Stage 2: GRIND

Every Climb Carves a Rider.

At a Glance

Route details subject to change pending permits, weather, natural distasters, force majeur, etc.

Start: Downtown Prescott
Finish: Downtown Prescott
Long Course: 54.6 mi (87.9 km) / 5,472 ft gain (1,668 m)
Short Course: 45.3 mi (73.0 km) / 4,973 ft gain (1,516 m)

*Note: Short Course follows the same start and finish as Long Course, but bypasses Big Bug Mesa Loop

Important Times

• 7:30 AM: Rider Briefing and Staging – Downtown Prescott

• 8:00 AM: Start - Downtown Prescott

• 4:00 PM: Course Closed / Max. Time
  

Stage Story

The dust from Stage 1 hasn’t even settled into your gear before it’s time to ride again.

The GRIND of Stage 2 doesn’t break you with a single climb – it wears you down mile after dusty mile, like the slow, steady pull of a long campaign.

The pines close in, the mining roads twist higher, and the ridgelines keep asking if you’ve got one more climb in you. You’ll see parts of the frontier that Buckey saw. No easy passages. Each mile has to be earned.

You’ll ride where the cavalry once scouted, where supply trains rattled over dirt, and where Buckey’s kind of grit meant coming home or not at all. By the time you drop back into Prescott, you’ll know you’ve been shaped by the gravel.

With GRIT and GRIND, you’ve proven you are ready for the final push to GLORY.

Route Breakdown

Rolling Out of Town

Both the Long and Short Course riders roll out from the courthouse square, heading south on Hwy. 89 before swapping out pavement for gravel in Ponderosa Park. You'll climb through Turkey Track and Indian Creek before the course really finds its rhythm on Wolf Creek Road.

Checkpoint 1: 5 Corners Split (~41 km / 25 miles)

Here, the day changes. Short Course riders turn toward Big Bug Mesa, while Long Course riders take the long way, pushing east toward Poland Junction, then south toward Mayer to tackle rolling pavement and gravel before climbing back towards the west.

(Long Course Only) Checkpoint 2: Pine Flats (~77 km / 48 miles)

More remote dirt climbs and rolling pavement await the Long Course on FR 67 and South Senator Highway. The second aid station, located at Pine Flats, is your last chance to fuel up before the final set of rolling climbs back towards the finish.  

Merging Routes

Both the Long and Short courses rejoin near South Senator Highway, leading into a fast descent through Wolf Creek before the final urban roll back into Prescott.

The Finish: Granite and Grind

The last kilometers thread through historic streets, setting up a finish that’s as much about survival as speed. Downtown Prescott is waiting, and so is the cold victory drink you’ve been thinking about since mile 30.

What to Expect

Surface Mix

• Long Course: ~55% gravel, 30% paved, 15% forest track

• Short Course: ~60% gravel, 25% paved, 15% forest track

Effort Profile

• Long Course: Two major climbs, long rollers, technical descents

• Short Course: One major climb, early descent, fast finish

Pro Tips

• Fuel early – the course is remote and doesn't give anything away easily

• Expect temperature swings between exposed roads and pine-shaded forest routes

• Ride steady; the GRIND rewards patience

NEXT UP STAGE 3: GLORY >