begins.

At mile 21.5, the Howe Ditch is revisited this time riding in the opposite direction as it carries you towards the Garden Gulch Spur. The Garden Gulch Spur is a 1 mile descent through the trees feed by the water flowing down the gulch much of the year. There are a few hard turns, but at its end (mile 25) is a hard right uphill turn towards Weaver Bally Road. Once at the road it is a short descent to the final strech of singletrack. Weaver Bally Road is your last best chance to pass. Once at the singletrack, you'll soon be on the whoop-de-doos that end at the finish line.