Join us September 25 for the 2021 Durango Fall Blaze Bicycle Celebration presented by Morehart Murphy Subaru and Baird Wealth Management. We are returning to an in-person event with a new slate of rides for road, mountain bike, and gravel riders. You’ll have fully stocked aid stations, and an always memorable post-ride celebration with live music, great food, and local brews.
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Support FLC Cycling
As always, all net funds from the Blaze go directly to the FLC Cycling Scholarship and Cycling Club funds. If you’re not up for the in-person event, but still wish to participate, join in on the donor campaign.
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The rides
All the rides start and end at the Clocktower on the FLC campus.
Aid Stations are stocked with all sorts of caloric goodies, Durango’s favorite drink mixes from Tailwind, water, and good cheer!
Each route is loaded on Strava so you can check them out online and download the gpx files to your device if you so desire.
Join us for the classic 37-mile loop from the clocktower on the FLC Campus that winds its way down North College Drive to Highway 550 North to the “town standard” Shalona Hill and Aid Station #1. Riders then descend a county road, cross Baker’s Bridge (think Butch and Sundance) and follow the stunning CR 250 through the Animas Valley back to town, Aid Station #2, and up to the FLC Campus. You’ll find great food, brews and live music back at the FLC clocktower to celebrate your return.
While we won’t be holding the 100 and 60-mile road rides, we are going all in on what used to be the “Secret 75”! This ride follows the same route as the 37-mile but after Aid #2 riders turn left to climb Edgemont Hill and ride the big rollers of the Florida River valley over to the Pine River and up to Vallecito Dam and Aid Station #3. Riders then double back to climb back over to the Florida River valley, down Edgemont Hill and back to the FLC campus. Enjoy the celebration at the Clocktower on FLC’s campus, with live music, food and brews—you’ve earned it!
All riders must bring repair kits on all rides as we will have sweep, not sag, vehicles/riders for each route. Aid stations will have extra flat fix supplies, etc. to replenish if you do have a technical problem on course.
Check out the Road MapsCheck out the Strava Files 37-mile and 75-mile
At long last, the Blaze is hitting the trails. The short and long loops take in the best of the Horse Gulch, Telegraph, South Rim and Raider Ridge trail systems starting and finishing at the FLC Clocktower. Both the 17 and 31-mile loops go down the 8th Ave hill and left onto 3rd street and that is where the pavement ends. Riders head up Horse Gulch Rd and at Aid #1 turn onto Telegraph Trail and the routes diverge from here.
The 17-mile riders turn left on the Meadow Trail to go up Stacie’s and Mike’s before dropping down Cuchillo and Bob’s Trail back to Horse Gulch Rd, Aid #1 again. Riders will turn right and head up Horse Gulch Rd, up Sugar, down Skyline, across Powerline to Talker, Squawker and the Rim Trail and back to the FLC Clocktower.
The 31-mile riders, after splitting with the 17-milers will continue up to the top of Telegraph, down Yellow Brick Rd onto Sidewinder and Grandview Trail. After flying down Big Canyon for a bit, riders go left onto Cowboy to the Sale Barn intersection (Aid #2). Riders then keep left onto South Rim and take it to Crites back over Telegraph and down Anasazi and then follows the 17-mile route back to the FLC Clocktower. All riders must bring repair kits on all rides as we will have sweep, not sag, vehicles/riders for each route. Aid stations will have extra flat fix supplies, etc. to replenish if you do have a technical problem on course. Enjoy the celebration at the end under the Clocktower on FLC’s campus, with live music, food and brews—you’ve earned it! Check out the Mountain Bike MapsCheck out the Strava Files 17-Mile and 31-mile
The gravel riding in Durango has been an important part of the locals training regimen for years and we have linked many of them together for an epic tour of La Plata County gravel, including some secret connections.Note: (G) = gravel section The 41 and 82-mile gravel routes both depart from the FLC Clocktower and follow MTB riders down 8th Ave hill and left onto 3rd street to climb Horse Gulch Rd (G) and keep left at the Meadow where the MTBers turn right. Follow Horse Gulch Rd up and over to right onto CR234 then keep left onto CR225 (G) for the shared outbound route.
41-mile riders turn right onto CR228 (G), left on CR229 (G) and Left onto CR230 (G) and straight onto CR223 for the longest road section of the 41-mile route. Riders will then take on the difficult Holman Canyon Rd. (G) to Skyline Dr. (G) and right back onto CR223 headed in the opposite direction, a right on D Bar K Dr. (G) up through a gate and onto Long Hollow Dr. (G). Riders then turn left on GR228 (G), right onto CR225 (Aid #1) (G), keeping back onto CR234 and left onto CR237 (G) (Horse Gulch Rd). Upon exiting Horse Gulch Rd keep hard right onto trail to take you to 9th Ave then right onto Goegleign Gulch Rd (College Dr), left through roundabout onto Ft Lewis Dr and Left on Skyhawk Dr. to Clocktower after 3743ft of elevation gain.
82-mile riders stay on CR225 then left on CR228 (G), passing Aid #2, for the first time over the Glockenspiel to left on CR502 (G) and left up and over Texas Creek , CR245 (G) with a brief harrowing descent to Sweetwater Springs and left (stop sign) onto CR240 (Florida Rd.). After keeping right on CR240 at Hellen’s Store for a long descent to a left turn (stop sign) on CR501 and up to Vallecito Dam (Aid #2). A right from there onto CR603 (G) half-gravel, half-pavement circuit of stunning Vallecito Reservoir and through a usually locked gate and back onto more gravel on CR501 which turns into the longest section of pavement. After a right turn on CR245 (G) riders turn right onto CR502 (G) and CR228 for a second time over the Glockenspiel to a right turn on CR225 (Aid #1). Riders then turn left onto CR228 (G), left on CR229 (G), left on CR230 (G) to right and left on CR223 and left on D Bar K Dr. (G) up through a gate and onto Long Hollow Dr. (G). Riders then turn left on GR228 (G), right onto CR225 (Aid #1) (G), keeping back onto CR234 and left onto CR237 (G) (Horse Gulch Rd). Upon exiting Horse Gulch Rd keep hard right onto trail to take you to 9th Ave then right onto Goegleign Gulch Rd (College Dr), left through roundabout onto Ft Lewis Dr and Left on Skyhawk Dr. to Clocktower after 6985ft of elevation gain. Enjoy the celebration at the end under the Clocktower on FLC’s campus, with live music, food and brews—you’ve earned it! Check out the Gravel MapsCheck out the Strava Files 41-Mile and 82-mile
Schedule of events
Packet pickup & ride times
5 – 7 p.m.Packet pickup at the FLC Clocktower
7 – 9 a.m.Packet pickup at the FLC Clocktower
8 a.m.75 Mile Road, 82-mile Gravel and 35-mile MTB Start at FLC Clocktower
9 a.m.37-mile Road, 41-mile Gravel and 17-mile MTB Start at FLC Clocktower
11 a.m. – 4 p.m.Durango Fall Blaze Celebration at the FLC Clocktower – Food and Refreshments with Live Music at 12 noon.
Presented by...
Durango Fall Blaze is made possible through the generous support of our sponsors.
Presenting sponsors:
Bronze sponsors: