The Escalante Bike Race scheduled for Saturday has moved to a new location because of forest closures from the Plateau Fire.
The races will be held at the Sage Hen area 6 miles west of Dolores adjacent to McPhee Reservoir instead of the Boggy Draw trail system.
“The Escalante Days Bike Race is still on, but due to a big change in the fire pattern above Dolores, they have had to close the trails in Boggy Draw,” race director Susan Lisak said in a press release.
The Sage Hen Trail runs partly along the edge of McPhee Reservoir in a 15-mile loop. Endurance racers will run the loop 3 times, Pro racers will run the loop twice, and sport racers will run the loop once. A special route is being designed for beginners to make their course around 13 miles.
Roadside signs in Dolores and at the intersection of Colorado 184 and Colorado 145 will direct riders to the new location at Sage Hen. From Dolores, take Colorado 145, and turn right onto Colorado 184 heading west. Turn right at the McPhee Recreation Complex entrance, continue over the McPhee Reservoir causeway and turn right on Road X. The trailhead is a half-mile down Road X. Parking will be alongside the roadway.
Updated information and maps are available at doloresrace.com
Registration and packet pickup will begin at 7:30 a.m. at the Sage Hen location. The Endurance Race will start at 8:30 a.m., and expert, sport and beginner races will start at 10:20 a.m. The 5K run will also be held at Sage Hen, and begin around 9 a.m. Smoke conditions on race day may delay start times.
There will have Porta Johns and an aid station at the Sage Hen race location.
“Afterward, we invite everyone back to Flanders Park in Dolores to enjoy the rest of Escalante Days,” Lisak says.
All activities for Escalante Days, including vendors, music festival, street games, arm wrestling challenge, and chainsaw competitions are scheduled to run as normal as of this time. The Escalante Days schedule can be found at doloreschamber.com and on their Facebook page @EscalanteDays. Bringing festival chairs to the music concerts at the Dolores River Brewery is encouraged.
For more information on the bike race, visit doloresrace.com, or contact race director Susan Lisak at 970-426-9902, or at doloresrotary3256@gmail.com
jmimiaga@the-journal.com
