12 Hours of Albuquerque Race Course

Race - Sep 20, 2019

Dogs Leashed

E-Bikes Unknown

This is a great selection of trails in the ponderosa pine forests outside of Albuquerque, NM. The course includes some great sections of singletrack including the Deadman and Ponderosa loop descents. The first half of the course is a bit rockier and more technical. The second half is smoother and more beginner friendly. It is a really fun course!

The 12 Hour Course is 11.6 miles, has about 1250 feet of climbing, and travels between 7,300 ft and 7,700 ft above sea level. It is an alpine course in the ponderosa pines above Albuquerque. The course has some wide open, fast sections of flowing singletrack, a few tough climbs, as well as the occasional technical/rocky section of trail.

The course will take advantage of the trails in the Pine Flats and Oak Flats areas including: Oak Flat Connector, Deadman, Pine Loop, Pine Flat Connector, Gamble Oak, Caida Del Pino - Connects Easy Pickin' with Gamble Oak, Mahogany, Easy Pickin', and Ponderosa.The course will travel in a clockwise direction.

DON'T RIDE WET! And if you know anyone with horses, please tell them not to go there when it is muddy either!

Also, just be careful through some of the rocky sections. All the trails are marked, but it can be a little confusing the first time. The area gets a lot of use from horses, so be considerate.

There is a great view of the Sandia Mountains (complete with picnic table) where Easy Pickin' meets the Oak Flat Connector.

The course runs clockwise starting at Oak Flat trailhead. Take the Oak Flat Connector to Easy Pickin'. Go right on Easy Pickin' until you reach Caida Del Pino - Connects Easy Pickin' with Gamble Oak. Turn left on Caida Del Pino and prepare for a fun but sometimes rocky descent.

Continue to the left on Gamble Oak, then left again on Pine Loop. Take another left at the Oak Flat Connector and take this punchy climb up to Deadman. Turn right and prepare for a ripping descent that alternates between rocky and technical and smooth and fast. It is a blast.

At the t-intersection, turn right on Pine Flat Connector. Climb for a bit and turn left on Gamble Oak. It will trend up with a couple of short descents. Turn right onto Pokerchip South which will connect you to Mahogany. Stay on Mahogany for a while. It is mostly up to the intersection with the Ponderosa Loop Trail. Go left on Ponderosa, and the trail will take you down a great descent.

Keep going in a clockwise direction through a great mixture of singletrack and doubletrack. It will take you all the way back around to the Oak Flat Group area to Easy Pickin' and back to the staging area. The course follows the outside of the parking lot back to the transition tent.