Presented By
ALPINE ORTHOPAEDICS
ed Butte Bike Week
Alpine Orthopaedics
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JuNe 23-26, 2011
Operating Under a Special Use Permit on the Gunnison National Forest Operating Under a Special Use Permit on the Gunnison National Forest
Photo: Xavi Fane
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Photo: Xavi Fane
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Photo: Alex Fenlon
www.crestedbuttebikeweek.com www.crestedbuttebikeweek.com
Official Physicians
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s up! We’re cyclists, too. We are also team physicians for the U.S. Track Cycling Team, Road Worlds ionship, U.S. Olympic Team and the head physician for the U.S. Team at this year’s Pan Am Games. Look for ar the Crested Butte Bike Week events providing emergency medical care. Then come visit us again to take tage of our cycling focused programs from the Alpine Orthopaedics—Sports Performance Institute. www. orthopaedics.com. 970-596-4786. Gunnison/Crested Butte. Official Physicians of Crested Butte Bike Week.
celebrate summer in
crested butte
SUMMeR 2011 FeStivALS & eventS Restaurant Week June 3 – 10 Crested Butte Bike Week June 23 – 26 Music Festival July 3 – August 14 Bluegrass in Paradise July 9 – 10 Wildflower Festival July 11 – August 1 Wine & Food Festival July 20 – 24 Leadville 100 Qualifier July 31 Arts Festival August 6 – 7 USA Pro Cycling Challenge August 23 – 24 For a complete list of events, visit ridecb.com
new Canopy Zipline tour
evolution Bike Park
Free Scenic Rides* Photos: tom Stillo, Raynor Czerwinski
CRESTED BUTTE MOUNTAIN RESORT
*Receive FRee lift tickets when you stay at any CBMR property, including the Grand Lodge, elevation Hotel & Spa, the Lodge at Mountaineer Square, and the Plaza Condominiums, June 18 through Labor Day and weekends in September 2011. some restrictions apply.
(888)824-7852
staycb.com/specials
July 9 – 10, 2011
N PARAID ISE
Kids Camp
July 5 – 8, 2011
DREW EMMITT ( HOST ) // DR. RALPH STANLEY & HIS CLINCH MOUNTAIN BOYS // SELDOM SCENE THE KRUGER BROTHERS // KELLER & THE KEELS // NASHVILLE BLUEGRASS BAND // HONEY DON‘T SIERRA HULL & HIGHWAY 111 // GYPSY JAZZ SOCIAL CLUB // HEAD FOR THE HILLS // TOWN MOUNTAIN // THE JOSH WILLIAMS BAND // THE PARADISE ALL-STAR BAND
Base Area at Red Lady Lift, Mt. Crested Butte, Colorado www.bluegrassinparadise.com // 970.349.0619
VISUAL ARTS
SATURDAY & SUNDAY 10-5 175 EXHIBITING ARTISTS ART AUCTION CHILDRENS ART ALLEY ARTIST DEMONSTRATIONS
CULINARY ARTS
AUGUST 5 - CULINARY KICK-OFF GALA AUGUST 6 - ART OF PAIRING ART OF THE COCKTAIL ART OF CRAFT BEER & BBQ
Live at Crested Butte Bike Week June 25th 5PM Doors Open 6:30 Supporting Act (TBD) 8PM Toots Purchase Tickets Now
Contents SADDLE UP
pg. 12
SPOKEVISION GALLERY pg. 16
DAVE WIENS CYCLES THROUGH AN INTERVIEW pg. 30
Chainless Bike Race pg. 40 Sought-After Singletrack pg. 56
NEW TRAILS ON TAP WITH MOLLY MURFEE pg. 66
SADDLE UP Every week is Bike Week in Crested Butte. After all, this is one of the birthplaces of mountain biking, home to the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame and some of the best riding on the planet. But once each summer, for the last 31 years, the greater bike community converges on the Gunnison Valley and turns this two-wheel town into a bike rally for the ages. This year, the festival is renamed “Crested Butte Bike Week” as we strive to fill people in on biking’s epicenter, where riders, friends and families gather each summer to celebrate all things bike from June 23-26. During CBBW, Mountain States Cup holds Downhill, Super D, Four-cross and Cross
Country races; 24-Hour townie fundraisers take over the streets; and then there’s the cult classic Chainless Race, the “Cannonball Run” of bike events. Races and rallies are complemented with skills clinics, and companies showcasing and demoing their latest gear, so you can scope the latest technology while riding world-class singletrack. Recently, music has become an integral part of the Bike Week festivities. This summer, icon Toots and the Maytals will shake the mountains with their reggae beats. Toots pumps up a crowd like none other, and is renowned for his high-energy hopinspiring shows. Inside these pages, the first edition of Crested Butte Bike Week Magazine, you’ll find feature stories on the people, places and events that make this one of a kind. You’ve got music, mountain biking, clunker cruising, and rich two-wheel culture spun into one. Enjoy the ride. —CBBW
Location: Crested Butte, CO Photo: Kevin Krill
WH
Y
Distributed by Clif Bar & Company, Emeryville, CA 94608 U.S.A. 1-800-CLIFBAR Š 2011 Clif Bar & Company. MB11.508
H AT M O V E S
YOU? Whatever it might be, if it gets you out the door, we’re into it. At Clif Bar & Company, we believe food should be all natural, organically delicious, and provide us the energy to do the things we love to do. G E T M OV I N G . K E E P M OV I N G – CLIF BAR. CLIF BAR IS THE OFFICIAL NUTRITION SPONSOR OF CRESTED BUTTE BIKE WEEK
C L I F B A R . C O M
SPOKEVISION GALLERY
Location: Trail 401 Photo: Alex Fenlon
Location: Avery Trail Photo: Kevin Krill
Location: Trail 401 Photo: Alex Fenlon
Location: Psycho Rocks Trail Photo: Kevin Krill
Location: RocksVT Trail Photo: Kevin Krill Rider: Galin Foley Location: Pico Psycho Backcountry, Photo: Justin Cash
Location: Mineral Point Trail Photo: Kevin Krill
Location: Deer Creek Photo: Mike Horn
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DAVE WIENS CYCLES
THROUGH AN INTERVIEW Interview by Mike Horn
Photo: Mike Horn
DAVE WIENS IS AN ICON IN THE GUNNISON VALLEY, THE RIDER WHO BEAT LANCE ARMSTRONG IN THE LEADVILLE 100 A FEW YEARS BACK, AND FOUNDER OF NON-PROFIT GUNNISON TRAILS. WE CAUGHT UP WITH WIENS THIS SPRING TO SEE WHAT HE’S UP TO THESE DAYS, AND GET HIS TAKE ON WHY BIKING IS SUCH A BIG PART OF LIFE IN THE GUNNISON VALLEY. Mike Horn: Hi Dave. Can you explain your role with Gunnison Trails? Dave Wiens: I founded Gunnison Trails in 2006 and am currently the Executive Director. MH: What is the mission of Gunnison Trails? Accomplishments? Challenges/future projects? DW: Gunnison Trails is focused on singletrack trails for walking, running and riding bikes. We maintain trails, educate trail users and work toward new trail opportunities in the Upper Gunnison Valley. We have maintained miles and miles of trails, primarily at Hartman Rocks but we have also worked a good bit behind Western State College. We have helped elevate awareness of other natural resource concerns in the valley through our educational messages. Honoring seasonal closures for wildlife, like the endangered Gunnison Sage-grouse, is a good example or one of the important educational messages we continue to promote. We were instrumental in helping the BLM build the new Aberdeen Loop last summer and continue to work toward get-
ting new trails opportunities on the ground like the Gunnison to Crested Butte trail, the Lost Canyon trail system and the Antelope Ridge trail system accessed through the City owned Van Tuyl Ranch. MH: What is unique about Crested Butte Bike Week, compared to other bike events? DW: Crested Butte Bike Week has been going on since the beginning of mountain biking and it takes place in one of the locales where the sport originated. That and the fact that Crested Butte has some of the best trails anywhere and is one of the most visually stunning and cool places on the planet makes CBBW an amazing experience. MH: Are you participating in any CBBW events or races this year? DW: I’m going to be around but haven’t chosen any particular events yet. I will be heavily involved in race course prep for the Leadville Qualifying Series race that will take place a few weeks later.
Photo: Photo: Andreas Andreas Koerner Koerner
MH: Who are your sponsors?
MH: Best introductory-to-intermediate ride in the Valley?
DW: Topeak, Ergon, Canyon Bikes & SRAM. MH: Do you remember your first ride in the Gunnison Valley? What was it? DW: One of my earliest memories of riding in this valley was of the Deer Creek trail. It was the late 80’s and it wasn’t marked at all nor was it grooved in. The grass and wildflowers were hip tall and the trail was about 6 inches wide! We lost it at the top of the first big climb and were just wondering around when all of the sudden here came a mountain biker, local pioneer Jimmy Faust. The trail was right under our noses all the time, we just couldn’t see it because it was so narrow back then. We stuck with him and he took us the rest of the way to Gothic. I’ll never forget it. MH: What’s so special about the riding around here? DW: I think the contrast between the high alpine of Crested Butte and the stark and dramatic riding of the BLM lands around Gunnison, including Hartman Rocks, makes the Upper Gunnison Valley one of the best places anywhere to ride mountain bikes. Throw in our proximity to the Crest Trail and you have three worldclass areas to ride that are all of vastly different character.
DW: The Lower Loop trails near Crested Butte and the Sea of Sage and Middle Luge trails at Hartman Rocks are a great start. MH: If you really want to suffer, go ride… DW: Gunsight Pass or the Star Trail.
IF YOU REALLY WANT TO SUFFER, GO RIDE...
“GUNSIGHT PASS OR STAR TRAIL.”
Photo: Mike Horn
LOCATED: 304 Elk Avenue PHONE: 970 349 2020
Rider: Galin Foley Location: Pico Backcountry, VT Photo: Justin Cash
DON’T MISS THE ONLY MOUNTAIN TOP FINISH OF THE TOUR STAGE 1 / 8.23.11 / SALIDA TO CRESTED BUTTE - MT. CRESTED BUTTE
watch the pros go to battle and join in the festivities in true Crested Butte style with a series of events including a Gran Fondo, Townie Criterium, Strider Cup, live music and more.
Rider: Galin Foley Location: Pico Backcountry, VT Photo: Justin Cash
THIS SUMMER
FEEL THE RUSH CRESTED BUTTE JUNE 24-26
11th ANNUAL
WILDFLOWERRUSH
MOUNTAIN BIKE RACE
FAT TIRE 40 CROSS COUNTRY SUPER-D DUAL SLALOM
DOWNHILL
to get the lowdown on all things race visit
www.racemsc.com
CLICK HERE to REGISTER
Chainless Bike Race Costumes. Clunkers. Chaos.
Sprinkle in a dirtpacked mountain pass, gravity, and raucous crowds for a one-of-a-kind downhill race that draws riders from near and far. Ride any bike you want—there are some wild custom creations—but there’s one rule: no pedaling. Zip-Tie your chain or take it off altogether. This is the Chainless folks, and you’ll never forget it. See you at the top of Kebler Pass.
Photo: Alex Fenlon
“Long live the Sh*tbike!” Photo: Alex Fenlon
Townie Traffic Jam Photo: Mike Horn
A study in space-age aerodynamics Photo: Alex Fenlon
The chopper gets all the chicks Photo: Mike Horn
Speed suits work. Ask 2010 Chainless champ Roman Kolodziej (right) Photo: Alex Fenlon
Finish Line: The hay bales stop riders from catapulting into the crowd Photo: Alex Fenlon
Rider: Galin Foley Location: Pico Backcountry, VT Photo: Justin Cash
MSC#1
Cheyenne Mountain Explosion April 8-10 | Colorado Springs, CO
MSC#2
Rabbit Valley Rally April 29 - May 1 | Fruita, CO
MSC#3
Riverside Rampage May 20-22 | Salida, CO
MSC#4
Chile Challenge June 3-5 | Angel Fire, NM
MSC#5
Wildflower Rush June 24-26 | Crested Butte, CO
MSC#6
Full Tilt in Telluride July 8-10 | Mountain Village, CO
MSC#7
Keystone Classic July 22-24 | Keystone, CO
MSC#8
Blast the Mass August 5-7 | Snowmass Village, CO
MSC#9
SolSurvivor September 3-6 | Granby, CO
to get the lowdown on all things race visit www.racemsc.com
Sought-After
Singletrack
Bike Week isn’t just about the races and events. It presents the opportunity for people to visit the valley and explore the worldclass singletrack that puts the Gunnison Valley on the map. And there’s lots of it. Here’s a photo collection representing some of our favorite rides, from quick hits just outside of town to leg-burners that carry you deep in the backcountry.
Location: Budd Trail Photo: Mike Horn
At first glance, the corner of Highway 9 and Camino Del Rio in Virgin, Utah looks like little more than a dirt lot leading to yet another unrealized subdivision in the post-bubble real estate apocalypse. Over the decades, millions of people have zipped past this seemingly innocuous crossroads on their way to and from Zion National Park. But just over the bridge spanning the Virgin River is a left turn that takes you five miles up a rutted-out Jeep road to the hallowed grounds of Red Bull Rampage. Freeride mountain biking’s definitive event, the Rampage returned to Virgin this October for the first time in two years. Here, riders redefine what’s possible on a mountain bike, using natural terrain features, monster man-made jumps, and 60-foot canyon gaps. Witness the evolution of freeriding—.
Location: Mineral Point Trail Photo: Kevin Krill
Location: Psycho Rocks Trail Photo: Kevin Krill
Location: Dyke Trail Photo: Mike Horn
Location: Deer Creek Photo: Mike Horn
Location: Strand Photo: Mike Horn
Trail Fairie In Crested Butte and Gunnison we have a lot to celebrate during Bike Week – hundreds of miles of trails assure whether we’re adrenaline junkies, looking to learn, or grabbing a bit of peace, we’ve got something to ride on and expansive views to gaze on when we get there. With 1.6 million acres of forestland surrounded by five officially designated wilderness areas there’s plenty of public land to feed our recreational frenzy. These places are often haloed by a different kind of preserved land, however, with access across hard-won easements on private property. Much of the buff singletrack that makes us so popular is maintained not just by our friendly forest agents in army green, but by battalions of dedicated volunteers. We are the Trail Fairies – twelve local and separate entities working collaboratively every day raising money, preserving and stewarding land, assuring access, and building and maintaining trails that thousands of residents and visitors enjoy here every year. Much of the work begins with the Money Makers - organizations that raise, collect and organize funds. These funds are then given to the Instigators to purchase land or protective easements that assure it is preserved in perpetuity.
These are: 1% for Open Space, Gunnison Valley Preservation Board, and the Town of Crested Butte with its Real Estate Transfer Tax. Next come the Instigators. Somebody needs to identify land that needs to be preserved and then work with private landowners and governmental entities to make it happen. The Crested Butte Land Trust, Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, Gunnison Ranchland Conservation Legacy, Town of Crested Butte’s Planning and Community Development Department and Trust for Public Land fall into this category. Once the land is preserved often times a trail is desired to give residents and visitors more access to these places. Here come the Trail Makers. These entities plan trails by working with conservation and governmental organizations and private landowners. They often also maintain existing trails as well as keep an open eye towards trail connectivity. The Trail Makers in the Valley are Crested Butte Mountain Bike Association, Town of Crested Butte’s Parks and Recreation Department, Gunnison County Trails Commission and the Elk Mountain Hikers Club. Then there is advocacy. These folks make sure that when the Forest Service,
es Revealed Bureau of Land Management or even local government is making important decisions surrounding land use, that they take the various user groups and needs into consideration. The Elk Mountain Hikers Club, Crested Butte Mountain Bike Association, and Gunnison County Trails Commission play most strongly in this advocacy role. The Kochevar Trails Coalition, comprised of many of the above groups, is undertaking a massive trail building project this summer that exemplifies this constant collaborative effort. The Kochevar Open Space, one of the largest conservation projects in Crested Butte history, was permanently preserved in 2010 and encompasses almost 400 acres covering Smith Hill and dipping into both the Slate River Valley and Washington Gulch. The Coalition is coordinating over six major trail workdays through the summer. With the help of Crested Butte / Mt. Crested Butte Chamber of Commerce program “Live! Think Local First” we’re hoping to get the word out to everyone who has ever enjoyed a trail in Crested Butte and would like to give back to that privilege. Whether learning to ride on the Lower Loop, completing epic road rides over Paradise Divide, banging out Strand Hill on a long lunch break, or enjoying the
view from a high alpine meadow you’ve peddled to, you are experiencing Gunnison County Trail Fairies’ work at their finest. If you’re visiting for the week or live here in any capacity, watch the local newspapers, visit these organizations’ websites, or click on the Live! page of the Think Local First website for more information on Kochevar Trail building workdays throughout the summer and to find out how you can support land preservation and trail access in the Gunnison Valley. You may also physically walk through the doors of the Crested Butte Mountain Heritage Museum at 331 Elk Avenue, home of the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame, for information you can actually pick up and put in your pocket while talking to a real live person. Then you too can earn the coveted title of Trail Fairy.
by Molly Murfee
Molly Murfee is the Executive Director of 1% for Open Space as well as a nationally published freelance writer.
CRESTED BUTTE ENJOY THE SCENERY ~ STAY FOR THE LIFESTYLE View the Crested Butte & Gunnison residential and commercial opportunities at www.crestedbutterealestatesales.com
Lisa Lenander, Broker Associate, GRI, RSPS, SFR Prudential Becky Hamlin Realty, Inc. 211 Elk Avenue, P.O. Box 1788, Crested Butte, CO 81224 PHONE: 970.209.1603 EMAIL: lisa@cbproperty.com WEB SITE: www.crestedbutterealestatesales.com Š 2011. An independently owned and operated member of Prudential Real Estate Affiliates, Inc. Prudential rock is a registered service mark of the Prudential Insurance Company of America. Equal Housing Opportunity. If your property is currently listed with a real estate broker, please disregard. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
& Colorado Backcountry
present
Crested Butte Bike Week
Women’s Mountain Bike Camps RidgelineImages.com
ALL ABILITIES WELCOME! Noncompetitive, fun workshops focused on improving confidence and technique. Expand your skills toolbox in just a couple of hours. Enjoy prizes from our sponsors Green Trivia Contest - win prizes from our sponsors.
Thursday June 23: JCLeacock.com
Gravity Camp 12–3, $35, (Lift tickets extra)
Friday June 24: Skills Camp 12–3, $35
Saturday June 25: Skills & Singletrack Camp 9–3, $95 Reserve spots at www.alisongannett.com or call 349–0800
Do You Want A Digital Magazine Like This? Contact the crew at StokeLab.
info@stokelab.com
SEE YOU THERE.
Photo: Xavier Fane
www.crestedbuttebikeweek.com