Course Descriptions & Map
The name of our race says it all: get ready to be sweaty.
CLOCKWISE is the direction in 2024!
*Direction and route subject to change based on DNR approval, logging, severe rain event and private land access.
Course Design by Northern Michigan Mountain Bike Association www.nmmba.net 
The Northern Michigan Mountain Bike Association (NMMBA) designs our course routing. The design protects our fragile single track while still making the race fun and challenging for all skill levels in any weather condition. Stout will be about 25 miles and Pale Ale about 12 miles.
All races start and finish at Mt. Holiday to maximize spectator enjoyment and racer convenience.
The Stout and Pale Ale will start and wind around the Mt. Holiday property onto the first section of private land*. After about a mile you will reach Gezellig Hill (yes it is Dutch to honor our presenting sponsor New Holland Brewery) (approx 100' vert over .2 miles) to the Holiday Hills neighborhood. After the neighborhood the course will dive into PRIVATE property again before finally reaching the state forest and VASA Pathway. Get ready for some more climbing to start the race!
The Pale Ale and Stout racers will ride through a combination of VASA Pathway, single track and two tracks splitting and then merging again on the way back to Mt. Holiday.
The finish is the famous adrenaline rush slalom down the ski hill through Dragon's Alley to the famous Max's Service Mud Pit Finish.
You can expect elevation gains of approximately 1,800 ft for the Stout and 900 ft for the Pale Ale.
PLEASE NOTE THE ATTACHED COURSE MAP IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE BASED ON TRAIL CONDITIONS AND DNR APPROVAL.
*PRIVATE PROPERTY:
UPDATE (as of April 2022):
The land directly south of Mt. Holiday before you reach the Humma Hump is now open to ride prior to the event. Thank you Nolan Family
The "Terhune Property" (eg. east of neighborhood prior to VASA) is CLOSED except for race day. Please respect the rights of our private land owners and access their land on race day ONLY. Riders caught or reported trespassing on private land up until 7 am day of race and after 5 pm race day will be blacklisted from Mud, Sweat, and Beers. The proper authorities will be notified as well. If you have questions about what private land is, contact us here. Sorry ... but without these landowners, our race can't happen.
Please Also Note:
- Pale Ale riders will follow the initial portion of the Stout. Keep an eye out for the split to make sure you do not end up riding +20 miles. Pale Ale arrows are BLUE. Stout arrows are RED.
- Ginger Ale riders follow the same start route but get to skip The Huma Hump. The relatively short (< 2 miles) of trail is anything but easy. Steep assents and wicked fast descents are sure to burn the legs of any rider regardless of age. We highly recommend children under the age of 10 stick with the Root Beer loop unless they are highly skilled and well trained. After the long and difficult climb up the back side of Mt. Holiday, the riders finish down same blistering slalom to the mud track as the Stout and Pale Ale. Ginger Ale arrows are GREEN.
- Root Beer riders will make a nice kid-friendly loop from the official start line down to the tube run area and back. Although the course is less than 1,000 yards, it covers soft terrain and the return is a steady climb. If you want to see how to enjoy a mud pit, be sure to watch the little ones.