43rd annual Tour of the California Alps Death Ride this weekend

ALPINE COUNTY, Calif. - The 43rd annual Tour of the California Alps Death Ride returns for 2024 in Alpine County on Saturday, July 13. The 103-mile ride starts and finishes at Turtle Rock Park in Markleeville and covers both sides of three mountain passes - Monitor, Ebbett's, and the Pacific Grade.

There will be road closures on Saturday to be aware of: SR-4 (Ebbett's Pass) will be closed from 5 a.m. to 4 p.m., and SR-89 (Alpine State Hwy) will be closed from 5 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Riders will begin at 5 a.m. and cover 14,000 feet of climbing during the day.

The full course is not for the faint at heart! The course will be closed to traffic from Markleeville through all sections of climbing, with a turnaround point at Lake Alpine where participants will head back to the finish at Turtle Rock Park.

This ride caters to the elite mountain cyclists, but also offers a range of challenge levels, from one pass to up to six highly categorized climbs.

The event is not only a highly sought-after cycling challenge but also the primary fundraiser of the Alpine County Chamber of Commerce and many local nonprofits that serve the communities of Markleeville, Woodfords, Bear Valley, and Kirkwood.

Caltrans will be working on the race course this week, repairing potholes, and working on road shoulders and surfaces. Expect some delays this week.

For more information, visit https://deathride.com/.