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TIER 2

Whiskey Off-Road

Prescott, Arizona · 2027: April 23-25; plan the amateur 50 Proof for Saturday, April 24 and verify the final schedule

VERDICT The Southwest's 20-year MTB institution where Skull Valley tests your suffering and Whiskey Row rewards your survival.

76
LAB SCORE
—
RIDER SCORE · RATE IT →
[05]

The Ratings

Course verdict

A greatest-hits tour of Prescott National Forest combining technical singletrack, flowing trails, exposed fire road grinding, and tactical racing.[1]

Course Profile ratings for this race. Select a point for its explanation. LOGISTICS3/5LENGTH3/5TECHNICAL4/5ELEVATION4/5CLIMATE4/5ALTITUDE3/5ADVENTURE4/5 25/35
Course Profile
How the scoring works →
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[01]

Course Overview

The OG Southwest MTB festival. Skull Valley will break you. Whiskey Row will rebuild you.

50 mi
Distance
6,523 ft
Elevation
Prescott, Arizona
Location
April 23-25; plan the amateur 50 Proof for Saturday, April 24 and verify the final schedule, 2027
Date
~2,000
Field Size
$500
Entry Cost
+ Google Calendar Download .ics
MORE IN ARIZONA: BWR Arizona · Spirit World 100 · Bear Howard Gravel
Facts & History

Todd Sadow founded Epic Rides in 1999 with the 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo. The Whiskey Off-Road launched around 2004-2005 and took five years to develop the multi-distance model that would become the template for Epic Rides' national expansion. 'We spent five years creating what is known as the Whiskey Off-Road today,' Sadow says. The key innovation was realizing 'only so many could do longer races' and adding 30-mile and 50-mile options. Founded in 2004. By Todd Sadow / Epic Rides.

Reputation: The original Epic Rides model—proof that 20 years of iteration creates exceptional events.

~2004-2005: First Whiskey Off-Road in Prescott
2013: Grand Junction Off-Road launches, replicating Whiskey model
Epic Rides expands to Nevada (Carson City) and Arkansas (Oz Trails)
Event now draws ~2,000 riders annually with 8,500+ across Epic Rides portfolio
[03]

The Course

First-person view mountain biking on desert trail with cactus and mountains in Arizona terrain - Whiskey Off-Road - Prescott, ArizonaPhoto: YouTube / MTB Rad Dad

A greatest-hits tour of Prescott National Forest combining technical singletrack, flowing trails, exposed fire road grinding, and tactical racing. You start on historic Whiskey Row, climb through granite formations, suffer through Skull Valley, flow through Spence Basin, and navigate technical descents when your legs are cooked. Every type of MTB terrain represented.

Signature challenge: Skull Valley—a 12-mile exposed fire road climb at the halfway mark. 2,500-2,700ft of gain when you're already depleted. Documented 102F readings in hot years. Where cramping becomes universal and mental fortitude separates finishers from DNFs.

4
MILE
Copper Basin Climb
3.8-mile opening climb sets the tone. Get in your pack here—singletrack bottleneck coming.
12
MILE
Trail 48
Classic rocky singletrack with multiple water bars. Technical climbing where passing is nearly impossible.
25
MILE
Skull Valley
The signature suffer-fest. 12 miles of exposed fire road with 2,500-2,700ft gain. Hot, relentless, cramping epidemic. This is where races are lost and legends are made.
40
MILE
Cramp Hill
Just when you think you're recovering from Skull Valley. Another climb when your legs are toast.
48
MILE
Trail 367 Boulder Drop
Technical descent with boulder sections. Hits when you're most depleted and least focused.
RIDERS REPORT
Skull Valley climb
About an hour-long climb after the turnaround at Skull Valley. Described as brutal climbing at elevation. The climb goes back up past the junction to the top of the hill before any reprieve.
Split at Moby and 48
Early in the race, riders must choose between Moby and 48 routes. Described as the first thing to mess with your head. The routes rejoin later.
Cramp Hill
A climbing section that riders mention by name, though one rider noted not remembering it clearly.
Very different terrain from buff riding to very technical, very loose, very steep, very rocky. Trails are described as very challenging.
Very narrow trail, very rocky sections that don't get huge amounts of traffic. Some areas require careful line selection due to loose conditions.
Hidden rocks are a concern on the technical sections. The terrain is described as worse than other comparable races in terms of difficulty.
[04]

From the Field

Here's the turnaround down at Skull Valley and this is really where I think the race starts because this climb back up here - you're climbing for quite a long way back up past where we made the junction right up to the top of the hill before you get any reprieve. So in reality, it's about an hour long climb for me.

BikeBody Balance · 720 views

The altitude of the race posed a significant challenge - the starting point was at approximately 5,300 feet with the highest point reaching 7,000 feet. During the initial two hours I struggled with a high heart rate that drained most of my energy.

MTB Rad Dad · 7K views

This 50 mile race has just shy of 7000 feet of climbing. We're starting in the historic Whiskey Row here in Prescott Arizona and the energy here is off the charts.

MTB Rad Dad · 7K views

The altitude posed a significant challenge. The starting point was at approximately 5300 feet with the highest point reaching 7000 feet. During the initial two hours I struggled with a high heart rate that drained most my energy.

MTB Rad Dad · 7K views
2025 Whiskey 50 Mile Off-Road - Prescott, Arizona
BikeBody Balance · 720 views · 24:01
Conquering The Epic Rides Whiskey 50 Backcountry Race!
MTB Rad Dad · 7K views · 22:08
RACER

Racer Reviews

Raced Whiskey Off-Road? Be the first to rate it.
[07]

Training

April 23, 2027 WHISKEY OFF-ROAD
[08]

Train for Whiskey Off-Road

RACE DEMAND PROFILE

Durability
2
Climbing
7
VO2 Power
7
Threshold
6
Technical
8
Heat
6
Altitude
6
Race Specificity
10
FREE

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[09]

Race Logistics

Airport
PHX (Phoenix Sky Harbor) - 1hr 56min drive, 106 miles
Lodging
Book early—Prescott fills up. Partner hotels: SpringHill Suites (4 blocks, bike wash), Hassayampa Inn (on square, historic), Best Western Prescottonian. Alternatives: Airbnb/VRBO, White Spar Campground (3mi from downtown), Prescott National Forest dispersed camping.
Food
Concentrated around downtown square and Whiskey Row. Full options in tourist-friendly Prescott.
Packet Pickup
Friday. Mandatory Pre-Ride Meeting Friday 7:00 PM on Main Stage.
Parking
Designated areas—respect local businesses. Event designed for walkability once parked.
RIDERS REPORT
Limited opportunities to consume energy gels or reach water bottles while on the move. The course design offers limited spots where riders can safely reach down and grab bottles during early stages.
Be careful of traffic going both directions on the downhill out to Skull Valley. Fast riders are coming back up the hill.
The race really starts at the Skull Valley turnaround because of the long climb back up. Prepare for about an hour of climbing and heavy breathing.
OFFICIAL SITE
[10]

Tire Picks

40mmTECHNICAL
1
Schwalbe G-One Bite
40mm · $70 · 38W
high puncture protection for sharp surfaces
2
Maxxis Reaver
40mm · $80 · 35W
high puncture protection for sharp surfaces
3
WTB Resolute
42mm · $65 · 36W
high puncture protection for sharp surfaces
FRONT/REAR SPLIT Vittoria Terreno Dry 40mm / Schwalbe G-One Bite 40mmFaster front for reduced rolling resistance on straights, grippier rear for traction on loose climbs and corners
FULL TIRE GUIDE & PRESSURE TABLE
NEWS

Latest Coverage

[—]

Similar Races

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Frequently Asked Questions

2024 race weekend saw dramatic weather swings—Friday started "beautiful" and "sunny" but "temperature dropped about 20 degrees to somewhere in the 30s, and the rain started." The storm brought hail and forced Fat Tire Crit cancellation. April conditions range from perfect to brutal within hours. Milder conditions than Crusher in the Tushar.[4]

The Pro category gets "privileged to our own start" avoiding "the misery of traffic jams" from mass amateur starts. Phoenix Sky Harbor is a major hub but requires a 2-hour drive to Prescott. The event is walkable once you arrive—park downtown and access all weekend activities on foot.[4]

Starting from Prescott's historic Whiskey Row creates iconic atmosphere. The initial climb as "eerily quiet with the exception of the pockets of crowds that had gathered to cheer us along." The high desert terrain offers "sick descents" through Prescott National Forest's granite formations and pine forests.[2]

Hannah Otto calls Whiskey "a premiere event on the off-road calendar" that she's "always known of" and "held in high regard." The race attracts elite talent—Toby Hassett "decided to potentially blow up the rest of his race to go head-to-head with two of the fastest mountain bikers in the world" for a $1,000 prime, beating Keegan Swenson and Cole Paton.[11]

Yes if you want a top-tier MTB festival experience with genuine physical challenge. Yes if you appreciate 20 years of event refinement. No if you're a gravel purist uncomfortable on technical terrain. No if you need budget-friendly entry.

[11]

Sources & Citations

Research sources used to build this race profile. Always verify details with official race sources before making travel or registration decisions.

  1. Official Official Websiteepicrides.com/events/whiskey-off-road
  2. Route Maps RideWithGPS: Whiskey Off-Road - 50 Proof (2022) (copy)ridewithgps.com/routes/39231737
  3. Other Sources Epicridesepicrides.com/events/whiskey-off-road/course-info/
  4. Official Whiskey Off-Road: 2027 weekend and current event guideepicrides.com/events/whiskey-off-road/event-guide/
  5. Other Sources Epicridesepicrides.com/events/whiskey-off-road/event-guide/feessch...
  6. Other Sources Epicridesepicrides.com/events/whiskey-off-road/event-guide/travel/
  7. Other Sources Epicridesepicrides.com/events/whiskey-off-road/results/
  8. Other Sources Epicridesepicrides.com/product/2026-whiskey-off-road/
  9. Other Sources Forumforum.badlinesgoodtimes.com/threads/2023-whiskey-off-road...
  10. Other Sources Strambeccostrambecco.com/event/whiskey-off-road/
  11. Media & Press Velovelo.outsideonline.com/mountain/whiskey-off-road-mountain...
  12. Media & Press Velovelo.outsideonline.com/news/mountain/dirt-dispatch-pain-a...
  13. Other Sources Mtbrwww.mtbr.com/threads/my-long-winded-whiskey-50-off-road-r...
  14. Other Sources Mtbrwww.mtbr.com/threads/whiskey-off-road-2023.1212776/
  15. Other Sources Mtbrwww.mtbr.com/threads/whiskey-off-road.1008386/
  16. Other Sources Pinkbikewww.pinkbike.com/news/race-report-savilia-blunk-and-riley...
  17. Community cxhairs.substack.com: Big Money Prime Shakes Up Whiskeycxhairs.substack.com/p/big-money-prime-shakes-up-whiskey

Last updated September 2026