What to Know:
Name: Coconino Stage Bikepack Year: 6th Length: 250 miles Start: Flagstaff Finish: Flagstaff Vert: 33k Route Description: 50% singletrack Race Director: Scott Morris Website: Arizona Endurance Series
The Coconino Stage Bikepack is a unique, one of a kind race. Instead of your traditional running clock bikepacking race, the Coconino has 4 stages and 3 separate zones. If you’re in those zones, the clock will stop. This allows racers to rest for the night before the next stage. Racers must note their time total time, as well as their stopped time totals to provide their finishing results. If you feel that may be too confusing for you, the option to run a self-supported clock is always open each year, and the race typically has a few that participate in that form.
The route is a large loop that starts and ends in Flagstaff, AZ, and travels in a clockwise direction. Racers will start off with riding the famous Arizona Trail south out of flagstaff to Mormon Lake. They will then hop on forest roads to make their way down to Sedona for some beautiful red rock riding, food, and vortexes. Racers then will head west towards Cottonwood, another town to resupply.
After Cottonwood, things get real with steep a technical climb up Mingus Mountain. Once you reach the top racers will enjoy a long descent down to the Verde Valley. From here riders will have a little over 100 miles left, with plenty of climbing. The participants will climb up plenty of switchbacks to Bill Williams Mountain, which is the high point of the route at 9,000 feet. After descending down into the town of Williams, riders will connect more forest roads, technical, and buffed out singletrack before arriving back to Flagstaff.
Through the years there has been lots of competitive riding. There are a few names that have tackled the Coconino that are no strangers to the bikepacking world – Morris, Lee, Brown, Gulley, Refsnider and Wallenfels. Last year rain put a damper on the course, but that didn’t stop Matt Schiff from stealing Scott Morris’ record at a time of 24 hours, 48 minutes. This time beat Scott’s 2011 record time of 25 hours 18 minutes. The thru ride records for men and women were also set last year on an ITT just after the rain settled. Kurt Refsnider came in at time of 30 hours and 52 minutes. On the womens side, Kaitlyn Boyle holds the record at 44 hours and 20 minutes.
We wish everyone the best of luck this year!
For tracking information go to Trackleaders.com.