The Off-Road Assault on Mt. Mitchell is a 60 mile mostly off road mountain bike race with 10,500 feet of climbing. From Old Fort you climb up to the Blue Ridge Parkway and just below Mt. Mitchell on beautiful Forest Service roads and unbelievable North Carolina single track. There are fully stocked rest stops approximately every 10 miles and you can send anything you want to the rest areas with our staff. Mt. Mitchell peaks at 6684 ft and is the highest mountain east of the Mississippi river. The start/finish in the town of Old Fort, North Carolina sits at around 1400 feet. Most of the climbing is on Forest Service roads while most of the single track points downhill!
Do not underestimate the extreme difficulty and danger of this mountain bike race. The course is extremely demanding and travels over rugged terrain with extreme elevation changes. The forest remains in its natural habitat. It is not uncommon to see wildlife such as a wild cat or a black bear. Be ready to cope with any circumstances!! Please note that firearms are not permitted in certain areas. Aid stations will help with safety matters, but it is the competitor's ultimate responsibility to insure his or her own safety. A few course-related facts: the 63 mile course record was set in 2014 by pro rider Thomas Turner, who finished in 4 hours 23 minutes. One rider completed the course with only one month of riding under his belt, however this rider quit riding altogether after the race! Others too have retired their mountain biking efforts after competing in this race. This is not your typical race. Regardless of how you finish, you will have competed in the most exciting mountain bike race in the entire Southeast!!!
This race is limited to 500 participants.
Date: July 26, 2020 (Rain or Shine)
Time: Mandatory ride meeting at start line at 7:50am. Ride starts at 8:00am.
Packet Pickup: Registration packet pickup begins race morning at 6am. Early packet pickup will be available on Friday from 4-8pm and on Saturday from 1-4pm at the Finish in the grassy field beside the Gateway Museum. I.D. Required
Fee: $140 till 6/21/20 $150.00 till 7/19/20 $160.00 day of race
Amenities: Chip timed instant results, categories, Awesome Rest Stops, Upcountry Brewing Beer with Pasta (Meat or Vegetarian) Feast, Well Marked Route, Restrooms, Wicked NC Singletrack and so much more.
T Shirts: T-shirts are optional to all who register before June 29th
Injuries: Have no illusions you can escape some type of injury on 60 miles of rough terrain. Whether in be an abrasion or a mental breakdown, everyone suffers in one way or another.
