Shawangunk Grit
An Epic Gravel Ride on the Shawangunk Ridge to Benefit Mohonk Preserve
Saturday, November 2, 2024 | 50.4 Mile | 23.3 Mile
Registration opens September 1, 2024
Close out your riding season at Mohonk Preserve!
Join us for an epic fundraising ride across the Shawangunk Ridge, just 90 miles north of Manhattan. Pick from two distances: 50.4 miles (4,030 ft gain) or 23.3 miles (2,580 ft gain). Both courses begin and end at the Ulster County Fairgrounds and once you enter the Preserve at mile two, the course is 99% gravel on our famous network of carriage roads.
This is not a race; think of it as a super challenging fun ride for a really good cause. Much of the gravel is quite rough and steep. Expect loose rock – especially on the descents. The long course includes some technical single track and a mandatory dismount/bike hike up a steep boulder garden. Bring your gravel, cyclocross, or mountain bike. Class 1 e-bikes are permitted if you can manage the technical sections. No road bikes, please.
Be prepared for a challenging, but fun ride!
Registration fees raise money for a great cause!
Your registration fees directly support Mohonk Preserve’s mission to protect the Shawangunk Mountains region and inspire people to care for, enjoy and explore their natural world. With more than 8,000 acres of mountain ridges, forests, fields, streams, ponds and other unique and beautiful places, Mohonk Preserve is the largest member and visitor-supported nature preserve in New York State.
About Shawangunk Grit:
The ridge where you’ll be riding is made from bedrock called Shawangunk Conglomerate, also known as Shawangunk Grit. Shawangunk Grit slabs were used to make millstones around the turn of the century and some of these millstones can still be seen on the land today. A nod to the history of the ridge is found in the Shawangunk Grit logo.
Event Photos by the Mohonk Preserve Volunteer Photographers:
Registration
Shawangunk Grit
An Epic Gravel Ride on the Shawangunk Ridge
to Benefit Mohonk Preserve
Saturday, November 4, 2023 | 8:00 am 50.4 Mile | 9:00 am 23.3 Mile
For our second year, the field is limited to just 500.
Registration Fees:
50.4 miles $150
23.3 miles $125
Grit Hero (either distance) $250
A limited number of Grit Hero spots will be offered after each category sells out. Thank you for helping to preserve and protect over 8,000 acres of the Northern Shawangunk Ridge.
Your registration fees directly support Mohonk Preserve’s mission to protect the Shawangunk Mountains region and inspire people to care for, enjoy and explore their natural world. With more than 8,000 acres of mountain ridges, forests, fields, streams, ponds and other unique and beautiful places, Mohonk Preserve is the largest member and visitor-supported nature preserve in New York State.
- Registration fees are non-refundable. See below.
- You may wish to take the optional Registration Protection Plan from Allianz during registration.
- Registration fees also offset the costs of on-course support, food and hydration
- Ride for the challenge, stay for the finish line party with food, music, vendors, and beer!
- All riders receive a 25 oz. custom Grit water bottle!
Cancellation/Refund Policy:
Shawangunk Grit is a major fundraiser for Mohonk Preserve. When you register, we hold a spot, make commitments to vendors, and deny others entry when the event sells out. Therefore, registration fees are non-refundable and non-transferable. Event deferrals or transfers for any reason, including injury, are not allowed.
If you find you can’t participate, we would like to know. Please contact us at shawangunkgrit@mohonkpreserve.org. All cancellations will be acknowledged via email.
Protection Plan:
Consider taking the registration protection insurance offered by Bike.reg which will reimburse you registration fees if you are unable to participate due to a qualifying reason. This plan is administered by a third party, Allianz.
Start Times:
50.4 Mile Start Time 8:00 AM
23.3 Mile Start Time 9:00 AM
Staggered start times will allow for a safer start of the ride. If you have questions, please contact shawangunkgrit@mohonkpreserve.org.
23.3 mile riders please know that as the 50.4 mile ride begins at 8 am, sections of Libertyville Road will be closed to allow riders to start. Plan to arrive before 8 am to avoid traffic delays.
The Start:
Expect a calm and controlled mass start for the 50.4 mile course at 8 am and the 23.3 mile course at 9 am. Riders will line up Goldilocks style: strong riders go to the front of the pack; moderate riders aim for the middle; and those planning a more leisurely pace head to the back.
A pace car will lead riders for the first two miles of the course along public roads from Ulster Fairgrounds to Mohonk Preserve property on Gatehouse Road. Riders must remain in their lane behind the pace car. We mean it – calm and controlled.
Once you’re off the public road and on the gravel, you can ride at your own pace.
Cutoff Time:
We have instituted a cutoff time of 10:30 a.m. at mile 16.7. Riders on the 50.4 mile course who have not reached this point at this time will not be able to continue to Sky Top and will be redirected to the 23.3 mile course.
We’re Cupless:
Bring water bottles, hydration packs or other vessels to hold your water. Paper cups are not cool.
Finish Line Party:
After you cross the finish line, make your way up the hill in the back of the parking area for the afterparty kicking off at 11 am and continuing to 4 pm. Food selections include chicken, roast beef or roasted vegetable sandwiches, coleslaw, chips, and more! All participants will be provided with one food and one beverage ticket. Additional food and beverages are available on a suggested donation basis.
Safety:
We want to make sure you are aware that bow hunting season begins on November 5th on Mohonk Preserve property. No-hunting zones have been established and 150-foot buffer zones exist around all carriage roads on-course, but we want to make sure you are informed. Hunters have been informed about this event as well. No hunting is permitted on Mohonk Mountain House property.
Course Description
Pick from two distances: 50.4 miles (4,030 ft gain) or 23.3 miles (2,580 ft gain). Both courses begin and end at the Ulster County Fairgrounds and once you enter the Preserve at mile two, the course is 99% gravel on our famous network of carriage roads.
50.4 Mile
23.3 Mile
Old Pasture Loop Bypass (49.5 miles) bypasses a majority of technical single-track on the 50.4 mile course. Follow course markings at mile 28 to use the bypass option if you’re not a fan of single-track.
The long course is for the serious cyclist and will feature an exclusive opportunity to ride up to Sky Top* the iconic tower on the Shawangunk Ridge. It will also include some challenging single track. The short course will test your endurance but skip the technical sections. Both routes promise epic climbs, technical descents, and amazing views.
This is not a race; think of it as a super challenging fun ride for a really good cause. Much of the gravel is quite rough and steep. Expect loose rock – especially on the descents. The long course includes some technical single track and a mandatory dismount/bike hike up cedar steps near the “Million Dollar View.” Bring your gravel, cyclocross, or mountain bike. Class 1 e-bikes are permitted if you can manage the technical sections. No road bikes, please.
You won’t be timed but you will be well-fed. Look for three well-stocked aid stations with portable restrooms and a post ride party at the fairgrounds where you will relax, listen to some music and share your course experience. Be sure to carry some food and water, and maybe extra clothes depending on the weather. You’ll be sharing the carriage roads with hikers and climbers, so bike bells are highly recommended. Pack a spare tube, tools, and pump as there’s no mechanical support on course and no sag wagon. Helmets are required.
Be prepared for a challenging, but fun ride!
*Shout out to our friends at Open Space Institute who granted us access to their section of the River-to-Ridge Trail and to Mohonk Mountain House who granted us access to Sky Top for the event day only. Bikes are not allowed on this carriage road so you cannot pre-ride this section of the course. No exceptions – If we blow this, access to Sky Top will not continue. PLEASE DO NOT POST PICS FROM SKYTOP ON SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS.
Also, near Spring Farm Trailhead, the private driveway near the Slingerland Pavilion, the Table Rocks Trail, and the Crag Trail on the Preserve are accessible to ride participants during the event only. You cannot pre-ride these sections.
Aid Stations:
50.4 Mile Course
Slingerland Pavilion, mile 12.5
Oakwood Drive/Glory Hill, mile 26
Oakwood Drive/Glory Hill, mile 31
Gravel Yard, mile 43
23.3 Mile Course
Oakwood Drive/Glory Hill, mile 13.8
Sponsors
Thanks to our 2023 sponsors:
 Skratch Labs |
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 Arrowood Farms |
 Bicycle Depot |
 Bikeway |
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Ulster County |
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 Community Compost Company |
Volunteer
Shawangunk Grit would not be possible without a strong corps of volunteers. Whether it is serving on a committee, supporting riders at an aid station, being a course marshal, helping with event setup and breakdown, or any of the many other important roles, we need you!
We’ll provide an event t-shirt, food and other amenities to all who volunteer their services to Shawangunk Grit.
To volunteer at the event in any capacity, please email volunteers@mohonkpreserve.org or call 845-255-0919.
Contact Us
For more information about Shawangunk Grit, please contact shawangunkgrit@mohonkpreserve.org or use the form below.
For more information about Mohonk Preserve or to volunteer for Shawangunk Grit, please contact volunteers@mohonkpreserve.org.
Contact Form