The Downieville Downhill

Every summer bikers get to enjoy the Downieville Downhill mountain biking race. The ride includes nearly 5,500-feet of descent and just over 1,000-feet of ascent. The descent happens during a 17 mile period of riding. The race path leads from Packer Saddle to Downieville. This race is the longest and considered the most demanding downhill race in the country. Bikers will follow the Butcher Ranch Trail, the Sunrise Trail, the Third Divide Trail, and First Divide Trail. The newest part of the race, the Sunrise Trail, is situated on private land at an elevation of 7,100-feet. The trail was built by bikers and features great views. It is described as a Pump track and is filled with reverse grades, banked turns, dips, and a few G-outs. The trail is the first two miles of the race and it gets things off to an action-packed start. The Butcher Ranch part of the trail is a singletrack made of rocks. It is steep and bikers reach speeds of 40 miles per hour when riding. The final leg of the track, the Third Divide Trail is three miles in length and is the fastest part of the race. The race finished down Main Street in downtown Downieville. This race is for all-mountain racers only and is one of the most well-known races in the country.