Crews, family and spectators
Crews, family and spectators (planned)
How we expect crews and families to follow a race that spends most of its day on roads they can't drive.
Why access is limited
Most of the course is no place for a car
Permits
The Forest Service and BLM permit a set number of vehicles and people on their roads for an event. Crew traffic counts against that.
Narrow 4WD roads
Mosquito and the top of Hagerman are four-wheel-drive roads with loose rock and no room to pass. A stopped car can block a support vehicle or an ambulance.
Safety
Riders descending fast on loose gravel should not meet oncoming crew cars. Fewer vehicles on course means fewer crashes.
No cell service
Once you leave the valley, phones stop working. A crew parked on a pass can't call anyone or check the tracker.
Stage by stage
Candidate crew zones
Candidate crew zones, subject to permits and road access. Some high sections will have no crew access. We list general areas only; exact points will be published with the final course.
| Stage | Candidate crew zone | Access | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Prologue | Start and finish on Harrison Avenue, Leadville | Town streets | Short loop; crews can watch the start and finish from town. |
| 2. Mosquito | Leadville start and finish; possibly the Alma side turnaround, reached by road around the range | Pavement to the start; the pass is 4WD only | Proposed: no private crew vehicles on Mosquito Pass Road or at the summit. Support up high is by race vehicles only. The Alma side is a long drive around by highway. |
| 3. Cottonwood | Buena Vista start and finish; possibly a point on the Taylor Park side | Paved pass road; gravel on the Taylor Park side | A long day. A crew driving to the far side must cross the pass on open roads, with race traffic on it. |
| 4. Hagerman | Turquoise Lake Road near the start of Hagerman Pass Road | Paved to the lake; graded dirt then 4WD near the top | The upper road is likely off-limits to crews. This area sits beside the 2026 Willow Fire, so access in 2027 is unknown. |
| 5. Weston | The valley side near the start of Weston Pass Road | Gravel county roads | The pass road is narrow in places, and the far side is a long way from town. |
| 6. Ranch | The lodge on the ranch | Private ranch roads, access set by the landowner | Compact course; crews may see riders several times. Parking and access by landowner permission only. |
| 7. Finish | Twin Lakes start; Harrison Avenue finish | Paved highway between them | The best day for family. Watch the start, drive back, and be at the finish. |
Proposed crew rules
How crews will work
- Proposed Each crew vehicle displays a race vehicle tag. Untagged vehicles don't enter crew zones.
- Proposed Park only in designated crew parking. No stopping on the road shoulder or at turnouts on the course.
- Proposed Follow all fire restrictions in force that week. No smoking, stoves or open flame in crew zones when restrictions apply.
- Proposed Hand food and bottles only inside a crew zone. Help outside a zone can cost the rider time or their place in the overall.
- Proposed The crew is the rider's responsibility. A crew breaking the rules is treated as the rider breaking them.
- Proposed Pack out everything you bring.
Proposed rules, not yet in force. Final crew rules will be published with the rules, subject to permits, sanctioning and insurance.
Getting around
Drive times between stage towns
Approximate, in good conditions, on paved highways. Allow extra time on race mornings and behind summer traffic.
| Between | Route | Distance | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leadville and Buena Vista | US-24 south along the Arkansas River valley | About 34 mi | About 40–45 min |
| Leadville and Twin Lakes | US-24 south, then CO-82 west to the village | About 20 mi | About 25–30 min |
| Twin Lakes and Buena Vista | CO-82 east to US-24, then south | About 26 mi | About 35 min |
Spectators
Where to watch, and the finish village
ProposedStarts and finishes
Harrison Avenue in Leadville, Buena Vista, and Twin Lakes village on the last morning. The easiest places to see riders, with food and restrooms nearby.
ProposedFinish village
A gathering area at the Leadville finish with results boards, the tracker on a screen, food, and the evening presentations. Location to be set with the town.
Under considerationRanch day
The compact ranch stage may let spectators see riders more than once, if the landowner allows public access.
Families with a free day: things to do in and around Leadville, from the mining museum to the Mineral Belt Trail. Everyone can follow the race on the live tracker.
Phone signal
Plan to be out of touch
Cell coverage on the passes and back roads is unreliable to nonexistent. Agree meeting points and times with your rider before the stage, download offline maps, carry water and warm clothes in the car, and fill the tank in town. If a rider is late, the tracker at the finish is the place to check, not a phone on a pass. In an emergency on course, find a race marshal or support vehicle; they carry radios.