GRUSK – The Gravel Race Up Spruce Knob (2020)

GRUSK is a dirt/gravel road race/ride to the highest peak in West Virginia, Spruce Knob. Course options include 32, 50, 82, and 140, and 220-mile routes and all start at the iconic Spruce Knob Mountain Center.

The overnight bikepacking options include unsupported 140-mile and 220-mile courses which wind their ways through some of the most remote and scenic areas in the Monongahela National Forest. Grande Departes for the 140 and 220 mile courses will be at 8am on Thursday, July 9th for the 220 mile course, and 8am on Friday, July 10th for the 140-mile course.

Finish times are intended to coincide with the one-day GRUSK routes on Saturday, July 11th so everyone can enjoy the live music, beer garden, dinner, and comraderie of your fellow riders.

Riders will be tracked via Trackleaders.

Links to the routes are: GRUSK GRANDE 140 and GRUSK VENTI 220

Both routes begin high atop Spruce Knob at the Spruce Knob Mountain Center and travel south across dirt and gravel roads through the towns of Durbin and Greenbank then take riders back north along the remote Greenbrier and Glady Rivers. 220 mile riders will ride toward the town of Elkins up through the Blackwater Canyon to the mountain town of Davis. From Davis, the course meanders its way back South toward the town of Whitmer then on to Spruce Knob and the mountain top finish.

Both routes pass opportunities for refueling food and water and have plenty of camping opportunities.

More info can be found at www.mountainrides.net and our Facebook page.

Follow us on Instagram at @gruskwv and @mountainrideswv