New Trip Announcement: Arizona Winter Ride Camp

We’ve been working on adding a “winter” trip for some time now, and ever since we made the visit to Tucson almost two years ago, we couldn’t wait to get back.  The desert is something special in late winter (or early spring for some folks!) and we’ve worked to put together the perfect trip to get you off that basement spin bike, and onto some of the best warm-weather desert rides in the country.

Based in Tucson, Arizona, our brand new Winter Ride Camps are four days and three nights, built with three days of killer riding.  Following a “warmup” ride on Day 2 on the absolutely beautiful Arizona Trail just south of town, we’ll add in two days of BIG shuttles that will knock your socks off.  First comes Red Ridge, a rugged backcountry-style trail that drops off the backside of Mt. Lemmon for almost 4,000 vert and continues into the 50 Year trail system.  Then on the final day of the trip we’ll treat you to a Lemmon Drop, combining Bug Springs, Prison Camp, and Milagrosa for almost 5000′ of chunk and gnar (with a few stiff climbs mixed in, of course).

Who is this trip for?  Technically speaking, we’d recommend upper intermediate to advanced riders for this one given the nature of the trails we’ll be riding.  There aren’t any proper drops or double-black tech, but you can expect miles and miles of chunk, rock rolls, and high-speed chunder.  If you’ve been on our Fruita, Moab, or St. George trips and loved that terrain… well, then the Winter Ride Camp is for you.

If you want a full-blown itinerary for this trip, head over to our destination page.  However, here’s a quick rundown of the schedule:

• Day 1: Arrive in Tucson by 5:30pm so we can set up bikes, give a brief introduction, and have a welcome dinner and drinks with the crew.
• Day 2: This morning we’ll shuttle out to the Arizona Trail for today’s route.  We’ll ride ~20 miles of fairly mellow terrain, followed by a jump in the pool, a post-ride beer, and then dinner to refuel all those calories you lost on the ride!
• Day 3: Time to get rowdy!  We’ll start the day with a shuttle 4000′ up Mt. Lemmon to drop down the backside on Red Ridge, a rugged backcountry trail.  Expect 20-25 miles with 2000′ of climbing but likely over 6000′ of descent!
• Day 4:  Another shuttle this morning, this time for the Lemmon Drop.  We’ll combine Bug Springs, Prison Camp, and Milagrosa for ~20 miles of technical, rowdy riding.  We’re hoping to finish by 1pm this afternoon so you can catch your flight home!

As you likely already know, all of our Chasing Epic trips are totally all-inclusive… just bring your helmet, shoes and pack and we’ll do the rest!  Here’s what’s included for you with your Winter Ride Camp trip:

• Four days and three nights, with three full days of guided riding
• Three nights of double-occupancy lodging (single room upgrade available)
• High-end demo bike, we’ll announce our 2023 demo partners later this year
• All breakfasts and dinners, plus a “to go” lunch on our full day rides
• All transportation to/from trailheads, plus shuttles on Day 3 and 4
• Ride Nutrition from Honey Stinger, Skratch and Nuun
• A $100 gift card from our partners at Worldwide Cyclery!

We’ll have two Winter Ride Camps on our 2023 schedule:  February 24-27th, and March 2-5th.  If you’d like to reserve your spot on the trip now, we’re taking a $500 deposit; the remaining balance will be due in early January.

BOOK FEBRUARY 24-27, 2023    

BOOK MARCH 2-5, 2023