Event Description

The Black Bear Rampage is a Forty mile mountain bike race on the awesome Tanasi trail system in the Great Smoky Mountains. There is a twenty mile option for beginner racers (they can choose to race either longer distance) and another 8 mile option for the kiddies.

Event details and schedule

Come out & join us for The 13th annual Black Bear Rampage!

40 Mile Classifications:

Pro class (men and women), Expert men 34 & under, Expert men 35-49, Expert men Silverback (50+), Expert women 34 & under, Expert women 35 & over, Sport men 34 & under, Sport men 35-49, Sport men Silverback (50+), Sport women 34 & under, Sport women 35 & over, Beginner men 34 & under, Beginner men 35-49, Beginner men Silverback (50+), Beginner women 34 & under, Beginner women 35 & over, Singlespeed men, Singlespeed women, Clydesdale (200+ lb), Burley Bear (240+ lb), &  Fat Tire & the Vintage Open class (60yrs+)!  Racers will be separated into the age groups by our timing team.

20 Mile Classifications:

Beginner men, Beginner women, Beginner youth & Juniors (age groups determined when the field is full) 

8 Mile Classifications:

Juniors 

 The FORTY MILE RACE COURSE

40 Mile Race Course: Racers will line up at the upper parking lot of the Whitewater Center. The initial sprint start will run (east) up the side of the highway, over the ridge cut, through the overflow parking lot and turn right onto Brush Creek. At the entrance to the lower loop, racers will roll left and blister the full length of Brush Creek, hammer Boyd Gap, and then follow Old Copper Road down to the first SAG stop at the Whitewater Center bridge.

After climbing Bear Paw (staying to the right), racers will follow Chestnut Mountain to the second crazy descent - Thunder Rock Express. Coming off of T.R., you will crank it up 45 to West Fork to the 2nd SAG stop at the junction of Chestnut Mountain and 45, and then ride Quartz Loop clockwise, coming off onto the 1330 Bypass to ride River View Loop. Back on Chestnut Mountain Loop, riders will race back down Bear Paw, across the bridge (3rd SAG stop) to speed up Old Copper Road, back up Boyd Gap, following Brush Creek back to the top of 33211 and the finish line.

Race Finishers will then coast down to the lower parking lot at the Whitewater Center to await the awards ceremony and the festivities. 20 Mile Course: (The 20 mile course mirrors the forty mile course through the end of Thunder Rock, at which point the 20 mile racers will cut right while the 40 mile racers turn left and climb FS45.) Racers will line up at the upper parking lot of the Whitewater Center. The initial sprint start will run (east) up the side of the highway, over the ridge cut, through the overflow parking lot and turn right onto Brush Creek. At the entrance to the lower loop, racers will roll left and blister the full length of Brush Creek, hammer Boyd Gap, and then follow Old Copper Road down to the first SAG stop at the Whitewater Center bridge.

The 8 mile Juniors will start just below the upper parkinglot by the Whitewater Center. They will race up through the parking lot and down to cross the walking bridge.  Climbing Bear Paw to the left, the racers will follow the same course as the 20 milers from this point, finishing in the lower parking lot.