Singletrack/MTB
Gravel/All-road
Dirt-road Touring
Fat-bike
Formerly the long course of the Antelope Peak Challenge, the Gila 100 made a comeback this year as a point-to-point, two-day race along a 100-mile stretch of the Arizona Trail. Our friend Wyatt Spalding was one of almost 30 riders participating, and he put together a reflection on the beautiful but challenging ride…
Words and photos by Wyatt Spalding, finish line photos by Brad Spalding
February 14th, 2025, marked the return of the Arizona Endurance Series Gila 100, featuring a new format to experiment with. The Gila 100 was traditionally a challenging day ride from Picketpost Trailhead near Superior, Arizona, to Tiger Mine Trailhead just outside Oracle. The course is incredibly grueling, and many regard this section as one of the hardest along the length of the Arizona Trail (AZT). Participation dwindled due to the challenging nature of the ride. For 2025, Gerrit Mack organized a format featuring a two-day stage bikepack with a coordinated campsite at the end of day one. Much like the Coconino 250 Stage Bikepack, the clock stops once riders arrive at camp and starts when riders return to the course the following day. This format appealed to a greater number of riders, with 23 of us lined up at Tiger Mine Trailhead on the morning of February 14th.
The morning was brisk as the sun began to rise above the rolling desert hills outside of Oracle. Riders greeted other another and gathered around while making final adjustments to gear and bike setups. The riding on day one would consist of 55 miles of singletrack with roughly 7,000 feet of elevation gain. The first 26 miles, known as the “Black Hills” segment, was new to me and did not disappoint. As the sun rose higher, it cast a blanket of warm light over the dense layer of wild grass and cacti that engulfed the landscape. The trail weaved its way through the mountainous landscape consisting of incredible climbs, descents, and sandy washes along the way. After 28 miles and 3,400 feet of elevation gain, I arrived at the Freeman Road rain collector with a few other riders. We filtered water, ate lunch, and shared stories from the first section of the ride.
The following section, known as the “Boulders” segment, is an absolute bliss when heading northbound with its nine miles of flowy singletrack that trends downhill. It is particularly enjoyable after the very mountainous Black Hills segment. I fell into a trance as I weaved through the singletrack accompanied by cholla fields and towering granite boulders in the distance. Before I knew it, I was approaching the final stretches before the big climb up to Ripsey Ridgeline. I crossed paths with Jeff Hermperly (aka Freako) and Holly Hovious (aka Turbo) just as I entered the Ripsey wash. We navigated through the wash, and the view of Rispey Hill grew more prominent as we approached. Ripsey Ridge would be the biggest hike-a-bike of the day; however, in the few times I have ridden it, the wondrous views that arise as you ascend have always kept me entertained enough to consider it a fantastic experience. The techy and steep downhill that awaits on the other side is also a highlight of the experience. Jeff, Holly, and I made our way down the tight switchbacks and onward to the final miles before camp just as the sun began its departure below the horizon for the evening.
The campsite for the night was at the AZT Trailhead, right by the Kelvin Bridge. It’s an ideal spot, as the nearby ADOT yard has a spigot with potable water, and Old Time Pizza in the nearby town of Kearny will often deliver pizza to riders at the spigot. When we arrived at the spigot, we were cheered by fellow riders who were filling up on water. I was about to order a pizza when another rider informed me that Old Time Pizza was not delivering this evening. However, an incredible trail angel was aware of this and left us his truck and keys to borrow for the evening so we could pick up pizza in town for everyone at camp! He also left a large cooler full of ice-cold beer. Legendary! After a long day, a relaxing evening by the fire proceeded with hot pizza to refuel. Everyone would soon head out to rest before another day of challenging riding.
While day two had less mileage, it was the notoriously challenging 36 miles from Kelvin to Picketpost with roughly 6,000 feet elevation gain. At 7:30 a.m., a group of us left the trailhead and began making our way along the techy singletrack that hugs the ravenous edges of the Gila River for 15 miles before ascending into the massive Martinez Canyon climb. This section has always held a special place in my heart. Its sheer beauty and remoteness never fails to make me smile. At one point, I grabbed a photo of Bret Parke just as he came around a corner, with the Gila River to the right and all the remarkable desert fauna in between.
As you begin climbing out from the Gila River valley, the views become increasingly fantastic, but the price you pay for this is the unforgiving steepness that persists for what seems like forever—a fair trade. After seven miles of pushing my singlespeed up the pass, I arrived atop a saddle and heard the cheering of Bret Parke in the distance as he saw me approaching. He was drinking a beer and eating leftover pizza while absorbing the views of what we had just climbed up. After a few more miles of climbing, I filtered water at the rainwater collector with a new friend, Walter Gay. We had reached the high point of the climb, and what remained was mostly downhill with a few smaller climbs in between. The final miles into Picketpost are some of my favorite when heading northbound. It is technical yet flowy with fantastic views of Picketpost Mountain as you approach the finish. As I rolled into the trailhead, I wished it wasn’t yet over.
Overall, the new format seemed like an excellent way to get more riders out to enjoy one of the most incredible sections of the Arizona Trail. With that, a massive shoutout to Gerrit Mack for organizing and reviving the event!
For more info on the Gila 100 Stage Bikepack, visit the event site here.
Further Reading
Make sure to dig into these related articles for more info...
Please keep the conversation civil, constructive, and inclusive, or your comment will be removed.
