The high country
Run on the passes that built the sport
Leadville sits between two ranges laced with a century of mining roads, and the highest through-roads in North America climb out of town in every direction. A candidate course threads them pass to pass.
The passes
The climbs that decide it
Every one is real gravel or dirt, at or above treeline. These are the timed segments and the reason to come.
| Pass | Elevation | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Mosquito Pass | 13,185 ft | Highest through-road in North America; loose rock above treeline, no guardrails. The queen stage. |
| Cottonwood Pass | 12,126 ft | Long and high over the Continental Divide toward the Gunnison side. |
| Independence Pass | 12,095 ft | The paved high road toward Aspen; a sweeping timed descent option. |
| Hagerman Pass | 11,925 ft | Old railroad grade west of Turquoise Lake; steady dirt under the Mount Massive skyline. |
| Weston Pass | 11,921 ft | Gravel road south toward Fairplay; a classic high-country grinder. |
A candidate week
The shape of it
Illustrative only. The real route is designed with the land managers and the safety plan, in the playbook.
Prologue
A short, fast opener on the mining roads and Turquoise Lake corridor around town to seed the general classification.
Queen stage · Mosquito
Up the old wagon road to 13,185 feet and back. Where the overall is won and lost.
Divide day · Cottonwood
A long day over the Continental Divide. The endurance test that spreads the field.
Rail-grade day · Hagerman
Steady climbing on the railroad grade under the Sawatch skyline. A rhythm stage.
Ranch day
Seldom-ridden terrain on the private ranch — hill climbs, meadows and singletrack no other event can access.
Finish · Leadville
Back into the highest city in North America for the overall.
Why the terrain wins
Three million acres, five passes, one town
A great gravel course needs dirt with character, climbs that make a story, and scenery worth the suffering. Leadville has all three in a concentration that's hard to match: mining roads across three million acres of public land, five passes above 11,900 feet within reach of one town, and a private ranch that opens ground no other permit-holder can touch.
The altitude is the honest difficulty. Racing starts at 10,152 feet and climbs from there, which is what makes finishing mean something.
