About the Downieville Classic
The Downieville Classic has been named one of the top 10 best bike festivals by Outside Magazine. See for yourself. Come out and join us for fun in the mountains!
What it is: A weekend of racing and partying in the Lost Sierra where riders have to pick one tool for two disciplines: a 26.5-mile cross country race, and a 15-mile downhill with 5000 vertical drop.
The Dirt: Downieville is most famous for its races, and riders come to prove themselves hardened and unbreakable. The Downieville Classic Cross Country race is one of the last remaining point-to-point bicycle races in the United States. The 26.5-mile course follows a rugged "Gold Rush" era route from the mountain town of Sierra City (elevation 4,100'), to the crest of the Sierra Nevada (elevation 7,100'), and down 5,200 vertical feet into downtown Downieville. It’s considered a tribute to the mountains, the rivers, the big trees, the fresh mountain air and the hard men that carved trails through the river canyons in search of gold and prosperity. The Classic is followed by the Downieville Downhill, which drops 5000 vertical feet in 15 miles from Packer Saddle to Downieville. It’s the longest and most demanding downhill mountain bike race in the nation. Not a racer? Not to worry. Nearly as famous are the Ron’s House of Big Air River Jump, the log pull competition, and a soundtrack of live music.
$10,500 cash purse
- 1st place M/F XC $1,000
- 2nd place M/F XC $500
- 3rd place M/F XC $250
- 1st place M/F DH $1,000
- 2nd place M/F DH $500
- 3rd place M/F DH $250
- 1st place M/F All Mountain $1,000
- 2nd place M/F All Mountain $500
- 3rd place M/F All Mountain $250
What Does the Downieville Classic mean? Watch: Dirt Magic | From Dying Mining Town to Mountain-Bike Mecca
Patagonia Films presents “Dirt Magic,” a Teton Gravity and Freehub Magazine film documenting Downieville, CA’s journey from dying mining town to mountain-bike mecca. Inspired by a desire to save their home trails, shaped by a grassroot organization’s unintentional stewardship, and fueled by the sport’s rowdiest festival, Downieville’s newest dirt miners are using that reputation to create a model community for struggling mountain towns across the globe—and it all started with a van, a chainsaw, and a few maxed-out credit cards. Read the feature on FreehubMag.com: https://freehubmag.com/features/time-machines
Over 1 million views, this is a great film from Patagonia Films, Teton Gravity, and Freehub Magazine.
Registration Fees Include
All net proceeds go to the Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship to support the SBTS Trail Maintenance Program. Fees also include; insurance, accurate computerized timing, EMT support, aid stations with refreshments, catered lunch, shuttle service from Downieville to Sierra City following the event, event socks, stainless steel pint cup, Downieville Community Hall rental, Sierra City Community Hall rental, Sierra County Special Use fees, US Government Special Use fees, including surveys of reproductive pattern of California Spotted Owl territory S1057 / Northern Goshawk territory D53T13, a whole mess of porta-potties, garbage cans and recycling receptacles, and a lot, lot more.
Proceeds from the Downieville Classic go right back into the trails through the Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship
Building sustainable recreation-based communities through stewardship, job creation and world class events. Providing quality outdoor experiences through trail construction and maintenance in the Lost Sierra.
Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship
