Events: Five Winter Mountain Bike Races

Photo by Dave Heath

Here are five winter mountain biking events to keep you racing all year long.

Dawn to Dusk - December 6
The Giant Bicycles Dawn to Dusk race lives up to its namesake, down to the very minute. The event starts right at dawn—7:13 in the morning—and ends at dusk. The race, which will follow a 24-hour format, will take a scenic 15.6-mile loop of the Pemberton trail at McDowell Mountain in Phoenix, Arizona; dcbadventures.com.

Arrowhead Ultra - February 2
Last year’s average temperature at this event was a not-so-balmy negative 22 degrees Fahrenheit. This 135-mile ultra-marathon requires participants to review a handbook on winter camping, frostbite and hypothermia before entering the race. The 2008 Arrowhead had 27 finishers out of over 50 starters–their highest finish percentage to date. Aside from bicycling, you can choose to go the distance by foot or ski; arrowheadultra.com.

Blue Mountain Bikercross - January 10
Combine downhill mountain biking with downhill skiing in a four-racer, mountain cross-style format and you get the Blue Mountain Bikercross. The race sends riders down one of the black-diamond slopes at Pennsylvania's Blue Mountain. Many competitors add screws to their tires to improve traction for corners and jump landings; skibluemt.com.

The Frozen Hog - February 7
Snow and singletrack are what this race is all about. The namesake comes from the road the race used to be held on—Hog Hollow Road. Due to development and problems with deep snow, however, the location has been moved to Lambert Park, and the snow is cleared or packed if necessary. All profits go toward local trail networks; utahmountainbiking.com.

The Dirty Dozen and Frozen Six - February 7
Endurance is the name of the game for these 12- and six-hour events—aptly named the Dirty Dozen and Frozen Six. The singletrack course runs through Bluff Creek Ranch in Warda, Texas, and is roughly nine miles long; terrafirmapromo.com.