Stagecoach 400 FAQ

Route FAQ:

What’s the proportion of dirt to asphalt?
The route is about 75% dirt. 

How much climbing is on the route?
31,000 ft.  

When is a good time to ride the route?
Fall, winter, spring. Winter is a great time to ride, especially for the desert stretches, but the mountainous stretches can be freezing and/or covered in snow, so check the forecast and plan accordingly. The desert gets dangerously hot into summer, and Coyote Canyon is closed to everyone June 1- Sept 30 to protect the ecosystem of the Bighorn Sheep in the canyon.

What kind of bike should I ride?
That’s entirely your decision. The dirt roads vary from smooth and fast to very rocky, the singletrack is fun and engaging, and the desert sand can be a big variable depending on conditions. A hardtail mountain bike with substantially strong and decently wide tubeless tires is a great choice.

What is the toughest part?
It’s all tough. The city will toy with your psyche. The mountains are tiring. The desert is the most committing. The climb back up into the mountains is long. 

How much water do I need to carry?
This depends on many things, but generally a capacity of 4-7L is good depending on temps. When in doubt, carry more. 

Will I be able to stay in a hotel every night?
Probably not, but maybe. You should expect to carry lightweight packing gear.  

What is the closest town to fly in to?
Palm Springs. Ontario is further away but could save some bucks. San Diego is a 2hr drive to Idyllwild.

Tell me about lodging.
There are many lodging options in IDY, such as Idyllwild Inn ,  Silver Pines Lodge , and Idyllwild Bunkhouse. 

Is there car/tent camping near the start?
Yes. The Idyllwild Regional Park and the Idyllwild Campground both offer camping within biking or walking distance of all services. There are great “free” spots close to town in the National Forest, some will require permits. 

What are some services in town?
Idyllwild has a great coffee shop, grocery store, brewpub, and dining that ranges from charming greasy spoon to gallery/social bistro. 

I heard about donating for some detailed cue sheets and updated GPX. How do I get that? 
You can email stagecoach400@gmail.com to inquire about the route. The cue sheets are helpful, and are updated throughout the year as needed, and again before the spring group start. You can also click here to donate, and you’ll be sent the cues/gpx to the email you provide. 

Grand Depart FAQ:

Is there an Individual Time Trial option?
Yes! See the Registration page

Will there be a leaderboard?
Yes. We will have a leaderboard provided by Trackleaders.com found here. 

Is GPS use mandatory?
Of course not, but it might be a really good idea. …It’s a really good idea. 

Is InReach/SPOT use mandatory?
Strongly suggested. All riders will be required to use a Garmin Inreach or SPOT satellite tracker to be followed on the leaderboard. If you don’t already own one, trackers will be available to rent from Trackleaders 

How come?
In part because they can enhance your personal safety, and they provide a means for spectatorship.

How do I register my InReach or SPOT tracker or sign up to rent one?
Registered riders will receive a link to the SPOT signup page.

When do we get the SPOT trackers?
The rental SPOT trackers will arrive in Idyllwild before the ride day. They’ll be available for distribution that day and at the pre-ride meeting on Thursday. Don’t forget to bring 4 premium level Lithium AAA batteries to power it.

What will the weather be like?
The weather on this weekend, historically, has been on all ends of the spectrum. We could have cold, snowy weather in the mountains, and/or it could be sweltering in the desert.  Freezing to triple digit temps are all potentially possible, we won’t know until we get closer to the day.