Registration

Online registration for the Hellroaring Stage Race is now up! You can register here: Hellroaring Stage Race registration.

Day-of registration will be at Great Northern Cycles in downtown Whitefish on Friday, August 3, between 10 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Day-of registration will be $100.

Keep in mind, if you do day-of, the South Beaver Lake TT begins at 6. Leave yourself enough time!

See ya in Whitefish in two weeks!

Stage 1: South Beaver Lake Time Trial

Stage 1: South Beaver Lake Time Trial. A 3.8-mile loop located in the southwest section of the Whitefish Trail, about a 20-minute drive from downtown Whitefish. Friday, August 4, a 6 p.m. start with one-minute intervals.         

Plain and simple: The Whitefish Trails are the pride of Whitefish. We hope you'll enjoy them and appreciate them as much as we do!

There isn't a lot to be said for a course description: at 3.8 miles, no excuses, get there a half-hour early and pre-ride the loop.

The course begins with a short, dirt road climb that leads to phenomenal, buffed-out single-track all the way home.

(Local Knowledge No. 1: Park at the main trail head, Lion Mountain, and ride the six-ish miles to the start of the race for a warm-up. Not only will it be a perfect warm-up, you'll get to enjoy more of the Whitefish Trails!)

Love time trials? You'll love this one. Hate time trials? You'll love this one.

The question: Do you go for it and earn your Hellroaring leader's jersey or do you hold back and save a little more for Saturday?

Get the glory!

Strava link: Stage 1: South Beaver Lake Loop

Stage 2, Queen Stage: Bills's Creek/Reid-Divide

Stage 2: Bill's Creek/Reid-Divide. A 32-mile, "figure-8" located in the Tally Lake Region of Flathead National Forest, about a 25-minute drive from downtown Whitefish. Saturday, August 4, 9 a.m. start.

The race begins at the gravel pit near the bottom of Mountain Meadow Rd. When the gun goes off, you begin to climb. Then you climb more. Then you do some more climbing. And, for good measure, there's a little more climbing. Twelve miles up forest service gravel roads, the gradient hits 12 percent, but mostly hovers around six. None of that was a typo ...

Once you hit the flats at the summit you'll hook a left onto the Bill's Creek Trail (glance to your right for a preview of Reid-Divide). (Cat. 3s will make the right to Reid-Divide and not ride the Bill's Creek portion of the race.) Congrats., your suffering paid off, now you've got five miles of the sweetest, mostly-downhill single-track you've ever ripped. Keep your whits about you, this trail ain't no paved sidewalk. If your eyes aren't bleeding, make sure to catch the awesome views of Flathead National Forest through the burn. (Local Knowledge No. 1: There is a short creek-crossing on the trail. Unless you're the best, it's probably not rideable.)

Once you've bottomed-out Bill's Creek, again, it's time to climb, climb, climb, seven more miles of up on forest service roads, the grades this time "more manageable" than the initial climb.

Once back to the summit, the "crux" of the "figure-8," hang a left to the Reid-Divide Trail. Locally, this is considered the best single-track in the world. Get ready for relentless, mostly down, some up, fun. (Local Knowledge No. 2: Feed on the climb to Reid-Divide; feeding on this trail is not really possible ... unless you're the best.) Shred for about five miles and hang a right to the Boney Gulch Trail, about 2.5 miles of sweeping, bombable, down, down, down single-track. (Local Knowledge No. 3: Beware of the six switch-backs toward the bottom. If you're coming in too hot, you're going sailing.)

Bomb the bottom of Boney Gulch to Tally Lake Road. Feel the burn, breathe, bask in your accomplishment, less than two miles of gradual rolling gravel road to the start/finish at the gravel pit on Mountain Meadow Rd.

It's over. Done. Did you save anything for Sunday?

(We're thinking the Cat. 1/Pro stage-winner will pull this off in about 2:45.)

Strava link: Stage 2: Bill's Creek/Reid-Divide

Stage previews ...

We'll be posting more detailed descriptions and profiles of the stages very, very soon (we promise), but, for the the time being ...

Friday, August 3: A 3.4-mile time-trial on the South Beaver Lake Loop of the Whitefish Trail, 80/20 single track/gravel road. A 6 p.m. start! 

Saturday, August 4: A 34-mile, "figure 8" on the Bill's Creek/Reid-Divide trails in the Tally Lake region of Flathead National Forest, 50/50 single track/gravel road. 

Sunday, August 5: A 16- or 24-mile lap race in and around Big Mountain/Whitefish Mountain Resort, 75/25 single track/gravel road.

If you're not drooling, you're probably dehydrated ...

And, now presenting, our amazing sponsors ...

Hammer Nutrition: Maker of the world's finest endurance fuels ... based out the world's finest town: Whitefish! Thanks, Hammer!

Don K. of Whitefish: Who doesn't love a Subaru dealership that always supports the local bike race? Thanks, Don K.!

Naked Noodle: You know you're gunna need to carbo.-load for this, you'd be a fool not do it at the delicious, locally-owned Naked Noodle (located in downtown Whitefish)! Thanks, Noodle!

Earning your tuxedo!

The Hellroaring leader's jersey for the top man and woman in each category: black and white is the new yellow, green, white, and red polka-dot. 

If you wanna wear it, you gotta earn it!

The Hellroaring Mountain Bike Stage Race, August 3-5, 2012

The "Who? What? Where? When?" and even, "Why?"


Who: You! Yeah, you! From the seasoned pro to the weekend warrior and all the fat-tired rippers and riders inbetween!


What: A three-day, three-stage mountain bike race.


Where: In and around Whitefish, Montana, and the beautiful northern Flathead Valley.


When: Friday, August 3, Saturday, August 4, and Sunday, August 5, 2012.


Why: The reasons are innumerable and personal, but here's what we think the the Top 3 are:


- Riding bikes is the best!
- You get to ride your bike (which is the best) on some of the best trails Montana has to offer!
- Be a part of a like-minded, positive community of people that love bikes, healthy living, and the outdoors!
- (And, the bonus reason, for the Hellroaring namesake: To suffer, suffer, suffer!)


For more information call Great Northern Cycles at 406-862-5321 or e-mail us at greatnortherncycles@gmail.com.


See you in August!