Bike Racing every June & July.
The Off Road Assault on Mt. Mitchell is a 60 mile mostly off road Bicycle route with 10,500 feet of climbing. From Old Fort you climb up to the Blue Ridge Parkway and just below Mt. Mitchell on beautiful Forest Service roads and unbelievable North Carolina single track. There are fully stocked rest stops approximately every 10 miles and you can send anything you want to the rest areas with our staff. Mt. Mitchell peaks at 6684 ft. and is the highest mountain east of the Mississippi river. The start/finish in the town of Old Fort sits at around 1400 feet. Most of the climbing is on Forest Service roads while most of the single track points downhill!
Do not underestimate the extreme difficulty and danger of this event. The course is extremely demanding and travels over rugged terrain with extreme elevation changes. The forest remains in its natural habitat. It is not uncommon to see wildlife such as a wild cat or a black bear. Be ready to cope with any circumstances!! Please note that firearms are not permitted in certain areas. Aid stations will help with safety matters, but it is the competitor’s ultimate responsibility to insure his or her own safety. A few course-related facts: the 63 mile course record was set in 2012 by Pro rider Jeremiah Bishop who finished in 4:33 hours. One rider completed the course with only one month of riding under his belt; however this rider quit riding altogether after the race! Others too have retired their biking efforts after competing in this race. This is not your typical race. Regardless of how you finish, you will have competed in the most exciting mountain bike race in the entire Southeast!!!
This race is limited by the US Forest Service to 500 participants.
The Jerdon Mountain Challenge. . Warm-up to the ORAMM or just come out and ride a 30 mile course that doesn’t have you riding in circles! This is backcountry racing at its finest with a shorter course and still all the amenities of a long distance endurance race. This race will run the same course as the ever popular Off Road Assault on Mt Mitchell but will end before the famed climb up Curtis Creek Road to the Blue Ridge Parkway. The race will still tackle 4,000′ of climbing over 30 miles as you hit some ORAMM highlights like Old Highway 70, Kitsuma, Star Gap and Jarrett Creek. Celebrate with a huge after party on the picturesque Gateway Museum grounds.
This race is limited to 300 participants.
Note from mother nature: These mountains are covered with lush forests and an extraordinarily diverse wildlife community. Included hemlock forests, “cove forests”, bogs and fens supporting a delicate ecosystem. The area is surrounded by the Pisgah National Forest with over 67,000 acres. These areas are magnificent and exciting places to view plants, wildlife and waterfalls. While you are out enjoying these gifts, please keep in mind the state guidelines guarding them for generations to come.
Pisgah Enduro website here
The fastest growing form of mountain bike racing is coming to the Pisgah National Forest. Pisgah Productions is excited to announce the Pisgah Enduro. Individuals will test their downhill skills on three different timed courses. The rides in between the downhill sections will not be timed. Racers will board buses and will be shuttled to (near) the top of the hill at Ridgecrest. The first timed section will be Rattlesnake from the helipad to the ball fields at Ridgecrest. Racers will then ride at a casual pace to the Kitsuma trail. The second timed section will start at the Young’s Ridge trail sign and will end at the Old Fort picnic area. Racers will then ride at a casual pace to Star Gap. The third timed section will be Star Gap trail to Jarred Creek. There will be three rest areas along the way fully stocked with food and water. We will have a professional timing system and timing personnel.