Arizona's Black Canyon Trail- BPM Route Guide

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Arizona offers bikepackers many spectacular backcountry routes. A favorite track is the Black Canyon Trail in central Arizona. The Black Canyon Trail is approximately 78 miles long, stretching from the Carefree Highway on the outskirts of Phoenix, northward along the base of the Bradshaw Mountains, beyond highway 69 near the town of Mayer to the Prescott National Forest. A route has been created to make a 100 mile loop, with plenty of other route options. 

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(Photos/John Schilling and Michael Ackerman)

What to Know?

Start:

There are a a handful of ways to ride the Black Canyon Trail. Many folks ride the trail from north to south or from south to north, utilizing vehicle shuttles. The BCT offers bikepackers fantastic opportunities for out and back trips and no-shuttle loops, too! This is a great overnight, weekend or beginner bikepacking route all while soaking in beautiful landscapes that Arizona has to offer

As a Thru-Ride:   We recommend starting at Emery Henderson TH (marked). Take the left fork at the Boy Scout loop, then the right fork of the Little Pan loop. A short spin off-route at the Rock Springs Trailhead (marked) and you can grab water/food at the Rock Springs Cafe. This is about 25 miles into the ride. From there, proceed north on a bit of pavement, then dirt road (Maggie Mine rd). Some of the Black Canyon Trail near Rock Springs definitely rides better in the southbound direction. Riders would then rejoin the BCT at Antelope Creek, roughly 50 miles from Emery Henderson.

Sans Shuttle: I-17 Exit 242 start at Black Canyon City (Rock Springs TH) and grind north on dirt roads to the start of the Antelope Creek Segment and the BCT just south of Mayer, AZ. Descend flowy, well constructed desert singletrack along the Bradshaw Mountains, paralleling the I-17 corridor traveling southbound towards the Phoenix metro area. Add on the Little Pan (CCW) and Boy Scout (CW) loops to complete the southern half of the BCT dirty century, returning back to your vehicle at the Black Canyon City/Rock Springs TH.

Alternative start/shorter loop sans shuttle: I-17 to Exit 248 and the Bumble Bee Ranch. Inexpensive, quiet and quality camping options available at the ranch located only a few hundred feet from the BCT. Leave your car at the ranch, ride gravel north and cruise 6 segments of the BCT south-Antelope Creek, Hidden Treasure, Bumble Bee, Glorianna, K-mine North and K-mine South.  Exit at Black Canyon City, utilizing frontage and secondary dirt roads to pedal back north to the ranch, hot showers and your secure vehicle.

The Trail:

The desert is sharp and scratchy. Although the trail has amazing flow, varying trail surfaces and frequent exposure will offer just the right amount of challenge for most riders. Be aware for high water at river crossings and take care of yourself in the extreme climate found in the Sonoran Desert.

Notes: Emery Henderson Trail Head to Carefree HWY is virtually never ridden. It’s flat, boring and nothing but sand. The other section is from HWY 69 near Mayer south to Antelope Creek. Perhaps more of a warning, stating that this section is often post-holed by cattle creating a rather unpleasant riding surface. The BCT does extend north of HWY 69 now, something like another 16 miles. There is another loop currently being constructed north of HWY 69, Copper Mountain loop. something to look for in the near future.

Camping:

Plentiful backcountry camping options abound. Refill water at river crossings or carry extra storage capacity.

Weather:

Sunny Arizona! Expect cool nights/mornings and hot days in the Spring and Fall. Take caution in monsoon season. Here are yearly weather stats for Black Canyon City, AZ. This route can certainly ride in the winter depending on weather. Be extremely careful heading out in the summer as heat and exposure are a real risk.

Resupply:

Off route in Black Canyon City, at Bumble Bee Ranch (limited) and in Mayer, AZ. You can always resupply at your rig halfway through the BCT 100 track if starting at the Black Canyon City/Rock Springs TH.

Regardless of how you loop or section ride the BCT, take time to visit the Rock Springs Cafe (marked) in Black Canyon City. It’s a great place to fuel up for the trail, recharge with a tasty lunch or end your day with one of Rock Springs Cafe’s famous desserts! The cafe and adjacent service station/mini-mart are only .25 off route and is open seven days a week!

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Resources:

John Schilling – My Two Schillingsworth                                             Black Canyon Trail Coalition

Reference Track                                                                              Maps

Yearly Weather Stats for Black Canyon City                                              Black Canyon Shuttles

Leo Pershall’s BCT TR                                                      Chad Brown’s BCT TR (3 parts)

Color Me Inspired - World Premiere of New Film, Inspired to Ride

Color Me Inspired

 MICHAEL ACKERMAN ON APRIL 22, 2015

On April 11th 2015, Mike Dion and Hunter Weeks, along with their two associate producers Eddie Clark and Matthew Paul Irving, premiered their new film Inspired to Ride in Golden Colorado. Inspired to Ride joins Ride the Divide and Reveal the Path as Dion’s third, cycling themed production. Inspired to Ride chronicles the challenges and adventures of athletes participating in the first ever Trans Am Bike Race, which was organized by Nathan Jones in 2014.

The Trans Am Bike Race is a non stop, self supported road bike race along the 4,233 mile Trans America Trail. The route was mapped in 1975 by Bikecentennial (now known as Adventure Cycling Association) for their Bikecentennial ‘76 event, when more than 4,000 cyclists rode part or all of the route across the U.S. to celebrate the nation’s bicentennial. The TransAm remains the most popular route in the Adventure Cycling Route Network which now includes over 41,000 miles of cycling routes.

The Inspired to Ride website promised “A day of panel discussions from the worlds top ultra-endurance cyclists. Followed by the premiere screening of the film and a Q&A from the cast and crew. This event is the first, and possibly only time, these ultra-endurance athletes will be in the same room.”

Now that sounded interesting. But would the event deliver?

I headed to Foss Auditorium, located at the American Mountaineering Center to find out.

First up was Billy Rice, summarizing everything he’s learned about nutrition, training and preparing one’s body for the rigors of multi-day ultra racing. Billy is clear, “everything you think you know about nutrition and training is usually wrong.” Rice, a Trans Am finisher renowned for his 2013 Tour Divide YoYo, warm heart and goofy chuckle, recently launched Invictus Cycling and Performance. Billy proved a solid opening act and the audience enthusiastically applauded his strategies and suggestions for improving performance.

Neil Beltchenko was up next. Neil currently holds the fastest finishing times on both the Colorado Trail southbound and California’s Stagecoach route. Beltchenko’s presentation elicited a collective gasp of dismay as he unpacked his sparsely resourced trail bike. “That’s all you bring?” an audience member shouted. Beltchenko chuckled and answered with a question of his own. “How comfortable do you need to be during a bike race?”

If moving quickly in all-terrain, three season conditions proves easy for you, then you need to start riding with Tracy Petervary. Like Neil, Tracy structured her presentation by unpacking her kit. Petervary’s “fast and light” mindset is evident in every clothing and equipment choice she’s made. Joined onstage by a gorgeous Salsa Beargrease, she addressed being comfortable in the cold and shared her love for adventuring by bike.

Q & A with the Inspired to Ride production crew.

The Inspired to Ride team answered questions about filming and shared their experience with postproduction challenges. After regaling the crowd with anecdotes of flying drones and exploding raccoons, Dion whipped the spirited lot into a frenzy, tossing quality swag in all directions from the stage. An impressive turnout of local bikepackers, ultra racing athletes and notable backcountry adventurers had filled the room and it was time for the evening’s main event.

“I don’t understand those who say you can’t enjoy a route while moving quickly.                                                                                 I find it quite enjoyable to move as fast as I can.”

The final approach to the premiere began with a Juliana Buhring interview, current Guinness world record holder for a female cycling around the world. She’s an extraordinary athlete and if you’re unfamiliar with Juliana’s story, read up. Her quick wit, mischievous smile and extraverted personality hijacked the room’s attention. At 20 days, 23 hours and 46 minutes, Buhring was the 5thplace finisher in the 2014 Trans Am and serves as the film’s leading lady. The trials and tribulations of Juliana’s race become a prominent storyline within Inspired to Ride and the on-screen conflict between Buhring and fellow Italian racers contributes to the movie’s brilliance. You can expect more ultra racing action and a new book from Buhring in 2016.

Mike Hall, winner of the 2014 Trans Am, coordinator of the Trans Continental and endurance cycling badass took the stage. Mike offered some final commentary leading up to the movie’s start. Humble, unassuming and reflective, Hall answered an array of questions as attendees hung on every word.

Hall on efficiency: “Crave the trail. Crave moving and living off of your bike”

Hall on mental toughness: “If you’re going to cry, cry while you’re moving on your bike.”

The audience knew it was a special opportunity to hear the master drop mad wisdom. I found myself wishing they’d delay the premiere and give Mike more time to rap. But he’s the star of show so there’d be plenty of time to hear more from Hall during the film.

Friends. Beer. Pizza. Beer. Movie. More Beer. A guy in a dress…. The night spun wildly onward as these types of events usually do. But I’ll leave you with this….

You should see this movie if you like riding bicycles and participating in cool adventures. I’m not a big fan of pavement but these athletes weather the same challenges and conditions all bikepackers and off road travelers routinely encounter. Fans of the classic, Ride the Divide will enjoy the new film’s cycling and pain cave footage. Inspired to Ride is a refined production, filmed with cool technology by a talented crew of non-obtrusive documentarians. Critics of the seemingly plot-less Reveal the Path will appreciate the improvement to storyline, the director’s use of archetypes and Dion’s careful attention to character development. Watching a beastly Mike Hall destroy himself and the peloton while a stunning Juliana Buhring beats up on the boys makes for good entertainment. But it’s the regular riders, common adventurers and local people found along the Trans Am route who steal the show and brought much of the house to tears. The film is available to the general public this June and we highly recommend checking it out!

2015 AZTR 300 *PART ONE* Thank You Sir, May I Have Another?

Jay Petervary has called it the “toughest dirt bikepacking route out there” 

NO OTHER EVENT CONSIRES TO HURT, MAME OR KILL YOU LIKE THE ARIZONA TRAIL RACE. Incredibly prepared athletes go into the event expecting to get their asses kicked. Each year, the course quickly destroys racers and dispatches equipment with a callous and cruel indifference. Veterans hope to hang in there long enough to make it to the finish. Rookies see god. Just going the distance with this monster and hoping for a split decision is a noble feat. The AZT is the Chuck Norris of National and Scenic trail corridors.

Bikepacking races are unique and challenging. But there's really nothing like racing the AZTR. The dry hate, hot temper and brutal disposition of this sun devil cannot be taken lightly. Some would suggest showing more respect, inferring the trail shouldn’t be raced at all. That moving quickly on the AZT is tempting fate. Maybe they're right?After participating in multiple seasons of ultra, mtb racing, I’ve yet to find a route that equals the brutality of this course. Clearly, you should expect both a physical and mental beat down if you line up for this spring classic.

Day 1 & 2

Yet oddly enough, I’m incredibly addicted to the AZT's beauty and challenge. So much so that I’m already psyched to line up for more abuse next April. For now however, it’s time to shake off 2015 and try to make some meaning out of this year’s scratch at the Freeman Cache. This multi-part TR documents the utter shellacking I took at the hands of this fickle beast. Hopefully this reflection will lead to more growth and continued success next year. Or at least hanging on for another finish.

Making a run for the border...

I’m back in Durango after an intense, confusing an inspiring go at the 10^th annual Arizona Trail 300. I raced the 300 in 2014 as a rookie and finished in just over four days. This year, I targeted a three day finish- 80 hours to be precise. But nothing good ever happens to a target and sometimes it just isn’t in the cards. A wise man once crooned, “you gotta know when to walk away, know when to run.” I would end up limping out of Arizona.

I departed Durango on Wednesday night before the race, literally running out of a school board meeting to head south to AZ. Tom W, Joey E and I made our way to Holbrook, AZ. where the guy at the Motel 6 gave us two, adjoining rooms for 36 bucks total! Sweet deal!

I spent the evening organizing gear and repackaging food. Changing my chain, brake pads and making sure I had all of the necessary accessories and accouterments that make for a successful 300 mile ride. In the AM, we hit the first of many Dennys meals and then rallied south towards Picket Post.

We hit up the Superior Safeway for some final items and a couple of 3.2 tall boys and headed out to the race finish. Here we would stash the truck and hook up with Shuttle Steve, an ultra racing fan from Sierra Vista. Steve is an incredible guy that’s helped out with shuttling riders in years past and it's folks like him that make this event so cool. 

The Mystery Machine et al at Picket Post

Respect

At Picket Post, we were greeted by friends old and new. It was great seeing Rick, Kurt, Montana, Garrett and meeting new folks like Todd D, John F, Kaitlyn B and Mike the Geek. 
The mystery machine loaded up and wisked another round of riders south to Parker Lake. We waited for Steve and drank even more beer that Todd had brought from Austin. There was maybe some rum too?

This year’s shuttle to the start included Bonecrusher, Montana, Mike the Geek and myself. Shuttle Steve had spent the morning building a righteous bike rack to make things easier for us. The dude rocks! But we all suck- little did we know that everyone on this shuttle was destined to scratch….

Quick stop in Tucson at Scott and Eszter’s pad and then on to Seis for some lunch-  Doing the group thing was grinding on me and I was getting hangry- no one wanted to make a decision or take the lead on lunch….thanks for setting us straight Tucson peeps- the burritos were a much better option than the Subway I was willing to settle for! But fuck this group shit….I couldn't wait to be on my own, doing. it. myself!

Montana gets ready to roll to the border

Two hours after leaving Tucson, we finally arrived at Parker Lake. Tom, Mike and I decide to camp low in the campground, rather than up high at the TH/race start. I like camping low that first night. That way, I don’t get sucked into partying the night before. I actually sleep well and for ten bucks at Parker Lake, you get a shitter, picnic tables, water, etc….Treat yo'self!

Mike thought the eclipse/blood moon was the following morning so I played the fool, sitting up in the Parker Lake campground parking lot at 5am, looking for an eclipse that wouldn't happen for 24hrs.! Woops- But I’m up that early anyway so it was no big thing. When dawn finally broke, it was cold and the butterflies in my stomach fluttered hard.

John F from Colorado, the most positive AZT racer in history!

We made final adjustments to our kits and then biked uphill from the campground to the start. What a great prologue to get the blood flowing and our body temps up! Cresting the hill at the Section 2 TH was a super cool experience…..Here is the tribe. Here are my people! It was stimuli overload as I saw folks from across the nation/globe who I haven’t seen in a year. I met folks in person for the first time- some of these folks I’ve known online for years…but only now were we meeting face to face. Great treat seeing Carlos, Mike P and Robert O-meeting Ron and Cassi. So many more folks I apologize for forgetting to note here. After absorbing all the salutations and hugs, I drifted over to where the hometown syndicate was congealing. Wolf, Boatman, Ernst, Ackerman, Alexander…the four corners was well represented and we all shared a "Go Team Durango!" moment together.

2015 300 Start

The 750ers started rolling in right before 9am and it was fantastic to see all those smiling faces and trekking poles. Somehow I missed AD but saw JP- nice rasta kit buddy! Lots of international racers this year, too. So cool. Everyone from the 750 was thru except Mark C. who was already dealing with mechanical issues. 

Montana Miller crashed leaving the border, had lost a lot of skin and now was riding with a deep hole in his left palm/hand. Wow, the race was already claiming mofos and the 300 hadn’t even started yet!

Safety meeting (a real one) and a pep talk from Scott Morris and some dude from the ATA . "Onward to Adventure!"There was also a great turnout of family and friends on hand to cheer on the starters. When it was go time, a steady line of racers dropped the descent leading out of Parker Lake. I got caught up in the fast pack and the pace down the initial chunder was way too much for this steel hardtail racer. No need to implode on the first pitch….crashing would come later. I moved to the side and let the speedy squishy shock people pass.

Dropping in with Alexis on my heels!
J.Schilling Photo

My strategy this year was to stay on Alexis Ault’s wheel. She and I had shadowed each other last year until the 300's final push where she effortlessly pulled away from me on Tiger Mine, never to be seen again. The good doctor is fast, a smart racer and a high quality human being. She also performs one hell of an Elliot DuMont does Stephen Hawking impression.

She was my mark and my pace would increase to keep Alexis in the crosshairs.  In reality, this was only working because she was having some difficulty off the line with her stomach. Often, racers go too fast in the Canelos. Their bodies just aren’t adjusted yet and the heat makes it so difficult to take on solid calories…. just when you think you’ve slowed it down, you need to slow it down even more…..at least that’s what has worked for me in Sections 2 & 3. The sick, twisted competitor in me relished the opportunity to keep Alexis close…she’s way too fast for me to reel in otherwise.

My personal splits were pretty rad morning one. I remained ~15 minutes behind Tom . I had broken the Canelos down on my cue sheet so I could achieve a 51/2 hr. run to Patagonia. (with drama it turned out to be 6 ½) Alexis’ stomach woes worsened and I passed her a few miles before Section 3. As I crested the final rise above the technical drop down to Canelo Pass road, I had to hold up as the trail steward and his daughter climbed the pitch on horseback. As they passed me, Alexis caught up. I stopped to catch some food at the start of Canelos East as Ault pedaled past. Was this the last time I’d see her? Hope not….

The Canelos shake the peloton out like a car pool lane. After the flurry of excitement off the line, you kind of just settle into your position in the pack. There’s no where to really pass so as long as you keep moving with the line of riders, you essentially will come out in the order you went in. Occasionally someone would move to the side for a break. I know I let folks around me for some downhills (where I’m slower) but then they’d yield to me on the HABs (where I boogie)  Stepping back, it’s funny to see this jockeying play out with no real impact on the race….funny games we anxious, day one, mid-pack racers play….egos burning all  that extra energy.

This guy is really feeling it!

After the Red Well tank, the trail busts out onto these amazing spines atop rolling, grass covered hills. Like some serious Sound of Music, singing in the meadow type shit. It was here that I had my first uncontrollable, emotional release while speeding over the rollers. Another, “Holy shit I’m the luckiest guy on earth!” type of moment. Laughing, crying, taking it all in and trying to shake off the “this cant be fucking real” feel of it all. Pure joy. I was absolutely ecstatic and experiencing an AZT high.

As I continued grinding forward, while coming down off that buzz, I suffered a lapse in concentration. You cannot space out on the AZT….if you let your guard down, shit can and will turn bad very quickly. And of course, it did. Only five miles from the graded Harshaw Rd., I let my mind drift, my eyes wander and my hands fall loosely onto the outer horns of my Ergo grips. Blissfully unaware of the danger lurking in the grass lined singletrack, my left pedal struck a large, hidden rock and bounced me violently off the track..

I caromed out of control with only two fingers fully extended, barely touching the bars. Uh-oh... I couldn’t brake or get a firm enough grip to wrangle my bike under control. It felt like I was swerving off the trail forever but in reality it was only about 15-20 feet for a few seconds. When I realized all hope of saving myself was lost, I mentally shifted into ditch mode. 
Scanning…looking…seeking a soft place to toss off and land….
Cactus, cactus, rock, bush, BUSH- GO! I chose to crash into what appeared to be a “softer” tuft of vegetation. Wrong again. Deceptively hiding in the middle of that angry bush was a sharp and pointy piece of stone.

My flats scrapped down my leg until the hidden geology in the plant pushed both the pedal and the stone’s tip into my calf. I remember being on my side, realizing something was amiss and staring at the rock penetrating my leg. I had this weird thought, like “wow, there’s no pointy edges on this rock. I actually found the rock with dull edges to crash on!” No way stupid…. you just cant see the pointy bits because they’re in your leg. 

a big hole

I lifted up my battered appendage, complete with mushy extraction sounds, and examined the crater of a puncture in my leg. It wasn’t bleeding much. I just sat there starring at the hole. I got really mad. “Michael, you fucker. That’s your race. That’s your race you spacey asshat!” 25 miles deep and I’ve hosed myself. FUCK! Scream out loud and repeat…

I transitioned into WFR mode and pulled out my med kit. I irrigated the wound with my water bottle and tried to figure out what the little squiggly pieces in the hole were. Turns out humans are multi-layered. Amazingly, I had missed both bone and muscle. Not sure you could repeat that precision strike if you tried. It became clear that there wasn’t much I could do in the field. The first riders who were behind me began rolling up. I’m not sure if it was compassion or competitiveness but my fellow racers all advised me to get out and call it quits. This just fired me up even more. Fucking ego again….

Wrapped and stabilized, I made quick time out to the dirt road and cranked the final miles into Patagoina. Turns out the medical clinic was closed because of good Friday…jesus christ people!  My next option for emergency care was ~15 miles away in Sonoita. Would they be open? I started to panic and wondered if this was the end. Freaking out…. breathe. 

I called Rae and she helped me calm down and get a handle on the insurance info and paperwork I’d need for the ER. I also took the time to call the medical staff in Sonoita and let them know I was coming. Begging the guy on the phone, “please don’t close!” I think it was around 4:45 at this point? Clinic was set to close at 5:30 Crash happened at 2:30 and the leg was starting to stiffen up. I called Joe Polk too.

MountainJah MTBCast Call in from Patagonia

I was thankful for the quick check-in with Montana, who at this point was calling it quits and was already drinking beers and eating yummy looking food at the Velvet Elvis. I told him I was headed to the ER in Sonoita and if this hole couldn’t be patched up, that I’d love to join him on his adventure back to Tucson. Without hesitation he welcomed me to join him. I thanked him and told him I’d circle back. But first I wanted to make sure I was properly fucked before making the decision to scratch.

Geronimo!

I hate the pavement section from Patagonia to Sonoita. Last year, I suffered debilitating cramps on that stretch which left me hurt and sore for the remainder of the race. The damage was so bad that I couldn’t walk for a week after the 2014 300. This year, that pavement section was supposed to be a non-issue. I had stronger legs and a better hydration and electrolyte strategy.  I was confident this highway would be a non-issue. But life is funny and as I climbed the blacktop towards Sonoita, I began overcompensating for the bad leg with the good leg and the cramps set in. Fuck me….Breathe, duder.

Just when I felt ready to crack, I hear a familiar voice behind me. “Ack, Ack!” No shit, it’s Caminiti! I’ve never been happier to see Mark! I told him what was up and he absorbed my situation like a man who’s raced a fuck ton of ultras. And true to form, he gave no shits about my drama. He always has his own.

I wasn’t looking for his sympathy- just some conversation and perspective. Mark can talk and I was hoping he would distract me long enough to get to this damn clinic. We rode together, and then apart, then together again as we slogged forward up the hot, windy road. As we topped out the final pitch approaching the town’s welcome sign, my legs totally seized up. I struggled to stop and get off the bike with two, rock hard quads. I stood there stretching, breathing as Mark threw a shit eating grin my way and pedaled past me into town. “Get you shit together Ackerman!” I had been so focused on making it to the hospital in time that I had neglected to eat or hydrate since the crash. Way to complicate things, Michael.

8 hours into the race and I'm on my back

I hit the four way in Sonotia a bit past 5pm and took a right down to the Sonoita Sage Clinic. There I met Gabe and Elaine who had me patched up and ready to go in about 90 minutes. I made another quick call to Joe Polk and pedaled back to the Shell Station for food, water and a salty meaty treat! I used the bathroom, organized my bags, topped off water, hooked up my lights and prepared to set off for Kentucky camp. My right leg was super stiff and the adrenaline rush from earlier had worn off. It hurt. I still had a race pace mindset but I was struggling to refocus after the afternoon’s drama. Pedaling away from town at dusk into increasing winds and falling temps, I secretly questioned my decision to keep going. After some self-deprecating, internal dialogue, I decided I would move forward and reassess my situation inTucson.

MountainJah MTBCast Call in from Sonoita

I enjoyed my ride out to Gardner Canyon and that killer singletrack before K-camp is always wicked fun. But I was babying my leg. I was guarded, slow to commit and over protective of my entire, lower, right calf area. This made it hard to shred in the dark even though I had good lights this year. I ended up dabbing my left (the good) foot a lot. I also walked stuff I’d normally ride and was taking the most conservative lines down the trail. This would would have to work I guess?….But my splits were done. Totally toast. I took the cue sheet out of my pocket and hid it away in my pack. There was no more race pace. Now there was only a slow and steady survival cadence. Now the only goal would be to finish the route.

  

2015 Arizona Trail Race - Bikepackers Magazine Reports

2015 Arizona Trail Race 

                                                         MICHAEL ACKERMAN ON APRIL 14, 2015

On April 4th 2015, over sixty racers took to the trails of Arizona for another edition of the Arizona Trail Race (AZT) 300/750 ultra endurance mountain bike race. 2015 marks the tenth year anniversary of the 300.  AZT race veterans and many talented rookies were treated to incredible riding conditions and for the second year in a row, a blood moon and lunar eclipse! Once again, this national and scenic trail corridor proves itself to be one of bikepack racing’s elite venues.

Someone more famous [than]me once said, “it’s time for a little risk.” With that I want to give a big shout out to those that pioneered the path for ditching the sleep system and giving it all you got. Thank Scott, Kurt, Aaron and Neil for the balls to try it first. Because of you and those like you nearly everyone I encountered in the top 10 had little or no plan of sleeping.” Aaron Boatman, Colorado

Prior to the start of the 300, 25 racers departed at 7am from the US/Mexican Border, beginning their 750 mile adventure to Utah. This year represents the largest field of participants lining up for the AZT 750. The action (and accidents) unfolded quickly with race veterans Jay Petervary and Aaron Denberg establishing a quick pace and strategically launching their bids at historic 750 runs.

Unfortunately, a pair of crashes marred the 750 peloton’s start with TD veteran Montana Miller receiving the worst beating of the bunch. His loss of flesh and a deep puncture wound to his palm would lead to a painful grind thru the Canelos and him scratching in Patagonia.

An early crash ends Montana Miller’s 2015 race.

Despite a frustrating start, AZT veteran Mark Caminiti turned in his best time to Picket Post- 4:11:11. Mark continues to set the standard for consistent runs with 2015 representing four straight finishes in the 300.

The trail claimed its first mechanical victim when AZT veteran Mark Caminiti became the lone 750 rider, still not through Parker Lake as the 300 racers rolled from the line. As the outside world watched the race take shape on Trackleaders.com, spectators were treated to an array of both new and familiar names at the front of the pack. As always, the call-ins facilitated by Joe Polk at MTBcast.com kept reports of mishaps and misadventures from the field.

Mark Caminiti finishing up the 300. (photo/John Shilling)

The Arizona Trail race is a schoolyard bully who you know is going to kick your ass at lunch. Despite knowing this, racers continue to line up, throw down their trays and take their lumps. Living up to every bit of its surly reputation, the first 200 miles of the 2015 race were hot with the course savagely beating up on all involved. Although conditions were not as sizzling as 2014, the AZT never fails to serve up its infamous desert heat. Heading into day three, riders began taking advantage of cooling temps and long spells of night riding which resulted in fantastic splits to Oracle and 300 finishing times.

Racers and rides deserving special note:(*All times noted from Trackleaders.com Picket Post Split- not official race results.)

Kurt Refsnider – 2:01:02. With his 49 hour and 2 minute finish, Kurt established the 3rd best time for the AZT 300 and continues to raise the bar of excellence on one of the most harsh bikepacking courses in the world.

Amazing performances from Neil Stitzer (2:08:13), Darren Smith (2:08:21), Hunter Keating (2:10:51), Joey Ernst (2:11:17) and Aaron Boatman (2:11:27) round out the top men for 300 finishers.

Leading the ladies, Arizona racer Kaitlyn Boyle (2:20:4) turned in a stellar rookie performance despite repeated mechanical and gear issues. Alexis Ault (3:6:25) and Alice Drobna (3:10:30), turned in equally solid rides to round out the top female spots in the 300. Alice continued on the 750 route finishing in 6th position, in 9 Days, 13 hours and 53 minutes. She set a new woman’s record on the route!!!

Aaron Denberg- (2:13:17) and Jay Petervary (2:15:42) were the first two 750 racers to reach Picket Post, chased by an excited and eager pack. Moving north, the course’s personality is set to change from oppressive desert travel to cool temps, mountain conditions and threatening weather as riders approached the South Rim. While Aaron Denberg had to backtrack to Flagstaff, JP cruised on down the ditch and back up finishing and winning his 2nd Arizona Trail race in under 8 days.

Bikepackers Magazine would like to honor and appreciate all the participants in this year’s Arizona Trail Race. A special word of thanks goes out to Topofusion creator Scott Morris for his vision and commitment in coordinating this inspirational race. Be sure to follow the remaining 2015 AZT action on Trackleaders.com. Also hear from spectators and racers alike on the race thread at Bikepacking.net and through continued call-ins at MTBcast.com.

Veteran AZT rider Scott Jones from Washington and 300 Rookie Todd Denham from Texas gear up for the final push out of Oracle on night three.

Bags destroyed in the Canelos? No worries…. New Mexico racer Rich Otten gets creative and reaches the finish outfitted with tupperware storage containers purchase on-route!

“Never in my life have I had to fight harder to complete something.” Sam Aspacher, 2015 AZT300 ghost rider and finisher pauses at Beehive Well.

READ THE ORIGINAL ARTICLE HERE