This years much anticipated Big Sky BME season opener will showcase some of the best enduro tracks in the Northwest, and arguably some of the gnarliest trails in the US. Over the course of the 2-day event in August, racers can expect 4 stages per day and over 9,000 feet of descending. True to any BME event, there will be a solid mix of lift access stages combined with pedal transitions each race day.

Practice & Race Logistics:

Official practice will run from 10am-5pm on Thursday and Friday. For Thursday’s practice, only the Ramcharger Lift will be running during normal bike park hours, along with pre-assigned race stages that will be open to racers. No riding is allowed on the Swift Current side of the mountain on Thursday due to major construction taking place. This is a resort mandate and will be strictly enforced. For Friday’s practice, both the Ramcharger and Swift Current lifts will be open during operating hours and ALL stages will be open for practice. Courses will be released Wednesday evening, prior to the race weekend and available only on the Trailforks app.

Per COVID regulations, there will be no aid stations (hydration or food) available on course or in the sponsor village over the course of the weekend. Racers must be prepared for a full day on the bike and bring appropriate snacks and hydration to get through the day. There will also be no post-race lunch due to the same COVID protocols in place.

COVID-19 Protocols:

In alignment with CDC recommendations and industry best practices, Big Sky Resort will be requiring face coverings in all public areas, effective July 11^th. Because this may require additional pre-planning and attendee communication before your arrival, we wanted to share this information as soon as possible.

BME will require face coverings in all public areas, including the sponsor village, at registration check in, while loading/unloading chair lifts and throughout the base area of each host resort. Racers can remove face coverings once on the lifts, during pedal transitions and while racing. Otherwise face coverings must be worn at all times. Additionally, BME will be conducting temperature checks on all racers at registration and packet pick up, along with a symptoms checklist to ensure all racers do not have signs of the virus. Our staff will also be conducting the same tests on all BME employees, volunteers and resort operations crew. If a racer does have a fever (over 100.4 degrees) or COVID related symptoms, they will not be allowed to race and will be offered a refund for their entry. If anyone is showing any signs or symptoms of COVID before heading to each respective event, we ask you to stay home and quarantine yourself, and we will work with you on your registration.

The word is out after last year’s event, that the terrain at Big Sky is steep, big and technical. Not to mention some of the best scenery and natural beauty on the BME tour. Each stage will feature a unique mix of black loamy dirt, roots, rocks, high speed singletrack, natural features, tight switchbacks and enough challenging terrain that will leave you grinning ear to ear. Big Sky Resort has more than 50 miles of hiking and biking trails, with more than 40 miles dedicated to mountain biking. Enjoy lift serviced downhill mountain biking for all levels and abilities, with connector trails that allow bikers to ride all the way down to the Big Sky town center. Each year, Big Sky Resort adds to and improves its network of downhill and flow trails. Big Sky Resort is always ranked in the top five bike parks in the Northwest by MTBParks.com. The multitude of hiking trails connect to U.S. Forest Service lands, which allow for full day treks into Montana’s beautiful backcountry.