The 2024 BIGGIE Event Guide

FRIDAY, AUGUST 16, 2024

PACKET PICKUP
4:00PM – 8:00PM
At the race venue:  285 Simkins, Big Sky, MT 59716

PRE-RACE DINNER
5:00PM – 8:30PM
PRE-RACE DINNER hosted by the Noble Family & Live Noble Foundation, fundraiser for SWMMBA
RSVP For Pre-Race Dinner

FREE KIDS “RACE” (RIDE)
6:30PM
Please arrive by 6pm.  This is not a “timed” race event.  This is for FUN.
Kids Ride Details

SATURDAY, AUGUST 17, 2024

6:30AM – 7:30AM
PACKET PICKUP
At the race venue:  285 Simkins, Big Sky, MT 59716

8:00AM
START for all 50 Mile Racers

8:20AM
START for Elite/Open Mile 30 Racers
The Elite/Open Mile 30 Racers will self-select at the start of the race.    If you think you’ll finish in 4 hours or less, we highly encourage you to start in this wave.

8:40AM
START for the remaining 30 Mile Racers, and 15 MILE Racers.

11:00am – 4:00pm

FOOD TRUCKS Open
Rancho Picante Bison Burgers
Mountain Berry Bowl from Livingston
Cosmic Catering

MAP BREWING Beer Tent
Plus non-alcoholic options:
– Athletic Brewing Co / courtesy of Georges Distributing
– Wild AF Wines

SPONSORS & VENDOR VILLAGE
Logic Vanworks
Ride the Earth
Big Sky Natural Health offering IV Recovery Services
Bear Aware Tent from the USFS

11:00am AWARDS for 15 mile course
12:30pm AWARDS for 30 mile course & MonTANNER Award
3:00pm AWARDS for 50 mile course & Mule Skinner Award (or until we have full podiums)

Biggie Bike Party ends at 4:00pm (or when the last racer crosses the finish line)

When you arrive into Big Sky, you’ll take a left turn at the traffic light onto Ousel Falls Drive, then take an immediate left onto Town Center Avenue. Turn right on Simkins Drive and there will be a large paved parking area on your left. If this parking area gets full, you can keep driving and take a left on Aspen Leaf Drive and then park in the empty lot on your left. Please park in these designated areas. Out of courtesy to the local shops and residents in Town Center, please do not park elsewhere unless these lots become full.

We’re collecting donated food items for the Big Sky Community Food Bank.  We’re asking every Biggie participant to bring ONE (1) donated food item to the Packet Pickup.  You can bring more than than one – if you wish!

Food Bank Wish List:

• Soup
• Dried beans
• Masa
• Cooking Oil
• Juice
• Tortillas
• Ramen
• Condiments and Spices
• Crackers
• Chips
• Jerky
• Trail Mix
• Coffee
• Pasta Sauce
• Can openers
• Cookware

** Please do not donate items that require refrigeration.

Friday, August 16
5:30pm – 8:30pm

Join us for a very special Pre-Race Dinner, presented by the Live Noble Foundation, at the Noble’s Party Barn in Big Sky.   This is not your ordinary pre-race gathering and a meal you will most likely never forget.

Details and RSVP Here!

• All bicycles must be completely human-powered. No pedal-assist is allowed.
• During the neutral start, racers MUST stay behind the escort vehicle, until the end of the neutral start.  At the end of the neutral start, the escort vehicle will pull off to the side, and at that time, all racers may begin to ride at their race pace.  Any participant that passes the escort vehicle will be immediately disqualified.
• BE NICE.  All participants must conduct themselves in a civilized manner. Use of foul or intimidating language or behavior towards anyone including other participants, volunteers or event officials on or off the course will not be tolerated. Any participant found in violation of this regulation may be immediately disqualified and asked to leave the venue.
• NO LITTERING.   Any racer found intentionally littering the course will be disqualified.
• NO HEADPHONES.  Only ‘open ear’ headphones such as Shokz are allowed on course during the event.  No in-ear headphones, bluetooth speakers, or playing music directly through your phones speakers will be tolerated.    A good rule of thumb:  nobody should be able to hear your music, and if you do have open ear headphones on, you should be able to hear your own shifting and anyone riding up behind you.
• NO GLASS at our Venue.  DOGS MUST BE ON LEASHES at all times, no matter how well-behaved or cute they are.   And please pick-up after your dog!
• On sections of TWO-WAY Traffic, participants MUST YIELD TO UPHILL TRAFFIC at all times.  There is only one place on the 50 mile course (First Yellowmule out/back) that contains two-way traffic.
• Participants pushing bikes must yield the right of way to participants riding bikes. A racer pushing a bicycle may overtake a racer riding a bicycle so long as the racer riding a bicycle is not impeded.
• Any rider attempting to overtake another must be vocal.  Shouting out phrases like “Whenever you see a good spot… I’d like to pass” works well.    Phrases like “track left”, “track right” also work.   A challenging rider must overtake a lapped rider safely and lapped rider must yield on a challenging riders first command.
• In the event that two or more riders are vying for position, the lead rider does not necessarily have to yield to the challenging rider, however, any attempt to interfere with or impede a challenging rider is considered unsportsmanlike and is not permitted.
• Federal, state and local ordinances must be followed at all times.
• Only registered participants may ride on the course during the race.  The exception to this are pre-determined chaperones of a “ride-up” athlete in the 15 mile course.
• Anyone, including other racers, may supply a racer on the course with food and water. However, racers taking on food or water must exit and stay clear of the course.  There will be water and food at Aid Stations.
• Protests must be in writing and submitted to the event director any time after the race but no later than 15 minutes after the final race result postings.

All racers will start to line-up behind the Start/Finish arch at 7:45am. 
We need racers to line-up in an orderly fashion, grouped into their distance category, as this is the order of the three start waves.  We will have signs to make this easy for you to figure out where to get into the racer chute.   But also, the different distances have uniquely colored number plates, so you can quickly identify who your people are.

• 50 Milers in front
• 30 Milers behind them (in the middle)
• 15 Milers at the end, behind the 30 Milers.

We will have a short safety briefing announcement at 7:50am.
Please pay attention to our safety briefing.   Things can change overnight in Big Sky.  This announcement is used to make sure you are alerted to any known hazards on the course.

8:00AM
START for all 50 Mile Racers

8:20AM
START for Elite/Open Mile 30 Racers
The Elite/Open Mile 30 Racers will self-select at the start of the race.    If you think you’ll finish in 4 hours or less, we highly encourage you to start in this wave.

8:40AM
START for the remaining 30 Mile Racers, and 15 MILE Racers.

Neutral Roll-Out for all three waves.
We will have a short 1/2 mile neutral, slow roll-out on paved roads through a residential neighborhood.   There will be a lead escort vehicle.  Do NOT pass this vehicle, or you will be immediately disqualified.   Stay in the right line, so that traffic can still move in the left lane.  This slow roll-out is important for safety purposes (crossing a major road in two places), and was a requirement of our road permit.   Use this time to settle in and warm up the legs.

At the end of the end of Andesite road.  The 15 milers (at the back) will turn left and start their pavement climb up to the top of Fish Camp.   50 and 30 milers will hit the dirt road and eventually turn right up the Poop Chute climb.   The Poop Chute climb is a two mile double-track section that provides plenty of room for everyone to spread out and find their pecking order.

All Course Maps

Our Aid Stations will be providing the following:

• Water
• Skratch Hyrdration Mix (Lemon/Lime)
• Typical Race Aid Station Snacks  – sweet and salty options

There are FOUR Aid Stations in total, but the shorter courses will only pass through some of the Aid Stations.   Please make sure you review the Course Maps for your particular distance to see which Aid Stations you will have.

Bike Wash Station & Spectator Spot – At the base of Big Sky Resort, bottom of the Swiftcurrent Lift.
This used to be an Aid Station, but in 2024 it will ONLY be a bike wash station and spectator spot.
Racers in the 50 and 30 mile distance will pass through this spot fairly early in their course – approximately mile 6.5.
Spectators are allowed here, and it’s a great place to cheer on the racers.

OFFICIAL Aid + Hydration Station #1 – Bottom of M2M
Sponsored by SWMMBA
Racers in the 50 and 30 mile distance will pass through this first Aid Station, right at the bottom of the long Mountain to Meadow downhill section.    Spectators are allowed here, but there is not a lot of parking here, so please be mindful of this.

OFFICIAL Aid + Hydration Station #2 –  At the end of Fish Camp trail
Sponsored by Two Pines Properties
All racers will see this Aid Station.    This is the only Aid Station for the 15 Mile Distance and is at their halfway point.
NO SPECTATORS ALLOWED HERE.  We mean it.  There is absolutely no place to park, and driving over to this Aid Station puts all riders in danger of a vehicle accident.
This is the where the 50 Miler Drop Bags will be placed (read further down in this Event Guide for details.)

OFFICIAL Aid + Hydration Station #3  /  – Located halfway up Second Yellowmule
Sponsored by Yellowstone Club Bike Patrol and YC Fire Department.
This is the first remote Aid Station for our 50 Mile Course Participants.   This station is courtesy of the Yellowstone Club Bike Patrol and Fire Department and completely volunteer-run.
They will have water, hydration mix and snacks.   Medical professionals will also be on site here.

OFFICIAL Aid + Hydration Station #4  / Whiskey + Bacon Station – Located at the top of Buck Ridge.
Sponsored by Yellowstone Club Community Foundation
This is a very remote Aid Station for our 50 Mile Course participants.    Access to this Aid Station is by UTV or bike only.   Our volunteer crew will have water, Skratch, pickle juice, snacks and WHISKEY & BACON to greet racers with, after they just slogged up Second Yellowmule.
Big Sky Search and Rescue will be staged here.  This remote post is sponsored by YCCF who financially assisted with the equipment rental to make this possible.

DROPPED CLOTHES:
If you leave clothes at Aid Station #1 or #2 – our volunteers can bring it back to the venue for you, but it won’t come back to the venue until those Aid Stations have closed for the day.   Look for a the Lost/Found box at our venue to retrieve dropped clothes.
50 Milers – DO NOT LEAVE ANYTHING AT AID #3 or #4 – our volunteers here have too many supplies to carry out, and we don’t want to burden them with adding more.

We will provide ability to drop a bag at Aid Station #2 – the aid station just before you head out to do the Mules Loop.   We will have a large bin setup near the start line (next to Competitive Timing tent).   Please have all your items secured together in a bag.  That will be the best way for you to identify your things when you roll into the Aid Station #2.  Volunteers will take the bags out of the tub and place in a line on the side of the trail as you are coming into the Aid Station area.   We will not add any number plates or identifying markers to your bag, so make sure you can visually identify it easily.    

You can also drop things at this same place.  Anything left near the Tub will be brought back to the finish line once Aid Station #2 closes – approximately 1:30pm (depends on the last 30 mile racers).  

Look, nobody wants to pull you from the race. Our whole mission is to provide you with an amazing day on the bike and watch you succeed. However, we have 9 different use permits and agreement with land-owners for this event, which require us to vacate their land so that their normal daily operations may continue. We rely on volunteers who donate their entire day to the event. But we need to have their safety in mind and will not ask them to stay out on the course for longer than is reasonable. We ask that you have these priorities in mind if we ask you to scratch from the event.

Time cut-off for the 50 Mile Course is at Aid Station #2 at 12:00pm
If 50 Mile racers have not arrived to Aid Station #2 (Critical Junction) by 12:00pm, then they will be routed to the finish, using the 30 mile course. They will be a DNF for their event.

There are no official time cut-offs for the 30 or 15 Mile Courses at this time.
However, if our safety team and sweepers determine that it’s in the best interest of the race for you to scratch at a certain point, we will ask you to do so.

406 Service Course (Gal Alon) from Bozeman, will be providing neutral bike services.
+14064047761 

Friday, August 16:  Located at venue, during packet pickup – 3pm – 8pm.

Saturday, August 17:  Located at venue, near starting line / 7am – 8:40am and then will move to Aid Station 1 (bottom of M2M)

We have partnered Crystal Images for racer photos.  Their crew will be doing their best to make sure most (if not all) athletes are photographed, somewhere on the race course or at the finish.   Photos will be out for purchase within one week after the event.  We’ll post the link to the photos, here, during the event.

Big Sky Natural Health is excited for the opportunity to provide a recovery re-hydration option for Biggie participants who may be struggling with altitude, the heat, or want a quicker post-race recovery!  BSNH will be offering vitamin IV therapy near the finish line.  IV infusions will take approximately 30min and cost 135$ (cash, CC, and Venmo accepted).

NO WAIT TO HYDRATE – Visit the Big Sky Natural Health tent for faster recovery!

The BASE Community Center is offering $10 showers for all participants.    Go to the front desk of BASE (the community center building at our venue) and let them know you are a participant of the Big Sky Biggie, and then pay $10 for a shower.   We’ll provide the front desk with a list of all race participants.

Here’s how our Meal Ticket & Food Truck situation works:

1.  $7 Meal Ticket will be in your swag bag.  The meal ticket is a RED RAFFLE TICKET.  Which is small – don’t lose it!  We will not be able to provide you with a replacement if you lose your meal ticket.
2.  50 Mile Racers will get TWO $7 Meal Tickets ($14 value).
3.  30 and 15 Mile Racers will get ONE $7 Meal Ticket ($7 value).
4. Take the $7 Meal Ticket (RED RAFFLE TICKET) and go to a food truck to order food.  If your meal total comes to less than $7, you will not get change.   If your order total comes to more than $7, then you can pay out of pocket for the additional amount.   Example:   You order two sliders which comes to $10.   Give them the $7 Meal Ticket, and an additional $3 in cash or card.

FOOD TRUCKS SCHEDULED FOR 2024:
Rancho Picanto Bison Burgers
Mountain Berry Bowls – Livingston
Cosmic Catering

NOTE:  It is becoming harder and harder to find food trucks that can vend on the Biggie weekend.   Whether it’s a staffing issue or supply & demand issue – it just seems to be super difficult.   We are hoping to have a variety of food options available.    Please be understanding if there are not options to accommodate vegan, vegetarian or gluten-free dietary needs.  We STRONGLY suggest bringing a post-race food picnic.

Restrooms / portables are located on the north side of the venue.   Please only use the portables that are NOT locked.   There is also a restroom on the west side of the BASE Community Center.

​The Big Sky Biggie courses are in Grizzly Bear country, and we STRONGLY urge you to carry bear spray. It is very common to see both black and grizzly bears on any section of our race courses – no matter what distance you are riding. We’ve partnered with a local company to offer Bear Spray Can rentals.

Rent Bear Spray & Safety Tips

The Big Sky Biggie is committed to protecting the health and safety of all participants. Tobacco use in the proximity of children and adults engaging in the Big Sky Biggie’s event site poses health concerns. We have a unique opportunity to create and sustain an environment that supports a tobacco-free norm through a tobacco-free policy, rule enforcement, and adult-peer role modeling. Parents and community leaders involved in local events are role models for youth and can have a positive effect on the lifestyle choices they make.

Read our entire Tobacco-Free Policy

When 600+ people gather to ride their bikes together, there’s going to be some trash.   We are getting help from Big Sky SNO and YES Compost to divert as much human trash from the landfill as possible.

We are putting a lot of effort into making less trash:

• Your swag bag is a Musette Bag, co-branded and sponsored by Hungry Moose
• Aid Station volunteers will sort waste into recycle and composting collections
• Water fill stations at our venue (bring your water bottles)
• Our food vendors have gone through a compliance process
• The MAP Brewing Co. beers will be poured into aluminum cups (no red solo cups here)

We hope you will also be mindful when discarding trash at our waste collection centers around the venue. We’ll have some volunteers who can “talk trash” with you and make sure you are discarding your waste into the correct bins.