Event Status Event complete!
DatesJune 24-27, 2023 (Saturday - Tuesday)  Start: 4:00 am
DeadlineJune 1, 2023 - to register and to qualify.   DETAILS
Rider Limit60
Entry Fee $75 - Includes limited support and a patch. Lodging, meals, on-route support not included.
Qualifying200km, 300km, 400km, and 600km brevets
... or 1000km+ since January 1, 2022    DETAILS
1000k Option  Same qualification and within same rider limit as 1200k.
RegistrationAn application + payment reserves you a place on the rider list (or waiting list if the rider cap has been reached), pending your qualification.   DETAILS
Jersey/VestJerseys (short sleeve, sleeveless), vests (wind, thermal) available for purchase.
Climbing30,200 ft. (9200 m) (RWGPS)
Elev. Range4,800 ft. (1460 m) - 9,200 ft. (2800 m) — Start/finish: 5,300 ft. (1615 m)
Avg. Temps53°F - 83° F (Boulder) — 45°F - 75°F (Estes Park)

 
COLORADO FRONT RANGE GEOGRAPHY
The Colorado Front Range is the eastern flank of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. It's a dramatic transition over a distance of 35 miles from the Colorado Plains at 5,000 ft. to the Continental Divide at 13,000 ft. (You will not be riding that high.)

THE RIDE
The Route - The Colorado Front Range 1200 is four loops out of Louisville, CO. The four-loop idea has proven successful in a number of Grand Randonnées. It makes logistics easier both for riders and volunteers. You'll ride a mixture of mountain terrain, canyons, and plains — a variety of landscapes to experience.

RouteDistance*Climbing*Max Elev.*
Stage 1Lefthand Canyon - St. Vrain Canyon249.010,7899,260
Stage 2Big Thompson Canyon - Apple Valley186.08,6057,252
Stage 3Poudre Canyon189.59,2767,160
Stage 4James Canyon - Carter Lake128.96,3716,917
753.435,041

* Distance in miles, climbing and elevation in feet.

Climate - June is usually a comfortable, pleasant time to ride in the Colorado mountains, with chilly nights and balmy days, mainly sunny but with the chance of afternoon thunderstorms. So you should be prepared for the chilly mornings and the chance of a brisk shower in the mountains.

Terrain - The mountains are characterized by extended canyon climbs and descents. Most grades are mild to moderate. The Peak-to-Peak Highway at 8,000-9,000 ft is rolling with, again, moderate grades. Plains segments are flat to lightly rolling, with winds at times in this wide, exposed landscape.

REGISTRATION
Submitting an application and entry fee gains you a spot on the Confirmed Rider List if there are spots available, or on the Waiting List if the Confirmed Rider List is full. This lets riders plan ahead before they've finished qualifying, while encouraging folks to free up their spots should their plans change.

Priority - Registration is based on when your application and payment were received, except for first-day registrants (below).

First Day Registrants - If more than the rider limit register and pay on the first day - which is the first 24 hours after registration opens - we will use a lottery to place those riders on Confirmed vs. Waiting lists. So if you registered 1 minute after registration opened, or 23 hours after, you have the same chance of being on the confirmed list. This is to alleviate stress about feeling you have to submit your application the moment registration opens.

Payment - You may pay online using PayPal (using your credit card or PayPal account). If this will not work for you, contact us.

RUSA Membership - You must be a member of Randonneurs USA and Rocky Mountain Cycling Club at the time of the event. This is for insurance reasons. Consult the RUSA join/renew webpage and the RMCC member services page for details.

Qualification - You may apply before qualifying. If you have issues in qualifying by the deadline, contact us. If you have not qualified by the qualification deadline and haven't made special arrangements with us, your spot will be freed. If the qualification deadline poses difficulties for you, contact us.

Rider Cancellation - You may cancel by notifying us and receive a full refund if you are on the Waiting List, or a partial refund if you are on the Confirmed list. Preliminary policy for confirmed riders:

through May 31   full refund minus $20
from June 1no refund except with approval

Event Cancellation - If we have to cancel the event, riders will get a full refund minus a pro rata share of expenses we can't recover - for example, lodging we can't cancel, supplies we can't return, etc. Some reasons we might be forced to cancel include wildfires or flooding, or road construction or road outages that create a safety issue, or make the route impassable and that we can't reroute around, or other safety issues posed to riders or volunteers. If we reschedule for the above reasons (rather than cancel), confirmed riders can choose either to get the refund as described above or to ride on the new date.


QUALIFYING

Qualifying Events - Riders must complete, between January 1, 2022 and June 1, 2023, a Super-Randonneur series (200km, 300km, 400km, 600km brevets), or a 1000km or longer randonnée. Brevets do not need to be ridden in order of increasing distance. ACP, RM, or RUSA-sanctioned non-ACP events can be used.

Substitutions - A longer-distance brevet can be substituted for a given distance requirement - for example, an ACP 300km brevet or a RUSA 250km brevet for the 200km requirement. A RUSA Permanent can be substituted for the 200km, 300km, 400km, or 600km requirement, with approval of the organizer (based on individual circumstances, such as whether you have local qualifying brevets nearby). You may apply to the organizer for other substitutions.


STILL TO COME

Event Procedures - At the start, during the ride, at the finish

 


Indian Peaks


Atop Devil's Gulch


Longs & Meeker Peaks


Longs & Meeker at Sunset