Borealis Fat Bike Worlds returns to Crested Butte this month

Fat bikes, Zuni beer and a Led Zeppelin tribute band

By Than Acuff

After taking the Borealis Fat Bike World Championships on the road the past four years, the event returns to its birthplace for the 10^th anniversary Friday through Sunday, January 24-26.

The Borealis Fat Bike World Championships is a Crested Butte Mountain Bike Association (CBMBA) event and after a successful run right here at home, the event moved to Pinedale, Wyoming, New Richmond, Wisconsin and last year to Leadville before returning to its roots.

“One of the goals was to always travel. We were psyched to have it moving around,” says CBMBA director Dave Ochs. “But we gotta be back in Crested Butte for the 10^th anniversary.”

If you’ll recall, Fat Bike Worlds was spread over five days before hitting the road and even included some downhill racing at Crested Butte Mountain Resort. Now, after testing and tweaking the event’s capacities, it’s back to a tight three-day affair kicking off with a Welcome Party on Friday, January 24 at the Elevation Hotel and Spa complete with PBRs and music from Wiley Jones.

Saturday, January 25 is racing day with two races available, a fun race and the World Championship race, on track set out on the East Side Nordic trail system. The fun race is three laps long for a total of 15 miles with competitors in the championship race riding five laps for a total of 25 miles. The first 120 finishers in the championship race will get a commemorative 10^th Anniversary leather flask.

“We’re so thankful to the town of Crested Butte, the CB Land Trust and CB Nordic for allowing us to do this,” says Ochs. 

There will be a vendor expo at the start/finish area and Ochs is looking for the fans to come out along the course with liquid sustenance be it water, wine or the ever-popular whiskey for riders as well as a “bacon station” for a little salty inspiration.

“We completely support those kinds of shenanigans,” says Ochs.

He does want to remind everyone that the course is only open to fat bikers on race day and to respect that.

“No pre-riding the course, just race day,” says Ochs.

That said, there are plenty of options for race training throughout the valley with the Town Ranch trail, Riverbend Connector, the Rec Path, Gothic Road and Cement Creek all groomed on a regular basis at the North end of the valley and Gunnison Trails maintaining actual singletrack trails for fat biking at Hartman Rocks.

“They have 12-16-inch wide singletrack set,” says Ochs. “Hartman Rocks is incredible.”

Race day comes to a triumphant close as CBMBA and the Center for the Arts are partnering to host the after party at the Center for the Arts with beer from Zuni Brewing and Led Zeppelin tribute band Ten Years Gone. Doors open at 6 p.m., awards at 7 p.m. and the concert starts at 8 p.m. Racers get in for free and the event is open to the public. 

The weekend wraps up on Sunday, January 26 with a group ride up Cement Creek starting and finishing at the Zuni Brewery in Crested Butte South.

Volunteers are still needed so if you can help email [email protected]. If you wish to jump into the fatness, it’s $155 and that includes all events and free beer all weekend long. For more information, registration and the schedule go to fatbikeworlds.org.

And, yes, the FBW brand will be properly heated up at the finish line just in case the World Champions wish to have the memory of their accomplishment burned into their flesh.

Fat bikes, friends, bacon, Zuni beer, Zeppelin and burnt flesh, what more could you want?!