Course Descriptions

Cross Country:

The Lees-McRae College mountain bike course is made up of a 5 mile loop filled with a variety of exciting challenges. It is 50% single track (half of that is passable), with two-lane forestry roads, a gravel road, and a bit of pavement for good measure.

The trail conditions change a lot with the weather so all terrain tires or a couple of tire options would be advised. There is plenty of technical climbing and descending to ensure a well rounded rider comes out on top. Some of the trail is hard pack, and other parts will be soft and loamy, but most all of it has its rocks and roots to overcome. There are sections of rock garden, off-camber, slippery rocks, switch-backs, power-climbs, taxing descents, all complimented with berms, bridges, and drops. Once you make the last descent you will get a mile long gravel road climb to the finish for a wide open sprint.

It is a complete course that only a complete rider can win on. A powerful rider who can stay smooth and relaxed through the technical sections will be the envy of the pack.

Short Track:

The short track course will consist of a loop 1 mile long. The loop will have a little of everything from flat open sections to a short 2/10 of a mile climb, followed by a descent into a tight single track section with roots and soft dirt over a creek and then a very short stiff climb before opening back up into a flat open section.

Dual Slalom:

The course will start on a four foot high starting deck to set up a low table top and jump into a tight right hand berm. This will set you up for a step up into a left hand berm. From there you hit a super cross section with rollers and a step up table top. This will put you into a left turn hip jump and back into two long right hand berms. Then you hit two gates in a flat turn to start the bottom section of the course. A quick step down follows into a double jump into sprint to hit a triple step up and down. Coming off this you will have a quick drop into flat gates to sprint to the finish. This event will be a pure dual slalom with qualifying runs from both lanes and all qualified races including runs from both lanes.

Down Hill:

The downhill race will be the only event off the campus of Lees-McRae. We will utilize the NMBS course on Sugar Mountain, just three miles from the campus. This will be same course utilized over the last few years from the top of the mountain. The run is a 1200 foot drop over 1.5 miles of trail, that includes turns in the ski runs, tight single track with lots of rocks, roots and tight turns and a 20 foot drop off the “wall”, Donavan’s drop, Lizards Lane and the creek jump. The bottom will be fast with open trail from the creek jump to the finish line.

The lift passes for the downhill competitors are for two days. Food Lion has donated the lift passes for the competitors, so there is no charge for the cyclists who are registered to race the downhill race. The lift will run during practice, qualifying and the race. Each racer will be responsible to keep up with their arm band to ride the lift. With out this you will not be able to get on the lift. If you lose your band you will be responsible to pay for a replacement. Replacement lift tickets and lift tickets for non competitors will be available from the Resort of Sugar Mountain.