Little sugar is a legit mtb race and big sugar the following weekend isn’t a bad gravel race to do on a mtb (if you’re interested in a doubleheader). And you can add as much mtb riding as you want in between the 2 races.
You did a good job at summing up all the bad parts. The fun/enjoyability is far and few between and there are very few positives. It’s not a horrible event but certainly nothing I would recommend people to travel to when there’s so many better events out there. If you’re a local and looking for a challenge, sure if there’s nothing better else to do.
Also the Alpine Epic or whatever the current name is in Oakridge. 50 miles, one lap, or half of what used to be the Creampuff.
Yes… so good. The Trans Rockies events are great!
PS: gets some upper body workouts in. day 2 is a beater. 
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I signed up. Am looking forward to it. Good advice on upper body workouts. I’ll also need to get 1-2 desert rides under my belt before the event to get my sea legs back for technical riding.
My biggest concern is how my endurance will hold up for a multi-day event, and how to pace the 1st and 2nd days so I have something left in the tank for the later days.
But looking forward to it. I like those trails.
Are you familiar with the “stage race effect”?
I’ve heard of it… but in my experience when I ride tough back to back days, I get progressively more tired. Recovery/nutrition will be something I need to get dialed to hopefully reverse that pattern.
Nice! You are going to love it. I’m no pro but have done about 6 stages races. So, FWIW, a few things I learned.
#1 My biggest piece of advice is: to finish, you must finish. This means to remember this is a multi day event. If you crash out on day 1 or brake a component, you’re done. Survival is key. Take each day 1 at a time but remember it is a multiday event. Even though I know this so well, I was having so much fun on the machine built jumps and berms at Breck Epic this year, so I let loose. Crashed out on day 3. F!! I should have dialed it back. My new motto is you cant win a race on the downhill but you can sure loose. Day 1 Porcupine ridge for you, its not very difficult but you can really get going fast.
#2 EAT EAT EAT, before, during, and after. Do it… then eat some more
#3 3 days isn’t super long but long enough. If you have enough training for day one, you’ll be fine. Just dial it back a bit from a standard 1 day race. You wont want to but do it.
#4 Take all the smoothest. fastest, and less energy sucking lines you can find. You’ll be happy you did on day 3
As for upperbody, focus on core (swings, deadlifts,…) and find some push/pull workouts that simulate the up/down/up/down that Moab loves to throw at you (i.e. rip/row machine). Not sure where you live but find a trail that has lots of one-ups and get those dialed. (I’m in N. Co)
Have fun!! You’re going to love it.
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Shoot! My plan was to dial it back a notch or two on the climbs, and then smash it on the descents. I’m not kidding 
- I’m a very so-so climber, but have pretty good tech/descending skills. This approach is aimed at optimizing for fun, as I’m not going to win anything.
I’ll need to work on this. I generally have a hard time stuffing myself.
I live in Steamboat. Snow here for the next 3+ months but I’ll get down to Fruita or Grand Junction a few times this spring.
HAHA… to each their own. Well, if you end up around Fort Collins give me a shout.
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Odd how often I hear HC100 get recommended. I traveled to do it, then gave away my other NUE race entries afterwards. It was the most over rated event I could imagine.
I fortunately did some fun riding on my other bike the day before, so it wasn’t a total loss. But the HC course made me wish I used my gravel bike, and I don’t like gravel riding.
True Grit is great though.
I don’t know how to rate my local NUE race (Grizzly 100), because it is local. I enjoy it, but it’s only an hour drive for me.
The HC 100 course changes every year, so you never know quite what you’ll get. But yes, a lot of Bend singletrack is close to gravel riding than mtbing. HC 100 timing is also just about the worst possible time of year in Bend. Maybe slightly better than August can be.
The Alpine Epic is the polar opposite of HC 100.
I went to Moab this weekend and rode stages 2 and 3. The official elevation gain for these stages I think is under-reported, as it doesn’t take into account all those never ending 6-12” up-downs!
Mile for mile, these will be tiring courses to ride at race pace when I’m not taking any breaks. But fun. I like tech trails like these as they are continually throwing things at you to keep you engaged.
Having pre-ridden, this will also help guide my time goals - and it’s looking like I’ll be on track for a very average performance, mid pack.
A few bonus pics attached.
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FYI: did you see they changed stage 2? hahah…
Ha - thanks for alerting me. I haven’t ridden Klonzo trails before. Something different will add to the experience!
Anyone have anything in the Canadian Rockies?
There is BC Bike Race but its not a XCM. More like a XCO 7 day stage race. Lots of fun and highly recommend!
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BCBR is on Vancouver Island. I can second that it is an incredible event and highly worth doing (and I’m from VI so biased), but not in the Rockies. Single Track 6 another amazing technical stage race. It moves around and was in the Rockies a few years ago. Not sure where it is this year. The Trans-Rockies gravel race could be an option, think it’s 3 days.
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Cant say enough good things about BC Bike Race and anything Trans Rokies puts on (i.e. Single Track 6). These are not just races but an experience. Trans Rokies puts on a 3-day in Moab too.
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Many of the trails in the first half of the new stage 2 are described as fast smooth flowy single track. I prefer the tech stuff, but on the bright side, less punishing than the trails they took out.