The Park City Point 2 Point mountain bike race takes place Saturday.
Now in its 13th year, the Park City Point 2 Point has gained a rather infamous reputation as one of the hardest physical and mental challenges offered in the Wasatch Back.
350 mountain bikers will traverse 77 miles of singletrack trails stretching from Round Valley to to Kimball Junction, totaling 12,000 feet of elevation gain.
Race Director Jay Burke said the course usually takes 9-10 hours to complete for most riders, and normally about 30% of people who start the race don’t finish it. Professional riders Keegan Swenson and Alex Grant hold a joint course record of six hours and eight minutes. Swenson, a Park City native, is slated to be back on the starting line to push for a new record this year.
Burke said spectators are welcome on the course, and can even ride the same trails, but he recommends doing it in the same direction as the racers.
“If you’re a morning person, get up and get out in Round Valley in the morning because you’ll see the start, and then about 45 minutes later, you see them come back through just a few hundred yards off of where we started the event, so that’s pretty fun,” said Burke. “There are places all throughout the course. I would recommend people jump on the website and check out the course. You can hike to some spots, you can ride to some spots.”
If you want to get out for a ride or a hike, but want to avoid the race, Burke said that’s possible too, you just have to choose the right area.
“If you’re riding in the morning, then get out and hit what I call the heart of the trail system here in Park City over towards UOP, you’ll be fine, we don’t get over to Park City, which is mile 53,” he said. “For the fast people, about 11:45 we’ll be hitting Park City, so you have all morning, really. If you’re riding in the afternoon, I would say afternoon, Deer Valley all the way over towards Round Valley, Lost Prospector, and all those trails are good to go.”
Burke added that the west side of Round Valley is open all day and is also a good viewing area for the beginning of the race.
The Park City Point 2 Point starts at the Quinn’s Junction Recreation Complex at 7am.
More information and a complete course map of the Point 2 Point can be found here.
