The 2023 BIGGIE Event Guide

We are still finalizing our plans as race day approaches, so please note that some things are subject to change.

Everything you could possibly need to know.
Unless we forgot something.
Questions? Email natalie@bigskybiggie.com or txt 907-223-0858

Event Schedule

FRIDAY, AUGUST 25, 2023

PACKET PICKUP
4:00PM – 8:00PM

At the race venue:  285 Simkins, Big Sky, MT 59716

ADDISON the BIKE MECHANIC
On-site to help with minor bike prep.

HEY BEAR – On-site Bear Spray Rental & Merch

Did you reserve your RESET BIG SKY session for the Recovery Tent on Saturday?

PRE-RACE DINNER
5:00PM – 8:30PM

PRE-RACE DINNER hosted by the Noble Family & Live Noble Foundation
Click Here to learn more and RSVP

6:30PM
FREE KIDS RACE
Please arrive by 6pm.  This is not a “timed” race event.  This is for FUN.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 26, 2023

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

8:00AM
START for 60 Mile Racers and the Elite/Open 30 Mile 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 waive.

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

11:00am – 5:00pm
MAP BREWING Beer Tent will be open!
Participants 21+ may enjoy two free beers.

RESET BIG SKY Recovery Tent
Reserve your session now!

11:00am AWARDS for 15 mile course
12:30pm AWARDS for 30 mile course & MonTANNER Award
4:00pm AWARDS for 60 mile course & Mule Skinner Award (or until we have full podiums)

Random Prize Giveaways to random racers in attendance during awards – must be present to win.

Biggie Bike Party ends at 5:00PM

Ship Your Bike with Bikeflights (NEW!)

Need to get your bike to Big Sky?  Use Bikeflights, the official bicycle shipping service of the Big Sky Biggie. Bikeflights built a custom Big Sky Biggie Shipping Guide to streamline your event travel. All bookings are monitored by their expert team until delivery. Bikeflights also offers easy-to-pack boxes, packing how-to videos and excellent customer support. Ship the best way with Bikeflights.

EVENT SHIPPING GUIDE »

Driving Directions & Parking

NOTICE – PLAN AHEAD WHEN ARRIVING FOR THE BIGGIE.
Road Construction on MT64 (Main highway into Big Sky) has caused some delays. We are waiting on confirmation from the DOT about whether they’ll be actively working on Saturday, August 26 (race day). We’ll continue to keep you posted. But please PLAN AHEAD. There could be anywhere from a 10 to 30 minute delay as you turn off Highway 191 on your way to the race venue in Town Center.

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.

Pre-Race Dinner

Friday, August 25
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.

Learn More and RSVP Online

Rules & Expectations

 

  • 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 VenueDOGS 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 60 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.
Course Maps
Aid Stations

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.

Aid Station #1 – At the base of Big Sky Resort, bottom of the Swiftcurrent Lift.
Racers in the 60 mile distance will pass through this Aid Station after they complete the Moonlight Lodge Loop – approximately mile 16.7 in their course.
Racers in the 30 mile distance will pass through this Aid Station fairly early in their course – approximately mile 6.5.   I suspect most of the 30 mile racers will not need to actually stop here. 
Spectators are allowed here, and it’s a great place for them to see you twice!

Aid Station #2 – Bottom of M2M
Racers in the 30 and 60 mile distance will pass through this 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.

Aid Station #3 –  At the end of Fish Camp trail
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.

Aid Station #4  / Whiskey + Bacon Station – Located at the top of Buck Ridge.
This is a very remote Aid Station for our 60 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 First Yellowmule.    This is typically where we stage a Search and Rescue team, as well.

DROP BAGS: 
We are offering dropped bag services for 60 mile racers only at Aid #3.
   60 mile racers can drop their bag at the start venue, and they’ll be waiting for you at Aid #3.  We will also return the dropped bags to the finish after Aid #3 closes and returns to the venue. 

We are not organizing or facilitating drop bags or bottles for any other distances racers (30 or 15).  But, you can have a spectator drop your bottles and/or bag for you.   The ONLY Aid Stations that you can drop at are Aid Station #1 and Aid Station #2.

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

Time Cut-Off

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 60 Mile Course is at Aid Station #3 at 1:00pm
If 60 Mile racers have not arrived to Aid Station #3 (Critical Junction) by 1:00pm, 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.

Racer Photos (NEW!)

Photos of racers will be available for purchase.    It takes a minimum field size in order to provide this type of service, and the Biggie is finally large enough to procure a photographer and crew!

We have partnered with Head Photographer Heather Carter to handle all aspects of race day coverage.  Heather and her 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.   If you are interested in acquiring custom photos anytime during race weekend, please reach out to her directly at heathercarterphotos@gmail.com. Photos will be out for purchase within one week after the event.  We’ll post the link to the photos, here, during the event.

 

Shower for $10

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.

Post-Race Meal & Food Trucks

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.  60 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 2023:
Rancho Picanto Bison Burgers
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.

Portables

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.

Bears

​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 Biggie is Tobacco-Free

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

Zero-Waste and Trash

When 700 people gather to ride their bikes together, there’s going to be some trash. But this year, 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 reusable grocery bag from lululemon.
  • 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, and much more.

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.