The 2024 Vapor Trail 125 was held this past weekend with a record number of racers tackling the challenging 125-mile course that features over 15,000 feet of climbing. Find an incredible gallery of images and race report from Eddie Clark and Devon Balet here…
With photos by Devon Balet
The first edition of the Vapor 125 rolled out of Salida, CO in 2005, and today it is still considered one of the very hardest long distance mountain bike races in Colorado. To finish the VT125, racers must negotiate a fair bit of the Colorado Trail and Continental Divide Trail in the dark before ascending to over 12,600 feet where they meet an 8.5 mile singletrack descent with some of the most technical riding on the route. In all the Vapor Trail 125 includes over 15,000 feet of climbing in the nearly 125-mile course with five aid stations to help ease the pain, refuel the body, and repair the bike if needed.
This year’s race sold out at the 125 racer cap for the largest field to ever take the start. Storms the previous day made for quite good riding conditions. Thankfully the storms dissipated on the evening of the race to give racers a clean run at the course.
Racers gather behind Absolute Bikes on the river path in Salida, CO for the 7pm pre race meeting. Photo: Eddie Clark
The number 1 plate went to 10 time Vapor Trail 125 veteran Jeff Kerkove who got to lead out the largest, and possibly fastest, field of racers to ever take on the monster of a race. Photo: Eddie Clark
100+ racers roll out at 10 pm from the F Street bridge that’s directly under S Mountain in downtown Salida. Photo: Eddie Clark
Taylor Lideen was first to the singletrack of the Colorado Trail, and set a blistering pace that strung out the field and was looking to be a new course record. Photo: Eddie Clark
Nolan Van Harte stayed with Lideen for much of the first half of the race before taking over the lead at aid station 3 and going on to win the race in 12 hours 42 minutes and 25 seconds. Just under 13 minutes from Josh Tostado’s 2017 record. Photo: Eddie Clark
Coming off her Colorado Trail race victory this year, Nicolette Jones took the women’s win in 17 hours 53 minutes and 9 seconds. Photo: Eddie Clark
Racers at the pointy end of the race take on the grueling hike-a-bike that’s over 12,000 feet in elevation to Canyon Creek Pass in the dark hours of the morning. Photo: Devon Balet
High atop the Collegiate Range before sunrise. Photo: Devon Balet
Photo: Devon Balet
Temperatures hovered just below freezing in the alpine before sunrise. Photo: Devon Balet
Finally, the Canyon Creek descent. Photo: Devon Balet
First light in the alpine! Photo: Devon Balet
Sunshine to warm the spirit from the soul crushing Canyon Creek hike-a-bike. Photo: Devon Balet
Photo: Devon Balet
Photo: Devon Balet
Photo: Devon Balet
Breakfast was cooking at Aid Station 2. Photo: Devon Balet
And bikes were being adjusted as racers made their way down the Continental Divide singletrack to Aid Station 2. Photo: Devon Balet
Photo: Devon Balet
Jimi Klopson makes a gear adjustment at the Snowblind Campground of Aid Station 2. Photo: Devon Balet
Further down the course, Taylor Lideen crashed on the last turn before Aid Station 3 atop Monarch Pass while leading the race. Even with a taped up wrist, he couldn’t ride and was forced to abandon the race. Photo: Eddie Clark
Nolan Van Harte was second to arrive at Aid 3 and left in the dark as the new race leader. Minutes later Alex Howes would arrive with a faint glow on the horizon and head out in second place. Both Nolan and Alex held their positions to the finish. Photo: Eddie Clark
I’m pretty sure Alex was wondering why in the world I was running alongside him at 6:30 in the morning, or why he was about to ride another 50 miles of legit mountain bike trails before the sun had even risen. Photo: Eddie Clark
With a pocket full of empty energy wrappers, Jeff Kerkove was the fourth racer to aid 3. Photo: Eddie Clark
Ethan Moyer arrived at Aid Station 3 with the sun just hitting the alpine horizon. Ethan rode on to take third place, just ahead of Jeff Kerkove in fourth. Photo: Eddie Clark
Jeff Kerkove heads out as Ethan Moyer arrives at Aid 3. Photo: Eddie Clark
Camden Gillis shredding the singletrack on his way to Monarch Pass and a fifth place finish. Photo: Eddie Clark
Cade Reichenberger and Tom Kvilhaug negotiate the tricky left hand turn before Aid Station 3 that took out Taylor Lideen. Photo: Eddie Clark
Kurt Refsnider was all smiles for the sunshine as he rode to Aid 3. Photo: Eddie Clark
Most of the time spent racing the Vapor Trail 125 is at elevations above 11,000 feet! Photo: Eddie Clark
Photo: Eddie Clark
Courtney Phillips on the iconic Monarch Crest section of the Continental Divide and Colorado Trail. Photo: Eddie Clark
2024 Vapor Trail 125 champion, Nolan Van Harte. Photo: Eddie Clark
Men’s podium (left to right) Ethan Moyer, Nolan Van Harte and Alex Howes. Photo: Eddie Clark
Women’s podium (left to right) Paige Forbes, Nicolette Jones and Liz Carrington. Photo: Eddie Clark
Full results here.
Further Reading
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