Date: Saturday, March 29, 2025
Distance: 376 miles
Start Time: 5:00 am
There will be a mass start at 5:00 AM and announcements and time for questions at 4:55.
Start Location: El Con Plaza Starbucks in Tucson (Get directions)
Time Limit: 40 hours
Sunrise: 6:04 am
Sunset: 6:47 pm
Cost: $50 Pre-registration only. No day-of-event registration.
ACP sanctioned.
WAIVER NOTE:
You will be automatically directed to the online waiver after you submit your PayPal payment.
If you are not automatically directed to the online waiver after your pay,
you may press the "Return to Merchant" button to sign the waiver.
The online waiver may also be found at
tinyurl.com/AZBrevetWaiver.
REGISTRATION NOTE: Once you are
registered for a ride, you will see your name in the
Registered Riders tab. It may take a day or so for it to
appear. Registered riders WILL be sent a "Last
Minute Notes" email the day after registration
closes, normally the Thursday before the ride. If you do not
receive it, please let me know. Also, check your spam folder
for the email.
RIDE VERIFICATION: All of these events
are sanctioned by Randonneurs USA (RUSA).
As such, all of them will be verified using approved RUSA
methods. Click HERE
to see the details of available options for AZ Radonneurs'
events.
Kitt Peak 600k
The Kitt Peak series of events (200k/300k/400k/600k) are new for AZ. Each of the distances start/finish in the same location. Kitt Peak is one of the iconic climbs in Arizona and each distance will get to experience it.
We’ll start in North Tucson with a short warm-up before we hit the first obstacle on the day – Gates Pass. You’re only 12 miles into the ride but will already get to test your legs as you climb into Saguaro National Parks (SNP). The descent into SNP as the sun rises will be a highlight! You will continue on gentle terrain as you make your way out of Tucson. Once about half way to the Kitt you will reach Three Points. This is a good place to refill your bottle and grab a snack since there is still 15 miles to the base of the climb.
The sun will be full when you reach the base of the climb. For a preview, check out this fantastic web site. All the details are there, but it’s a 12 mile, 3600’ climb which averages 5.7%. There is a Visitor’s Center at the top. We’ll have staff up there to greet you with food and water. With a full stomach, the descent will be a blast! After the descent, the routes will diverge. The 200k riders will head back to the finish. The 300k/400k/600k riders will head further west to the town of Sells.
It should be a quick 20 mile jaunt to Sells for your turnaround. You will then retrace your route back to Three Points. It will, again, be a good spot to refuel. 300k riders will return to the finish through SNP. 400k/600k riders head south from Three Points to their next destination near the Mexican border in Arivaca. Arivaca is in the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge. You’ll also get a long, and great, view of Baboquivari Peak off to your right. It’s a challenging hike, but that will have to wait for another day. You will also pass through a couple Border Patrol checkpoints on this loop south.
After your Control in Arivaca, you will make your way back north through Green Valley then a gentle climb to Helmet Peak. From there it will be a fast descent back to South Tucson past Mission San Xavier del Bac and a flat run-in to your triumphant finish.
In all, riders will have covered 258 miles and about 10,000’ of climbing. 600k riders will be able to get some sleep before heading out for their final 200k to Oracle. That final 200k will have about 4,200’ of climbing. Riders will get to climb to Oracle after a long, flat ride to Marana. Almost all of the climbing is in the middle third of the 200k. The return will be fast and fun!
McMath-Pierce Solar Telescope on Kitt Peak
Location: El Con Plaza Starbucks in Tucson
Address:
Starbucks at:
3421 E Broadway Blvd #191, Tucson, AZ 85716
Click
here for a map to the start.
Directions: East on Broadway Rd ~4 miles from I-10
There is plenty of parking near Starbucks/Walmart/etc.
View RWGPS online map here
The Ride With GPS map may be used to download a file for your GPS, if you wish.
Cue sheets may be downloaded and printed by riders if they wish. Cue sheets will NOT be passed out at the start. Make sure you have a cue sheet as a backup in case your GPS fails.
(Excel sheet is not available.)
Download cue sheet (pdf)
Total climbing is about 14,800 ft., depending on which measurement device you use.
Take note of the route profile. There are numerous climbs on this ride. In particular, 4 long climbs exist - Gates Pass, Kitt Peak, Helmet Peak and to Oracle. Overall, the climbing is not extreme over this distance.
Lights, safety vest/belt, and ankle bands are required when riding before sunrise and after sunset.
Note that there is only about 12 hours of daylight for this ride so a good set of lights will be required.
Galiuro Mountains viewed from Oracle
There will be some support on the ride, including lunch (detailed to registered riders) and there are stores located at convenient distances along the route. These will be noted on the route sheet.
Baboquivari Peak is the most sacred place to the Tohono O'odham people. It is the center of the Tohono O'odham cosmology and the home of the creator, I'itoi. According to tribal legend, he resides in a cave below the base of the mountain.
| Rider Name |
RUSA # |
City |
State/Prov |
| Mike Sturgill |
1847 |
Phoenix |
AZ |
