Mountain Adventure Race is set to start July 30 in scenic Montana

Greg Yetter / 24.07.2007

The Mountain Adventure Race formally known as the Big Sky Breakdown will be held on July 30 through August 4 2007 in the scenic mountains in Montana. The race will be a 5 day 300 mile expedition race in the Gallatin and Bridger Mountain ranges. Racers will be traveling in some of the most beautiful areas available in the mountain states but as with most races sightseeing will not be foremost in their minds.

Veteran adventure racers George Rice and Chris Axelson have designed the course to challenge racers and to date more than 15 teams have signed up for the event. “The course will challenge your skills and put grins on your faces,” said Chris Axelson, owner of Bozeman’s outdoor store Threshold Sports, and co-organizer of the Mountain Adventure Race. “The race is on, with the course set, all park permits granted, volunteers recruited…” announced George Rice.

Competitors will be challenged with the usual skill sets such as trekking/trail running, mountain biking, a ropes section, an orienteering section and paddling. “We’ve included miles of exposed ridges with fresh air and panoramic views that will have racers in complete awe, and then they'll be equally blown away as they paddle down rivers first explored by Lewis and Clark over 100 years ago”, according to race directors. The race is for teams of two or four racers, but the prize money will be for the traditional four persons, co-ed teams only. There will also be a “lite” race for 4 and 2 person teams as well as for soloists. While the Mountain Adventure Race is a 5 day event, the “lite” version is a 24 hour race for those not ready to tackle a 300 mile adventure.