The Original Growler Endurance Mountain Bike Races

The Original Growler XVI

May 25-26, 2024

Gunnison, Colorado

Brought to you by Gunnison Trails and presented by Gunnison Valley Orthopedics and Sports Medicine. 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 efforts here in the Gunnison Valley. 

COUNTER-CLOCKWISE COURSE IN 2024

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 25, 2024 - The Classic (9am start), around 32 miles on dirt (limited to 350 riders), FREE Kids Race (830am start)Sunday May 26, 2024 - The Pup (8am start), around 20 miles on dirtSunday May 26, 2024 - The Big Bad (8am start), 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, 2023.  

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.

2024 Refund Policy: Full refunds are available until March 31, 2024 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, 2023 to May 15, 2024 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 15, 2024. However, check out our transfer policy below as we will allow transfers until May 19, 2024.

Transfers: Transfers will be allowed until May 19, 2024 at 5pm. 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.

FREE KIDS RACE! FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY…

Calling all young mountain bikers from Striders on up that want to participate in the Gunnison Trails Growler weekend but just don't quite have the legs for a big race lap. We are thrilled to partner with CB Devo to offer this challenge for younger riders, ensuring fun for the whole family! Signup is in-person at racer check-in. 

Full Original Growler details, including a super helpful FAQ section, can be found at our website HERE.