The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Pinnacle race series closes in style
Mountain bikers of the greater Gunnison Valley, put the angst away for just one day and join forces for the final race of the Pinnacle Race Series, the Dirty Al.
This Thursday, August 12, the Pinnacle Race Series comes to a climactic close with the second annual Dirty Al.
The Dirty Al is the summer version of the Al Johnson with a twist. The event bridges the gap between the endurance riders and the gravity junkies in the valley.
“It’s the coming together of two demographics for one joyous occasion,” says Crested Butte Mountain Resort director of Mountain Sports Drew Cesati.
Sure, the cross-country riders may sneer at the lift-served, full-body armored downhillers. And the downhillers may chuckle at the spandex-clad, Weight Watcher cross-country riders. Well, it’s time to put the attitude away for a day and share the stoke of all things two-wheeled. Fact is, you can’t win the Dirty Al without each other.
The Dirty Al is a mix of lung-busting climbs and teeth-chattering downhill tracks in Crested Butte Mountain Resort’s Evolution Bike Park.
There are two options for riders: go it solo or team up for a four-person team. One thing is for sure: you may not want to ride the climbs in this race on a downhill bike and you don’t want to attempt the downhills on your cross-country bike
This year’s course starts at the base area and climbs up the West Side Trail before cutting across Horseshoe Springs to the top of the Red Lady Express for the first hand-off.
Then it’s time for the full squish to shine as the course heads down the Mineral Point track and back to the base area for another hand-off.
From there the iron lungs take over for a climb up Warming House Hill before turning onto the Columbine Trail bound back to the top of the Red Lady Express lift for one last hand-off.
The final glory goes to the gravity-fed as they point it down Avery back to the finish line at the base area “for a thrilling finish.”
Sign up will be at the 9380 deck from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. the day of the event. The Red Lady lift will be running until 6:15 p.m. to shuttle the downhillers to their spot up top, with the start gun going off at 5:45 p.m.
Cesati expects the first climb to take about a half hour to reach the first exchange, so downhillers should be in position by 6:15 p.m.
“I’m psyched for a good finish to wrap up a great season of riding at the resort,” says Cesati.
