Grinduro is returning to Quincy, California, 10 years after Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship hosted the very first Grinduro on Mount Hough, helping to bring to life a gravel-enduro concept that spawned a new racing format, a new style of ultra-capable, drop-bar bikes and a whole lot of fun as the Grinduro series expanded nationally, then internationally.
The race, which took place in Quincy until 2019 (see JOM’s ride video below), will return to the Sierra-Plumas County Fairgrounds in Quincy September 11 to 14, 2025 for its California stop, and will be organized by Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship in partnership with Breakaway Promotions, which also puts on SBTS’ other races, Lost & Found Gravel Festival and the Downieville Classic.
2019 GRINDURO! California Video: The Four Seasons Edition
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Grinduro California will form part of SBTS’ new event Mountains to Meadows Trailfest, which launches this September 19-22 in Quincy. Folks who sign up to attend Trailfest this year will be given a guaranteed entry into next year’s Grinduro California event, and will also have the chance to preview next year’s courses.
Grinduro’s gravel enduro race, in which finishing times are based on a handful of timed uphill and downhill pavement and off-road segments, will kick off a full weekend of racing in Quincy at Trailfest, which will continue the following day with a separate Mountains to Meadows MTB and eMTB enduro. Racing will take place on Mount Hough, where in 2015, Grinduro California helped debut the eponymous Mount Hough Trail, a 12-mile descent that drops 4,000 feet as it curves down from the mountain’s 7,200-foot summit in flowy, fast singletrack.
Since then, the mileage on Hough has multiplied as the SBTS Trail Crew has continued building out the trail network. Crews are currently working on Phase 2 of the Hough Development project, which will add 38 miles of trails by next year, 10 of which are currently under construction this summer and fall. When it’s completed, there will be two new top-to-bottom routes on Hough and more than 70 miles of trail in the network.
Bringing back Grinduro to Quincy in its 10th year feels like the perfect pairing at the perfect time, said Greg Williams, executive director of Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship.
“Grinduro’s emphasis on celebrating cycling, as much as putting on a race, has always matched that of Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship’s own event ethos, and we can’t wait to bring back the whole party: camping, live music, art and good times with good people all around,” Williams said. “The five years we hosted Grinduro in Quincy were integral in our work to develop more trails on Mount Hough, and having the opportunity to once again share the beauty of this part of the Lost Sierra with the Grinduro community is really special.”
More information about Grinduro California, the route and sponsors will be announced soon. In the meantime, visit Grinduro’s website for further detail, or sign up for the Grinduro Newsletter.