2016 Arizona Trail Race AZTR planning thread

[ScottM]

Hey all -- the 2015 AZTR tracker is online again!

http://trackleaders.com/aztr15

And who is the lucky contestant?  None other than TD laser-focus rider Lael Wilcox.  Fall ITT's are difficult, and she's getting a late start, but... Kurt, it's your record on the chopping block right now!  She's on a full 750 mission, Southbound.  Go Lael!!

[ScottM]

Sam -- you're going to want the full tracking service, though it is not required to be on trackleaders.  If you don't have it you will need to push a button every time you want to send a point, which is a huge pain.  Anyone following you at home will not be stoked.

Looking forward to a Highline report, too.  It's been slated for major rehaul for many years, it's just finally starting to happen.

[AZTtripper]

Hello to all you. I am Maurizio Doro from Italy www.mauriziodoro.it
Excuse I do not speak well English. My idea is to participate to 750.
I ask some question.
I arrive with flight to Phoenix: as I possible to arrive to the starting line?
It is possible to buy to food and water to the starting line?
Tank you. Ciao

The town you want to get to is Sierra Vista, AZ. There is possibly a shuttle, right to the border, out of the local bike shop the morning of the race. There are shuttle services continuing from Tucson to Sierra Vista or you may be able to find another racer who is arranging a shuttle. Remember there are two races 300 and the 750. 300 racers go thru Sonoita to Parker lake, you could use one of these shuttles but you might end up riding the first 15 miles of the course out and back.

Also sent you a Personal Message.

Tim

[dream4est]

Looks like Lael is killing it.
14 hours thru the ditch!!
That is fast. My best is 15.5. The fastest ever is like 13 flat.
She is on or near record pace IMO.

[Norb]

I am in for the 750. Triple crown threepeat if I can figure out some logistics and maybe a few new sponsors. I am training in Moab now so I will be ready to roll on 4/15.

Hey Mark, why am I not surprised?? Good luck getting those logistics dialed and your sponsors lined up!

I plan to be at the border myself come mid-April to take care of some unfinished business. Can't wait for that Arizona desert again!

[Jilleo]

Baffled by Lael ... just baffled. Amazing.

Is 13 hours really the fastest hike through the Grand Canyon during the AZT? That surprises me. I suppose all that extra bike and pack weight really would make a huge difference in the pace one could sustain. This would be a fun sub-statistic to keep in the overall record.

[schillingsworth]

The Highline update is short, I only rode the first two miles out of the Pine TH this past weekend, this is where it intersects with the Donahue trail. The AZT has been rerouted over those two miles and is a real treat to ride. The GPX track on aztrail.org has been updated with this new path. The AZT now goes through the Pine TH whereas before it split off a tad to the east. You can easily see this if you overlay the track from the ATA on top of the current AZTR750 route.

Based on further track scrutiny, it doesn't appear that any other rerouting has been done lately.

Check out the VOAZ website for up to date Highline improvements.

Unrelated to the AZTR, the section of Highline far to the east is a must ride trail if you're in the area. Best done as a shuttle from the Two Sixty TH over to the Fish Hatchery, it's 21 miles of forested bliss with a touch of Sedona thrown in. OR do a 2+ day bikepacking loop like we did this past weekend. I'm hoping to get a report posted this weekend. Tons of pics.

Also, up on the rim where the AZT overlaps the Fred Haught trail for 3 miles in the Cabin Loop trails, I have never seen that area with so much water!! The pools alongside the AZT were deep and plentiful.

[woody]

Good to see Lael moving again. Thought something might be wrong.
Awesome!!!

[ScottM]

Good to see Lael moving again. Thought something might be wrong.
Awesome!!!

She's done.  From Nicholas on 'the' FB:

"Lael's AZT750 ride is finished. Not breathing is not fun. Anyway, it is pouring rain today.
But for two days, "it was so much fun"."

[SlowRide]

Thanks Scott. Have been wondering. Hope she'll be ok.

[joeydurango]

The 300 was so much fun this last year I may have to try to head south again in 2016... see if I can get a little closer to that 2-day mark.

[AZTtripper]

Hey Mark C how about an updated water table? I've been talking with Mauri aka Naturaid on his planning from Italy. Not sure how well it will convert for him but at least it's a base line of how many places there's water.

[dream4est]

Here is what I posted in the 2014 planning thread:

Tims table from 2012:



# 1.    Bear Creek (spring fed) crosses under road.         6.5 miles N of the Border            
# 2.   Parker Creek (dam fed)               2.5 miles N of Parker TH Starting line            
# 3.   Cott Tank (solar pwd) spigot (no bikes inside fence)   4.5 miles N of Canelo Pass 19.5 miles from the start        
# 4.   Patagonia (store      resterants   hotel   PO)                  31 miles from the start  
# 5.   Sonoita (store      resterants   hotel)                                
# 6.   Gardner Creek (rain/snow fed)            10.7 miles N of Sonita            
# 7.   Kentucky Camp (spigot)               6 miles N of Garner Creek 16. 5 from Sonoita              
# 8.   Oak Tree Canyon stock tank (well fed)         8 miles N of K Camp            
# 9.   The Lake (rain fed)               12.6 miles N of Oak Tree off course north on 2 track after forest gate.              
#10.   Cienga Creek under Three Bridges (all year)         2 miles north of I-10            
#11.   La Posta Quemada Ranch (sink off course)         2.6 miles from 3 Bridges .7 off            
#12.   La Sevilla Campground (spigot on rock)         2.3 miles from LPQ Jct. 41.6 from K Camp            
#13.   Tucson (store      resterants   hotel   PO)
#14.   Chiva Tank (rain)                  2.4 miles below Redington road            
#14.2 Tanke Verde Creek and water tanks jump fence            6.2 miles off Redington road            
#15.   The Lake (rain usually has water)            4 miles after crossing Redington road            
#16.   West Spring (spring fed) not great            3.5 miles past The Lake            
#17.   Molino water hole (rain snow melt)              up steam from trail crossing east of Highway        
#18.   Palisades TH (spigot mid April to mid Nov.)         12 miles up the Highway 42 miles from Broadway in Tucson        
#19.   Summerhaven (visitor’s center      store   restaurant   rooms)   off course
#20.   Water Buffalo Oracle State Park            when the park reopens            
#21.    Oracle (stores      resterants   motel)            off course  
#22   Beehive Well (big metal tank not good)         19.5 miles north of Tiger mine rd.            
#23.   Freeman Road (water cache)               just north of Freeman Road            
#24.   Ripsey Wash spring (.2 miles south of trail stay on road)   18.7 miles north of Freeman Road            
#25.   Pinal Co Maintenance Yard; 0.1 m north of Kelvin bdg.      outside facet available M-Th      6:30am-3:30pm      
#26.   Wilson Trailer Court; 0.5m N Kelvin bdg.            outside facet phone also available if needed            
#27.   They are now saying you can filter the Gila River    57.5 miles from Oracle              
#27a. There is a little creek 15.7 miles from the Kelvin Bridge turn onto jeep road and go north east for .4 drop into creek isn’t easy.            
#28.   Trough Spring         .25 miles off course go north on Telegraph canyon road 135 feet turn left on 2 track 7.5 miles from the finish line of the 300.            
#29.   From Picket Post to Hewett Station is 1.7 from here east its 1 mile to Boyce Thompson Arboretum or 4.5 to Superior or 22 miles to Stores at Apache Jct.            
#30.  Spigot at Lost Dutchman State Park 7.8 from Apache Jct.            
#31.  Tortilla Flat spigot at Campgound on left store on right 11 miles from LDSP.            
#32.  Burn Corral Camp Ground spigot 19.5 from TF.            
#33.  Cholla Bay Camp Ground spigot showers 10 miles from BCCG.            
#34.  Pumpkin Center stores restaurant 13 miles from Cholla Bay.          
#35.  Jakes Corner store bar and grill 10      5 from PC.    
#36.  Rye restaurant 8.5 from JC.          
#37.  Payson 11.8 from Rye.  
38- Oak Spring. 20.5 miles from Payson.        
#39.  Pine is 22 miles from Payson look for 2 track west of highway leads to town saves riding on highway.            
#40.  Red Rock spring 3.4 miles from Pine TH was dry at one point water reported 3/27/11            
#41   Pine spring 4.6 from TH water reported 3/27/11      
#42.  Weber Creek 7.8 miles from TH has always had water in the past.            
#43.  Bray Creek 11 miles from TH.            
#44.  North Sycamore Creek 12.2 from TH        
#45.  Chase Creek 13.8 from TH            
#46.  East Verde River 17.5 from TH        
#47.  General Springs Canyon starting at 1.5 from FS 300 several creek crossing always water        
#48.  East Clear Creek at 9.2 from FS 300 often a deep creek crossing has been dry in the past.            
#49.  Rock Crossing and Blue Ridge Camp Grounds only open mid May thru Oct.            
#50.  Blue Ridge Ranger Station spigot .8 east on highway 87      
#51.  Pine Spring 21 miles north of highway 87 .4 mile off course east of dirt road in field              
#52.  35.5 miles from 87 the AZT crosses FS 219 this is the first easy access to and from Mormon Lake 2 miles all rideable off course.
#53  Apache Spring Trail to Mormon Lake is .7 miles from FS 219 steep rocky trail is the shortest route less then one mile to Mormon Lake HAB back up.            
#54  Double Springs Camp Ground 4.5 miles from Apache Spring trail. Creek and spigot when Camp Ground open mid May to Oct. 3 miles all paved back to Mormon Lake.            
#55.  Pine Grove Camp Ground when open (mid May) has water and showers 9 miles from Double springs .5 off course            
#56.  Horse Lake typically has water 4 miles from Pine Grove.            
#57.  Flagstaff has everything 16 miles from Horse Lake.            
#58.  Buffalo Park on the north side of Flag has spigot (not sure when this gets turned on).            
#59.  Russell Tank is the most likely spot between Flag and Tusayan 70 miles from Buffalo Park.            
#60.  Tusayan 25 miles from Russell Tank.            
#61.  South Rim there is a spigot near corrals at Yaki Point.            
#62. There is a spigot after foot bridge 7 miles below Yaki Point and at Phantom ranch .5 farther.            
#63.  Cottonwood Camp 7 miles past Phantom spigot.            
#64.  Water fountain at North Kaibab TH not likely to be on. Water can be found at employee housing find ranger. water            
#65.  Crystal Spring 16 miles from North Kaibab TH            
            
#66.  Dog Lake and Wildlife Drinker 2.7 miles from Crystal Spring. The Wildlife drinker is just past Dog Lake on west edge of meadow.

There are other sources too. Fred G page shows a bunch. Route cues have a few. I have found at least one source myself on route not listed anywhere- found it looking through satellite pix one day.

Edit- added #38- Oak spring.


2016- The course is slightly different so mileage numbers between sources may be off.

[dream4est]

The main one missing from that list is Italian Trap Tank?, right before the start of the return to the AZT proper after Tucson. Its behind some gates at a corral south of the gate you ride through a few hundred yards before the trail crosses.

[dream4est]

The other sources not listed that are in Fred Gaudet's water table are mostly dirt tanks. The ones before Mormon Lake are good. The ones after Flagstaff are not trustworthy. That section has little water from the ski area tanks to Russell Tank.

[Beardog]

Anyone planning on riding the 750 (or now more like 800) heading to boarder night before with room for a bike from somewhere near Tucson-Phx please let me know on or off the thread - glad to help with gas, etc. - better yet - if anyone else from CO doing the race please let me know and maybe we can work out a carpool scenario which I did last time rode this little race - otherwise I might wind up doing a pre-ride from Tucson airport on the coyote dirt roads.

For those asking about the finish - if you can't leave a car there you can always ride out the next day to Kanab on the blacktop and pick up a ride from there homeward

Beardog

e mail at either beardog1960@msn.com or beardog1960@gmail.com
 

[mikepro]

Is 13 hours really the fastest hike through the Grand Canyon during the AZT? That surprises me. I suppose all that extra bike and pack weight really would make a huge difference in the pace one could sustain. This would be a fun sub-statistic to keep in the overall record.

I'd be into comparing GC portage hikes as a sub-stat.  When I had more free time earlier this year I clicked through some historical dot data from past couple years.  Just looking at hike time, not disassemble/reassemble times, faster hike times are around 10hrs (a 2.5mph avg is a good clip).  There might even be a few 9.5hr times in the Trackleaders portfolio records.  Would take some hunting and pecking.  My watch said 10.5hrs in 2014,  but the spot data on TL records something closer to 11hrs (13 if you count 45mins to an hour at each rim to take bike apart, load it up, then put it back together).  It is hard to compare, though, because people arrive at different times of the day, in different weather, at different energy levels, etc..  Hiking at night might be slower, although there prob wouldn't be mule trains at night (a 10min 'delay' I experienced).  And, then there's Phantom Ranch ... I just had to stop and shell out $5 for a lemonade ... it was that perverse of a motivator (and reward) ... and probably burned 30min or more sitting there on a rock talking to other tourists.

[worntreads]

Anyone taken this mama jama before from Tucson to Sierra Vista?
Seems like riding out from Sierra Vista to the start is pretty painless. Do that the day before and camp out.

http://www.arizonasunshinetours.com/shuttle.html
I'll probably just do the "make it up" from the finish deal.

...or just end up drinking too many beers in Flagstaff and going home. Haven't decided.

[davew]

Anyone taken this mama jama before from Tucson to Sierra Vista?
Seems like riding out from Sierra Vista to the start is pretty painless. Do that the day before and camp out.

http://www.arizonasunshinetours.com/shuttle.html
I'll probably just do the "make it up" from the finish deal.

...or just end up drinking too many beers in Flagstaff and going home. Haven't decided.

Early days yet...


I used them last year from the airport to Coronado Nat Memorial just on the other side of the Montezuma Pass. He stopped in Sierra Vista so we could stock up at walmart. Could have done without the cd audio track of the history of the area for the whole ride but it was harmless.

I am heading back there for the 750 in '16 and flying in the afternoon before the race. My preference would be not to ride from the airport into the night to get to the boarder. if I can get a lift to Parker Canyon then ride to the boarder that would make me happy. Offers and suggestions would be appreciated otherwise Ill book them again.

exit strategy: I am researching a few options for an exit strategy as at some point I have to pass through LA for a flight out. There have been a few posts in previous years of others exit (and luck) but in the end Ill wing it and hope for the best.

[lassevir]

Hey so been looking at the Aztr 750 and was wondering about the portage through the grand canyon. It seems the most popular way to carry your bike is to strap it to a backpack. Do the fastest guys just walk in their bike shoes or do they bring some sort of ultra light running shoe? Also I have found methods of how to strap your bike to the back pack and plan on practicing that but how do folks get the backpack to the portage? Haven't tried yet but doubt it will fit in my revelation bags and hate to wear anything on my back even if it's empty.

Thanks in advance.