2024 XC Race Loop

Race - Nov 2, 2024

Dogs Leashed

E-Bikes Allowed

Features Views

The XC race course, this year, will run clockwise. The main difference over last year's course is that the brutal southern climb is absent. Of course, this will be thrown in out of generosity from the staging/starting area to the actual race loop to thin the pack before entering the singletrack.

The loop is basically a tour of much of River Bluff Trails Park's cross country system. There are some new trails that didn't exist last year. Some portions, including the brutal mid-race climb, are now crushed limestone. There are two temporary connectors that are necessary to facilitate the loop without any two-way traffic.

The staging/starting area will be at the parking lot on MacArthur Drive. Riders will start in waves and use Douglas to go under the MacArthur Drive bridge and access the Crushed Limestone Trail on the north side of the Bob Simpson Bridge. This brutal climb is only included in the start of the race to thin the riders out before entering Goat across from the southern tip of Pony. This point is where racers begin the official race loop, where lap timing occurs, and is the official finish line.

Riders will travel north on Goat until making a left turn at the top of Deroin. Before the downhill of Deroin begins, the course crosses the Crushed Limestone Trail to the first temporary connector trail (the same as the 2023 race) joining the west side of Comeback Loop. Continue north until the trail reaches the old park ruins and cross the Crushed Limestone Trail to Jekyll & Hyde.

At the Roly Poly and Lee's Loop intersections, keep right. Stay on Jekyll & Hyde as it nears the Hay Loft. Shortly, riders will arrive at the graveled section of Jekyll & Hyde. Ones nerve will be tested as downhill speeds meet the overlook in a slight left turn. Keep on the gravel as one passes the other end of Roly Poly. One more sketchy gravel turn after a descent before the intersection with High Rider. Keep straight on the dirt of Jekyll & Hyde rather than turning right with the gravel.

A fast descent is quickly interrupted by a left turn onto Tripple H, one of the new trails included in the course this year. Riders will eventually rejoin Jekyll & Hyde just before the "gap in the wall." Continue north until Jekyll & Hyde meets Lowrider where the most brutal section of the course begins.

Turning right onto Lowrider marks the start of the climb back to the top. Most of the climb is on Sunbridge Road which is wide and graveled offering an excellent opportunity for passing. It isn't as steep as the elevation profile suggests. Rather, it's a long, sustained, but gentle climb. Just before the trail emerges onto Huntoon Road, riders will turn back south onto the "all weather" section of Comeback until it joins the Crushed Limestone Trail briefly before the top of Chimneys.

A fast descent on the upper section of Chimneys is interrupted by the second temporary connector just before the old brick foundation. This temporary connector is an old section of the historical Comeback Trail. It allows the riders to access 229 East without any two-way traffic. The course turns right onto 229 West before it rejoins Chimneys near the Crushed Limestone Trail.

The course remains on Chimneys until it reaches the old park ruins and riders will turn left onto the east side of Comeback Loop. When the course approaches the south end of the Comeback Loop, one will continue straight (left at the intersection) on the spur to the Crushed Limestone Trail. A very brief descent to the left will bring riders to Pony where they will stay until it reaches the lap timing/finish line.