Checking all the boxes: Third-annual Bighorn Gravel returns with reversed course, more riders and same vibes

In a cycling world increasingly saturated by gravel races, Jake Wells and Mike Brumbaugh are content with what Bighorn Gravel brings to the table: a challenging course and welcoming community.

In advance of Sunday’s third-annual event — which features 85, 50 and 20-mile routes — the co-founders leaned into those aspects when speaking to how the race has moved forward with each iteration.

“We have some really great terrain,” Brumbaugh said.

“The community was really ready for this type of event,” added Wells. “The main thing we set out to do was give folks an opportunity to go out and stretch themselves and experience a really beautiful place in a somewhat controlled way and safe manner. And we’re continuing to do that.”

Over 500 riders have already registered. By Sunday morning’s 7 a.m. start, the field could include 75-100 more cyclists than last year — which was almost twice as big as the inaugural event. But Wells isn’t tempted to chase the numbers found at other events like Leadville 100, SBT Gravel or Unbound Gravel, which had almost 5,000 registered riders in 2024.

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“I think for us being in our third year, we’re starting to find our plateau, sustainability wise,” Wells said. “We’re totally content with holding steady with about 500-600 riders,” he said.

Having observed the friction brought about by weekly influxes of endurance athletes descending upon small mountain towns like Leadville or Steamboat Springs, Wells wants to be sensitive to the balance of growing an event with grating on Gypsum locals.

“We live here, we’re part of this tight-knit community — and it’s not only the cycling community,” he said. “You see people that aren’t on your page with cycling and you want to hear the same positive feedback from them that you’re getting from the cycling community.”

In terms of trends, Brumbaugh said once again roughly half of the registered riders hail from Eagle and Summit Counties and the Roaring Fork Valley. Another 25% come from the roughly six-hour radius of the mountain west. The rest fly in from anywhere. In addition to Utah, Wyoming and New Mexico attendees, there are also representatives from Michigan, Arkansas, Washington, Texas, New York, North Carolina, Illinois, Massachusetts, Arizona, Kansas and Schöneck, Germany in the men’s Ram’s Horn Escape alone.

Ironically, Brumbaugh still meets many local cyclists who are unaware the courses’ unique terrain sits right in their backyards. At Bighorn Gravel’s free recon rides on May 25 and June 9, he heard a reoccurring theme from the 30-40 attendees.

“It’s longtime locals who’d been here and never done these rides,” Brumbaugh said.

Some groups came from Glenwood Springs or Basalt and left pleased to discover connecting trails from their side of Cottonwood Pass.

“Just to open their eyes to what we have going on over here that is really accessible to them without driving through the canyon,” Wells said. “They were like, ‘oh this is amazing. And now I can expand my natural route from home and come over to your side.'”

Discovery for all ages and abilities is intertwined throughout the two-day festival.

On Saturday, anyone is free to participate in one of two group shakeout rides at 10 a.m. A kids balance bike race is at 11:30 a.m., with food trucks on-site during the packet pick-up and pre-ride meetings. Plus, the 20-mile Gravel Curious race on Sunday is perfect for those looking to dip their toes into off-road riding.

“If you just want to come out and see what we’re up to, there’s some stuff happening whether you’ve signed up or not,” Wells said. 

Running it backwards

In 2023, Brumbaugh and Wells were forced to make a last-second course change as 6 feet of snow covered the course at its high point (roughly 11,000 feet). In keeping with their original plan of reversing course direction every two years, this year’s participants will ride the original 2022 route in a clockwise direction.

The 85-mile Ram’s Horn Escape ascends almost 10,000 feet to a high point near Peter Estin Hut. The mega-loop’s mix of long, gradual gravel climbs and smooth paved descents — with tastes of twisty singletrack trail and bumpy Forest Service roads thrown in — make bike choice tricky.

“From day one we’ve said, if you’re on a mountain bike, you’ll be happy, if you’re on a gravel bike, you’ll be happy,” Brumbaugh said. “But at some point in the race — no matter what you’re on — you’ll wish you were on a different bike, which I think is the perfect gravel course.”

Running the loop ‘backwards’ could impact race strategy, too. Instead of turning up the lung-busting Red Hill climb after the police escort, cyclists will climb the rugged Spring Creek Trails after heading east on Cooley Mesa Road. While not as steep as Red Hill, Wells thinks it will still sort things out.

“I think this year, the pack could be a little bigger going into the singletrack — the downhill into Abrams Gulch and over to Love Connector,” he said before claiming the ensuing 4,000 foot ascent on Brush Creek Road will test everyone’s high-altitude legs. Wells also thinks the downhill to Sylvan Lake and Powerline Road section is where contenders might burn a match. Depending on the wind direction, the penultimate descent on Gypsum Creek’s pristine gravel could be a place where breakaway solo artists get swallowed up by the peloton, he said.

“I fully see it playing out on Cottonwood Pass,” Wells continued, pointing to the final climb after the fourth aid station at mile 68. “Whatever you got left is going to be emptied out.”

Even though both Brumbaugh and Wells would love to participate in their ride, they said there’s something magical about being at the finish.

“The last two years, I didn’t weep, but I got choked up on more than one occasion,” Brumbaugh said.

“Watching people essentially empty themselves to go out and do this event you’ve encouraged and supported them to do — and see them complete it — there’s no other way to experience that reward,” Wells added.

The Ram’s Horn Escape podium will split $10,000. For the third straight year, an anonymous donor ensured the Ibex Award — $1,000 for the final athlete who crosses the finish line — will continue, too.

“We set out in the beginning to create an amazing experience for the riders,” Wells said. “It’s a good event for everyone. We really want to maintain that feel.”

Unlike gravel events which either prioritize professionals and prize purses, post-race parties or challenging course, Bighorn Gravel’s co-founders feel they’ve carved out their niche as a grassroots event that does it all.

“I think somehow,” Brumbaugh said. “Just by the grace of God, we kind of tick all three boxes.”