Just found out that some brain trust made this year’s Tevis on July 16th – same day as Wyoming’s Big Horn 100.
THAT was stupid! Isn’t Tevis usually in August? Any idea why they are moving it up? Maybe trying to avoid forest fire season?
Aside from all that, these two rides are considered the toughest out West and wondering who has done which and any feedback you might want to offer.
RE Tevis/Big Horn
Hi,
Most years Tevis and Big Horn are either on the same date or only a week apart. It has to do with using the full moon. Tevis moves around more like Easter does as their date is the first full moon after something.
I have done Tevis, but not done Big Horn. Tevis is well known. Beautiful very tough permanently marked trail with 200 plus entries. It is one of only 2 point to point one day 100 miles rides in the World.
Big Horn is also a very scenic trail. It is one long 100 mile loop. It is not permanently marked and that has been one of the issues with the ride. If you are local and know the trail, you are fine. If you ride with a local who knows the trail you are fine. If not, you are in trouble. There are places where you come to an unmarked fence. No flags, no markers, no nothing. Locals know that this is where you get off your horse, find the place the fence comes apart, take it down, and replace it. Non- locals are SOL.
Last year they had a number of riders get lost as Ride management hadn’t marked the trail before the ride, and the weather got bad, so they didn’t mark it during the ride. They had rain that turned to snow and there were several riders trapped on the mountain all night. Ride Management didn’t come look for them.
My friend did the ride a few years ago and loved it. But she got there a week early, and pre-rode a lot of the trail with locals. I would love to do it, but won’t go until they figure a way to mark it better. Riding 100 miles is hard enough without worrying about getting lost. They said they are putting up permanent marking this year, so that would help. They say it a very scenic trail so that will help a lot.
Paul N. Sidio
Spokane MO
There was talk of moving Tevis to later in the summer this year because of the incredible amount of snow the Sierra got this winter and what that means for the trail that goes through Squaw Valley/Granite Chief Wilderness/the bogs. But it wasn’t possible to move the date at this late hour so instead the trail will be rerouted.
In general, the dates for Tevis are already set for the next ten years (see website.) So if Big Horn ride managers wanted to attract the same riders, they would have to move their dates at least a month apart. But unless you have multiple horses capable of doing 100s, it may still be too close. But I think it doesn’t really matter. Hopefully people who want to experience both rides can do so, just in different years.
I’ve heard that as well…so does changing the trail still make the ride “THE” Tevis?
I have one of my horses in it this year (2nd horse I ever bred, a Teke/Arab cross) and would obviously like to see he & his owner succeed. This will be her 3rd try to finish – didn’t make it once with this horse and once with another, so we’ll see.
As for Big Horn, my friend Kerry Redente on her trail-eating MACHINE Bountiful Prince won it in '09, but she sort of stole it…only 13 entries that year in the 100.
Last year she finished middle of the pack, but, as another poster mentioned, MANY riders got lost and the ride got alot of bad press because of the lack of trail marking.
It’s a shame the Big Horn guys don’t take better care with schduling & marking & such…maybe get more riders.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t the Big Horn THE oldest 100 mile ride in the world?
This is a Ridecamp post at Endurance.net:
A Message from the 2011 WSTF Ride Director, Chuck Stalley:
As we enter spring, Mother Nature has left us near-record snowfall on the
Tevis trail. If it’s not snow in the high country, it’s high water in the
low country at the river crossing. Warm spring weather usually takes care of
this, but in case we have unusually cool spring weather which would prevent
us from crossing the high country, an alternate trail is being researched
which would bypass the worst of it.
(4/8/11 - Looking north to Squaw Valley from Alpine Meadows)
Bob Suter heads a committee of experienced Tevis specialists who are
surveying the best route possible should the need arise. Only one other year
was such a trail necessary, and that trail started near Soda Springs and
went to French Meadows before tying back to the original trail.
WSTF has the use of a new trail machine, compliments of Vice President, Greg
Kimler of Echo Valley Ranch, Inc., and our trail committee is excited to put
this equipment to work dressing the trail. Another focus of this year’s ride
is an adjustment in the finish. We are working on bringing the finish trail
right into McCann Stadium so that we may see the finishers come in under the
Tevis banner for their official finish time. Our new trail machine will be a
big part of getting us there.
These are just some of the efforts being made with horse and rider safety in
mind for the 2011 event. The ride committees work on the trail and the
volunteers work the stops all in an effort to bring you and your horse the
experience of a lifetime.
For more information see:
http://www.teviscup.org/
The final decision on the trail will be announced by June 15th!
You mean for Tevis?
So what do you think EM – if they change the route would you still consider it THE Tevis?
While it shouldn’t be life threatening for horse or rider, I hope they don’t end up “dumbing it down” like some many other things these days. To finish Tevis has always been considered a fantastic achievement because it’s not easy…because of the technical and geographical challenges it presents to horse & rider.
It would be a shame if that changes…
Tevis is not being “dumbed down.” The snow this year is epic, the rivers will still be very high, and the ride date is early - a bad set of circumstances. The course has been temporarily changed before due to snow.
RE: dumbing down
It is very hard, if not impossible to “dumb down” any 100 mile ride let alone a point to point 100 mile ride. Fear not, Trail alteration or not, the Tevis Trail will break many hearts again this year.
It is a very pretty ride though.
Paul N. Sidio
KMA Chazz Piper
2007 Tevis completion
Spokane Missouri
I’ve ridden both the Tevis (2010) and the Big Horn (2008). I was very thankful that the Big Horn was scheduled on the same weekend as Tevis in 2008 because I had made it to CA from FL only for Tevis to be cancelled the day after I arrived. So I just turned around and went to northern WY. I would not want to ride either without a good full moon.
Both rides are tough. I think the potential for disaster is greater at Tevis or at least I felt that way while riding it! I joked that I didn’t know about Pucker Point because I was too busy hoping for a Puckerless Point in the ride. The Big Horn puts you out there more remotely and due to the much smaller number of entries you can find yourself really alone. If you are afraid of heights, the Big Horn is easier to deal with since there aren’t miles of narrow trail.
I hope to do both rides again in the future. They were both worth all the work, planning, and money.
Debbie
I probably won’t go if they change it this year. While the ride will still be “Tevis,” there would be a lot of “Tevis things” missing. The ride would start at Soda Springs, instead of Robie. There would be no Granite Chief, no Cougar Rock, no American River crossing. While you would end up in the same place, I very much want to do all things Tevis, in the traditional sense.
If it changes we’ll head to Bandit Springs in the Ochoco National Forest of Oregon. It is an absolutely beautiful ride and a very difficult 100 as well, but much closer and easier, logistically.
I hope it doesn’t change though!
Yes, this is what I was talking about…good feedback. Have you actually paid your entrance fee for Tevis yet? Or are you waiting to see what route they go with?
I hope they don’t change it as well – as I mentioned, the very first horse I ever bred (an Arab/Teke x) is going to give it a try this year.
This will be the 3rd attempt by his owner, although her 2nd attempt she was not riding him.
EM – I wasn’t familiar with the OR ride you mentioned. That is very much in my (general) area, so something to shoot for. What else can you tell me about the ride? Have you done it before?
[QUOTE=Kyzteke;5585875]
Yes, this is what I was talking about…good feedback. Have you actually paid your entrance fee for Tevis yet? Or are you waiting to see what route they go with?
I hope they don’t change it as well – as I mentioned, the very first horse I ever bred (an Arab/Teke x) is going to give it a try this year.
This will be the 3rd attempt by his owner, although her 2nd attempt she was not riding him.
EM – I wasn’t familiar with the OR ride you mentioned. That is very much in my (general) area, so something to shoot for. What else can you tell me about the ride? Have you done it before?[/QUOTE]
Nope, hadn’t paid yet. Definitely waiting and seeing at this point.
Bandit Springs is an absolutely beautiful ride. It is a mountain ride and thus difficult, but gorgeous and expertly managed. There was 18,000 feet of elevation change in the 80 from last year, and it gets hot and sometimes humid but it is a very doable ride. There is an LD, 50, 80 and 100 offered, as well as an “Endurance 101” clinic on Friday which was very well attended. The more I think about it the more I am tending to want to go and miss the hubbub of Tevis, but I might just be trying to psych myself up for it because I have a feeling the 22ft. on top of the Granite Chief just isn’t gonna melt with enough time to clear trail, etc, etc. :no:
I dont know if I will ever ride Tevis again, but I wouldnt mind not doing Granite Chief. I really didnt enjoy that section at all.
The Granite Chief section was my biggest worry. Overall, it wasn’t as bad for as long as I imagined but there were some short parts I know I held my breath through. I figured if my horse got through that part OK, we had a good chance of finishing.
I would have been disappointed to have not ridden the usual trail. I know last year the run that was held a month prior was re-routed and surely will be re-routed again this year. A running friend was lucky to have won in the run lotto. She ended up out at Robinson Flat because of the snow on the trail impacting her ability to run–she said she found new ways to fall!
Any 100 is a challenge. Some are more so. But riding a 100 that doesn’t repeatedly loop in and out of camp or flat is such a treat that I would make the drive west every year if I could. Oh, to win the Lotto!
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