2024 Registration

Great question! Many folks continuously ask us how the VT125 compares to the Leadville 100. To be honest they are in two different solar systems. The VT125 has much more demanding/technical terrain, 8 hours of night riding, higher altitude, and your crossing over the Continental Divide 5 times. If you've completed the Leadville 100, take your finishing time and double it. That will be a good gauge of how long the Vapor Trail 125 will take you. Finishing times year after year range from 13-24 hours.

We sure do! You can study the course and/or or download the course to your favorite GPS device HERE.

Yes, the race starts at 10:00 PM on Saturday, September 7 on the F Street Bridge in downtown Salida. This means you need to leave Salida prepared to ride through the night. Make sure your lights will work for 8+ hours. Make sure you have ample clothing to go over 12,000 ft twice.

There is no right or wrong answer here. But we'll point you in the direction of having the most fun! In the past, much enjoyment has been had by racers on 120mm or 130mm full-suspension mountain bikes with dropper posts and moderately aggressive 2.4 tires. Also consider your gear choice. Most folks are running 28T and 30T front chainrings paired with their favorite 12 speed cassette.

The average elevation of the VT125 course is 10,000 ft. You'll be well over 12,000 ft in the wee hours of Sunday morning. You need to be prepared for temps at night to be below freezing to afternoon highs on Sunday pushing 80ºF. It could rain. It could snow. Remember you can drop warm clothing at Aid #3 on top of Monarch Pass. We are not going to tell you how to dress, but be ready for temps of 30ºF to 80ºF.

EVERYONE will hike-a-bike during the Vapor Trail 125. The most notable hike-a-bike comes shortly after Tomichi Pass...and it takes you up to the Canyon Creek descent. It will take the fastest of riders 45-minutes to get up this hike-a-bike. We suggest leaving  those super stiff carbon shoes at home...unless you want to destroy them. Canyon Creek isn’t the only place you’ll push your bike. There are a few other short hike-a-bikes on course. You've been warned.

Yes! A helmet and handle bar light are suggested. You will ride the Colorado Trail at night - it's one of the most technical trails of the entire course. Don't skimp on your lumens. Keep in mind your lights need to burn for 8-9 hours. It's not a bad idea to pack a camping head lamp to fix any mechanicals you might have at night or as a back-up light source.

Yes, we will mark the entire course with flags, ribbon, arrows and small red LED lights. With that said, every single year people go off course and miss turns. It is highly advised to have the route on your GPS device as back up. The course GPX file can be downloaded HERE.

In between the aid stations you need to be 100% self-sufficient. Meaning you need to have all clothing, food and hydration you need. Racers should plan taking 3-6 hours to go from Aid Station to Aid Station. Plan accordingly.

Sorry, no. Your entry fee goes 100% into the event production and is also a major fundraiser for the local groups that help grow and maintain the mountain bike and trail experiences in the Arkansas Valley. You can transfer your entry to another racer via BikeReg if you would like. You can also purchase event insurance through BikeReg.

We will provide the traditional aid station items you are accustom to: water, sports drinks, sweet snacks, salty snacks, cooked items, etc. At Aid #3 (Monarch Pass) you'll have access to an aid station as well as your drop bag. We take pride in our aid stations and you'll be excited to see the buffets.

We will transport 1 drop bag per racer to and from Aid #3 atop Monarch Pass. Drop bags should be no bigger than a small duffel bag. As long as it fits, you can put whatever you like in your duffel bag. Typically racers will put specialty food items, drink mix, spare tire, spare parts, etc in their bag.  You can also stuff your drop bag with items used in the first 1/2 of the race - items such as lights, warm clothing, etc. All drop bags will be transported back to Absolute Bikes after the Aid Station has closed.

All racers are responsible for getting themselves out of the backcountry should they decide to DNF. Easy spots for racers to get picked up by a loved one or friend is Aid #1 (Cascade) and Aid #3 (Monarch Pass). Both of these aid stations are easily accessible by vehicle and also in or close to cell service. The rest of the course is not easily accessible by vehicle or in cell service.