Frequently Asked Questions

The VT125 course takes you back to old-school backcountry mountain biking—long before machine-built trails, flow trails, or smooth, fast,  sanitized singletrack. The course is raw and rugged. If you enjoy technical singletrack, epic backcountry adventures, and big mountain riding, this event 100% has your name on it. There’s just enough dirt or jeep road on the course to help you regroup for the next challenge. Our course is tough but not impossible. We typically see about a 70%  finishing rate each year. We want you to finish, but we also aim to challenge you like never before at a mountain bike event. 

Great question! Many people often ask us how the VT125 compares to the Leadville 100. To be honest, the only similarity is that both take place in Colorado. Compared to the Leadville 100, the VT125 has much more challenging technical terrain; it's mostly singletrack, includes over 8 hours of night riding, is at higher altitude, and crosses the Continental Divide five times. If you've finished the Leadville 100, take your finishing time and double it—that will give you a good baseline for how long the Vapor Trail 125 will take you. VT125 finishing times year after year range from 13 to 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 begins at 10:00 PM on Saturday, September 6, 2025, on the F Street Bridge in downtown Salida over the Arkansas River. This means you need to leave Salida prepared to ride through the night. Make sure your lights will last for 8-9 hours. Also, ensure you have enough clothing to go up and over 12,000 feet twice. Expect nighttime temperatures near freezing around Canyon Creek and Aid #2 of the course.

There is no right or wrong answer here. But we'll point you in the direction of having the most fun! In the past, many racers have enjoyed riding 120mm or 130mm full-suspension mountain bikes with dropper posts and moderately aggressive 2.4-inch tires. Also consider your gear choice. Most people use 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 near 13,000 ft in the early 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 - so there is no need to skimp on clothing for the front half of the event. We are not going to tell you how to dress, but be ready for temperatures 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 around 30-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 the course. You've been warned.

Yes! A helmet and handlebar light are highly 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 headlamp to fix any mechanical issues you might have at night or as a backup light source.

Yes, we will mark the entire course with flags, ribbon and arrows. With that said, nearly every single year people go off  course or miss turns - mostly because they are not paying attention. 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, hydration and bike repair items you might need.  Racers should plan taking 3-6 hours to go from Aid Station to Aid Station. Plan accordingly. Racers can receive mechanical support from other racers. Racers cannot receive on-course support from family or friends, or can racers have pacers.

Sorry, no. Your entry fee goes 100% into the event production and  is also a major fundraiser for the local groups (Salida Mountain Trails, Salida High School Racing, Central Colorado Mountain Riders, etc) that help grow and  maintain the mountain bike and trail experiences in the Arkansas Valley. Before you sign up to race - make sure you are committed to the event and the training. 

We understand plans do change, riders get injured, life gets in the way - you are allowed to transfer your entry to another person via Bike Reg. Here’s the INFO on how to transfer. 

If you can’t race and can’t find someone to transfer your registration to, please email us at cpcllc29@gmail.com so we can remove you from the roster. This will allow the next person on the wait list to race. 

We will provide the traditional aid station items you are accustom  to: water, sports drinks, sweet snacks, salty snacks, cooked items,  etc. Each aid station typically has premium food choice and/or theme, such as breakfast burritos, pizza, breakfast buffet, ramen, etc. At Aid #3 (Monarch Pass) you'll have access to the Aid Station as well as your drop bag. We take pride in our aid stations and you'll be  excited to see the variety of warm/cold foods and drinks. If you have dietary restrictions (vegan, gluten free, vegetarian, etc) it is advised to carry your own specific nutrition as we cannot guarantee these items at any/all Aid Stations.

Friends, family members, and crew are allowed to meet you only at Aid #1 (Cascade) and Aid #3 (Monarch Pass). No outside support is allowed outside of these Aid Stations or on course. Our other Aid Stations are tough to get to (4x4 roads, remote, limited parking), and we have area usage limits with our event permits. Aid #1 (Cascade) and Aid #3 (Monarch Pass) are also the best 2 locations to get picked up if you decide to drop out of the race.

We will transport one 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 closes on Sunday.

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, in cell service, or do our permits allow for an excess amount of people/vehicles in these area.

On street  parking is no problem around Salida in residential areas. Make sure you  are not blocking someones driveway. On street parking within a few  blocks radius of Absolute Bikes will be your best bet. If a resident has a no parking sign in front of their house, please respect their request. DO NOT park behind or directly in front of Absolute Bikes. This is reserved for customers and is also our finish line area. Pay attention to any street signs where you park. Some streets, especially close to downtown, have 2-3 hour time limits. WalMart on Hwy 50 has overnight parking / camping. WalMart is roughly a 10-minute bike ride to the start and finish.