[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]It’s nearly time!
MES racers – welcome to the first stop of the 2022 Montana Enduro Series: The Helenduro. Our hometown race is one of the longest-running enduro races in the US, going back to 2009. It was a local four-race series until 2014 when the newly-formed Montana Bicycle Guild incorporated it into the Montana Enduro Series. For this event, our base area will be located in the Park Avenue Building parking lot, located at South Park Avenue and Cruse Avenue on the south end of downtown (301 S Park Ave).
Racer Check-In
YOU MUST CHECK IN BY 8:45 AM SATURDAY!
You have two options for check-in. Look for the MES tent.
- Friday 6/24, 5:00-8:00 at Blackfoot River Brewing (66 S Park Ave)
- Saturday 6/25, 7:30-8:45 at the Park Avenue Building (301 S Park Ave)
With the BME Big Sky cancelled, we anticipate high interest in on-site registration. AGAIN, YOU MUST CHECK IN BY 8:45 AM SATURDAY. After that time we will release unclaimed spots to waiting racers.
MES Waiver
You need to sign our MES waiver. You begin the check-in process by signing a waiver and bringing it to the MES tent to collect your timing chip and number plate. If you’re under the age of 18 you will need to have a parent or guardian present at check-in. Your 19-year-old buddy doesn’t count.
Timeline
Friday 6/24
The course will be open for inspection and practice. Please remember that South Hills trails are multi-use and the general public will be present during practice on Friday. Please ride under control and be courteous to any other trail users you encounter. Note that our volunteers may be out buttoning up the course throughout the day. Make sure to give them smiles and high fives.
5:00-8:00 PM: racer check-in at the MES tent beside the Blackfoot River Brewing taproom
Saturday 6/25
7:30 AM: racer check-in at the MES tent, located in the Park Avenue Building lot
8:45 AM: unclaimed racer packets released for on-site registration
8:45 AM: volunteer meeting
9:15 AM: racer meeting (MANDATORY)
9:30 AM: race start
3:00 PM: course closed
Late afternoon: Podium celebration
Course
After nearly 20 Helenduro races, is there any chance of a new route with trails we haven’t raced yet? The answer is yes, and it might be the rockiest, loosest Helenduro yet. Please note: the exact course that you will compete is defined by the on-course markings and timing gates. The course and exact start/finish points are subject to change prior to race day at the discretion of MES. We will be placing start and finish points during the day on Friday. This course includes four stages. All categories will race all stages.
This race starts with a left turn out of the Park Avenue Building parking lot onto Park Avenue. Take the next right onto Carriage Lane, and the second right onto Reeder’s Village Drive to the Adams Street Mount Helena trailhead. Continue climbing up the 1906 Trail to the summit.
STAGE 1
Hogsback Trail, Prospect Shafts Trail, and Hanging Draw Trail.
This stage is long, rocky, and loose. Hogsback is very rocky with multiple line options but mostly the rocks don’t move. The next trail is Prospect Shafts Trail, which is much looser. Beware the hard right turn onto Hanging Draw Trail. The first part of this trail is flat, but the rest plummets into Dump Gulch.
Transfer:
Up McKelvey Trail and Mount Helena Ridge Trail and down the first 0.25 mile of Show-Me-The-Horse Trail to the ridgeline.
STAGE 2
Show-Me-The-Horse Trail
It’s a Helena classic, and most riders know every turn. Enjoy the break. This year we’re starting from the upper ridge, so take it easy riding across the meadow.
Transfer:
Up (south) Grizzly Gulch Road, up Wakina Sky Trail, up Stairway to Heaven Trail to the top of the ridge.
STAGE 3:
Stairway to Heaven Trail and Wakina Ridge Trail.
A Helena classic, this doesn’t see much use nowendays. The trail is covered with loose gravel as a result. Stay straight at the junction with lower Stairway and continue on the Wakina Ridge Trail. You’ll be crying tears of delight as you descend this ridgeline to a couplet of hard left and right turns. From here your happy tears will turn to tears of sadness because the rest of this trail sucks. There’s no other way to say it. Watch out for diminishing radius turns, blind chicanes, and sidehill exposure with pedal strikers. But hey- maybe you haven’t ridden this yet. This stage ends in the open just above a live driveway.
Transfer:
Cross the driveway and down the Wakina Skills Trail to Grizzly Gulch Road. Descend to the Dump Gulch trailhead, up McKelvey Trail and Dump Out Trail to the intersection with Hanging Draw Alternate. Locals may want to transfer via Dante’s Inferno: don’t. The trail is outside our approved route, and you have a number plate on your bike. We won’t be sweeping this trail.
STAGE 4:
Dump Out Trail, Contour Trail Connector, and Reeders Trail.
Yo dawg we heard you like to ride rocks so we chose a stage with more rocks you so can ride more rocks on your ride. Dump Out is one of Helena’s more technical trails, and while it’s mostly downhill in this direction, there are a couple tough rocky climbs. After you finish the rocky stretch you’ll peel off to the right and connect to Reeders Trail. The upper portion literally runs a cliff edge but pay more attention to the hard left turn at the end of the cliff. From here you have a couple fast stretches of trail before you get dumped into the tightest switchbacks in the South Hills. They’re all rideable but we admit they were easier in the days of <1000mm wheelbases. This stage finishes on the flat before the road. Be very careful exiting the trail – this is a blind turn with considerable traffic up and down the hill. *note- there may be a brief course hold for the first racers to arrive at the start of Stage 4 to ensure that a Montana Historical Society Hike has cleared the area.
The race ends at the bottom of Stage 4. You are responsible for returning to the base area, a very short ride down the hill. You will encounter other vehicle traffic. Please be courteous and respect other users.
Hydration: we will have limited water and Hammer HEED available in two locations:
- Bottom of Show-Me-the-Horse Trail
- Bottom of Dump Gulch
Self-sufficiency is a core tenet of mountain bike racing, so please do not rely entirely upon on-course water.
Navigation: If junction markings are damaged during the race day, you are still responsible for navigating the course, so it pays to familiarize yourself. To help with that, the route is published on Trailforks. There are a few ways to find the routes in the Trailforks app. Although Trailforks now limits unpaid use of the mobile app to your home area, race routes are still displayed and available to you for navigation on course. There is no limit on the desktop version of Trailforks, so you can preview the course and the bike park without any restrictions. The easiest way to find the route in the app is to open the Events tab when you arrive in Helena. It automatically loads nearby events, and the routes will be available there. Alternately, if you’re reading this on your phone, you can click this link:
https://www.trailforks.com/route/montana-enduro-series-2022-helenduro/
The link will open in the app and update the South Hills riding area. If you’re reading this on a computer, you can click Add to Wishlist at the top left of the page, and the route will be added to your account. Then inside the app, open Your Wishlist on the table of contents.
Timing System
We use the SPORTident Air contactless timing system. This gives the best and most accurate results in our sport. You are responsible for following our procedures for checking in and heading out to the course. The timing chips must be switched on to collect time stamps. Crucially, they must be returned to the timing tent for scanning for you to have results. If you lose your timing chip it will cost you $100 to collect backup timing results. Keep the chip on the right-hand wrist outside of your clothing to ensure good time stamps.
Rules
Our rules are simple and intended to make sure everyone has a high-quality experience. We will cover rules and course-specific concerns during the racer meetings. The basic rules are:
- Enduro format – timed stages are mostly downhill, and transfers are mostly climbs. Transfer stages are untimed, but don’t linger because we have a course closure time.
- Helmets must be worn at all times when on the bike. This includes uphills/transfers. Anyone riding without a helmet will be disqualified immediately. Full-face helmets are recommended but not required.
- The trail is the course. Whether or not a corner is taped, shortcutting the trail tread is a rule violation.
- You must be able to hear an overtaking rider. No earbuds or external speakers are allowed.
- Our complete rulebook is available on our website.
Volunteers will help us assess if we need to penalize any racers that aren’t following our series rules. Keep it fun and throw out high fives all day!
Volunteers
If any of your traveling companions would like to volunteer out on course, we’d be happy for the help. Also, if you can’t race for some reason on Saturday, we’ll happily refund your registration fee in exchange for your volunteer service. True story: running an enduro race takes a lot of volunteers. Find us at the MES tent in the morning or email eric at montanaenduro.com.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]