VTMONSTER COURSE - START AND FINISH AT STRATTON MOUNTAIN
Below are the official versions of the three VT Monster courses. The Nano, The Sentinel and the Titan. Please take some time to look them over and plan to have them loaded on your bike computer. There will be very limited route marking and signage on the course. Where there is signage, it will to call out dangerous or important features of the course and course distance specific transitions. If you do not have the course loaded on a bike computer that does navigation, you will not be able to find your way on the course. If you are using your mobile phone for navigation, please make sure you have the course and maps downloaded to your phone. Cell service is poor to non-existent on much of the course so live mapping will not work well if at all if streamed.
All three courses do have some paved road sections. The Sentinel and Titan courses are over 70% gravel and the Nano has more than 65% gravel or trail. As the descriptions below highlight, there are limited class IV sections so 700c 38mm or wider tires would be our recommendation. Our course designer recently rode both course with 40mm Maxxis Rambler’s at 38 psi and thought that was about perfect for the day. Fast rolling when needed but plenty of give and traction when the course demanded it. Obviously tire choice is very individual and you should ride with whatever you are most comfortable with.
One other important note about the ride. We will have 4 support vehicles out on the courses to provide limited support with minor mechanical and tire issues. Please plan ahead and get your bike serviced before you come up to ride. Nothing is faster and more comfortable than a well maintained and clean bike. Because this course is long and riders will be very spread out we cannot guarantee we can get you support. Please make sure you have everything you need to fix flats and do minor repairs on your bike. We recommend that you ride in groups of 2 or more and check in with riders who may be stopped along the side of the road. You could be a hero for them and us by providing a quick fix. You can also relay the message of their issue and approximate mileage at a rest stop or a road crew up the course.
VT MONSTER COMMAND CENTER FOR ANY ISSUES DURING THE RIDE
Plug this number into your phone now! VT Monster / B2VT Command Center at 617-440-4990.
Texting is the best way to reach the command center as the course is very rural and cell service can be weak, but text messages can typically send even with a weak cellular signal. Command center personnel will text you back a response quickly. In a medical or other extreme emergency please call 911 first and then check in with the command center.
Riders may need to send someone up to road to an area with cell service to report an emergency to 911 and the command center. Please note the mileage on the course where the emergency occurred.
Important Recommendations:
Get your bike serviced before you come up to VT.
Inspect your tires for minor cuts and significant wear.
Replace worn tires and test ride before the event.
If your tires check out, add sealant to ensure they won’t let you down
Clean your drive train and lube your chain
VT Monster Nano Course – 48 Miles – Don't be fooled by the Nano Monster, it packs a punch in its pint size. After few rollers and scenic down hill to Jamaica, the course makes a sharp right turn on to the first big climb of the day. There is one tough class IV section on Mowery Road that has a steep, technical and loose decent followed by a stiff climb that will likely require a dismount at the peak. Then a long technical decent bringing you to the river and joining the long courses on the West River trail and the Devils Staircase. From there you cross the Townsend Dam where you'll find the rest stop before the final 22 mile climb back up to Stratton Mountain.
VT Monster Sentinel Course – 78 Miles – – The Stalwart Sentinel is our original Monster distance. The course is mostly gravel roads but has a few challenging nuggets. 1 Class IV section just after Rest stop 2 that has some wet spots and rough terrain. Another along the west river trail through river debris and then the Devils Staircase of course to test your quads before rest stop 3 and the final 22 miles back up to Stratton Mountain
VT Monster Titan – 101 Miles – The Astral Titan is the colossal beast of the day. The course largely follows the 78 mile Sentinel but has 3 leg crushing divergents adding spectacular views and gravity defying vertical. This course shares the Class IV section just after Rest stop 2 and the west river trail through river debris and then the Devils Staircase before rest stop 3. From there it is 33 miles back up to Stratton Mount and the finish. Make sure you stock up on water and fuel!
VT Monster Long Course Bailout – VT Monster (78) and (101) Course Bailout – The bailout option is at mile 53.5 of the (78) and 64.5 of the (101). At that point it turns right on RT 30 and joins the B2VT course and riders on mostly paved road back to Stratton. It cuts 12 miles off the (78) and 21 miles off the (101) but also cuts over 2000 feet of climbing. We recommend you load this course on your bike computer just in case you need it (though the B2VT course is well marked and easy to follow). There is a B2VT Rest stop 5 miles up RT 30 on the B2VT course.
2024 Course Posted June, 1st 2024 - 2023 Courses below for reference but will likely be updated for the 2024 Ride.
