17 Oct 2026 · Gravel cycling
Heart of Gold Gravel
Sierra Valley, CA
Gravel through the Sierra in the two weeks a year the aspens turn. That is where the name comes from.
- Distances
- 100K · 60K · 30K
- Where
- Sierra Valley, CA
- High point
- 6,800 ft
What race day looks like
Heart of Gold Gravel runs at Sierra Valley, CA, and like everything we put on, it is built to be genuinely hard and genuinely welcoming at the same time. The front of the field will race it. Everybody else will finish it, and get the same welcome at the line.
You will be racing at altitude. The course tops out around 6,800 feet, so if you are coming up from sea level plan for paces roughly 10–15% slower than home, arrive a day early if you possibly can, and drink far more than feels necessary. The sun up here is stronger than it looks.
Aid stations are stocked and staffed by volunteers who will know your name by the second lap. There is food, a raffle and a cold one from Alibi Ale Works at the finish, and the whole thing runs under permit on public land we intend to leave exactly as we found it.
Entries and questions
Registration for the 2026 season is handled by the office. Call 530-546-1019 or send us a message and someone who has actually marked this course will answer.
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